Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/64

54 water, the urface of which, as was to have been expected at this height, was covered with ice about an inch and a half thick. We immediately made a hole in the ice, and regaled ourelves with ome excellent water. I did not feel any of thoe diagreeable enations in the throat, which I have often experienced on the French Alps, from drinking the water which iues from the foot of the Glaciers; although the cold of the water in this cavern was one degree lower than that generally indicated by the water of the Glaciers, for upon plunging a thermometer into it, it fell to the freezing point. It eems that the diagreeable pricking enation occaioned by the water of the Glaciers in the internal fauces, aries from its being deprived of its atmopherical air.

The roof of the cavern was covered with crytals of altpetre.

Piron, who had been indipoed for everal days, found himelf o overcome with fatigue as to be unable to proceed any further. Dechamps alo choe to remain with him at the cavern: as for the ret of us, we et forward on our acent to the ummit of the peak.

Having reached its bae, we aw it elevate itelf before us in the hape of a cone, to a prodigious height, forming the crown of the highet of thee mountains. From this pot our view extended