THE HIGH ALPS. 263 



showing the continuous increase of the population of France throughout the 

 whole of the time specified. "We have lost," says he, "in twenty years 

 what we had gained in forty ; and the public wealth has experienced a 

 similar falling ofi". If we look to the production of timber, this from 1834 

 to 1847 increased over the whole of France 44 per cent., but in the High 

 Alps only 30 per cent. From 1847 to 1868 it increased over the whole of 

 France 103 per cent., but in the High Alps only 12 per cent., and he cites 

 official returns in proof, so that, whether tested by population or by wealth, the 

 High Alps only followed at a distance in the general advancement of France 

 till 1847, and from that time onward it has, in the words of Lavergne, retro- 

 graded instead of advancing." 



M. C6zanne goes on to say, — " The smiling fertile valleys of this region 

 are narrow ; the greater part of the villages extend up the steeps to the 

 region of a trying climate, where even the sweat of man cannot make the 

 ground productive. There the peasants live on the verge of the habitable 

 parts of the land. The least physical accident — ^ frost, drought, or rain— is 

 disastrous to them ; and the roar of the torrent in their immediate vicinity is 

 always threatening them. They toil and they suffer without complaint ; 

 they neither blame the Government nor God; but when the misery becomes 

 unbearable they depart, they yield to the greater attractions which invite 

 them to the opulent cities of Marseilles and Lyons and Paris. It is to the 

 betterment of theij" circumstances indeed ; but it is a cruel wrench ; and the 

 nation sufiers. 



"There are some who have said, — ' Let the mountains crumble into ruins if 

 they cannot sustain themselves against the effects of the weather!' But 

 others have said, — ' These are a part of the ramparts of France ! and what will 

 it advantage us in the day of danger to have fortresses on the frontier, if 

 behind these strong places there be only a desert, supplying to the army of 

 France neither woods, nor fields, nor railroads, nor population?' There 

 were others who had their attention called to the subject, and more 

 especially to the importance in many respects of the reboisement of the 

 mountains ; and the reaction commenced ; but the state of the land was 

 not more encouraging than was the condition of the people." 



I have given a translation of M. Surell's account of D6voluy ; not less 

 saddening is the account given by him of the valley descending from the 

 Col Izoard, which he cites as a typical specimen of the bassin de reception of 

 a torrent. He says, — " The aspect of this monstrous channel — a gorge 

 which serves as the common point of accumulation and discharge of several 

 lateral torrents— is frightful. Within a distance of less than two English 

 miles, more than sixty torrents hurl into the depths of the gorge the 

 detritus torn from its two flanks. The smallest of these secondary torrents, 

 if transferred to a fertile valley, would be enough to ruin it." 



And of this torrent of the Col Izoard, he says in an appendix to his 

 treatise, — " This gorge, dreadful in appearance as it is, is nevertheless the 

 most convenient route there is leading to the valley of Queyras k Briangon. 

 The bed of the torrent serves as a district road; and from this one may 

 judge of what the district roads of the department are. The traveller who 

 should be caught by a storm of rain in the midst of this defile would 

 there infallibly lose his life. Where could he find refuge from the dangers 

 pressing upon him on all sides 1 The soil sinks under his footsteps ; if he 

 remains in the bed he is engulfed by the torrent ; if he try to climb the 



