The Project Gutenberg EBook of Ice-Caves of France and Switzerland
by George Forrest Browne

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Title: Ice-Caves of France and Switzerland

Author: George Forrest Browne

Release Date: November 10, 2004 [EBook #14012]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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ICE-CAVES
OF
FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND.

A NARRATIVE OF
SUBTERRANEAN EXPLORATION.

BY THE
REV. G.F. BROWNE, M.A.

FELLOW AND ASSISTANT TUTOR OF ST. CATHARINE'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE;
MEMBER OF THE ALPINE CLUB.

1865.

PREFACE.

The existence of natural ice-caves at depths varying from 50 to 200 feet
below the surface of the earth, unconnected with glaciers or snow
mountains, and in latitudes and at altitudes where ice could not under
ordinary circumstances be supposed to exist, has attracted some
attention on the Continent; but little or nothing seems to be
practically known in England on the subject. These caves are so
singular, and many of them so well repay inspection, that a description
of the twelve which I have visited can scarcely, as it seems to me, be
considered an uncalled-for addition to the numerous books of travel
which are constantly appearing. In order to prevent my narrative from
being a mere dry record of natural phenomena, I have interspersed it
with such incidents of travel as may be interesting in themselves or
useful to those who are inclined to follow my steps. I have also given,
from various sources, accounts of similar caves in different parts of
the world.

A pamphlet on _Glacieres Naturelles_ by M. Thury, of Geneva, of the
existence of which I was not aware when I commenced my explorations, has
been of great service to me. M. Thury had only visited three glacieres
when he published his pamphlet in 1861, but the observations he records
are very valuable. He had attempted to visit a fourth, when,
unfortunately, the want of a ladder of sufficient length stopped him.

I was allowed to read Papers before the British Association at Bath
(1864), in the Chemical Section, on the prismati