CHAPTER XIII.
LA BORNA DE LA GLACE, IN THE DUCHY OF AOSTA.
The Chanoine Carrel, of Aosta, whose name is so well and so favourably known to Alpine men, sent a brief account of an ice-cave in his neighbourhood to the _Bibliotheque Universelle_ of Geneva[81] in the year 1841, and, as far as I know, there is no other account of it.

My plan had been to pass from Chamouni by the Col du Geant to Courmayeur, and thence to Aosta for a visit to the canon and his glaciere; but, unfortunately, the symptoms which had put an end to the expedition to the Brezon and the Valley of Reposoir came on with renewed vigour, as a consequence of Mont Blanc, and the projected fortnight with Peter Pernn collapsed into a hasty flight to Geneva.

It was fortunate that medical assistance was not necessary in Chamouni itself; for one of the members of our large party there was mulcted in the sum of L16, with a hint that something beyond that would be acceptable, for an extremely moderate amount of attendance by the local French doctor.
The glaciere was thus of necessity given up.

It is known among the people as _La Borna de la Glace_, and lies about 5,300 feet above the sea, on the northern slope of the hills which command the hamlet of Chabaudey, commune of La Salle, in the duchy of Aosta, to the north-east of Larsey-de-la, in a place covered with firs and larches, and called Plan-agex.

The entrance has an east exposure, and is very small, being a triangle with a base of 2 feet and an altitude of 2-1/2 feet.