CHAPTER II.

THE ROTHHORN (MOMING) FROM ZERMATT The Alpine dramatis personæ—Mountaineering fact and romance—The 31 thirst for novelty and its symptoms—The first ascent of the Moming—Preliminaries are observed—Rock _v._ snow mountains—The amateur and the guide on rocks and on snow—The programme is made out—Franz Andermatten—Falling stones in the gully—We smooth away the difficulties—The psychological effects of reaching mountain summits—A rock bombardment and a narrow escape—The youthful tourist and his baggage—Hotel trials—We are interviewed—The gushers