AND THE JURA. 39 



ever, there is a belt of pines, and then at the top all is desolation. 

 This wildness, however, is only a required contrast to the rich verdure 

 which clothes the western banks. On this side the ground is broken 

 and irregular, occasionally jutting out some distance into the lake, and 

 then receding to form a little bay or creek ; now rising boldly and 

 nakedly from the water's edge, and then gradually swelling in a gen- 

 tle rise to the more distant and less lofty hills to the right. On this 

 side, too, there was no want either of cultivation or natural beauty. 

 Forest trees in abundance were there, and their dark green was 

 relieved by a few cultivated patches belonging to the pretty isolated 

 cottages, or the two or three scattered villages which might be dis- 

 tinguished on the hill side, or so near the lake as to be seen reflected 

 in its calm waters. 



Passing through the village of Le Pont, and without crossing the 

 bridge, I soon found a foot path leading along the right bank of the 

 more northern of the two lakes, and so by the gorge already spoken of, 

 and to be hereafter described, into the Vallorbe, which lay in my in- 

 tended route towards a French frontier town called Jougne ; and I feel 

 more than ever how completely language is at fault, in attempting to 

 give some idea of the first two or three leagues of my morning's 

 walk through this charming district. The strange and sudden alter- 

 ation from the bleak and forbidding aspect which at first charac- 

 terises the mountains on the east, to a vast forest of pines rising quite 

 abruptly from the little lake, and stretching away in that direction as 

 far as the eye could reach — the contrast of these dark and sombre 

 masses with the mellowing and autumnal tints of a considerable 

 extent of forest trees on the opposite banks — ^the effect of a few small 

 but well-built white cottages on that side — the extraordinary closing 

 in of the mountains in front — and the curious appearance of a mist 

 which then hung over the foot of the lake, and was occasionally 

 lifted as a curtain, presenting glimpses of the country beyond, until 

 at length it rolled away and vanished from the sight — all these se- 

 veral elements of beauty united, and acting upon the buoyant spirits 

 which health, strength, and a fine cool September morning will 

 give, produced an impression upon the mind too pleasing to be easily 

 or soon forgotten, and which I would wish, were it possible, to 

 communicate to my readers, that they might enjoy some of the 

 beauties of this most interesting part of a most interesting country. 



On leaving behind me the sweet lake of Brenet, I entered 

 almost directly a very narrow ravine, so completely overrun with 

 pines of various heights and ages, that I could only occasion- 



