284 A Week among the Glaciers. 
manner of farmers in setting a pos 
smooth faces of the stones whic “we 
mit of the mountain. I then had three other stones carried on 
the glacier at the distance of fifty to sixty feet from each other, 
and placed in a straight line with the three former stones, and 
left them to mark the change which hol take place ‘in their 
relative positions, on my return. < ‘ 
he evening on my arrival at 
the Grand Mulets, and on my return to the Grand Mulets the 
the first experiment at 4 o’clock, P. 
hours for the former, and tl 
from the upper surface of ie stones on the mountain to the ups 
per surface of the stones on the glacier, between twelve and thir 
teen inches for the former, and about twenty one inches for the | 
The number of pulsations and respirations per minute, of the 
whole party, I had taken at Chamonix, previous to leaving, and 
he average was seventy six of the former and sixteen 
At this point, the perpetual snow line, 
there was a slight acceleration, the respirations being eighteen — 
and the pulsations eighty two per minute, after resting fifteen 
minutes, and of course previous to eating, as the pulsations are 
augmented during the process of digestion. 
At 10 o’clock, A. M. we entered upon the glacier; the tinal 
ling was at first neither difficult nor fatiguing, for we had each@ 
well tried Alpenstock, which was equal to a third foot in case of 
need, and our shoes, made for the occasion, were well armed with — 
square-headed nails throughout the whole extent of heel and sole. 
The extreme purity of this glacier is remarked by all as greatet 
than that of either of the other glaciers in the valley of Chamo- 
nix, and its crevasses present most perfectly the bluish greed, 
and from that to the deep blue of the gulf water. The crevasses 
in this glacier are much deeper, wider, and more extensive, thal 
either of the others in this valley; and this is owing probably 1 
its great extent, and to its being one of the most precipitous of 
the Alps.. They vary in width from a few feet to many hulr 
dred, and taking their length, including their windings, from@ — 
few rods to one or two miles. Their depth has been estim 
