[Geneva—Wednesday, 21 September 1859]
Wednesday 21st Lovely day. Drove to St. Martin, 36 miles upon the way to Chamounix. Arrived just before sunset, there lay the great Mt. Blanc and all the attending spirits clad in silver bathed in the warm rays of sun-set. We ran down to the little stone bridge wh. spans the Arve. The river rushed and swirled beneath our feet and the whole valley lay outspread in its ravishing desolate beauty before us and the silver mountains rose precipitous before us unveiled from summit to abysmal base. Holy hooded friars preaching always to mankind their everlasting lessons. We stayed till the light died out and then went in to our little cosy inn feeling sure of fair weather.
