Notes to the Preface of the Fifth Edition
The First Edition of Scrambles Amongst the Alps appeared in the summer of , and the Second Edition in the autumn of the same year. In , a Third (condensed) Edition was published, under the title The Ascent of the Matterhorn. The book then remained out of print for twelve years. In the Fourth Edition () the matter which was omitted in the Third one was restored; the text was revised generally; corrections which had become necessary in consequence of the lapse of years were made; and, in the Appendix, the History of the Matterhorn was brought down to date.
Amongst changes and developments which are not noted in the narrative, it may be mentioned that an Inn at Lognan has replaced the chalets, and that there is another one at Prerayen, in addition to the old buildings. A cabane has been opened at Chanrion. A new Inn (Hôtel des Jumeaux) has been put up at Breuil, and the Albergo del Monte Cervino at Giomein has been enlarged. The building on the summit of the Col Théodule, which was formerly termed “the hut,” is now called Pavillon du Col St. Théodule.
The Maps have been re-engraved, on copper. That of the Matterhorn and its Glaciers is after the Siegfried Map of Switzerland, with such additions as are needful to adapt it to the text. The Map of the Chain of Mont Blanc is based on the Survey of Capt. Mieulet, the map by Mr. Adams-Reilly, and the Carte Dufour, but numerous corrections and additions have been made from personal observation. The Map of the Valley of Valpelline, etc., has been constructed from the new Italian Official Map, the survey by Mr. Reilly, and the Carte Dufour.
Early Ascents of the Aiguilles d’Arve
In the Annuaire of the Club Alpin Français published in there is an article by Dr. Fodéré upon the Aiguilles d’Arve. Dr. Fodéré has ascended both the Southern and the Central Aiguilles, and says he found by levelling that the Southern Aiguille is the higher of the two. He also gives the name of a person (Célestin Bellet) who made an ascent of the Central Aiguille in , and the name of another person (Elie Savoye) who did the same before . In the Alpine Journal, vol. XVIII, pp. 165–8, there is a reference to an ascent of the Central Aiguille which was made in . These were probably the excursions which were referred to by Mons. Ad. Joanne, about which both I and my companions were perhaps unduly sceptical. See Chapter VIII. Dr. Fodéré’s article came under my notice after the sheets of Chapter VIII were worked off.
The Death of Christian Almer
Most of the characters mentioned in Scrambles have now departed. One of the last to go was my old Guide and Friend Christian Almer. This ideal mountain-guide celebrated the 70th anniversary of his birthday by making an ascent of the Wetterhorn along with his wife, who was then aged 72; and from this display of vigour when threescore and ten he might have been expected to have lived much longer. To my great regret, he died on , aged 72. See the illustration in Chapter XIIX, and the Alpine Journal, vol. XVIII, pp. 185–6.
Changes on the Southern Side of the Matterhorn
In , I ascended the southwest ridge as far as the base of the Great Tower, to photograph places in which I was interested. More than thirty years had elapsed since my last visit, and I found that great changes had taken place in the interval. The summit of the Col du Lion was lower than it was formerly, from diminution of the snow; and the passage across it was shorter than it used to be. For the next 150 feet or so of ascent there was little alteration, but thence upwards the ridge had tumbled to pieces, and many familiar places were unrecognizable. No spot on this ridge is more firmly fixed in my recollection than “the Chimney.” (See the illustration in Chapter V.) Only a remnant of it was left—more than half of the Chimney had disappeared; and from that point upwards everything was altered. Difficult places had become easy, and easy places had become difficult. The angle in which a thick knotted rope is now dangling, which is one of the steepest bits of the ascent, did not exist in .
The first refuge on the southern side of the Matterhorn was made on the ledge called the “cravate” (see Appendix C). Later on, a cabane was built close to the base of the Great Tower. Its life seeming precarious, a third refuge, another cabane, was erected in about 160 feet lower down, and came into use in . This latter hut occupies very nearly the position of my third tent-platform. A view of it is given in Chapter II of my Guide to Zermatt and the Matterhorn, after photographs taken in .
In Chapter V, I characterize the Great Tower as “one of the most striking features on the ridge.” In , there were no signs of decay about the base of this huge pinnacle. In it seemed to me that it would not be long before it would collapse. Woe betide those who may be beneath the Great Tower when it falls.
Carrel’s Gallery
By reference to this section in Appendix C, it will be seen that Jean-Antoine Carrel, upon his descent of the Matterhorn, on , came down at one part of the way by a somewhat easier route than that which was taken upon the ascent. The opinion of Mr. Craufurd Grove about this “somewhat easier route” will be found later in Appendix C. Mr. Grove was the first tourist to ascend the Matterhorn on the Italian side; and, so far as I am aware, no one again went that way until , when Mr. W. E. Davidson, with the guides Daniel Maquignaz and Christian Klucker, made an ascent by what was generally, though perhaps not exactly, the route taken by Mr. Grove. Mr. Davidson strongly endorses Mr. Grove’s opinion. Traces of the two previous ascents were observed by Mr. Davidson.
Exploration of the Furgg Ridge
In , Sig. Guido Rey, of Turin, undertook a very bold and enterprising exploration of the Furgg Ridge—that which leads from the Furgggrat towards the summit of the Matterhorn. The information that Sig. Rey communicated to me arrived too late to be incorporated in Appendix C.
“I started from Breuil with Antoine Maquignaz and a porter on , at one o’clock in the night, and went to the Breuiljoch, and thence directly up the Furgg Ridge, as far as the point reached by Mummery—which may be called ‘l’Épaule de Furgg’ At this point real difficulty begins.
Meanwhile Daniel Maquignaz, with two porters and a large amount of rope, had reached the summit of the Matterhorn by the usual way; and descended about 85 metres” (280 feet) “down the Furgg Ridge, until he came to a place where the rocks became overhanging. There he stopped, and fixed a rope, and let the same down to the spot where we were standing, which was about 10 metres higher than l’Épaule de Furggen. By means of this rope, I and my men ascended about 80 metres, with great difficulty, the rocks being smooth and nearly vertical. After two hours of grimpade” (scrambling) “we thus arrived at the base of some overhanging rock upon which stood Daniel and his men. We were separated 12 or 15 metres from Daniel, and tried to pull ourselves up; but this was impossible on account of the great oscillation of the rope, and from there being no means of laying hold of the rock either with hands or feet. At 5 p.m. we gave up our attempts, and returned the way we had come; and, walking down the whole night, arrived at Breuil on the morning of the . The point reached on this attempt was distant from the summit about 105 metres” (344 feet).
“I again left Breuil on the , and ascended the Matterhorn by the usual Italian route. Daniel, Antoine, and porters were with me, carrying a rope ladder about 15 metres long. I descended from the summit to the Furggen Ridge as far as the point previously attained by Daniel’s party, and found means of getting a few metres lower. There I fixed the ladder, and let it down the overhanging wall. Descending it, I reached the point where we arrived on the . Having completely explored the ridge, and touched every part of it, I returned immediately to the summit, and descended, in very bad weather, by the Hörnli route.”