à
cessible; its sides are rounded, and are
said to have a polish or glazing like that
which is sometimes seen on granite rocks
exposed to the action of the sea, but this I
could not discern with my telescope. It
appeared composed of perpendicular plates
of granite. By what means it has been
shaped into its present form is difficult to
conceive. When approaching the Glacier
de Bois, it is impossible to view without
astonishment this isolated pinnacle of granite,
shooting up into the sky to such an
amazing height. I have neithei seen nor
have I heard of any pinnacle of granite in
the Alps that can be compared with it,
for the elegance of its form, or for the
length of its shaft. The Geant, it is true, is
nearly ec^ual to IMont Blanc in height, but
it does not rise so far above its base as the
Aiguille de Dru, and when seen at a distance,
its form is like a bended finger.
In approaching the Glacier de Bois from
the inn at Chamouny, after passing through
a wood of pines and larches, the glacier is
seen descending from the Mer de Glace into
the valley, and over it, in the back ground,
rises the Aiguille de Dru, behind which is
the Aiguille Vert. The latter nearly rivals
Mont Blanc in height, and presents a very
striking escarpement of bare rock towards
Chamouny,while its back,which is rounded,
is covered with snow. When seen from
Geneva, this mountain appears perfectly
pyramidal. A sketch that I took of these
mountains, in approaching the source of
the Arveiron, will give a better idea of the
outline of this impressive scene, than an
elaborate decription. See Plate IV.
The upper part of the Glacier de Bois
is several thousand feet above the valley,
and after a warm day in August, avalanches
from it are very frequent. In the course
o f one hour, we saw four considerable
avalanches, and heard several from the
other side of the glacier. The masses o f ice
may be observed in motion for a little time
before they detach themselves, and when
they fall upon the rocks below, the noise
resembles the distant discharge of heavy
artillery, followed by a succession of echoes.
When the ice was once in motion, it would
fall in a continued stream for a considerable
time, which, seen at a distance, resembled
a c a ta ra c t: with the ice were
intermixed large blocks of stone, which
had long lain upon the glacier. I counted
B 2