198 FROM THE ALPS TO THE ANDES 
cutters’, tailors’ and shoemakers’ work: this 
task employed me for fifteen days. 
The porters arrived at the time agreed 
upon and they immediately went to a 
solicitor's, where a contract was drawn up 
between them and Mr. FitzGerald, specifying 
the terms of their engagement, the work they 
would have to do, the amount of their salary 
and the fixed sum to be paid them in case of 
any accident: this contract was similar to 
the one I had already signed with my 
patron. 
Every precaution was taken so that the 
porters might be provided with all things 
necessary for the journey, including clothes 
of waterproof stuff. When everything was 
ready, the 16th of October was fixed as the 
day of our departure. Our party was com- 
posed of Mr. FitzGerald, the leader of the 
xxpedition ; Mr. Alan De ‘Trafford, super- 
intendent; Mr. Stuart Vines, geologist ; Mr. 
Philip Gosse, naturalist ; Fritz Weibel, the 
cook; the porters—Niccola Lanti of Macug- 
naga, Josef and Ludwig Pollinger, Josef 
Lochmatter of St. Niklaus, and myself. 
We embarked at Southampton : all the 
members of our party, with the porters, 
reached that place the evening before our