OLD ALPINE JOTTINGS. 453 



And here we meet point-blank an objection raised 

 by that very distinguished man, Professor Studer, of 

 Berne, to the notion that the glacier exerts an erosive 

 action on its bed. He urges that at the ends of the 

 glaciers of Chatnouni, of Arolla, Ferpecle, and the Aar, 

 we do not see any tendency exhibited by the glacier to 

 bury itself in the soil. The reason is, that at the point 

 chosen by Professor Studer the glacier is almost sta- 

 tionary. To observe the ploughing or erosive action 

 of the ice we must observe it where the share is in 

 motion, and not where it is comparatively at rest. In- 

 deed, the snout of the glacier often rests upon the rub- 

 bish which its higher portions have dug away. 



While I was staying at Pontresina, Mr. Hutchinson 

 of Rugby, Mr. Lee Warner, and myself joinei in a me- 

 morable expedition up the Piz Morteratsch. This is a 

 very noble mountain, and nobody had previously thought 

 of associating the idea of danger with its ascent. The 

 resolute Jenni, by far the boldest man in Pontresina, 

 was my guide; while Walter, the official guide chef, 

 was taken by my companions. With a dubious sky 

 overhead, we started on the morning of July 30, a little 

 after 4 A.M. There is rarely much talk at the begin- 

 ning of a mountain excursion : you are either sleepy or 

 solemn so early in the day. Silently we passed through 

 the pine-woods of the beautiful Rosegg valley ; watching 

 anxiously at intervals the play of the clouds around the 

 adjacent heights. At one place a spring gushed from 

 the valley bottom as clear and almost as copious as that 

 which pours out the full-formed river Albula. The 

 traces of ancient glaciers were present everywhere, the 



is about 8 inches a day ; while the measured velocity near its end 

 is only 2 inches a day. As in the case of the Morteratsch, the 

 moraine quite covers the lower portion of the glacier. 



