Scientific InteUigence-^Geology. S7S 



surface of which there floated vast masses of rock of all di- 

 mensions, some of tlicm as much as twelve feet high. This b*- 

 quid mass, like a flow of lava, directed itself towards the Rhone, 

 across the forest of pines which covers this part of the valley, 

 drawing along with it every thing it met in its way. Trees of 

 the largest size were overturned, and crushed like reeds. On 

 reaching the bank of the river, it precipitated itself into it, thus 

 forming an expanse of mud, which was fearful to behold. The 

 fragments of rock contained in the mud were also impelled in- 

 to the lihone, whose waters were thrown to the opposite bank, 

 and forced to reascend their channel to a considerable distance. 

 The great road covered by this mire and these stones became 

 impracticable, and it was necessary to construct, by means of 

 fagots, &c. a new road on this elastic soil. For many days 

 the communications between the high and low Valais were ef- 

 fected by means of a bridge which was far from being stable, 

 thrown across the torrent at the commencement of the gorge. 

 It is impossible to conceive any thing more frightful than this 

 ravine of from sixty to a hundred feet deep, with a breadth of 

 from two to three hundred feet, and which augments in size as 

 far as the Rhone, choked up with this really frozen mire, with 

 its surface studded with great blocks of stone, and the trunks of 

 trees. A small portion only of the peak fell to the northern 

 side of the Dent du Midi, which, descending by a slope, covered 

 a part of a glacier which is on that side. — After reading this 

 notice from M. Lardy, M- Elie de Beaumont gave some addi- 

 tional details regarding the phenomena, a part of which he had 

 witnessed. He particularly insisted on what appeared especial- 

 ly curious as to the mode in which the muddy currents, pro- 

 duced by the fall, spread themselves over the great cone of de- 

 bris of the torrent of St Barthelemy, and which is at an inclina- 

 tion of from five to seven degrees. These torrents of mud did 

 not contain perhaps a tenth part of water, and yet they displaced 

 blocks of limestone several yards long, and even floated them 

 on their surface for considerable distances, almost as easily as 

 a river floats ice. Notwithstanding its comparatively small di- 

 mensions, this phenomenon appeared to M. Elie de Beaumont 

 to possess a peculiar interest, as leading to conclusions respect- 



