Alps of the Valais. 5 



that it was easy, and that the glacier would not require more than 

 three hours to cross. It was six o'clock before we were off, when, re- 

 tracing our steps for a short distance, we crossed the river, and gra- 

 dually ascending the foot of the mountains through magnificent larch 

 forests, we soon entered the small lateral valley of Taesch, at some 

 distance above the hamlet of the same name. A few specimens of 

 Artemisia nana. Gaud, nearly allied to, but certainly distinct from^ 

 the Art. campestris, were found ; and having partook of the hospitali- 

 ty of the inhabitants of a few chalets at the entrance of the valley, 

 called Alpen, who have the charge of the cattle belonging to the 

 commune of Taesch, we followed the course of the small torrent 

 nearly to the foot of the glacier ; here we commenced a steep ascent 

 between the north side of the glacier, and a wall of perpendicular 

 rocks, occasionally enlivened by small waterfalls. On these rocks, 

 I gathered the rare Aretia tomentosa, Schleich., and the Poa Gaudini 

 Kunth. (the P. aspera, Gaud, but certainly identical with the Scotch 

 P. caesia.) The vegetation was so luxuriant, and the plants so rare, 

 that I spent much more time than was advisable in filling my box ; 

 but such plants as Trifolium saxatile. Campanula cenisia, Gentiana 

 glacialis, Juncus Jacquini, /3, (apparently hitherto never collected 

 with ripe capsules,) Senecio uniflorus. All., Phaca lapponica, Wahl., 

 and Oxytropis cyanea, M. B., were too powerful attractions to be re- 

 sisted, and it was two o'clock before we reached the termination of 

 the rocks, and that part of the glacier where we had to commence 

 the passage. 



Phaenogamous vegetation had entirely ceased, but among the last 

 flowering plants I observed growing on the Moraine, the Myosotis 

 nana and Aretia pennina — the brilliancy of the bright blue of the 

 one, and the softness and elegance of the pale rose, violet or white 

 flowers of the other, no words can express. The last flowering 

 plant was a small state of Luzula spicata, forming large dense tufts, 

 and which, intermixed with lichens, formed the whole of the ve- 

 getation for some extent. Some Chamois were seen by the guides, 

 but they had disappeared before I could distinguish them from the 

 grey rocks on which they were standing. 



From the edge of the glacier to the summit of the pass, the ascent 

 was easy, and, excepting one or two chasms which occasioned a 

 short delay, perfectly free from danger ; but it was not without 

 some anxiety and misgivings, that my attention was drawn, by the 

 mutterings of the guides, to a mass of black clouds, which had form- 

 ed on the summit of the Matterhorn. 



We reached the summit of the pass, (10,947' at 6 metres below 



