‎WHYMPER, Edward (1840-1911):‎
‎Scrambles amongst the Alps in the years 1860-1869. With maps and illustrations. Second edition.‎

‎London, John Murray, 1871, gr. in-8°, XX + 432 p., with 23 full-page illustrations, 92 in the text and 5 folded maps (1 in colours), beautiful half morocco dark brown binding, spine richly gilt, edges untrimmed A fine copy.‎

Reference : 139594aaf

‎Second edition, published the same year and by the same publisher, as the original. In 1860 the author was commissionned to make a series of sketches in the Central and Western Alps. He successfully accomplished the ascent of Mount Pelvoux (1861), believed to be, at that time, the highest peak of the Dauphiné Alps. The ascent of the Pointe des Ecrins (1864) was perhaps the most remarkable feat of moumtaineering up to that date. After 1865, Tyndall and Whymper emulated each other in fruitless attempts to reach the summit of the Matterhorn by the south-western side, on the Italian side. The author, six times unsuccessful, determined then to attempt the eastern face, convinced that its precipitous appearance, when viewed from Zermatt, was an optical illusion. His attempt, the seventh, was crowned with success (July 1865): though the accident which cost the life of four of his mates on the way back, Whymper had opened the usual route taken from then to ascend the Matterhorn. The account of this victory of man on nature occupies the greater part of this book. Cox n° 18.; Perret 4557. ‎