1933

Anne Lister’s travels

Tuesday 7th August 1838

Lay down again ‘til 1.55 - I had not slept – much trouble in finding the horses – off at 2.45. Send back the horses at 4.55 – our Spaniard joined us at 4.30. Breakfast at 4.55 and off at 5.20 on foot. At the first degree about 6.40 – climbed the chimney – rest at 7.07 for 12 minutes (the Spaniard left us at 7.07). At the second degree, that is, at the neige [snow]. At the Cirque [?probably one of the smaller peaks or a stopping place on the route upwards] at 8.05 – put on crampons and off again at 8.18. On the snow without quitting it ‘til 9.08, then rested on a little, grassy knoll ‘til 9.20. Took off crampons at 10.10 then rested on top of second crête at 11.15. I lay down a little. Sun – put my cloak on and did not feel the air cold. Thick – clear all the morning except about sunrise and for about an hour. Now at 11.40 clouds gathering round – have given up Penticouse. Off again at 11.45 – sick just before. At the top at 1.00 - then descended for half an hour to see the rochers á pic [rocky peaks]and glacier and col [?could be ‘pass’] and snow over which the Duchess de Berri was carried and on the crête [crest] above which the men were lost 2 years ago. West - below us the fine glacier of Vignemale, at the foot of which is the head of the vale de’Ossoue, and the fine range Marboré, Mount P[enticouse?] – in the great distance. East - fine range of Spanish mountains and saw Penticouse in ascending but the clouds had hid the great distance when we got up but we could not before distinguish the port de Penticouse or that of Marcaden. North - the French mountains seen but in a mistiness – a haze – clouds sitting just over them. South - the Spanish vales a sea of clouds – the Ceme Culminante [the culmination i.e top] of Vignemale. The plateau about 10 metres long – 3 or more wide but not really flat – rounded up on all sides – put our names in the bottle and began the descent at 2.10. At 2.25 down at the snow. At the bottom of the first snow at 2.38. At the snow again where we had left our crampons, and put then on again at 3.10 and off on snow at 3.20 over the whole and took off crampons at 4 – very fine sunny evening.