without much difficulty, we had a fine view of the vale of Chamouni.

On the 24th, we proposed sallying forth very early, in order to go to the Valley of Ice, in the Glacier of Montanvert, and to penetrate as far as the time would admit; but the weather proving cloudy, and likely to rain, we deferred setting out till nine, when appearances gave us the hope of its clearing up. Accordingly we procured three excellent guides, and ascended on horseback some part of the way over the mountain, which leads to the Glacier above mentioned.

We were then obliged to dismount, and serambled up the rest of the mountains (chiefly covered with pines) along a steep and rugged path, called "the road of the crystal-hunters.' From the summit of Montanvert we descended a little to the edge of the Glacier, and made a refreshing meal upon some cold provision which we brought with us. A large block of granite, called "Lapierre des Anglois," served us for a table; and near us was a miserable hovel, where those who make expeditions towards Mont Blanc, frequently pass the night. The scene around us was magnificent and sublime; numberless rocks rising boldly above the clouds, some of whose tops were bare, others covered with snow. Many of these, gradually diminishing towards their summits, end in sharp points ; aud from this circumstance they are called the Needles. Between these rocks the Valley of lee stretches several leagues in length, and is nearly a mile broad; extending on one side towards Mont Blanc and, on the other, towards the plain of Chamouni.

After we had sufficiently refreshed ourselves, we prepared for our adventure across the ice. We had each of us a long pole spiked with iron, and in order to secure us as much as possible from slipping, the guides fastened to our shoes crampons, consisting of a small bar of iron, to which are fixed four small spikes of the same metal.

The difficulty of crossing these valleys of ice a

rises from the immense chasms. They are produced by several causes; but more paticularly by the continual melting of the interior surface. This frequently occasions a sinking of the ice; and under such circumstances, the whole mass is suddenly rent asunder in that particular place with a most violent explosion. We rolled down large stones into several of them, and the great length of time before they reached the bottom, gave us some conception of their depth. Our guides assured us, that in some places they are five hundred feet deep. I can no otherwise convey to you an image of this immense body of ice, consisting of continued irregular ridges and deep chasms, than by resembling it to a raging sea, that had been instantaneously frozen in the midst of a violent storm.

We began our walk with great slowness and deliberation, but we gradually gained more courage and confidence as we advanced; and we soon found that we could safely pass along those parts, where the ascent and descent were not very considerable, much faster even than when walking at the rate of our common pace. In other parts we leaped over the clefts, and slid down the steeper descents as well as we could. In one place where we descended, and stepped across an opening upon a narrow ridge of ice scacely three inches broad, we were obliged to tread with peculiar caution; for on each side were chasms of a great depth. We walked some paces sideways along this ridge; stept across the chasm into a little hollow, which the guides made on purpose for our feet, and got up an ascent, by means of small holes, which we made with the spikes of our poles. All this sounds terrible; but at the time we had none of us the least apprehensions of danger, as the guides were exceedly careful, and took excellent precautions. One of our servants had the courage to follow us without crampons, and with no nails to his shoes, which was certainly dangerous, on account of the slipperiness of the leather when wetted. He got along, however, surprisingly well; though in

some places we were alarmed, lest he should slip upon the edge of one of those chasms; for had that accident happened to any of us, we must inevitably have been lost, having neglected to provide ourselves with long ropes in case of such an event. This man was probably the first person who ever ventured across the Valley of Ice, without either erampons or nails to his shoes.

We were now almost arrived at the other extremity, when we were stopped by a chasm so broad that there was no possibility of passing it. We were obliged to make a circuit of above a quarter of a mile, in order to get round this vast opening. This will give you some idea of the difficulty attending excursions over some of these Glaciers; and our guides informed us, that when they hunt the chamois and the marmottes in these desolate regions, these unavoidable circuits generally carry them six or seven miles about, when they would have only two miles to go if they could proceed in a straight line.

A storm threatening us every moment, we were obliged to hasten off the Glacier as fast as possible, for rain renders the ice exceedingly slippery; and in case of a fog (which generally accompanies a storm in these upper regions) our situation would have been extremely dangerous. And indeed we had no time to lose; for the tempest began just as we had quitted the ice, and soon became very violent, attended with frequent flashes of lightning, and loud peals of thunder, which being re-echoed within the hollows of the mountains, added greatly to the awful sublimity

of the scene.

We now descended a very steep precipice, and for some way were obliged to crawl upon our hands and feet down a bare rock; the storm at the same time roaring over us, and rendering the rock extremely slippery. We were by this time quite wet through, but we got to the bottom, however, without much hurt. Upon observing the immense extent of these Glaciers, I could not help remarking, (and it is a cir

cumstance which many other travellers have observed before) what a fund is here laid up for the supply of rivers, and that the sources which gave rise to the Rhine, the Rhone, and the Po, will never fail. I returned at length to the inn, as dripping wet as if I had been plunged into water, but perfectly satisfied with my expedition.

I cannot conceive any subject in natural history more curious than the formation and progress of these Glaciers; running far into fields of corn and rich pasture, and lying, without being melted, in a situation where the sun has power sufficient to ripen the fruits of the field. It is literally true, that with one hand we could touch ice, and with the other ripe corn. But as this is a subject too important to be treated superficially, and requires much accurate observation, and repeated experimental investigation, I shall not attempt to enter into it. I beg leave, nevertheless, to make one observation, which will serve to prove the occasional increase and diminetion of the Glaciers, contrary to the opinion of some philosophers, who advance that they remain always the same; and of others, who assert that they are continually increasing. I think I may venture to assert, that both these opinions are untenable; and it happens in this, as in many other subjects, that experience and truth are sacrificed to the supporting of a favourite hypothesis. Indeed the fact seems to be, that these Glaciers, in some years, increase considerably in extent, while in others they recede: and of this I am perfectly convinced from the following cir

cumstances.

The borders of the Valley of Ice of the Glacier of Montanvert are mostly skirted with trees. Towards its foot a vast arch of ice rises to near an hundred feet in height; from under which, the continued droppings from the melting of the ice and snow are collected together, and form the Arveron, which rushes forth with considerable force, and in a large body of water. As we approached the extremity of

this arch, we passed through a wood of firs. Those which stand at a little distance from the ice, are about eighty feet high, and are undoubtedly of a very great age. Between these and the Glacier, the trees are of a later growth, as it is evident as well from their inferior size, as from their texture and shape. Others, which resemble the latter, have been overturned and enveloped in the ice. In all these several trees, respectively situated in the spots I have mentioned, there seems to be a kind of regular gradation in their age, from the largest size to those that lie prostrate.

These facts fairly lead, it should seem, to the following conclusion;-that the Glacier once extended as far as the row of tall firs; that upon its retiring, a number of trees have shot up in the very spots, which it formerly occupied ; that within some years the Glacier has begun to advance, and in its progress has overturned the trees of later date, before they have had time to grow up to any considerable height.

To these circumstances, another fact may be added, which appears to me convincing. There are large stones of granite, which are found only at small distance from the extremities of the Glacier. These are vast fragments which have certainly fallen down from the mountains upon the ice, have been carried on by the Glacier in its increase, and have tumbled into the plain, upon the melting or sinking of the ice which supported them. COXE.

SECT. XV.

OF BERNE, IN SWISSERLAND.

I was very much struck, upon my entrance into Berne, with its singular neatness and beauty. I do not remember to have seen any town (Bath alone excepted) the first appearane whereof had so pleasing an effect. The principal street is broad and long; the houses are mostly uniform, built of a greyish stone, upon arcades, which are admirably well