Chapter 37 - Page 2

follows:

CHIEFS OF SERVICE SUBORDINATES

Myself
1 Veterinary Surgeon Mr. Harris
1 Butler
17 Guides
12 Waiters
4 Surgeons
1 Footman
1 Geologist
1 Barber
1 Botanist
1 Head Cook
3 Chaplains
9 Assistants
15 Barkeepers
1 Confectionery Artist
1 Latinist

TRANSPORTATION, ETC.

27 Porters
3 Coarse Washers and Ironers
1 Fine ditto
44 Mules
44 Muleteers
7 Cows
2 Milkers

Total, 154 men, 51 animals. Grand Total, 205.

RATIONS, ETC. APPARATUS

16 Cases Hams
25 Spring Mattresses
2 Hair ditto
Bedding for same
2 Barrels Flour
22 Barrels Whiskey
1 Barrel Sugar
2 Mosquito-nets
1 Keg Lemons
29 Tents
2,000 Cigars
Scientific Instruments
1 Barrel Pies
97 Ice-axes
1 Ton of Pemmican
5 Cases Dynamite
143 Pair Crutches
7 Cans Nitroglycerin
2 Barrels Arnica
22 40-foot Ladders
1 Bale of Lint
2 Miles of Rope
27 Kegs Paregoric
154 Umbrellas

It was full four o'clock in the afternoon before my cavalcade was
entirely ready. At that hour it began to move. In point of numbers and
spectacular effect, it was the most imposing expedition that had ever
marched from Zermatt.

I commanded the chief guide to arrange the men and animals in single
file, twelve feet apart, and lash them all together on a strong rope. He
objected that the first two miles was a dead level, with plenty of room,
and that the rope was never used except in very dangerous places. But
I would not listen to that. My reading had taught me that many serious
accidents had happened in the Alps simply from not having the people
tied up soon enough; I was not going to add one to the list. The guide
then obeyed my order.

When the procession stood at ease, roped together, and ready to move, I
never saw a finer sight. It was 3,122 feet long--over half a mile; every
man and me was on foot, and had on his green veil and his blue goggles,
and his white rag around his hat, and his coil of rope over one shoulder
and under the other, and his ice-ax in his belt, and carried his
alpenstock in his left hand, his umbrella (closed) in his right, and his
crutches slung at his back. The burdens of the pack-mules and the horns
of the cows were decked with the Edelweiss and the Alpine rose.

I and my agent were the only persons mounted. We were in the post of
danger in the extreme rear, and tied securely to five guides apiece. Our
armor-bearers carried our ice-axes, alpenstocks, and other implements
for us. We were mounted upon very small donkeys, as a measure of safety;
in time of peril we could straighten our legs and stand up, and let
the