马特霍恩山区人

　　Modern alpinists try to climb mountains by a route which will givethem good sport, and the more difficult it is, the more highly it isregarded.In the pioneering days, however, this was not the case at all.Theearly climbers were looking for the easiest way to the top, because the summitwas the prize they sought, especially if it had never been attained before.Itis true that during their explorations they often faced difficulties anddangers of the most perilous nature, equipped in a manner which would make amodern climber shudder at the thought, but they did not go out of their way tocourt such excitement.They had a single aim, a solitary goal---the top!

　　It is hard for us to realize nowadays how difficult it was for thepioneers.Except for one or two places such as Zermatt and Chamonix, which hadrapidly become popular, Alpine villages tended to be impoverished settlementscut off from civilization by the high mountains.Such inns as there weregenerally dirty and flea-ridden; the food simply local cheese accompanied bybread often twelve months old, all washed down with coarse wine.Often a valleyboasted no inn at all, and climbers found shelter wherever theycould---sometimes with the local priest ,sometimes with shepherds or cheese-makers.Invariably the background was thesame: dirt and poverty, and very uncomfortable.For men accustomed to eatingseven-course dinners and sleeping between fine linen sheets at home, the changeto the Alps must have been very hard indeed.