The photographic news

• Bandzählung: 6.1862
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1862
• Sprache: Englisch
• Signatur: F 135
• Vorlage: Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Digitalisat: Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Digitalisat: SLUB Dresden
• Rechtehinweis: Public Domain Mark 1.0
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-db-id1780948042-186200003
• PURL: http://digital.slub-dresden.de/id1780948042-18620000
• OAI: oai:de:slub-dresden:db:id-1780948042-18620000
• Sammlungen: LDP: Historische Bestände der Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
• Sammlungen: Fotografie
• Bemerkung: Seite 1-72 fehlen in der Vorlage. Vorlagebedingter Textverlust.
• Strukturtyp: Band

• Digitalisat: SLUB Dresden
• Strukturtyp: Ausgabe

September 12, 1862.] THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. 437 desolation V. B. M. BISSON’S SECOND ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. All was now bustle with my amateur friends, for the task of building up their complicated photographic edifice was no light one. Three persons were not found sufficient, so the boatman was pressed into the service. I hurried on my own preparations, for the fine weather I clearly saw would not last an hour, I succeeded, however, in getting one really good result, introducing a trace of the stormy sky, and a very fine effect of sunlight on the angry water. This picture was just snatched in time, for in five minutes afterwards all was black and gloomy again. My friends were unfortunate, for they attempted to intensify their negative, and as the water was salt, when they applied the pyro and silver to the plate, they produced a charming effect of curds and whey, but unfortunately for them this did not tend to improve the appearance of their picture. We disconsolately packed up and started for home; having now a fair wind we hoisted sail, and were soon dashing over M. Bisson’s first ascent of Mont Blanc, accomplished about n year ago, was not entirely satisfactory to him ; desiring to complete the collection of views he then made, each of which forms a stage in his ascent, he has resumed his rough and perilous enterprise. We follow with deep interest the de tails of this journey over mountains and precipices, which, thanks to the energy and coolness of M. Bisson, and the devotion of the men who accompanied him, was attended with the happiest results. The little party had not, this time, for its leader the usual guide of these ascents, Balmat, who has gained notoriety from being the first to plant his foot on the summit of Mont Blanc. His absence, however, did not deter M. Bisson. At 9 o'clock on the morning of the 11th of August he set out from the village of Chamounix, with the intention of operating the same day below the Grands Mulets, on the glacier of Bossons, near the junction of the two glaciers. He reached this spot at two o’clock, and planted his apparatus. His first essay was successful, he obtained a beautiful view of the Grands Mulets, which forms a very charming picture. This task Accomplished, he wished also to obtain a view of the Passage d I'echelle, but it was not possible till the next morning, on Account of the effect of the light. He then retired to his couch under a tent, having above his head blocks’of ice from 200 to 250 feet in height, which at any moment might fall and crush him if the sun happened but to shine out. To make the tent warmer during the night, he had five young uien sleeping near him, and sent the others to sleep at the Grands Mulets, because there was not room enough for them in his tent. They made the best of their accommoda- bon. At 9 o’clock M. Bisson made tea for his companions, after which they went to sleep upon a beautiful bed of ice. At six o’clock on the morning of the 12th the men descended from the rock of the Grands Mulets, and rejoined M. Bisson and his party, rejoicing to meet each other again in safety. M. Bisson then took his view of the Passage des echelles; Joe result was a complete success. His men figure in this andscape. He next sent them to pose under the blocks where they had passed the night, in order to make a picture which should commemorate that event. Our skilful photo- Erapher had the pleasure of succeeding in his task. He next crossed the echelles, in order to erect his tent on the 1 akes of ice, where he took two other types ; namely, a new ylew of the Passage d I'echelle, but different from the first, ipsmuch, as the ladder being too short, it was necessary for An to climb large blocks of ice to the only accessible place. ‘the first passage they were obliged to pass one by one on e ladder, which is horizontal, on their hands and knees, hls, suspended at more than 100 yards above enormous corn fields at the rate of six or eight miles an hour. Our stock of patience was now fairly exhausted, for the weather obstinately refused to second our efforts, we there fore took the train, and leaving the Fens in their behind, were soon a hundred miles away. : crevasses, the passage was accomplished without accident, > all his companions being at a certain distance from each > other, and strictly observing his regulations, for fear of dis turbing an avalanche of the blocks that surrounded them. M. Bisson next took a new view of the dome of the Goutt । from a near point. He had now obtained his five typical views. At six o’clock in the evening they reached the Grands Mulets, proposing to ascend higher if the weather i kept fair. The night was serene; they removed their । gaiters and snow boots, and partook of soup and tea, and ' were comforted. The barometer was steady. At midnight 1 M. Bisson decided to start again, and bravely and joyously, • by moonlight, at two o'clock in the morning, they descended - the rock of the Grands Mulets to ascend afterwards the dome of the Goutt and the little plateaux. All attached to each other at seven feet apart, they travelled on for two hours, when an incident presented itself. A bridge of ice and snow, which crossed one of the large crevasses to the great plateau, was found broken. A crevasse, fathomless, and 17 yards wide, was before them ; there were at least 60 yards above them. No other passage appeared possible. M. Bisson thereupon examined his position, to see what could be done, when three of the most desperate of his porters, to whom he had paid no attention, appeared more than 16 yards above him, having cut steps with an axe in the almost perpendicular wall that impeded their progress, up which they were able to ascend easily; they called out, saying that they had reached a bridge, which would doubtless permit their proceeding and crossing the crevasse. M. Bisson, unable to see them, hailed them. They came at all risks, and to get out of their position, made a leap of a dozen yards on to a plateau of snow, which the foot of man had never before trodden, and sought a new passage in order to reach their comrades, two of their number remaining on the spot. M. Bisson sought for them in vain. After the lapse of a quarter of an hour, they per ceived Edward Ballin, whose cider brother was with M. Bisson, and very uneasy ; they saw the figure of the young man appear upon the edge of the ice of Mont Maudit, alternately using his axe and straddling across the ridge, and standing out in relief against a sky almost black in the depth of its blue; making him a sign to wait, they des cended the rocks, and threw cords to their two comrades to hoist them up by, and which served afterwards to haul up all their baggage. M. Bisson could not help saluting and applauding him, and, preceded by his brother, who seemed to have but one wish, that of rejoining him, he descended in his turn, and like them, had the happiness to cross this dangerous pas sage, which enabled him to arrive two hours sooner at the grand plateau. Here new difficulties awaited them. They had to make eight hundred steps, and mount the side of the corridor, which had an angle of 50 degrees, in order to reach the summit, where a most violent icy wind surprised them. After occupying nearly an hour and a half overcoming these difficulties, they arrived. They had to mount the side. The German guide declared that his feet were frozen; unfortunately, this was true, for on the return to Chamounix he could not walk ; the great toe of the left foot was black and swelled. Another four or five hundred steps had to be taken. The wind, which raised the snow in clouds, caused them some annoyance. However, M. Bisson, de spairing of being able to operate on the summit, wished— but not alone, it is true—to attain it on this occasion. All the young men, braver than might have been ex pected, reached the summit two hours afterwards, where they hoped that M. Bisson would have been the first to plant foot. It demanded all their energy to erect the tent, which was twice blown down. The artist, nevertheless, attempted two operations; to his great annoyance, he found the silver crystallized upon the plates, the temperature having sud denly fallen 10 degrees. After several hours’ working, the men could endure the cold no longer ; they struck the tent at two o’clock, the summit having been attained at noon