and excluded all view of the snow, the natural hue was in a great measure restored. This last gentleman left the summit at half-past three o'clock, and spent the night on the Grand Mulet. Mr Auldjo began the descent at noon, with the view of getting back to Chamounix that night. When this gentleman and his party had regained a particular part of the Plateau, they discovered that, by a slight variation in their ascending route, they had escaped a slip of snow, which had been precipitated down the usual track at the moment when they must have been upon it, so that the whole might consider their lives as saved by a mere accident. I cannot,' says he, 'describe my feelings when I saw the poor guides turn pale and tremble at the sight of the danger from which they had escaped. Clasping their hands together, they returned the most heartfelt thanks for this deliverance. A deep impressive silence prevailed for some moments: the contemplation of this danger and escape was too much for even these uncultivated beings, under whose rough character are found feelings which would do honour to the most refined of their fellow-creatures. One married man vowed most solemnly that he never would be tempted to make the ascent again, whatever might be the inducement offered.' In crossing the plateaux, Mr Auldjo and his party suffered greatly from burning heat, and also from the toilsomeness of the march, the snow being at this period of the day melted to such a degree as to take them up to the knees at every step. The precipitous intervals between the various plateaux were descended by sliding -a method not without its perils, as an individual in attempting it is liable to overshoot his point, and glide into chasms from which he might never again ascend. As they proceeded, the materials of a thunder-storm gathered in the sky, and a thick sleet began to fall. Some time after passing the Grand Mulet, perplexed by the storm, they lost their way, and soon found themselves wandering amidst numberless crevices, where progress The storm was not less difficult than dangerous. recommenced with greater violence than before; the hailstones, large and sharp, driven with force by the wind, inflicted great pain on the face; we were exposed to it, standing on a narrow ledge overhanging an abyss. Here we awaited for a short time the return of two guides, sent to explore the crevices and banks around us, in an endeavour to discover the route of our ascent, but with very little hope of success; indeed, it was greatly feared that we should have to remain where we were for that night. The storm, increasing every instant, compelled us to seek some place in the glacier in which we could obtain shelter: following the footmarks of the guides who had gone forward, we succeeded in finding a recess, formed by the projection of a part of the glacier over a narrow ledge in the side of a crevice, We could form no idea of the depth of the chasm, but its width appeared to be about twenty feet, and its opposite side rose considerably above us. Along this ledge we moved with great care, and had just space to stand in a bending posture, and in a row. Wet through, and suffering excruciating torture from the cold, our position was both painful and dangerous. The tempest raged with the most awful fury; the gusts of wind sweeping through the chasm with tremendous violence, the pelting showers of hail, accompanied by most vivid lightning, and peals of thunder, alternating with a perfect calm, were enough to appal the bravest of the party. 'We waited for some time in this situation, when, in one of those moments of calm, we heard the loud halloo of one of the exploring guides, who was returning to us, and called to us to advance, for they had found the angle which we had so much difficulty in climbing up the day before. We soon joined him and his companion, who conducted us to it. Nearly deprived of the use of my limbs, from the excessive cold and wet state of my apparel, I could scarcely walk; my fingers were nearly frozen, and my hands so stiffened and senseless, that I could not hold my baton or keep myself from falling,' It was in this state that Mr Auldjo was brought to a wall of ice, which he had to descend for a certain way, in order to get upon a point on the opposite side of the chasm. 'Being incapable of making any exertion, I was lowered down to the guides, who were already on the ledge, beneath the wall. At the very moment I was rocking in the air, a flash of lightning penetrated into the abyss, and shewed all the horrors of my situation; while the crash of the thunder seemed to tear the glacier down upon me. I was drawn on to the neck of ice, and set down until the other guides had descended. The hearts of two or three failed, and they declared that we must all perish; the others, though conscious of our awfully dangerous position, endeavoured to raise the courage and keep up the spirits of the depressed. All suffered dreadfully from the cold, but, with a solicitude for which I shall ever feel deeply grateful, they still attended to me in the kindest manner. They desired me to stand up, and, forming a circle, in the centre of which I stood, closed round me. In a few minutes, the warmth of their bodies extended itself to mine, and I felt much relieved: they then took off their coats, covering me with them, and each in turn put my hands into his bosom, while another lay on my feet. In ten minutes I was in a state to proceed. At no late hour in the evening, Mr Auldjo returned to Chamounix, from which he had been only thirty-seven hours absent. He was met and congratulated by a great number of strangers and natives, who had felt an interest in his undertaking, and to all of whom he declared, that the magnificence of what he had seen much more than compensated for the pain of what he had felt. In 1851, some English were successful in ascending to the top of Mont Blanc, but with risks as great as those above related, and apparently for no other purpose than the satisfying of that spirit of adventure and curiosity which is so remarkable in our countrymen, FLOWERS. WILDINGS of nature, or cultured with care, Ye bloom in the palace, ye bloom in the hall, Did angels descend from their home in the skies, When morn's early beams gild the glorious east, Ye tell, when your glory and fragrance is o'er, Sweet'ners of life, ye are infancy's play; To boyhood's bright dream, O what charms ye display! To childhood, to manhood, to age ye are dear; Wildings of nature, or cultured with care, Ye are beautiful, beautiful everywhere! ANNAN, July 11, 1851. JOHN PALMER. SKILL LEADS TO FORTUNE. Ir will be recollected that one of Sir Walter Scott's sayings was, that Whatever might be said about luck, 'tis skill that leads to fortune!' There can be no doubt of this as a general principle. Few self-indulgent and apathetic men do well in any line of life. The skilful, the active, and the steadily persevering, usually carry off the prizes which turn up in the wheel of fortune. At the same time, something is due to circumstances; as well as to the Power which wisely controls human destiny. Practically, however, the thing to be borne in mind is, that the young are bound to exercise all proper means to secure improvement in their condition. That with a fair share of ambition, prudence, and meritorious skill, it may be possible to attain a station of eminence—that is, 'fortune,' though perhaps not without corresponding responsibilities and cares-we present the following compendious list of distinguished men who rose from humble and obscure circumstances. |