Sat. 7. [7 August 1897] Up at 3.30 and at 4.30 started out to the Col de
la Lanze which we reached at 7, crossing the glacier de Mont de
Lans. Saw Mont Blanc and peaks in Italy, Savoy France and
Switzerland. Elsa and Papa stayed on the Col while the guides and I
went up the Pic de la Grave, cutting steps in the ice for 31/2 hours.
Fearfully cold wind, snow and mist which cleared when we got to the
top and let us see the valley of the Selle. Papa and Elsa, who were
also very cold, started away back to the Refuge by themselves. We
came down in an hour, a hardish piece of work, for the slope was very
steep. Had a most welcome meal at the bottom of the Pic and ran
down glaciers and nÈvÈs to the Refuge. The Pics insisted on rowing
us on the lake, and Hyppolite and Florentine took us round in half an
hour while Emile and the little Emile watched us from the shore. Home
about 4.