92 SPARKS FROM A GEOLOGIST'S HAMMER. 



the Genevese scientist. " The project, 1 ' says he, as reported 

 by Alexander Durnas, " was always in my head, by night 

 as well as by day. By day I ascended the Brevent and 

 spent hours in searching for a route. By night I could 

 scarcely close my eyes before I dreamed that I was on the 

 way." One day he told his wife he was going to search 

 for crystals. He took a baton doubly ironed, and longer 

 and stronger than usual, put a bit of bread in his pocket, 

 and set out. He had tried the route by the Mer de Glace, 

 but the terrible Mont Maudit barred the passage. He 

 had gone by the Aiguille de Gouter, but the crest which 

 connects it with the Dome du Gouter was found only one 

 or two feet wide, and the precipices on either hand were 

 1,800 feet deep. "Merci!" He determined, therefore, to 

 pursue, this time, another course. He went by the Gla- 

 cier des Bossons as far as the Grands Mulcts. Night 

 overtook him, and he wrapped himself in his blanket and 

 sought repose upon the rocks. " Toward nine o'clock," 

 says he, " I saw approaching the shadow which mounted 

 the valley like a thick fog, and advanced slowly toward 

 me. At half-past nine it reached me. Meanwhile I saw 

 above me the last rays of the setting sun. They disap- 

 peared, and the day was gone. Turned, as I was, toward 

 Chamonix, on my left was the immense plain of snow 

 which mounted to the Dome du Gouter; on my right, 

 within reach of my hand, a precipice of 800 feet -descent. 

 I was unwilling to sleep, through fear of rolling off my 

 bed while dreaming. I seated myself on my sack and 

 commenced beating hands and feet to restore warmth. 



" Soon the moon rose pale in a circle of clouds. At 

 eleven o'clock I saw, descending from the Aiguille du 

 Gouter, a rascally fog * * * Every minute I heard 



