ABSTRACT
James David Forbes’ visits to the Mer de Glace in 1827, 1832, and 1839 had been merely day trips familiar to tourists. In 1827 he and his brother Charles, accompanied by three guides, made their way up glacier from the Montanvert, keeping to its western side and reaching possibly as far as l’Angle. In 1832 with a single guide, Forbes was a little more adventurous, crossing the Mer de Glace to its eastern flank and proceeding to le Jardin de Talèfre, an outcrop in the middle of the Talèfre Glacier commanding a splendid view, and already a popular excursion. In 1839 Forbes repeated this excursion in the company of his brother John.
