The early history of mountaineering is dealt with in Mr. Coolidge’s books referred to above. There is a good historical sketch in the first chapter of the Badminton volume. The most readable book on the early pioneers is The Early Mountaineers, by Francis Gribble (1899). The Story of Alpine Climbing, by Francis Gribble (1904), is smaller than The Early Mountaineers; it can be obtained for a shilling.
We shall, where possible, confine our list to books written in English. This is not possible for the earlier works, as English books do not cover the ground.
Descriptio Montis Fracti juxta Lucernam. By Conrad Gesner. 1555.
De Alpibus Commentarius. By Josias Simler. 1574.
Coryate’s Crudities. By T. Coryate. 1611. This book contains the passage quoted on p. 15. It has recently been reprinted.
Diary (Simplon, etc.). By John Evelyn. 1646. (Reprinted in the Everyman Library.)
Remarks on Several Parts of Switzerland. By J. Addison. 1705.
Itinera per Helvetiæ Alpinas Regiones Facta. By Johann Jacob Scheuchzer. 1723.
Die Alpen. By A. von Haller. 1732.
An Account of the Glaciers or Ice Alps in Savoy. By William Windham and Peter Martel. 1744.