THE SCOTTISH MOUNTAINEERING CLUB JOURNAL

Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

May 1896

(pages 129 - 132)

Proceedings of the Club.

The Easter Meet at Fort William.

2nd to 6th April.

Rain, mist and all uncharitableness, welcomed the Club to Fort-William on this its second visit to the headquarters of “Long Shon.” A succession of cloudless Easters had spoiled members for grey skies and mist-laden summits; and therefore it was a grievous disappointment when Friday set in wet and muggy, and Saturday, Sunday, and Monday went singly and collectively from bad to worse.

“Weather,” however, as is well known, has rather a stimulating effect upon Scottish constitutions and the proceedings of the Scottish Mountaineering Club. Its only effect was to promote the consumption of a rather larger quantity of Ben Nevis coffee, and to strengthen the memories of those warm intervals in the Observatory kitchen between the ice of the Tower Ridge and the bumpy delights of the path.

[ . . . ]

Few who were present at last year’s meet would have ventured to prophesy that its members would so soon be eclipsed, and that thirty-two members and guests would be found assembled under the same roof. These were not, however, all present at the same time. Some arrived late and others left early, but at one time or another the following powerful muster took part in the proceedings, viz., Bell, Boyd, Brown, Brunskill, Campbell, Clark, Crowley, Douglas, Fraser, Green, Hinxman, Howie, Prof. Kennedy, King, Maclay, Macgregor, Meares, Moss, Naismith, Parker, Patchell, Phillip, Rennie, A. E. Robertson, Rose, W. A. Smith, Squance, and Gilbert Thomson—members; along with Grant, Raeburn, Reid, and R. G. Napier—guests. One and all of these must have carried home pleasant memories of what—till next year at least—will be remembered as the biggest—and wettest—meet on record.