(I have tried several plans, and find that which is shown in Fig. 1 to be thoroughly comfortable and secure. A stick forms the seat' at either end of it is a short stirrup; garters secure the stirrup leathers to the knees; there is a belt under the arms.)
It is convenient, but not necessary, to have a well-greased leather sheath, a tube of eighteen inches in length, through which the rope runs, as shown in both figures. It lies over the edges of the cliff, and the friction of the rock keeps it steadily in its place.
It is nervous work going over the edge of a cliff for the first time; however, the sensation does not include giddiness. Once in the air, and when confidence is acquired, the occupation is very exhilarating. The power of locomotion is marvellous: a slight push with the foot, or a thrust with a stick, will swing the climber twenty feet to a side. Few rocks are so precipitous but that a climber can generally make some use of his hands and feet; enough to cling to the rock when he wishes, and to clamber about its face. The wind is seldom a gale above, but the air will be comparatively quiet upon the face; and therefore there is no danger of a chance gush dashing the climber against the rocks. A short stick is useful, but not necessary. There are three cautions to be borne in mind. 1. As you go down, test every stone carefully. If the movement of the rope displaces any one of them, after you have been let down below it, it is nearly sure to fall upon your head, because you will be vertically beneath it. Some climbers use a kind of helmet as a shield against these very dangerous accidents. 2. Take care that the rope does not become jammed in a cleft, or you will be helplessly suspended in mid-air. Keep the rope pretty tight when you are clambering about the ledges: else, if you slip, the jerk may break the rope, or cause an overpowering strain upon the men who are holding it above.
Turf and solid rock are much the best substances for the rope to run over. In the Faroes, they tar the ropes excessively; they are absolutely polished with tar. Good ropes are highly valued. In St. Kilda, leather ropes are used: they last a lifetime, and are a dowry for a daughter. A new rope spins terribly.
Leaping Poles.--In France they practise a way of crossing a deep brook by the help of a rope passed round an overhanging branch of a tree growing by its side. They take a run and swing themselves across, pendulum fashion. It is the principle of the leaping-pole, reversed.
The art of climbing difficult places.--Always face difficult places; if you slip, let your first effort be to turn upon your stomach, for in every other position you are helpless. A mountaineer, when he meets with a formidable obstacle, does not hold on the rock by means of his feet and his hands only, but he clings to it like a caterpillar, with every part of his body that can come simultaneously into contact with its roughened surface.
Snow Mountains.--Precautions.--The real dangers of the high Alps may be reduced to three:--1. Yielding of snow-bridges over crevices. 2. Slipping on slopes of ice. 3. The fall of ice, or rocks, from above. Absolute security from the first is obtainable by tying the party together at intervals to a rope. If there be only two in company, they should be tied together at eight or ten paces apart. Against the second danger, the rope is usually effective, though frightful accidents have occurred by the fall of one man, dragging along with him the whole chain of his companions. Against the third danger there is no resource but circumspection. Ice falls chiefly in the heat of the day; it is from limestone cliffs that the falling rocks are nearly always detached. When climbing ice of the most moderate slope, nailed boots are an absolute necessity; and for steep slopes of ice, the ice-axe (described below) is equally essential.
Alpine Outfit consists of ropes, ice-axe or alpenstock (there must be at least one ice-axe in the party), nailed boots, coloured spectacles, veil or else a linen mask, muffettees, and gaiters.
I give the following extracts from the Report of a Committee appointed by the Alpine Club in 1864, on Ropes, Axes, and Alpenstocks:-- Ropes.--We have endeavoured to ascertain what ropes will best stand the sharp jerk which would be caused by a man falling suddenly into a crevasse, or down an ice-slope: and on this subject we lay before the Club the result of nearly a hundred experiments, made with various kinds of rope purchased of the best London makers. We considered that the least weight with which it was practically useful to test ropes, was twelve stone, as representing the average weight of a light man with his whole Alpine equipment. In the preliminary experiments, therefore, all ropes were rejected which did not support the strain produced by twelve stone falling five feet. Under this trial, all those plaited ropes which are generally supposed to be so strong, and many most carefully-made twisted ropes, gave way in such a manner as was very startling to some of our number, who had been in the habit of using these treacherous cords with perfect and most unfounded confidence. Only four ropes passed successfully through this trial; these were all made by Messrs. Buckingham and Sons, of 33, Broad-street, Bloomsbury, and can be procured only of them. We confined our further experiments to these ropes, one of which failed under severer tests, while the remaining three, made respectively of Manilla hemp, Italian hemp, and flax, proved so nearly equal in strength that it may fairly be doubted which is on the whole to be preferred. Each of these three ropes will bear twelve stone falling ten feet, and fourteen stone falling eight feet; and it may be useful to say that the strain upon a rope loaded with a weight of fourteen stone, and suddenly checked after a fall of eight feet, is nearly equal to that which is caused by a dead weight of two tons. None of these ropes, however, will bear a weight of fourteen stone falling ten feet; and the result of our experiments is, that no rope can be made, whether of hemp, flax, or silk, which is strong enough to bear that strain, and yet light enough to be portable. We believe that these ropes, which weigh about three-quarters of an ounce to the foot, are the heaviest which can be conveniently carried about in the Alps. We append a statement of the respective merits of the three kinds, all of which are now made by Messrs. Buckingham, expressly for the Club, and marked by a red worsted thread twisted in the strands:--
No. 1. MANILLA HEMP. Weight of 20 yards, 48 oz. Advantages--Is softer and more pliable than 2. Is more elastic than 2 and 3. When wet, is far more pleasant to handle than 2 and 3. Disadvantages--Has a tendency to wear and fray at a knot.