264 DEVASTATIONS AND RBSTOEATIONS. 



mountains he is crushed by the blocks of rock, and by the clods of earth, 

 which are there tumbling down from all parts ; consequently the inhabitants, 

 when they venture on this route, have to take care and see that there be 

 no threatening of bad weather. 



" The torrent of Labeoux, which leads into the D^voluy, presents nearly 

 the same features with the same consequences. The district road is the bed 

 of the torrent, and the mountains which enclose it are in many places so 

 steep, or they are composed of so crumbling a material, that it would be 

 difficult to find refuge on them in the event of a storm of rain suddfenly 

 swelling the torrent, and effacing under a body of furious waters all traces 

 of the road." 



Such was the state of things, and such were the evils, which were fearlessly 

 attacked by the Forest Administration and the hydraulic engineers of France 

 with the simple appliances of reboisement and gazonnement, or the planting 

 of trees and the fostering of the growth of herbage. 



It was like David going forth with his sling and his five smooth stones 

 in his shepherd's wallet to kill Goliath of Gath ; but, preposterous as seemed 

 his scheme, and ridiculously inadequate his provision for what he proposed 

 to do, he did it ; and so likewise was it here. 



Of what was done the following account is given : — " The torrent of 

 Sainte-Marthe is situated on the right bank of the Durance, and has for its 

 origin the brows of the Mount Saint-Guillaume, the height of which is 2,500 

 mfetres, well nigh 8,350 feet. The point at which it reaches the river after 

 a course of 8 kilomfetres, above 5 miles, is about 2 kilomfetres, about a mile 

 and a third, below Embrun, at an altitude of 700 metres, or well nigh 2,350 

 feet. The difference of level between the origin and the embouchure of 

 this torrent is about 1,800 mfetres, or 6,000 feet. The slopes of the thalweg 

 are consequently very great. 



" When the works were commenced on the bassin de reception, the surface 

 of it was absolutely bare and everywhere cut up by ravines. But as this 

 upper part is formed of sandstone and of pretty hard compact limestone, 

 the disintegration was only superficial. 



" The canal d'ecoulement is a narrow gorge, and has an extremely steep 

 descent, all along which exist herges vives in a tumbling down condition. 

 The upper half is formed of earth, stones, and blocks of rock which have 

 been borne thither ; the lower half traverses black marl almost in a state 

 of clay or mud. 



" Everything to produce the well-known effects of torrents is found in 

 this torrent. The bassin de reception, entirely denuded of vegetation, forms 

 a funnel in which the waters, at the time of storms of rain, rush to a; 

 common centre almost instantaneously. The mass of waters precipitates 

 itself on the steep declivities of the tlialweg, from the first tearing away 

 from the flanks of the upper hills large quantities of stones and of rooks of 

 all sizes ; lower down the flood mixes up with itself the black mud furnished 

 by the washing away of the lower-lying hills ; and then, like an avalanche, 

 which in some respects it resembles, it precipitates itself with a violence 

 which nothing can resist, and debouches at the bottom of the valley at the 

 extremity of the gorge which forms the summit of the cone de dejection. 

 Fine properties in the environs of Embrun, of a value of at least 300,000 

 francs, an imperial road, with a bridge and dike belonging to the State, of a 

 value of more than 200,000 francs, and a district road of great importance, 



