Calcareous Summit of the Pyrenean Mountains. 51 X 



forefeen, was the abfolute ignorance in which I found all the country people, with regard to 

 the real pofition of Mount Perdu. It is not vifible, but from the elevated fituations, and dif- 

 appears as foon as you defcend. It was neceflary, therefore, to feek the road, as chance might 

 direft, through the moft horrid deferts, which are never frequented, either by the hunter, or 

 by ftiepherds. 



On this occafion, I had the good fortune to enjoy the company of our colleague. La Pcy- 

 roufe ; and I ufed every effort in my power to fecure his company in thofe regions, in which 

 I forefaw fo many interefting obfervations would prefent themfelves. But his ftrength did 

 not permit him to accompany me longer than the firft day, and part of the fecond. I left 

 him at the foot of the firft glaciere, taking with me his fon, and one of his pupils, togetlier 

 with four of my own. I will not fatigue you with the detail of our own fufFerings, nor 

 alarm you with an account of our dangers ; but fliall fimply obferve, that after having Im- 

 printed our fteps, during three hours, in the hardened fnows, which the inclination of their 

 plane rendered very dangerous, we arrived at a fummit oppofite Mount Perdu, which raifed 

 U3 to its middle part. I never beheld, even in the Alps, any objeft of greater magnificence : 

 I do not except the approaches to Mount Blanc. The calcareous mountains poflefs a fim- 

 plicity of form and majefty which is peculiar to them : now Mount Perdu is calcareous, ab- 

 Iblutely calcareous, and of fecondary compoCtlon. I defcended from my fituation towards a 

 vaft lake, ftill frozen, which repofes at its feet. I crofled this lake ; I vifited every fpot where 

 the external fnows, and horrid glacieres, have fufFered the naked rocks to penetrate.. Every 

 where I found grit, breccia, and compacl calcareous ftone, covered with the prints and re- 

 mains of marine bodies : marine remains at the fummit of the Pyrenees, and on the pic 

 which predominates over all thefe mountains ! — ^This phenomenon acquires a charafter ftill 

 more wonderful, when we confider that the entire chain exhibits none of thofe atteftations 

 of the former refidence of the ocean ; and that it is in vain we feek them in our fecondary 

 calcareous ftones, our bituminous ftones, or flates, all which are deprived of the prints of 

 fhells and vegetables. I paffed from the flanks of Mount Perdu into the valley of Pinede, 

 where it pours its waters ; I came to the port or paflage of Pinede, one of the moft elevated 

 ■ of the Pyrenees. The fame phenomena every where prefented themfelves ; every where I 

 faw grit, breccia, and common calcareous ftones, abounding with marine bodies ; and by caft- 

 ing my eyes along the extenfive valley of Pinede, I faw, in all parts, the continuation of the 

 banks in which I had obferved thefe remains. 



La Peyroufe had feen the oppofite fide of the mountains which I vifited : he coafted along 

 them to meet me at the port of Pinede. He obferved part of thefe v/onders, and partook 

 of my harveft. Stormy clouds having covered the pic, at the time of my arrival at my firft 

 excurfion, it became neceflary to revifit it at a more favourable feafon 5 I, therefore, refumed 

 the route of Mount Perdu, fifteen days ago, with a couple of friends only, and fome hardy 

 mountaineers. All the glacieres were then uncovered, by the diflbhition of the fnow which 

 had laid upon them ; the lake was unfrozen, and the dangers of approach were confider- 

 ably increafed. It was neceflary to fecure our footfteps in the hardeft ice by heavy ftrokes 

 of the hatchet. We fufFered much in this excurfion, and I could not reach the fummit j 

 but the flcy was admirably ferene, and I touched, as it were, thofe rocks which I could not 



3 U 2 afcend. 



