LBOEEtJLX AND HilBICAET DB THURY. 59 



the defects of his work should be excused in Tiew of the novelty of the 

 subject of which it treated. 



In 1804 there were published Beserches sur la formation et I'exisfence des 

 ndsseaux, des rivieres, et torrents, by M. Lecreulx. The design of this publi- 

 cation was to refute the views advanced by Fabre ; but it has been alleged 

 that apparently the author did not know the kind of water-courses to which 

 Fabre in his work had a reference. 



On this point M. Surell writes, — "I scarcely know whether Lecreulr 

 meant positively to dispute the position that woods have an influence on 

 the production of torrents. In attacking Fabre on this point all that he 

 does is to bring to light his complete ignorance of the kind of mountains 

 and of the kind of water-coiurses which Fabre had specially before him. 

 Lecreulx had always before his miad the case of the Vosges, which comes 

 up in every page of his book. I know the Vosges well, and I can affirm 

 that these mountains no more resemble the High Alps than the German 

 patois, spread over several of the valleys, resembles the proviagal dialect 

 which is here the general language of the country." 



In 1806 appeared a Ptomographie des cours dJeau du Departement des 

 Hautes Alpes, by M. H^ricart de Thury, ia which are pencilled rapid 

 sketches of the geological characters of the beds of the water-courses of the 

 Department, and Ms work supplies data valued by students of the coimtry, 

 seeking to discover the cause or occasion of the ravages which these water- 

 courses make, and a remedy for the evil. He reckons eight distinct basins 

 or river valleys in the High Alps. Surell reckons three, but this afiects not 

 the facts recorded : it resolves itself into a mere question of judgment in 

 regard to the best division to be made. 



The views are in accordance alike with those advanced ten years before 

 by Fabre, and thirty years later by Surell. Of the vicinity of Embrun he 

 writes, — " In this magnificent basin Nature, has been quite prodigal of her 

 blessings. The inhabitants have enjoyed her favours with their eyes shut ; 

 they have slept on in the midst of her beauties. Ungrateful for aU, they 

 have inconsiderately carried the axe and the fire into these forests which 

 shade the steep mountains — the ignored source of their riches. Soon were 

 these emaciated peaks ravaged by waters, torrents swelled and precipitated 

 themselves with fury on the plains ; they have cut down, torn away, and 

 undermined the foundations of the mountains ; grounds of great extent have 

 been carried off; others have been entombed ; these have been covered with 

 rocks, those show nothing but stones and gravel. The ravages are still 

 going on ; no obstacle is opposed to their fury — soon in Crevoux, Boscodon, 

 Savines, and aU the country around, the torrents will have utterly destroyed 

 all this fine basin, which but lately would have borne comparison with all 

 possessed by the richest countries — with the most fertile and the best 

 cultivated of them aU." 



The warning was soimded in vain. It was drowned in the roar of cannon 

 carrying into other lands devastation, and death, and mourning, and woe ; 

 but after the men of that generation had mostly died away, and another 

 generation had taken their place, the subject was again brought under 

 consideration. 



In the Annates des Fonts et CAavssees, for 1833, 2d Semestre, is a paper by 



