Page:My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.djvu/27

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10
THE MATTERHORN.

been thus successfully inaugurated, we were ready to turn our attention to the Zmutt ridge. We felt, however, that we had fairly earned a day's rest, so we spent the last of August lying among the haymakers of the lower slopes. Towards evening we heard that Mr. Penhall, with Ferd, Imseng and L. Zurbrucken, had started that very

CONSULTING THE GUIDES.

day to sleep on the mountain and assault the Zmutt ridge the next morning. We had little doubt about their success. The weather looked perfect, the mountain was in exceptionally good condition and the party was of most unusual skill and strength. We determined in consequence to vary our plans and cross the Col Durand. This