T1IE PltESANELLA.

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or later the truth of a line which ought to he embla-zoned as a text over every A. C.’s mantelpiece, ‘ Hastyclimbers oft do fall.’

We advanced but slowly along our laboured way.Once the porter was sent to the front, but after cuttingsome half-dozen steps he retired again of his ownaccord to the rear, informing us, in passing, that ‘hecould do no more.’ He accordingly reserved all hisstrength for frequent ejaculations respecting the im-possibility of attaining the top under at least eighthours ! Fram^ois had all the work to do, and for thenext two hours and a half he did it manfully. Hack !hack! went the axe, till a step was hewn out; thenwith a final flourish the loose ice was cleared off, andthe process began again. At last the wearisome taskwas done, and we all stepped gladly on to a little snow-platform, about half of which was occupied by a hugecup-shaped crevasse. The final peak alone now re-mained to be conquered. ‘ Encore dix pas seulement,’said Francis, and he hacked away as if it was his firststep. We cut across a steep ice-slope, and in five mi-nutes stood upon some broken rocks which ran up thesouthern face of the mountain. Here we had to wriggleacross an awkward boulder; and our porter, who hadinsisted on throwing off the rope, was fain to be re-attached. By a vigorous haul we cut short his hesita-tion and drew him halfway over, but there he stuckclinging on to the rock with all his limbs spread out indifferent directions, like a distressed starfish. At lastsome one went back and stretched out a helping hand;then, aggravated by the delay, we made a rush at thelast rocks, and in a few moments were treading downthe virgin snows at which we had so long and wistfully