

ix.J JLPIXE TRAJ'ELS, 1842. 293 



that, as Couttet expressed it, "The snow keeps the glacier 

 \vnrm, as it does the ground," and that even in the depth 

 of winter, cold penetrates very slowly. It becomes most 

 important for Charpen tier's theory to ascertain the effect 

 on the motion of the glacier of the complete freezing of 

 -urface-water which ought, according to him, to be 

 nded with a great dilatation and movement of the 

 glacier. ... In endeavouring to sound the great Moulin 

 opposite the Glacier de TaleTre on the Glacier de Ldchaud, 

 the line broke, and deprived me of my geological ham- 

 mer, which I had used as a plummet. I describe 

 it, in case of the improbable circumstance of its 

 appearing again lower down. It is of this 

 form, with a globular and a cutting end, weigh- 

 ing about 2 J pounds ; the handle about sixteen 

 inches long. The moulin was stopped with 

 snow. 



l [_Jui"' -1'lndj 1858. By a singular accident Mr. 

 Alfred Wills, accompanied by Auguste Balmat, found 

 this hammer "not far below the Tacul" in 1857, when 

 it was at once recognized by Balmat. See Mr. Wills' 

 letter of Dec. 3rd, 1857.] 



' In returning down the glacier, I was struck by the 

 e\<|ui>ite blue colour of the snow, by transmitted light, 

 wln-n j.iereed by a stick to the depth of six inches or 

 more. It was, I think, quite as intense as I have ever 

 seen in in- of the same thickness. The snow was quite 

 ILT fa 1 l-n within the last few days, and was 

 neith.T very dry, nor yet very moist. I think it is not 

 the same in lower regions. Near this point also the 

 Tacul I observed this blue colour in pools of water of 

 trilling depth on the glacier. . . . We reached the 

 vert at half-past three, for going up the Gla< i- T 

 lu (reant was out of the question/ 



A couple of days more spent on the glacier, a IV w linal 

 obwrvat ions to n-inh-r the t riaiiL r ulation on which 



was based more mmplete, and Forbes's sumin r \\<rk 

 was over. h lie descended from the Montan- 



