322 THE LIFE OF JAMES D. FORBES. [CHAP. 



To MRS. FORBES. 



' MONTANVERT, July 23rd. 



' . . . The weather continues magnificent, the scenery 

 as glorious as ever, and the air as refreshing. Such a 

 crowd of people as come here every day now, you cannot 

 imagine people of all kinds, of all nations, and of all 

 characters ; every language you can think of at the break- 

 fast table a farago of tongues. . . . Last night we had 

 a little adventure. I had strolled up the Charmoz with 

 Balmat to my favourite point for seeing the glacier at 

 sunset, and while there, we saw two men crossing the 

 Mer de Glace from the Jardin a very tired traveller 

 and a very young guide. They had evidently lost their 

 way, and as the sun was setting we saw them plunging 

 into a mass of inextricably intricate crevasses ; so there 

 was nothing else for it but to let Auguste go and bring 

 them out. They did not reach the Montanvert until 

 ten. . . . 



* Some days ago Augusfce and the chief guide dined 

 with me at Chamounix. The cure was also invited, but 

 being a little unwell he preferred to come in to coffee, 

 when he absorbed champagne with great apparent satis- 

 faction, and sat chatting for a long time. The ease 

 and good manners of the guides in company is really 

 surprising/ 



To the Same. 



1 CHAMOUNIX, July 28th. 



' . . . Yesterday I had my theodolite on the Brevent, 

 and to-day on the Flegere how often I thought of you, 

 and the happy days we spent together there ! To- 

 morrow I go to the Glacier de Boissons, which will 

 mostly finish my surveying in the valley, and then back 

 to the Montanvert to look after my various experiments, 

 " II y a beaucoup de choses commencees ! " as Balmat 

 says. I have real pleasure in telling you that good 

 Auguste is much the better for his excursions with me, 

 and his sight is now greatly improved. Farewell, my 

 dearest wife, may you receive my letters more regularly 

 than I do yours. I bless you and the dear children. . . .' 



