SUMMIT OF PARNASSUS. -ifiS 
them to slide, either upon their sides, or upon chap. 
their backs, until they were intercepted by ■_ ^ ' . 
rocks, or by huge masses of rough stones, lying 
loose at the bottom of each glacier. 
The summit, and all the higher part of Geological 
T» ^ ,. ... features. 
Parnassus, > are oi limestone, containing veins 
of marble, and great quantity of a blue luma- 
chella, wherein are imbedded very large enlrochi. 
The surprising appearance of such shells at 
this enormous elevation is very remarkable. 
We found them upon the highest peak, and 
over all the mountain. Similar phaenomena 
have since been noticed upon the summit of 
Mount Libanus\ But all the limestone of Par- 
nassus is not thus characterized. In places 
where the meltino: snow had disclosed the 
naked surface of the rock, we observed the 
most remarkable effect of weathering that, as 
far as our knowledge extends, has ever been 
noticed. A spontaneous decomposition of the 
stone had taken place, in consequence of the 
attacks of air and moisture during a series of 
ages ; and this had occasioned rifts and fissures 
(1) By tbe most enterprising traveller that ever undertook to explore 
unknown regions — Burckhardt. 
