XIII AN ASCENT OF MONT VENTOUX 189 



on a steep slope, and all fear was over. Under our 

 feet was not empty space but the longed-for ground 

 covered with stones which gave way and rolled 

 down behind us in streams. To one and all this 

 rattle denoting terra firma was heavenly music. In 

 a few minutes we reached the upper fringe of 

 beeches. Here the gloom was yet deeper than on 

 the mountain top ; one had to stoop to the ground 

 to see where one was setting foot. How in the 

 midst of this darkness were we to find the Jas, buried 

 in the depth of the wood ? Two plants which always 

 follow man, Good King Henry (Chenopodium Bonus 

 Henricus) and the nettle, served me as a clue. I 

 swept my free hand through the air as I walked, 

 and at each sting I knew there was a nettle and an 

 indication. Verlot, our rearguard, made similar 

 lunges, and supplied the want of sight by the burn- 

 ing stings. Our companions showed no faith in 

 this style of research. They talked of continuing 

 the wild descent and of returning if necessary to 

 Bedoin. More confident in the botanical instinct so 

 keen in himself also, Verlot joined with me in 

 persisting in our search, reassuring the most 

 demoralised, and showing that it was possible by 

 questioning plants with our hands to reach our 

 destination in the darkness. They yielded to our 

 reasoning, and shortly after, from one clump of 

 nettles to another, the party arrived at the Jas. 



Delacour was there, as well as the guide with the 

 baggage, sheltered in good time from the rain. A 

 blazing fire and change of garments soon restored 

 our usual cheerfulness. A block of snow, brought 

 from the neighbouring valley, was hung in a bag 



