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Updated: June 19, 2025
Some of the short laterals of the glaciers that drew their fountain snows from the jagged recesses of the summit are from one to two hundred feet in height, and scarce at all wasted as yet, notwithstanding the countless storms that have fallen upon them, while cool rills flow between them, watering charming gardens of arctic plants saxifrages, larkspurs, dwarf birch, ribes, and parnassia, etc. beautiful memories of the Ice Age, representing a once greatly extended flora.
And even Neff's ministry, as we have above seen, only lasted for the short space of about three years. Some years after the death of Neff, another attempt was made by the Roman Catholics to establish a mission at Dormilhouse. A priest went up from Les Ribes accompanied by a sister of mercy from Gap "the pearl of the diocese," she was called who hired a room for the purpose of commencing a school.
Etienne Baridon, a member of the same Les Ribes family, an intelligent young man, disabled for ordinary work by lameness and deformity, occupied himself in teaching the children in the Protestant school at Violens, whither he walked daily, accompanied by the pupils from Les Ribes.
But as in the case of the Ribes all the specimens are derived by buds from a single original plant. The variety was introduced from Japan about the year 1860, but is probably much older. Nothing is known as to its real origin. It never bears flowers or fruits.
The present incumbent is M. Charpiot, of venerable and patriarchal aspect, whose white hairs are a crown of glory a man beloved by his extensive flock, for his parish embraces the whole valley, about twelve miles in extent, including the four villages of Ribes, Violens, Minsals, and Dormilhouse; other pastors having been appointed of late years to the more distant stations included in the original widely-scattered charge of Felix Neff.
Like the other species of Ribes the present plant grows and flowers very freely in any soil, and almost however poor. American Wild Black Currant. North America, 1729. This should be included in all collections for its pretty autumnal foliage, which is of a bright purplish bronze.
The gooseberries when ripe are very red, as are the currants, but they are armored with a tough skin completely covered with sharp, hairy thorns. In Southern California all the fruit of the wild ribes have the thorns, but they do not compare in penetrating power and strength with those of the Tahoe gooseberries.
Even the tops of the mountains are blessed with flowers, dwarf phlox, polemonium, ribes, hulsea, etc. I have seen wild bees and butterflies feeding at a height of 13,000 feet above the sea. Many, however, that go up these dangerous heights never come down again.
In May and June come pinks of all sorts, specially the blushpink; roses of all kinds, except the musk, which comes later; honeysuckles; strawberries; bugloss; columbine; the French marigold, flos Africanus; cherry-tree in fruit; ribes; figs in fruit; rasps; vineflowers; lavender in flowers; the sweet satyrian, with the white flower; herba muscaria; lilium convallium; the apple-tree in blossom.
The story is still told of the curé bringing up from Les Ribes a large bag of apples an impossible crop at Dormilhouse by way of tempting the children to come to him and receive instruction. But they went only so long as the apples lasted, and when they were gone the children disappeared.
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