vin.] TRAVELS, 1839. 253 



the little gendarme who was a sharp, Napoleon -like 

 fellow, and, I suspect, had some little grudge against 

 the English saw that his game was up. He fought, 

 however, as long as he could, verified my signature, and 

 started difficulties about the fact of my letter bearing 

 a date subsequent to the day of my departure from Paris; 

 but all this I answered by producing the letters of M. 

 Griterin and M. Arago, with their envelopes addressed 

 to me at Avignon, which I had fortunately preserved. 

 The evidence, in fact, was so complete, that " Napoleon " 

 could only say that he was satisfied, and that I might 

 proceed. I conducted myself all through with great 

 i-froid, but I confess that I did not sleep any the 

 sounder for the interruption/ 



Having overcome this little difficulty, he started for 

 Bourg d'Oysans, which he reached after a long day's walk 

 over the Col de Lauteret, and then advanced into the 

 heart of the Pelvoux group, to St. Cristophe and La 

 Berarde. ' The scenery/ he writes, ' is stupendous, 

 unparalleled, perhaps, except in the neighbourhood of 

 Mont Blanc or the Orteler Spitz. ... It is far finer 

 than the Val Romanche, and Ve'nos is quite exquisite/ 



Forbes then went to Grenoble, and by Chambery to 

 Geneva, where he found his brother John established with 

 his family at the Ecu. In company with them he paid 

 a visit to Chamounix, where they made several of the 

 smaller excursions, amongst others that to the Jardin ; 

 4 the scenery of which/ he writes, ' was not less fine to 

 me than I recollect at the commencement of my Alpine 

 journeys, and at this I greatly rejoice/ 



Towards the end of July Forbes went round by the 

 Col du Bonhomme to Aosta, where he sought about for 

 .-in to guide him towards the then unknown valleys, 

 above which ri>. tin- (irivola and Crand I 'a nulls. He 

 leeded with difficulty in finding a guide 'a short, 

 tlii- nan, afflicted with inutiv, but a ^ood-na lured, 



m i-iiMiif.il, and whd walked wonderfully well. 

 was married to his f/n'rd wife!' and after examin- 

 ing the iron mines in th .ourhood of Cogne, he 



