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over muci broken up and crevasscd glaciers lying at a steeple angle. The rocks of the Grands Mulets arc 10,000 feet above the level of the sca. About =even hours are required to gain the summit from the cabanc. l.ast yvear the well-known Irench savanl, Monsieur Vallot, caused to be crected at s own expense a substantial hut under what 15 known as the Bosses, not far from the summit, his object being to afford the means for scientific observa- tion. But 1t will also prove a boon to mountaimecers, and render such a tragedy as that of 1570 almost impossible. The u: CONSISLS two apartiments, onc bemng reserved for scientific mstruments ; the other 1s for the usc of travellers. The rooms arc warmed by means of o1l stoves, and a good supply of blankets 15 provided. The hut is built of wood, surrounded with loose stone walls; and sceveral lightning conductors arc afhxed to the roof. From this shelter the summit can be cained i about an hour and a quarter.

It will not be mappropriate to close this paper with a few particulars of the death of

Jacques Balmat. s triumph over Mont Blanc brought him fame, though not

riches. Of a restless and ambitious disposi- tron, he wanted to know more of the world than he could learn about it in his own mountain-cnclosed valley. So he set out to travel, and amongst other places visited [London. When he returned once more to [1s beloved mountams he conceived the wdea that gold was to be found amonest them, and 1n his hunt for the precious metal he undertook many pertlous and hazardous cexpeditions, but his dreams were not realised, and though he was pursuing a phantom his thirst for riches grew.

In 1824, al- though an old man, his passion for climbing had not dimimished ; and havine heard that gcold had once been found m the valley of Sixt, to thenorth- west of Chamo- nix, he set off to cexplore that wild region, and nar- rowly cscaped coming to grief. He returned to

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solate. But soon after something induced him to once more visit S'xt, where he asso- clated himself with a noted chamois hunter, and the two pursued their investigations amongst the high peaks that shut in the valley, One day Balmat, i spite of the en- treatics of his comrade, insisted on Crossing an overhanging ledece of snow. He had not vone many yvards, however, when the snow cornice gave way, and Balmat disappeared, falling a depth of more than goo feet on to iE 15454(,(] and splintered rocks; in a tremendous abyss, and on a spot that was incessantly bombarded with ice avalanches. His death muxt have been mstantancous. For a longe time the chamois hunter concealed the

truth, fearing that the accident might lead to others discoverimg the s*u])p()s‘cl oold mine. But after a while Balimat's sons and

othrer members of his family, becoming un- casy at his abscencee, sct off to look for him, and subscquently the hunter related the story ol the accident. Attempts were made to recover the body, but had to be given up.

[For nincteen years no other attempt was made, but in 1833 a strong desire was ox- pressed by the people of Chamonix that the remains of the celebrated mountaineer hould,if possible, be recovered and accorded Christian burial.

In pursuance of this object a verv strong l)\)(l\ of the best guides set off for Sixt, At last, but ()n]\ with extreme difficuliy, they reachaed the spot from whence Balmat had fallen. It was then seen that no mortal power could recover the body, owing to the avalanches of rock and ice thdt - cessantly fell into the horrible abyss that had become Jucques Balmat's grave. A htting one, surcly, for so truc a mountaineer ! He \]“l" qumlly cnough in those profound depths, and the thunder of the avalanche 15 his requiem ;o owhile the maenincent, orcat, whitc mountain, now known as NMont DBlancg, is his cter-

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nal monument, which shall on- durc until the orcat olobe itsclf dissolves and passcs away! Surcly no man

cver had a grand-

%M [y AUSSTRE AT CHAMONIY. Cr onc *