NIGHT-MARCH ON THE GRAND PLATEAU. 191

CROSSING THE GRAND PLATEAU AT NIGHT.

apparently as close and as inaccessible as ever; andimmediately on our left rvas the appalling gulf, yawn-ing in the ice of unknown depth, into which theavalanche swept Dr. Hamel’s guides; and in whosedepths, ice-bound and unchanged, they are yet locked.Tairraz crept close to me, and said, through his teeth,almost in a whisper—“ C’est ici, Monsieur, que monfrere Auguste est peri en 1820, avec Balmat et Car-rier: les pauvres corps sont encore la-bas!— 9 a medonne de peine, toujours, en traversant le Plateau; etla route est encore perilleuse.” “ Et les avalanches?”I asked—“tombent elles toujours?” “Oui, Monsieur,