248 Professor Agassiz on the Glacier Theory. 



for some hours on its surface, and that our journey would 

 then be much less laborious. These and other reasons in- 

 duced me to attempt the ascent of the terminal edge of the 

 glacier, which we found much less difficult than we had 

 figured to ourselves. The snow had rendered the slope much 

 more gentle than it is in summer ; for not only was there no 

 trace of the moraine to be discovered, but even the inequalities 

 and the very considerable notches of the extremity of the gla- 

 cier had completely disappeared. We saw no vestige of the 

 stream. Having arrived on the surface of the glacier, we 

 found here and there blocks whose tops emerged from beneath 

 the snow ; but their lower sides were alone visible, for the 

 surfaces directed to the upper part of the glacier were invari- 

 ably concealed by a covering of snow — a proof, that, in winter 

 as in summer, the prevailing winds are from the west, parallel 

 to the axis of the glacier. Having found the surface of the 

 glacier more practicable than the plain, we decided on con- 

 tinuing our march, with the intention of retracing our steps 

 afterwards. Our guides did not give us much encourage- 

 ment, for they knew no better than we did the state of the 

 glacier in winter. Our march was still very slow and ardu- 

 ous, as may be well supposed ; but we did meet with por- 

 tions where the snow was bearing. We then experienced 

 extraordinary relief, and, in spite of fatigue, we ran like chil- 

 dren upon the hardened surface, until the snow anew gave 

 way under oiu* feet, and again calmed our ardour. At about 

 a third of the distance between the extremity of the glacier 

 and the Hotel des Neuchatelois, we met with an enormous 

 block supported on several pedestals, and covering a pretty 

 considerable hollow, at the bottom of which we perceived pure 

 ice. It was of importance for us to ascertain the state of 

 the ice of the glacier. Having descended with due precau- 

 tion into the hollow, we saw that the block covered the 

 widened extremity of a crevasse, which penetrated to the right 

 into the interior of the glacier, and whose walls exhibited that 

 same magical reflection which is observed during summer ; the 

 azure appearing to us even more brilliant than usual, doubtless 

 because this was the only point where we were able to see it. 

 We were thus assured that the crevasses are not filled with 

 snow, but onlv covered bv an arch more or less thick. Our 



