t's out of the question; you can't get there alone, and as there is
no help for it, we must all go back." Then I told Francois, and the poor
fellow's countenance at once fell below zero.

This was his first ascent as guide, although he had accompanied other
parties as porter on eleven previous occasions. Matters certainly looked
gloomy at this moment. S---- not only appeared the picture of misery,
but was undoubtedly very ill--suffering, in fact, from mountain
sickness; he complained of internal cold and shivered all over, besides
experiencing other sensations which are best described in his own
words,--"It seemed as though all power had departed from my limbs, my
eyes were dim and incapable of vision, and I more than once put my hand
to them and my ears and mouth to make sure that blood was not spurting
forth."

Feeling averse to beat a hasty retreat after all the toil that had been
undergone, and when the end was so comparatively near, and hoping
against hope that S---- might yet be able to reach the summit, we tried
to make him as comfortable as possible. A seat was made on the snow with
alpenstocks and ice-axe handles, and Jules goodnaturedly took off his
jacket, in which he wrapped the invalid. It was near this very spot that
Sir Thomas Talfourd's expedition was forced to return through the same
cause in 1843. At this time the other party came in sight, crawling
slowly up the slope of snow, walking in single file, and roped together.
On moving past us and noticing that there was something amiss, one of
the guides observed to me:

"You are all right, or you would not be able to smoke." They then
discovered that we were going back, and the same fellow who had just
spoken to me said, "Do you wish to make the ascent, sir?"

"Of course I do; that is why I am here."

"Then untie yourself and fasten on to our line, and come on."

"Yes, with pleasure, if your employers are willing."

Whispering was carried on, and, after some conversation in patois,
Francois announced that they were _not_ willing.

Then S---- rose up, quietly remarking:

"We had better get on."

"You can't do it, man; you are far too ill."

"I will, if I die for it!"

Without further talk we made a fresh start up this interminable slope.
The indignation S---- felt at the churlish behaviour of the
"foreigners" completely restored him, the effect produced being the same
as intense excitement on those who are suffering from _mal-de-mer_. I
pict