ICE AND GLACIERS 227 



horn, and on the left from the Finsteraarhorn. From 

 the place where they unite the rocky wall occupying the 

 middle of the picture descends, constituting the central 

 moraine. On the left are seen individual large masses of 

 rock resting on pillars of ice, which are known as glacier 

 tables. 



To exemplify these circumstances still further, I lay 

 before you in FIG. 105 a map of the Mer de Glace of Cha- 

 mouni, copied from that of Forbes. 



The Mer de Glace in size is well known as the largest 

 glacier in Switzerland, although in length it is exceeded by 

 the Aletsch Glacier. It is formed from the snow-fields that 

 cover the heights directly north of Mont Blanc, several of 

 which, as the Grande Jorasse, the Aiguille Verte (a, FIGS. 

 105 and 106), the Aiguille du Geant (b), Aiguille du Midi 

 (c), and the Aiguille du Dru (d), are only 2,000 to 3,000 feet 

 below that king of the European mountains. The snow- 

 fields which lie on the slopes and in the basins between these 

 mountains collect in three principal currents, the Glacier du 

 Geant, Glacier de Lechaud, and Glacier du Talefre, which, 

 ultimately united, as represented in the map, form the Mer 

 de Glace ; this stretches as an ice-current 2,600 to 3,000 feet 

 in breadth down into the valley of Chamouni, where a power- 

 ful stream, the Arveyron, bursts from its lower end at k, 

 and plunges into the Arve. The lowest precipice of the 

 Mer de Glace, which is visible from the valley of Chamouni, 

 and forms a large cascade of ice, is commonly called Glacier 

 des Bois, from a small village which lies below. 



Most of the visitors at Chamouni only set foot on the low- 

 est part of the Mer de Glace from the inn at the Montan- 

 vert, and when they are free from giddiness cross the 

 glacier at this place to the little house on the opposite side, 

 the Chapeau (n). Although, as the map shows, only a com- 

 paratively very small portion of the glacier is thus seen and 

 crossed, this way shows sufficiently the magnificent scenes, 

 and also the difficulties of a glacier excursion. Bolder wan- 

 derers march upwards along the glacier to the Jardin, a 

 rocky cliff clothed with some vegetation, which divides the 

 glacial current of the Glacier du Talefre into two branches; 

 and bolder still they ascend yet higher, to the Col du Geant 



