294 Remains of Me, erium, Mastodon, &c. 
the summit. The clouds began very soon to rise from different 
points, and often obstructed view after view, so that to continue 
the ascent to the very summit, we deemed would be useless, as 
far as the prospect was concerned. This was now nearly or com- 
pletely limited by the moving masses of cloud and vapor, as 
they rose from the valleys or hung pendulous on the mountain 
side; for a moment they were stationary, and then rising in un 
deiatins broken lines, they assumed a deeper and denser form, as 
expanding and spreading themselves through and beyond the va- 
rious mountain passes, they extended as far as the eye cou 
discern. They formed one great tumultuous ocean of clouds, 
whose ever restless waves were driven impetuously along, lashing 
the mountain tops that still peered above their ragged surfaces, 
and which soon sank in the bosom of the rising vapor, till this 
vast, restless, rolling cloud, seemed to fill immensity, 
We now hastened our descent, which was quickly and ene 
achieved in comparison with the toil of the ascent; as, in afew 
minutes, we slid down the snowy plains, which had taken hours: 
of indefatigable effort to surmount. This was done by sitting on 
the summit of the plane to be descended, with the legs extended 
in front; then thrusting the Alpenstock in the snow a couple of 
feetyiwe depended upon a firm pressure on it to govern the velo 
city of the descent. Thus, continually repeating this novel kind 
of locomotion among the inclined snow plains, walking and leap 
ing among the glaciers, jumping and scrambling among the rocks 
and pines, we arrived again safely at the hotel in Chamonix at | 
ok 8 o’clock in the evening, having been absent about _ | 
ours, 1 
—— 
Art. IX.—Notice of Remains of Megatherium, Mastodon and 
Silurian Fossils ; in a letter to the Senior Editor, from Rurus 
Haymonp, M. D., dated Brookville, Indiana, Sept. 16, 1843. 
Dear Sir—F acts, which in themselves seem trifling, and but 
little likely to benefit science, separately considered, often become 
of much importance when viewed collectively and in reference t0 
each other. This consideration has induced me to give you some 
account of a single molar tooth, probably of the Megatherium, 
now in my possession, and which was found in this (Franklin) 
