SCRAMBLES AMONGST THE ALPS. 269

active, capable, and enduring, must have produced greatereffects than a solitary power which is always local in itsinfluence, which has worked, comparatively , but for a shorttime, which is always slow and feeble in its operations, andwhich constantly diminishes in intensity ?

Yet there are some who refuse to believe that sun, frost,and water have played an important part in modelling theAlps, and hold it as an article of their faith that the Alpineregion “ owes its present conformation mainly to the actionof its ancient glaciers ! ” *

My reverie was interrupted by Croz observing that it wastime to be off. Less than two hours sufficed to take us tothe glacier plateau below (where we had left our baggage);three quarters of an hour more placed us upon thedepression between the Grand Cornier and the DentBlanche (Col du Grand Cornier t), and at 6 p.m. we arrivedat Abricolla. Croz and Biener hankered after milk, anddescended to a village lower down the valley; but Aimerand I stayed where we were, and passed a chilly night onsome planks in a half-burnt chalet. J

* Professor Tyndall “On the Conformation of the Alps,” Phil. Mag.,Sept. 1862.

t This was crossed, for the first time, on July 27, 1864, by the Rev.J. J. Ilomby and Mr. Philpott, with Christian Lauener and JosephViennin. (See Alpine Journal, vol. i., p. 431.) The pass is nowlabelled, on the Swiss Government Maps, Col de la Dent Blanche. Iprefer the original name.

J The following details may interest mountain-climbers. Left Zinal (5>5°5 feet) 2.5 a.m. Thence to plateau SE. of summit of GrandCornier, 5 h. 25 min. From the plateau to the summit of the mountain,2\ hours. The last 300 feet of the ridge followed were exceedinglysharp and narrow, with a great cornice, from which huge iciclesdepended. We were obliged to go underneath, the cornice, and tocut a way through the icicles. Descent from summit to plateau, I h.40 min. Sharp snowstorm, with thunder. Plateau to summit of Coldu Grand Cornier (rocks easy), 45 min. From the summit of the Colto the end of glacier leading to the west, 55 min. Thence to Abricolla(7.959). 15 min -