24 WALKS AND TALKS. 



planation of transportation. The action which arranged the 

 semi-stratified Drift must have been exerted by water rather 

 than ice. But we leave the subject now to your thoughts. 

 You may speculate as much as you please for the purpose of 

 forming a complete theory. You will find such occupation 

 interesting and profitable. By and by we shall come upon 

 this subject again from another direction. (Talk XL VII.) 



IV. AMONO THE GLACIERS. 



GEOLOGICAL ACTION OF GLACIERS. 



PERHAPS it is best to pause at once and contemplate a 

 fuller sketch of some living glaciers. We indulged in a little 

 speculation about the cause of the Drift. We argued that 

 glaciers must perform a work pretty nearly such as the Drift 

 required ; and I cited you to Alpine glaciers as actually exem- 

 plifying this kind of work. But come, now, let us take a 

 closer look at Alpine glaciers. The scenes are abundant in 

 picturesque interest as well as instruction. 



About fifty miles from Geneva lies the * ' vale of Chamo- 

 nix" the classic valley of classic glaciers. Its axis lies 

 nearly east and west, and the Arve, taking its rise from the 

 east, flows through the length of the valley, and bends north 

 to the Lake of Geneva. On the north, the valley is bounded 

 by the sharp pinnacled Aiguilles Rouges (A-ghee-Roosj) ; on 

 the south rises the stupendous mass of the Mont Blanc 

 (Blahnc) range, nearly sixteen thousand feet above sea level. 

 The rounded summit of the monarch mountain is silver white 

 with perpetual snow. On one shoulder rises the Dome du 

 Gouter, and on the other the Aiquille de Gouter (A-ghee-du- 

 Goo-tay). For three thousand feet below the summit, com- 

 pact snow covers the surface to an unknown depth. In one 

 region below the Aiguille de Gouter, may be seen a long per- 

 pendicular cliff of snow left by a slide. It looks like a vast 

 entablature to the glittering dome. This is said to be fifteen 

 hundred feet in height. At the foot of the final dome 



