about five o'clock
We stretched out on the snow with a feeling of comfort which every one will understand . The greatest difficulties had been surmounted , and though there were still dangers to brave , we could confront them with comparatively little apprehension . We prolonged our halt in the hope of witnessing the fall of the avalanche , but in vain . As the day was advancing , and it was not prudent to tarry in these icy solitudes , we decided to continue on our way , and about five o'clock we reached the hut of the Grands-Mulets . After a bad night , attended by fever caused by the sunstrokes encountered in our expedition , we made ready to return to Chamonix ; but , before setting out , we inscribed the names of our guides and the principal events of our journey , according to the custom , on the register kept for this purpose at the Grands-Mulets . About eight o'clock we started for Chamonix . The passage of the Bossons was difficult , but we accomplished it without accident .