198 PROCEEDINGS OP SOCIETIES. 



ing of encouragement, and will, I hope, be visited by any naturalist who 

 may pass his door. 



Between Gedre and Gavarnie the path is carried through a valley, 

 which in one spot is thickly strewed with immense fragments of rock, 

 fallen from the mountains above : the zig-zag windings of the route 

 through this valley of debris is extremely curious; and the entire scene 

 is of an aspect so singular and wild, that the place has rightly been 

 named Chaos. Soon after escaping from the intricacies of this labyrinth, 

 We reached the village of Gavarnie ; and three miles further on arrived 

 at the Cirque, where a rude cabin affords refreshment both for the 

 traveller and his wearied steed. 



Of the Cirque itself it is impossible to convey an accurate idea by 

 mere description; indeed, it requires a considerable time before the spec- 

 tator can realize its true character and extent, or fully appreciate its 

 sublime proportions. It forms a perfect cul de sac, resembling a vast 

 amphitheatre, cut out of the very bosom of the mountains, open to the 

 north, by which access is gained to the interior, but closed in on every 

 other side by a perfectly perpendicular wall of rock, from 1000 to 1500 

 feet in height. Overhanging the edge of this wall is suspended a line 

 of snow, and down its sides pour numerous cascades : one, fed by the 

 largest of the superincumbent glaciers, is of considerable volume, but 

 the waters are so dissipated by the fall that they reach the floor of the 

 Cirque in a cloud of foam, spanned by a glorious rainbow, in beautiful 

 contrast to the dark rock and glistening snows of the background. 



The width of the amphitheatre appears to be a few hundred feet, — 

 it is really upwards of two miles, — and requires more than an hour to 

 cross from the entrance to the foot of the grand Cascade. 



Misled by appearances, we determined to scramble over the inequa- 

 lities of the path ; but, on approaching the cascade, found that the rush 

 of wind produced by the fall of water, and the thick cloud of vapour 

 that it spread to a considerable extent around, forbade all near access, 

 except at the expense of a thorough wetting, and its probable result, a 

 severe cold. The floor of the Cirque is occupied by the debris that has 

 fallen from above, and by vast beds of snow that accumulate during the 

 winter months, and rarely disappear until the very close of summer. 

 Under these the streams from the cascades make their way, and the 

 snow-beds have hence received the name of " Les Ponts de Neige." 

 Over these we passed in perfect security, the heat of the sun having 

 firmly consolidated the snow into a hard causeway. 



"We noticed that the cattle took advantage of these snow-beds to 

 employ them as refrigerators, being stretched at full length upon their 

 surface, the burning sun above and the icy ground below giving them a 

 contrast of sensations which afforded them supreme enjoyment. We did 

 not quite r relish the same luxury, as the cold which penetrated our 

 shoes was so intense as to be painful and distressing. The floor of the 

 Cirque has an elevation above the sea of 6200 feet. 



The botany of the Cirque and its neighbourhood appeared to be rich 

 and varied. At the period of our visit many of the spring flowers were. 



