Page:1880. A Tramp Abroad.djvu/440

 {| width=400px align="center" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3
 * colspan=4|, etc.
 * colspan=4|
 * width=10%|27
 * width=40%|Porters.
 * width=10%|3
 * width=40%|Coarse Washers and Ironers.
 * 44
 * Mules.
 * 1
 * Fine ditto.
 * 44
 * Muleteers.
 * 7
 * Cows.
 * 2
 * Milkers.
 * colspan=4|
 * colspan=4|Total, 154 men, 51 animals. Grand Total, 205.
 * colspan=4|
 * , etc.
 * 16
 * Cases Hams.
 * 25
 * Spring Mattrasses.
 * 2
 * Barrels Flour.
 * 2
 * Hair ditto.
 * 22
 * Barrels Whiskey.
 * Bedding for same.
 * 1
 * Barrel Sugar
 * 2
 * Mosquito Nets.
 * 1
 * Keg Lemons.
 * 29
 * Tents.
 * 2,000
 * Cigars.
 * Scientific Instruments.
 * 1
 * Barrel Pies.
 * 97
 * Ice-axes.
 * 1
 * Ton of Pemmican.
 * 5
 * Cases Dynamite.
 * 143
 * Pair Crutches.
 * 7
 * Cans Nitro-glycerine.
 * 2
 * Barrels Arnica.
 * 22
 * 40-foot Ladders.
 * 1
 * Bale of Lint.
 * 2
 * Miles of Rope.
 * 27
 * Kegs Paregoric.
 * 154
 * Umbrellas.
 * }
 * 1
 * Ton of Pemmican.
 * 5
 * Cases Dynamite.
 * 143
 * Pair Crutches.
 * 7
 * Cans Nitro-glycerine.
 * 2
 * Barrels Arnica.
 * 22
 * 40-foot Ladders.
 * 1
 * Bale of Lint.
 * 2
 * Miles of Rope.
 * 27
 * Kegs Paregoric.
 * 154
 * Umbrellas.
 * }
 * 27
 * Kegs Paregoric.
 * 154
 * Umbrellas.
 * }

It was full four o'clock in the afternoon before my cavalcade was entirely ready. At that hour it began to move. In point of numbers and spectacular effect, it was the most imposing expedition that had ever marched from Zermatt.

I commanded the chief guide to arrange the men and animals in single file, twelve feet apart, and lash them all together on a strong rope. He objected that the first two miles was a dead level, with plenty of room, and that the rope was never used except in very dangerous places. But I would not listen to that. My reading had taught me that many serious accidents had happened in the Alps simply from not having the people tied up soon enough; I was not going to add one to the list. The guide then obeyed my order.

When the procession stood at ease, roped together, and ready to move, I never saw a finer sight. It was 3,122 feet long—over half a mile; every man but Harris and me was on foot, and had on his green veil and his blue goggles, and his white rag around his hat, and his coil of rope over one shoulder and under the other, and his ice-axe in his belt, and