CHAPTER IX.

THE FIRST ASCENT OF THE POINTE DES ECRINS.

“Filled with high mountains, rearing their heads as if to reach toheaven, crowned with glaciers, and fissured with immense chasms,where lie the eternal snows guarded by bare and rugged cliffs; offeringthe most varied sights, and enjoying all temperatures ; and containingeverything that is most curious and interesting, the most simple andthe most sublime, the most smiling and the most severe, the mostbeautiful and the most awful; such is the department of the HighAlps. ” La DOUCETTE.

B EFORE 5 o’clock on the afternoon of June 23 wewere trotting down the steep path that leads intoLa Berarde. We put up, of course, with the chasseur-guideRodier (who, as usual, was smooth and smiling), and aftercongratulations were over we returned to the exterior towatch for the arrival of one Alexander Pic, who had beensent overnight with our baggage via Freney and Venos.But when night fell, and no Pic appeared, we saw that ourplans must be modified for he was necessary to our veryexistence—he carried our food, our tobacco, our all. So,after some discussion, it was agreed that a portion of ourprogramme should be abandoned, that the night of the 24thshould be passed at the head of the Glacier de la BonnePierre, and that on the 25th a push should be made for thesummit of the Ecrins . We then went to straw.*

Our porter Pic strolled in next morning with a very

* In 1887 a little inn was opened at La Berarde under the auspices ofthe Societe des Touristes du Dauphine.