BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 371 
has been much improved by travelling among the Alps, though I suf- 
fered great fatigue, and incurred no slight perils. Among the latter, 
I must particularize a tremendous hurricane, which overtook me when 
I was descending the southern or Italian side of Mont Blane, precisely 
at the part called the Col du Géant. I was surrounded with snow and 
glaciers, while wind, rain, and sleet poured with fearful violence and 
stunning noise upon my unlucky head. Worse still were the dazzling 
lightning and unceasing crashing thunder! I was drenched, and 
thoroughly chilled ; and it was, perhaps, fortunate for me that six hours’ 
hard walking was necessary to bring me to any shelter. The nearest 
point was Courmayeur, where I remained two days to recover myself. 
“ I have diligently explored the chain of Mont Blanc, and climbed 
all the summits as high as to the entire cessation of vegetation. All 
the principal glaciers I have visited, and on Mont Anvert and the Mer 
de Glace I passed more than six hours. Geneva, Chamounix, Martigny, 
Aosta, and the Grand St. Bernard, have occupied my attention; and 
I have spent twenty-two days, and at the rate of 80 francs per day for 
guides, &c., while climbing the mountains. I am, however, well satis- 
fied with the results of my expedition, as concerns my Italian Flora, 
and especially the subject of Botanical Geography, which was the prin- 
cipal scope of the undertaking; for I have succeeded in ascertaining 
the limits of many plants, by means of proper instruments, which I 
carried for the purpose of making observations. I had the pleasure of 
passing a day with De Candolle at Geneva, where I also saw Duby and 
Choisy. Poor Boissier has lost his wife, who died at Granada of 
typhus fever: he is now residing at the small village of Svizzara, some 
distance from Geneva, and he receives no person. 
“ Here, at Turin, I have met with Morio. It is my intention to re- 
main a fortnight in this city; and, besides the week already so spent, 
I shall devote that time to investigating the Herbaria of Balbis, 
Bellardi, &c., with an eye to my Italian flora, At Pisa I examined the 
Herbarium of Savi. Requien is still in Corsica 
« FILIPPO PARLATORE. 
