S28 



degradation of mountains, he could not have better 

 established the fact, and, at the same time, set aside all 

 the calculations of Gensanne, than by several circum- 

 stances related in his excellent and interesting work. 



For instance, in describing "the innumerable and 

 enormous rocks of granite," which surround the mine- 

 ral springs at Railliere, on the Pyrennees, he observes, 

 that "the destruction of these masses of granite would 

 require the work of an infinite series of ages, (siedesj 

 if we judge them by the superb obelisks of granite 

 erected in Egypt, more than three thousand years ago ; 

 monuments which at this day embellish the city of 

 Rome,* without having experienced any alteration."^ 



In the next place, in speaking of the city of Bag- 

 neres, situated at the entrance of the valley of Campan, 

 and the mineral springs of that name, he describes se- 

 veral inscriptions discovered about the springs, as re- 

 ported by Oienardj and which are considered as 

 proofs, that the Romans were acquainted with, and fre- 

 quented those baths ; and that by them the inscrip- 

 tions were executed, when they invaded that country. 



u Among these, the stone," says Pallassau, " on 

 which the following inscription is engraved, is to be 

 seen, at this time at Bagneres, in the garden wall of 

 M. Duzer." 



* One of these monuments, I presume, is the obelisk transport- 

 ed from Egypt to Rome, by^Caius Csesar. Its height was a hun- 

 dred cubits, or a hundred and fifty feet, and its diameter eight cu- 

 bits, or twelve feet. See Sonini, vol. I, page 127. 



t Mineral des Pyrennees, page 143- 



