Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.djvu/173

140 into a crack. These wedges were certainly not there when we ascended in 1881, but seven years later Mr. Morse, who, with Ulrich Aimer, reached the first summit by this route, found them securely fixed and of great use. Unluckily, owing to lack of time (he was taking the Grépon on his way down firom the Charmoz traverse I), it was impossible to complete the ascent, and he had perforce to remain content with the lower summit.

In 1892, therefore, the ascent had never been fully repeated by my route, and had only been twice effected by the southern ridge. In each of these latter ascents F. Simond had been leading guide. Early in August of that year, a party consisting of Messrs. Morse, Gibson, Pasteur, and Wilson, without guides effected the ascent by this same route, and left an ice-axe, with a fluttering scarf attached, as a challenge to the habitues of the Montenvers. A few days later, Hastings, Collie, Pasteur, and myself made up our minds to recover the derelict property. We intended to ascend from the Charmoz-Grépon Col and descend by the south ridge, and as the step known as C. P. was reported to be absolutely inaccessible from the Grépon side—previous parties having always left a rope, on their way to the peak, hanging down the precipitous step so as to help them on their return—we