Professor Forbes on the Leading Phenomena of Glaciefs. 219 



testimony to the same circumstances ; for the crevasses were 

 far sharper and better defined, and the whole appearance of 

 the ice less collapsed, than at the same season in 1842. The 

 surface also at the " angle" was extensively covered with the 

 unmelted snow of the winter, which, as I have often observed, 

 never admits for a moment of being confounded with the mat- 

 ter of the glacier. The general direction and appearance of m ^^^ 

 the crevasses, and of the position of the " Moulins," was the 

 same as in 1842 ; as if the glacier had remained at rest, though 

 it had really moved some hundred feet forwards. The mo- 

 raines were unaltered in appearance, only perhaps less promi- 

 nent (at least, this was the remark of the guides), which would 

 naturally arise from the less superficial waste of the ice. 



There was no difficulty in recognising the " Pierre platte,'* 

 which, indeed, had recently slid off an ice pedestal similar to 

 that of the preceding year (as figured in the frontispiece to 

 my volume of Travels), but far less stupendous. As all the 

 marks in the rock which I had at different places cut with a 

 pick, and painted red, were as visible and fresh as on the day 

 they were fixed, there was no difficulty in recovering, to a 

 nicety, the exact position of the block on any day on which it 

 was observed in 1842, and comparing it with its new position. 

 Accordingly, referring to the starting point on the 27th June 

 1842, I found that it had moved, down to the 12th Sep- 

 tember 1843, or in 442 days, 320 feet, that is 8. 7 inches 

 daily. I have not now my own work to refer to ; but I be- 

 lieve it will be there found, that the motion of the " Pierre 

 platte" during the hottest summer months, was only between 

 9 and 10 inches at a mean. It is plain, therefore, that during 

 the remainder of the year (throughout the greater part, or 

 nearly the whole of which this part of the glacier is covered 

 with snow), the motion, though somewhat diminished, was 

 very far indeed from ceasing, — thus entirely confirming the ob- 

 servations of Balmat, near the lower end of the glacier. 



Finding that my strength and the time permitted, I pur- 

 sued my excursion up to the level of the Jardin, opposite the 

 glacier of Talefre, near the Aiguille du Moine. I had a lively 

 satisfaction in comparing my engraved map with the natural 

 features of the country, and finding it a tolerably faithful re- 

 presentation ; and I checked every where,' with minute care, 



