We now return to the Alps, which form so marked a feature in the natural geography of Europe. These mountains present neither the rounded outlines of the Apennines, nor the ruggedness of the Pyrenees, being generally more imposing in their form, and their summits being sharp, and in some parts pike-shaped or needle-shaped. The latter term is locally applied to some of the peaks; as, for instance, Aiguille Blanche; others are locally termed horns, as Schreck-horn, or horn of terror; others again are designated by the term spitz, or peak, as Oertler-spitz.

The passes, which consist of the lowest passable routes over the various mountains, are, in the Alps, usually termed cols, or necks. The southern or Italian slopes of this range are in general more precipitous than the northern, and it is chiefly on the latter side, that offsets, or branches, diverge from the central line.

This mountain system does not spread into extensive table lands, but consists rather of vast ridges, in some parts running parallel with each other, and intersected by deep valleys, occasionally containing lakes of considerable size. The consequence of this great diversity of surface is, that a singular variety of climate occurs in this region. The snow line in this latitude varies, according to local circumstances, from 9000 to 9500 feet above the level of the sea; and as a large number of the summits of this range considerably exceed

that elevation, perpetual ice crowns their heights; whilst on the declivities of the mountains, and in some of the valleys, we meet with all varieties of vegetation, from that of arctic regions, to that of temperate Europe. The highest summit is Mont Blanc, 15,781 feet above the sea.

Mont Blanc is the monarch of mountains,

They crowned him long ago,

On a throne of rocks, in a robe of cloids,
With a diadem of snow.

Our course first lies along the Cottian Alps, which extend from Monte Viso, in a nearly northward direction, to Mont Cenis, a distance of about sixty miles. The only carriage route across this part of the Alps is that of Mont Genevre, executed by order of Napoleon. Another route, though not passable for carriages, is by the valley of the Bardonneche, which is supposed to have been the pass traversed by Julius Cæsar, when he crossed the Alps to attack the Helvetii. The principal mountains in this division are Pelvoux and Olan.

The Graian Alps extend from Mont Cenis-which is included in this group-to the Col de la Seigne. The pass over Mont Cenis, was known in the early times of French history; for it appears that l'epin, emphatically styled the "father of Charlemagne," crossed this pass with an army, when he marched to attack Astolphus, king of the Lombards; it, however, in later times, was only a difficult mule road, until the present magnificent route was formed by Napoleon Buonaparte. The elevation of the pass is 6773 feet above the sea. Besides Mont Cenis, the principal summits in this group are Iseran and Vanoise.

The Pennine Alps take a north-easterly direction, extending from Mont Blanc to the Simplon. The country to the west of Mont Blanc, in the approach from Geneva, presents the grandest and most sublime Alpine scenery in Europe. The valley of Chamouni, the Glacier of Boissons, and the Mer de Glace, all contribute to produce this magnificent effect. The Pennine Alps form the loftiest portion of the range,

of

and, besides Mont Blanc, include Monte Rosa and Mont Cervin, which rank among the most elevated peaks of Europe. The first great pass across this division of the Alps is that by the Great St. Bernard, which forms the route between Martigny and Aosta. This pass is of great antiquity, and has obtained modern historical celebrity, by the passage Napoleon Buonaparte across it in the year 1800. On the summit of the pass, at the elevation of 7963 feet, is situated the celebrated Hospice de St. Bernard, where travellers are received and gratuitously entertained for three days, by the hospitable monks of the establishment. The Alpine spaniels, those valuable and beautiful dogs, kept at this monastery for the preservation of travellers, and sent out in severe weather to scour the mountains in search of benighted or way worn wanderers, are little less celebrated than their masters. To the eastward of the Great St. Bernard is the pass of the Cervin, the loftiest in Europe, being 11,096 feet above the sea, but it is not passable for carriages. The magnificent route of the Simplon, another work of Napoleon, but now unfortunately falling to decay, is the most eastward in the Pennine Alps.

The Helvetian, or Swiss Alps (called also the Lepontian), next succeed, extending from the Simplon to Mont St. Gothard. This, and the preceding group, form the southern boundary of the deep and extensive valley named the Valais, through which the river Rhone flows, and which forms an instance of a principal valley. The Rhone, as well as the Rhine, both take their rise among the glaciers and perpetual snows of the Helvetian Alps.

Having traversed the central line to the boundary of Switzerland, it will be desirable to quit it for the present, and turn our attention to some of the branches which intersect that land of mountains and valleys. The principal of these is the range of mountains called the Jorat, which forms the northern border of the Valais, extending to the Lake of Geneva, of which it constitutes the steep and rocky northern shores. The peaks in this range are termed horns,

and though none of the summits equal Mont Blanc in eles vation, these mountains present a more imposing mass, and more continuous elevation, than even the range of the Pennine, or High Alps. The most conspicuous summits are Finster-aar-horn, Schreck-horn, and Wetter-horn.

The whole of Southern Switzerland affords scenery of the grandest and most pleasing description;—a succession of splendid mountains, intersected by deep and fertile valleys, which, being copiously watered by the streams which take their rise among these mountains, and also sheltered by the surrounding heights, enjoy a mild and humid climate, highly favourable to vegetation; and hence, in the more southern districts, the fig and olive come to perfection in the valleys, to the elevation of 1,000 feet above the sea; the vine, to that of 1,600 feet; the walnut extends to 2,400 feet; the chesnut to 2,800 feet; the oak, maple, and ash, to 3,800 feet; the larch to about 6,000 feet; and the Siberian pine to 6,800 feet. The spruce fir grows at a greater elevation than any other tree, but this ceases to flourish at 7,400, or about 2,000 feet below the snow-line. The rhododendron ferrugineum, commonly called the rose of the Alps, extends to 7,020 feet. Beyond the region of trees, heath and furze are the principal occupants of the soil, though, in some parts, abundance of the more valuable product, Alpine grass, is met with. Beyond these plants, lichens and mosses occur; and, in the perpetual snows of Mont Blanc, that singular vegetable production, called red snow, is occasionally found. Among cultivated vegetables, wheat succeeds only in the sheltered and low plains; potatoes and barley generally thrive at the elevation of 4,000 feet, and, in some favourable situations, 1,600 feet higher; 5,600 feet above the sea being considered the utmost limit of their culture. Buck-wheat is much grown; and, at the elevation of 2,200 feet, it is sown after the rye-crop is gathered in, and ripens, though, in some places, not until the snow falls. The plant cultivated at the greatest elevation is the rumex alpinus, a species

of sorrel, grown for fattening swine, which succeeds at the height of 5,900 feet.

The northern portion of Switzerland presents a different aspect to that of the southern districts, an extensive plain (comprehending the whole of the canton of Fribourg, and part of those of Berne and Soleure) occupying the western region. In the eastern parts, however, we meet with some subordinate branches of the Alps, though no summits which reach the line of perpetual snow. The most remarkable among these are Mount Pilate, and Mount Righi, both situated in the Forest Cantons, a territory celebrated from having formed the scene of the exploits of William Tell. Mount Pilate rises in seven peaks round a little lake, concerning which a story is current among the peasantry in its vicinity, who believe that Pontius Pilate drowned himself in its waters. This fiction, however, appears to have originated in an error respecting the ancient name of the mountain, on the summit of which a cloud perpetually hangs, from whence the appellation of pileatus, i. e. covered with a cap, was bestowed on it; and this, in later times, being corrupted into Pilate, gave rise to the tradition.

The most remarkable native animals of Switzerland are the ibex (fig. 100), and the chamois (fig. 88), both of which frequent the most inaccessible precipices of the Alpine range. The Alpine marmot is another inhabitant of these mountains. The bearded vulture, or vulture of the Alps, is peculiar to Switzerland. Its strength is so great, that even the ibex and chamois fall victims to its rapacity.

Returning to our central line, we next pursue the course of the Rhætian Alps, so named from the ancient Rhætium. This group extends from Mont St. Gothard to the Dreyhorn spitz. There are five good carriage-roads in this division of the Alps; the first is by Mont St. Bernardin, which forms the route from the Lago Maggiore to the Rheinwald: the second, which crosses the Splugen, is the line of road from the Lake of Como to the same point. These two