[Geneva—Thursday, 22 September 1859]
Thursday 22d Pouring hard. Such an unheard of freak of the weather was never seen before. Everybody said ‘don’t go to Chamounix in a rain’ so we jumped into our carriage and night found us cosily seated at the fireside in Geneva. On our way we met the Frothingham party returning; two days of 12 hours driving had completely knocked them up nor had they seen Montanvert. The Dr said they put him upon a mule which was certainly the most obstinate of its race. “He never saw a bit of herbage an inch square but he would stop run out his long neck with every danger of precipitating me over his head. Oh! I am glad to get back among humans, mountains are ugly creatures, Mr Fields.” Nevertheless we all want to see Chamounix and should the weather be lovely may try again. In the meantime Geneva is interesting. Henriette’s friends are yet to be seen, the weather is clearing, and Paris at hand. It’s of no use to reproduce on paper the quaint sayings of our fellow-traveller; his manner is inimitable.
