SUMMIT OF MONT BLANC.
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        glaciers, which were visible to a great extent, was beautiful and soft. The stars seemed to be suspended far beneath the ethereal canopy, and shone without scintillation. The appearance of Mont Blanc was particularly grand and sublime, the deep indigo colour of the sky behind forming a strong contrast with the silvery brightness of the snow. The whole scene was of a deeply impressive nature; to enhance which the awful and unbroken stillness contributed in a great degree.
           It was excessively cold, and I felt it much, although I had taken every possible precaution, in the way of clothing and fur gloves, to resist its force. Leaving part of the provisions, knapsacks, and clothes, which we had changed the night before, we started from the tent at halfpast three, and soon descended to the ice, which was so hard that it received no impression from our steps. We endeavoured to get warm by the exertion of walking as fast as was consistent with the caution required in stepping on ice, but the attempt was vain, the cold was too piercing to be resisted, the snow collected on our shoes congealed, and severely affected the feet, while the whole frame was pervaded by a sense of pain, the effect of the intense cold,