PREFACE.

vii

Without being unduly discursive in the narrative, it has notbeen possible to include in the text all the observations which aredesirable for the general reader, and a certain amount of element-ary knowledge has been pre-supposed, which perhaps some donot possess; and the opportunity is now taken of making a fewremarks which may serve to elucidate those which follow.

When a man who is not a born mountaineer gets upon theside of a mountain, he speedily finds out that walking is an art;and very soon wishes that he could he a quadruped or a centipede,or anything except a biped; but, as there is a difficulty in satisfy-ing these very natural desires, he ultimately procures an alpen-stock and turns himself into a tripod. This simple implement isinvaluable to the mountaineer, and when he is partedfrom it involuntarily (and who has not been ?) he is inclinedto say, just as one may remark of other friends, “You■were only a stick—a poor stick—but you were a truefriend, and I should like to be in your company again.”

Respecting the size of the alpenstock, let it be re-marked that it may he nearly useless if it be too long ortoo short. It should always be shorter than the personwho carries it, but it may be any length you like betweenthree-fifths of your height and your extreme altitude.

It should be made of ash, of the very best quality ; andshould support your weight upon its centre when it issuspended at its two ends. Unless shod with an ironpoint it can scarcely be termed an alpenstock, and thenature of the point is of some importance. The kind I prefer isshown in the annexed illustration. It has a long tang runninginto the wood, is supported by a rivetted collar, and its termi-nation is extremely sharp. With a point of this descriptionsteps can be made in ice almost as readily as with an axe.

•Y volume might be written upon the use of the alpenstock.Its principal use is as a third leg, to extend one’s base line; andwhen the beginner gets this well into his head he finds the