Notes

Abstract

THE following details regarding the sad accident by which Prof. Balfour lost his life have been received since Prof. Foster's article was written. It appears (from a letter from Mr. C. D. Cunningham to the Times) that on the 14th ult. Mr. Balfour crossed the Col du Géant, and on descending on the Italian side the idea first occurred to him of attempting the Aiguille Blanche de Penteret, or, as it is sometimes called, the Aiguille de la Belle Etoile, a peak which is one of the buttresses of Mont Blanc, to the massif of which it is joined by an extremely steep snow arête. Mr. Cunningham's guide, Emile Rey, had previously attempted the peak, and was able to give Mr. Balfour many details as to the probable line of ascent. Having failed, however, to persuade Mr. Cunningham and the guide Rey to accompany him, Mr. Balfour started from Courmayeur on Tuesday, the 18th, with the gnide Johann Petrus, for Aiguille, accompanied by a porter to carry blankets and wood as far as their sleeping-place on the rocks. It was thought, the ascent being new and difficult, he might be absent two nights, and return to Courmayeur on Thursday. As he did not reappear, it was thought he must have crossed to Chamounix, or gone down to the Chalets de Visaille for more provisions. On Friday Mr. Bertolini and Mr. Baker, at the hotel in Courmayeur, became seriously alarmed, and finding the party had not been heard of either at Chamounix or at the Chalets de Visaille, they sent out a search party, which, early on Sunday morning, on reaching the rocks between the Glacier de Brouillard and the Glacier de Fresny, found the bodies of Mr. Balfour and Petrus, both partly covered with snow, at the foot of the steep snow arête. As there was little fresh snow about the place, it was probably not an avalanche that caused their death. One may have slipped, and the other not had sufficient strength to hold his companion. The provisions at the sleeping-place having been untouched, the accident must have taken place on Wednesday, the 19th. But it is not certain whether they fell in descent or ascent. Means were taken on the 25th to have the remains brought to the hotel.