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the more every production lessened. By the sandy 
bed of a torrent, which runs from the glaciers above, 
the very elegant Sarifraga cesia seemed to emu- 
late the glistening of the hoar-frost around it. 
“At length, about eleven o’clock, we reached a 
small plain full two-thirds of the way to the top. 
Here we divided. Some of our party were adven- 
turous enough to climb the very summit; but 
being already got to the utmost limits of vegeta- 
tion, and near those of perpetual snow, I had no 
business higher. Indeed this plain appeared to be 
clothed with a short barren turf that promised 
little; nor was it till I examined it on my hands 
and knees, that I discovered this turf to be a rich 
assemblage of Cherleria sedoides, Alchemilla penta- 
phyllea, Chrysanthemum atratum, Gentiana nivalis, 
and other diminutive inhabitants of the highest 
Alps, among which one of the most beautiful is a 
dwarf variety of the common Eye-bright, Ewphra- 
sta officinalis, with large purple flowers. 
“This plain was here and there sunk, on the mar- 
gin of the declivity, into little hollows, watered by 
very small trickling rills, and in such parts vegeta- 
tion appeared extremely luxuriant. Bartsia alpina 
was here but in flower, along with Satyrium nigrum ; 
the latter smelling like Vanilla. I observed a pair of 
Papilio Apollos in this exalted region, fluttering 
about and celebrating their innocent nuptials. After 
enjoying from hence the view of the plain of Mount 
Cenis, with the lake and woods about it, we de- 
scended on the side fronting the hospital, and ar- 
rived there by six o’clock, not a little fatigued, 
VOL. I. Y 
