CIIAI’. VII.

INACCESSIBILITY OF THE AIGUILLES.

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hard, and where some large erratic blocks lay perched upon itscrest, we were obliged to cut steps (in the mud) with our ice-axes.

Guided by the sound of a distant ‘ moo,’ we speedily found thehighest chalets in the valley, named Eieu Blanc. They weretenanted by three old women (who seemed to belong to one of themissing links sought by naturalists), destitute of all ideas except inregard to cows, and who spoke a barbarous patois, well-nigh unin-telligible to the Savoyard Croz. They would not believe that wehad passed between the Aiguilles,—“ It is impossible, the cowsnever go there.” “ Could we get to La Grave over yonder ridge ?”“ Oh yes ! the cotes often crossed !” Could they show us the way ?No; hut wo could follow the cou’-tracks.

We stayed a while near these chalets, to examine the westernsides of the Aiguilles d’Arve, and, according to our united opinion,the central one was as inaccessible from this direction as from thecast, north, or south. On the following day we saw them again,from a height of about 11,000 feet, in a south-easterly direction,and our opinion remained unchanged.

We saw (on June 20-22) the central Aiguille from all sides,and very nearly completely round the southernmost one. Thenorthern one we also saw on all sides excepting from the north. (Itis, however, precisely from this direction M. Joanne says that itsascent is relatively easy.) We do not, therefore, venture to expressany opinion respecting its ascent, except as regards its actualsummit. This is formed of two curious prongs, or pinnacles ofrock, and we do not understand in what way they (or either ofthem) can be ascended ; nor shall we be surprised if this ascent isdiscovered to have been made in spirit rather than body ; in fact,in the same manner as the celebrated ascent of Mont Blanc, “ notentirely to the summit, hut as far as the Montanvert! ”

All three of the Aiguilles may be accessible, but they look asinaccessible as anything I have seen. They are the highestsummits between the valleys of the Bomanche and the Arc; theyarc placed slightly to the north of the watershed between those