THE ASCENT OF THE MATTERHORN.

CHAP. III.

50

high as possible, and to attempt to reach the summit on thefollowing day. We endeavoured to induce another man toaccompany us, hut without success. Matthias zum Tangwaldand other well-known guides were there at the time, hut theydeclined to go on any account. A sturdy old fellow—PeterTaugwalder by name—said he would go ! His price ? “ Two

hundred francs.” “ What, whether we ascend or not ? ” “ Yes —

nothing less.” The end of the matter was, that all the men whowere more or less capable showed a strong disinclination, or posi-tively refused, to go (their disinclination being very much in pro-portion to their capacity), or else asked a prohibitive price. This,it may be said once for all, was the reason why so many futileattempts were made upon the Matterhorn. One first-rate guideafter another was brought up to the mountain, and patted on theback, hut all declined the business. The men who went had noheart in the matter, and took the first opportunity to turn back.*For they were, with the exception of one man, to whom referencewill be made presently, universally impressed with the belief thatthe summit was entirely inaccessible.

We resolved to go alone, and anticipating a cold bivouac, beggedthe loan of a couple of blankets from the innkeeper. He refusedthem; giving the curious reason, that we had bought a bottle ofbrandy at Yal Tournanche, and had not bought any from him ! Nobrandy, no blankets, appeared to be his rule. We did not requirethem that night, as it was passed in the highest cow-shed in thevalley, which is about an hour nearer to the mountain than is thehotel. The cowherds, worthy fellows, seldom troubled by tourists,hailed our company with delight, and did their best to make uscomfortable; brought out their little stores of simple food, and, asw r e sat with them round the great copper pot which hung over thefire, bade us in husky voice, but with honest intent, to beware ofthe perils of the haunted cliffs. AVhen night was coming on, tvesaw, stealing up the hill-side, the forms of Jean-Antoine Carrel and

The guide liennen must 1 k> excepted.