194 THIRTEENTH LETTER ON GLACIERS. [184G. 



by Couttet, Balmat, and another, and Couttet led us straight 

 to the spot marked in the small map (Plate VIII. fig. 2), with 

 the words " knapsack found," a little higher up than where the 

 usual path to the Jardin by the ascent of " Les Egralets," leads 

 from the ice to the ascent of the rock on the left. Just where 

 the ice of the Talefre incorporates itself with that of Lechaud, 

 and at the distance of 158 feet from the face of rock which 

 bounds the glacier, we found several fragments of strong blue 

 and white cotton stuff (now shown to the Society) very much 

 worn by friction, but by no means rotten, and not discoloured, 

 with portions of very strong straps and loops partly attached to 

 it of figured tape, which had formed the attachments and shoulder 

 straps (bretelles) of the knapsack. Beside them were pieces (or 

 a piece) of bottle glass. Balmat immediately confirmed Couttet's 

 recollection of them as parts of the identical bag lost by Jullien 

 Devouassou ten years before. 



Now, to explain how Couttet and Balmat were in a position 

 to speak so positively to the identity of the fragments, I must 

 observe, that Couttet was then, and has been ever since, lessee 

 of the pavilion at Montanvert, and that the knapsack in question 

 was his property, and was left at the Montanvert, for the express 

 purpose of carrying provisions for travellers, who then, much more 

 rarely than at present, visited the Jardin. Auguste Balmat, my 

 guide, was at that time servant to David Couttet, and kept the 

 pavilion under him, and had very often carried on his back this 

 very knapsack. The figured stripe of green and purple on the 

 shoulder straps was very marked, and could not easily be mis- 

 taken. The testimony of these two men was therefore per- 

 fectly authentic, but I verified it by questioning the very Jullien 

 Michel Devouassou himself, who is still a guide at Chamouni, 

 and who, on seeing the fragments, offered to verify them upon 

 oath. The accident occurred thus : On the 29th July 1836 

 (or ten years all but five days from my recovering the frag- 

 ments), Devouassou accompanied a stranger to the Jardin, 

 taking, as usual, the knapsack from the Montanvert, with a 

 supply of bread, cheese, and wine. They arrived without acci- 



