about 3 P.M.
Only one man was moving at a time ; when he was firmly planted the next advanced , and so on . They had not , however , attached the additional rope to rocks , and nothing was said about it . The suggestion was not made for my own sake , and I am not sure that it ever occurred to me again . For some little distance we two followed the others , detached from them , and should have continued so had not Lord Douglas asked me , about 3 P.M. , to tie on to old Peter , as he feared , he said , that Taugwalder would not be able to hold his ground if a slip occurred . A few minutes later , a sharp-eyed lad ran into the Monte Rosa Hotel , at Zermatt , saying that he had seen an avalanche fall from the summit of the Matterhorn onto the Matterhorn glacier . The boy was reproved for telling idle stories ; he was right , nevertheless , and this was what he saw . Michel Croz had laid aside his ax , and in order to give Mr. Hadow greater security , was absolutely taking hold of his legs , and putting his feet , one by one , into their proper positions .