de Saussure suppressed plate 1787

The suppressed plate in de Saussure account of his ascent of Mont Blanc in August 1787 his position considered undignified. One must understand that then, climbing techniques did not exist. The 18 guides who accompanied de Saussure (and his personal servant) were only guiding visitors to the Mer de Glace and did no climbing (but when crystals hunting). On that expedition they had ropes but did not use them to tie the members of the party when on the glacier or snow slopes with many crevasses. They were used to get someone out of a hole or a crevasse! The guides had crampons but not de Saussure who was wearing his city breaches!