MONT BLANC AND THE MER DE GLACE. 55 



From the Flegere there is a path to the BreVent, with- 

 out descending to the valley of Chamonix. We must visit 

 the BreVent, because from that position we obtain the 

 most intelligible view of Mont Blanc and its surround- 

 ings, and look down upon the Glacier des Bossons, as, from 

 the Flegere, we look down upon the Mer de Glace. Here, 

 from the summit of the Brevent, how magnificent a pano- 

 rama is spread before us!f Directly in front is Mont 

 Blanc; on the right is the Dome du Gouter with the 

 little protuberance called the Dromedary intervening. 

 Further to the right is Aiguille dn Gouter. To the left 

 of Mont Blanc is Mont Maudit, separated by a depres- 

 sion called the Corridor. The angular summit to the 

 left of this is Mont Blanc du Tacul. This wide expanse 

 of mountain summit is deeply covered with ancient snows 

 in the granular condition called neve by the French and 

 Fim by the Germans. This exists everywhere at eleva- 

 tions above 10,000 feet. The firn-fields are the aliment 

 of the glaciers. When they descend below the altitude 

 of 10,000 feet the softening influence of the sun causes 

 the firn to be converted into ice. Above the firn-fields 

 rise dark masses of rock whose slopes are too steep to 

 retain the snows. We note in particular the Grands 

 Mulcts, two rocky pyramids, on one of which the guides 

 have erected an inn for the accommodation of voyagers 

 in the ascent of Mont Blanc. 



From this enormous firn-field two great glaciers are 

 seen to descend, separated by the " comb " of the moun- 

 tain. We have seen both of these when first entering 

 the valley of Chamonix. The larger one on the left is 

 the great Glacier des Bossons, and the other is the Glacier 



t See the view, p. 65. 



