FRESHFIELD (Douglas William). Across Country from Thonon to Trent. Rambles and Scrambles in Switzerland and the Tyrol. London, Spottiswoode & Cie, 1865. In-8°, full publisher's cloth binding, smooth spine, gilt title to spine and front cover, cold-stamped decoration to back cover (spotting to upper part of front cover). First edition, printed in an edition of 50 copies only for the author's family and friends. This one bears the signature of his mother, Jane Quinton Freshfield, on the false title. The author travelled through the Alps from Thonon to Trento. In 1864, Freshfied, who was not yet 20, crossed 26 passes and climbed 9 major peaks (Monte Rosa, Piz Palü, Königspitze, Piz Sella, Presanella, Piz Valrhein, Monte Sissone, Piz Languard, Piz Ott). This was the first major crossing of the Alps by a mountaineer. In this book, he also recounts the crossing of the Col du Géant and the ascent of Mont-Blanc that he had made the previous year, 1863, at the age of 18. Numerous annotations in pencil. D. W. Freshfield (London 1845 - Forest Row 1934) was an English barrister, mountaineer and writer. He was one of the great explorers of the world's mountains, particularly the Caucasus, where in 1868 he made the first ascent of Kazbeck (5030 m) and the north-west summit of Elbrus, which was only a few metres lower than the highest point climbed six years later by Gardiner; the two large volumes entitled The exploration of the Caucasus (1896) are a major work on the Caucasus, remarkably illustrated by the photographs of Vittorio Sella. In 1899, he led an expedition around Kangchenjunga in the Himalayas, described in Round Kangchenjunga (1903). He was usually accompanied by Chamonix guide François Devouassoud. Freshfield was president of the Alpine Club from 1893 to 1895. This first book by Freshfield is extremely rare. Perret, 1756 - Neate F62 - Regards sur les Alpes 82 - Coolidge 199 - ACL p. 120 - CAS p. 84