Thurs 31. [31 August 1899] Weather perfect; sun and a light wind.
Came down at 9 and found Lohm¸ller breakfasting. Then Paulcke
appeared. The old Frenchman had gone. We sat outside, Paulcke
at his needle and arranged to send Hyppolite Rodier over the Col to
L'Aile Froide with some luggage tomorrow. M. Tairraz who is a nice
little man took all my orders. Wrote and read till lunch. Merry lunch,
we 3 after which I read Whymper's book and account of the 1st
ascension of the Ecrins. Prince Louis of Orleans passed with Faure
and went up to the refuge. I left at 4.45 and got to the Carrelet at 5.50.
Very wild desolate valley encompassed by glaciers. One little hut
with a shepherd in it and a horse outside. A few scrubby pines
becoming a wood near the refuge, L'Ailefroide and Les Banes
standing up at the end. The refuge stands against a great stone at
the meeting of two torrents. Too low down. Prince Louis, a nice little
boy with a giggle, was waiting for me. Sat and talked in English while
Faure cooked his food. I dined with him as there was only one
saucepan. His servant, an Englishman always smoking a pipe,
dined too. In the middle the Germans arrived, cooked and eat their
dinner outside, we sitting by and talking. Then to bed. Slept soundly.