20 



PROF. E. HULL, ON GENEVA AND CHAMOUNIX 



path through the forest of pines which clothes the side of the 

 mountain ; and as several trains ascend and descend during the 

 day, one may see from below two trains slowly wending their 

 way, one far above the other on the side of the mountain, either 

 in the same or opposite direction. The upper end of the line 

 approaching Montanvert is still incomplete, and will scarcely 

 be ready for another year ; so the traveller has to climb some 

 distance on foot in order to reach the platform on which is built 

 the huge, unsightly hotel of Montanvert, from wdnch, however, 

 a fine view of the Mer de Glace in the valley below^ is 

 obtained.* 



The Mcr dc Glace as seen to-clay. — On coming in sight of the 

 Mer de Glace from my commanding position, which included 

 the wdiole of the central portion from the base of Takul down- 

 wards almost to the extremity of the glacier, I was surprised 

 and not a little disconcerted by its aspect.f As compared with 

 its appearance on my first visit (judging, of course, from 

 memory) the whole mass of the glacier seemed to have shrunk 

 in volume, and its surface to be defaced by a promiscuous 

 covering of dust, gravel and boulders, causing it to appear very 

 different from the generally clear and clean surface of the ice, 

 with a well-defined central moraine of large blocks of granite 

 ranging down from the cliffs of Takul above. This shrinkage 

 was very perceptible along the sides of the glacier, where the 

 edge of the ice had shrunk away from the lateral moraines 

 which marked its former limits. The lower end of the glacier 

 seemed also to have receded to a higher level than that at 

 which it stood at my tirst visit, when it stretched farther 

 downwards towards the Arveiron Valley. The result of all 

 this was disappointment, not entirely dissipated by the spectacle 

 of hundreds of visitors scrambling over the ice, in contrast to 

 the solitude which attended my first visit. Aware, however, 

 that appearances are sometimes deceptive, I resolved to make 

 further enquiry on my return to Chamounix regarding the 

 supposed shrinkage of the Mer de Glace. 



Vidt to Mons. J. Vallot. — On returning to Chamounix I was 

 advised to consult Mons. J. Vallot, the Director of the observa- 

 tory of Mont Blanc, and on my calling at his house a day or two 



Here a flat slab of porcelain has been set iij) by tlio Club Alpin 

 Francais, on which is engraved, Altitude 1,909 metres, lat. N. 51' 03' 72" 

 long.^E. 5° 09'. 



t Takul is the name given to the lofty clitfs which rise from the glacier 

 at the point wliere the two arms of the Mer de Glace unite (sec fig. p. 22). 



