-A
ki ^ i'
to great advantage. When seen at this distance,
and in their just proportions, the
apparent contortions of the strata which so
greatly surprized Saussure, ( Voyages dans les
Alpes, vol. iii.) and which he regarded as
inexplicable, are resolvable into one of the
cases of irregular sections made in a curved
stratification, which will be described in
the Appendix.
The roads that wind among the Abymes
de Myans are so narrow and intricate, that
we lost our way and entered the frontiers of
France; of which we were apprized by the
custom-house officers, who suffered us,
however, to return without examination on
explaining our mistake. We arrived at
Montmelian at four o’clock, having left
Chamberry at eight. By the high road it is
only a two-hours’ drive.
The ruggedness of the road among the
Abymes de Myans had greatly fatigued
our horse, which obliged us to remain at
Montmelian till near sunset, and we did
not arrive at L ’Hopital before midnight.
I did not then know that there is a tolerable
inn. La Croix Rouge, at St. Pierre, half
way between Montmelian and L ’Hopital,
where we might have slept.
CHAP. VI.
T H E T A R E N T A I S E . V A L L E Y O F T H E I S E R E . - - - -
O B S E R V A T I O N S O N T H E P A S S A G E O F H A N N I B A L .
M O U T I E R S . S A L T W O R K S A N D S A L T S P R I N G S .
E V A P O R A T I O N B Y F A G G O T S . - - - - M I N E S . - - - - - - -
B O U R G S T . M A U R I C E . - - - - - - T H E L I T T L E S T . B E R -
N A R D .
A f t e r crossing the Isere at L ’Hopital, we
passed under the town of Conflans, which,
placed on a rock of mica slate, towers over
the road. Turning south, we soon entered
the upper valley of the Isere. This river
rises from the glaciers of Mont Iseran, in the
Grecian Alps, from whence it descends to the
foot of the L ittle St. Bernard, and to Bourg
St. Maurice and Moutiers; and then running
to the north-west, it unites with the Arly in
the great valley of Savoy, below Conflans.
It is the upper valley of the Isere, with
the lateral valleys that open into it, that
comprise the ancient province of the Tarentaise
; so named from the city called by
Ptolemy and Strabo Darentasia, the me