Saturday 5th July 1834

Went to Montanvert, & on to the Mer de Glace, where we I picked up. [gap] a little rain before we got down from the Mountain, had some boiled milk, & lay down on the bed for ½ hour – then went to see the Church – A- [Anne] had a long conversation with the Priest. about England & the Protestant Religion – went to see the living Chamois. bought a model of the mountains – dined at 6.30. went to bed could not sleep, got up & was very sick –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale WYC:1525/7/1/5/1/13

[up at] 5 35/..

[to bed at] 10

no kiss only ten minutes with her and quiet – fine morning Fahrenheit 62° at 5 35/.. – long in dressing and settling things for Adney and myself – breakfast at 7 40/.. – off at 8 55/.. and at Montanvert at 11 – walked about 1/2 way and rode about 1/2 the way up letting George ride while I walked – went about a hundred yards on the mer de glace Adney between the 2 guides – as far as people usually do go – in returning, went to the damp, low cave (in the style of Gollis but sunk 2 steps instead of even with the ground) where Pocock and Windham slept, on discovering the valley of Chamouni and mer de glace – on the stone or rock forming the roof of the cave is cut in large reddened letters ‘Pocock et Windham 1747’ – an hour at the mer de glace etc. – then 1/4 hour at the Pavillon getting boiled milk, and off back again at 12 1/4 – home at 2, all of us having walked all the way down very quickly on account of the rain – not heavy but con[s]tant from about 12 3/4 to near 2 – Adney not tired tho’ much heated as well as myself – took of[f] her habit and went to bed for an hour and we all had boiled milk again – settling with David, the guide, about journey tomorrow etc. Adney up and out with me at 3 – went into the church – neatly kept and good, in the Italian style of gilded finery about the altars – long talk with the priest at the churchyard door– he asked if the Roman catholics were free in England and would fain have converted us to the belief of the real presence – went into the 3 naturalists shops – saw the 2 the living Chamois chez Michel Carrier (the male – he had lately killed the female with a push of his horn into the ventre – and a young male nearly at his growth bred in confinement), and bought little model of the valley of Chamouni also chez Michel Carrier – had the guide chef about changing one of the mules I had today, – Adney’s that she did not like – he was very civil but said he had not the power to make the change – mules and men must go in turn, unless (for I had asked for Joseph Coutet the cleverest naturalist of the set) I chose to pay 3/. a day (1/2 price) extra for the guide so taken out of his turn which 3/. went to the general fund – satisfied enough with my 2 guides, David Folignet and Michel Dévouassoud, but if I could not have another mule instead of the one objected to, I would change my plan and go to Martigny, and have guides and mules from there for the tour of Mont Blanc – home at 5 3/4 just after a heavy shower – dinner at 6 1/2 to 9 – Had had David again – nothing could be decided till morning – fine day till afternoon – then rain and ditto heavy in the evening Fahrenheit 64° at 9 55/.. p.m. – Saw at Montanvert herbarium at 25/. 300 plants – the rose of the alps is the rhododendron ferrugineum.

In the margin: rhododendron ferrugineum

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale, SH:7/ML/E/17/0051