214 M. Charpentier 07i the Glaciers of the Caiiton VaUais. 



by the blocks, and that where the blocks cease, the rocks are no 

 longer smooth and polished, but present rough surfaces, which 

 are true fracture-faces. 



But a great flood of water by no means explains the circum- 

 stances accompanying the phenomenon. For how can we un- 

 derstand the polishing, by means of stones transported by water, 

 of the overhanging surfaces which form the roofs of the rocky 

 vaults, known among the natives by the names, Barmes or 

 Balmes ? How can we explain the existence, behind projecting 

 ^ rocks, of polished surfaces, which must have been protected by 

 these very rocks from the stream, and from the friction of the 

 stones carried along by the water. 



But let us set aside these difficulties and objections, and let 

 us assume, for the moment, that the polished surfaces have been 

 actually caused by the friction resulting from streams of water. 

 In this case, these ought to be more striking in the depths of the 

 valleys, and towards their lower extremities, than higher up on 

 their sides, or nearer their origin. They ought not to occur at 

 all on mountain-ridges, and on the passes of the Alps. But ex- 

 actly the contrary is the case. The smooth and polished sur- 

 faces occur not only from the foot of the Alps to their highest 

 ridges, but become more striking the higher we ascend ; and we 

 see them on all the high alpine passes, as on the St Bernard, the 

 Simplon, the Grimsel, the St Gotthard, &c. 



I might here cite a number of facts which are in like manner 

 opposed to the supposition of a rush of water, if I did not think 

 those already given were sufficient to prove that the power which 

 conveyed the blocks was not a flood. 



M. Venetz thinks that this power must have resulted from 

 the action of glaciers, and that the deposits of alpine blocks are 

 nothing else than moraines or glacier-walls. I am well aware 

 how very extraordinary, improbable, nay, fantastic, such an opi- 

 nion must at first sight appear. How, indeed, can we convince 

 ourselves, that formerly all our great valleys were occupied, 

 throughout their whole extent, by enormous glaciers, which, at 

 the mouths of the valleys, were spread out in the form of vast 

 fan-shaped plains of ice, and in this manner must have covered 

 nearly the whole land between the Alps and the Jura, and 

 which ascended to the summit of the latter, nay, in some in- 



