CHAPTER VIII

ACROSS THE PENNINE ALPS ON SKI BY THE “HIGH-LEVEL” ROUTE 206

The “high-level” route--Previous attempts--My itinerary--Marcel Kurz--The wise old men of Bourg St. Pierre--Maurice Crettex--Guides with bamboos and laupars!--The snow-clad cliffs of Sonadon--The Chanrion hut--Sealed-up crevasses--The nameless pass--Louis Theytaz--The Pigne d’Arolla--The Bertol hut--Why the Dent Blanche could be ascended--The lady’s maid’s easy job--The dreadful summer slabs--We push past two “constables”!--My cane--We bash in her ladyship’s white bonnet--The Ice-Maid presses gently my finger-tips--The cornice crashes down--A second night in the Bertol hut--The Col d’Hérens--An impending tragedy--A milk-pail _versus_ ski--Dr. Koenig and Captain Meade--The real tragedy of Theytaz’s death--Ropes and crevasses--Mr. Moore’s account--My comments--The Mischabel range and Monte Rosa.