OF THE FRENCH GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 411 
ridge which must be crossed in coming from the south, the eye 
reaches from one extremity to the other, and the little town of Por- 
rentruy, and the village of Alle, about two miles and a half distant, 
look like two sentries keeping guard over the fertile hollow between 
them. A narrow and not very deep, but rather noisy, stream, is 
seen joining, by a kind of thread, the village to the town; and the 
high road runs along its banks beneath a pretty escarpment of some 
limestone rocks, which have probably been brought into their present 
state by the long-continued action of water. Descending from the 
ridge into the valley towards Porrentruy, the town is seen more 
plainly. It appears pretty and picturesque from a distance, as it is 
furnished with several of those little round Swiss towers, with co- 
nical caps on their tops, which are so well known and so effective in 
the mountain scenery of the country. Unfortunately, as is too often 
the case, a further acquaintance does not improve, or even confirm, 
the first impressions ; and the perfection of knowledge to which I 
afterwards attained on the subject only left the following unbiassed 
account in my note-book :—“It is a walled, ancient place, with 
streets of dirty-looking badly-built houses, with churches and mar- 
ket-places to match; and is surrounded by some very useless de- 
fences, which could hardly detain any army half a day to destroy.” 
In a place like this, it may well be imagined that the arrival of 
forty or fifty persons at once would produce no slight effect. The 
inns were crowded ; and it was only by certain judicious enquiries 
after eminent scientific persons, and an intimation that I desired to 
be taken in in a scientific sense only, that I managed to obtain half 
a bed-room and a whole bed. I must acknowledge that my appear- 
ance could not have been very prepossessing, as my idea of propriety 
in dress necessary to walking geologists is extremely low ; and I 
was at that time practising my theory to the full extent, and look- 
ing as little like a gentleman as an utter neglect of the elegancies of 
the tailor, hatter, and shoemaker, could make me. As soon, how- 
ever, as I obtained a room and lodging, I made myself as decent as 
the state of my wardrobe permitted, and went from hotel to inn, 
and from inn to public-house, enquiring after the people I expected, 
and whom I either already knew or had introductions to. I found 
very soon that none of the eminent French geologists had come, 
and that of those who were present all but one were engaged at a 
grand dinner then going on, and given to the society by the Canton 
of Berne. 'The one exception, however, was sufficient for me ; and 
I found in M. Morelli, of Milan, an agreeable companion, and one 
who could give me just the information that I required. As I saw 
