We remained on the summit for one hour—
“One crowded hour of glorious life.”
It passed away too quickly, and we began to prepare for the descent.
THE ACTUAL SUMMIT OF THE MATTERHORN IN 1865.
CHAPTER XX.
DESCENT OF THE MATTERHORN.[233]
Hudson and I again consulted as to the best and safest arrangement of the party. We agreed that it would be best for Croz to go first,[234] and Hadow second; Hudson, who was almost equal to a guide in sureness of foot, wished to be third; Lord F. Douglas was placed next, and old Peter, the strongest of the remainder, after him. I suggested to Hudson that we should attach a rope to the rocks on our arrival at the difficult bit, and hold it as we descended, as an additional protection. He approved the idea, but it was not definitely settled that it should be done. The party was being [pg 285]arranged in the above order whilst I was sketching the summit, and they had finished, and were waiting for me to be tied in line, when some one remembered that our names had not been left in a bottle. They requested me to write them down, and moved off while it was being done.