Lofty Regions of the Globe 7 



which rise the Jungfrau (4170 meters), the Aletschhorn (4200 

 meters), the Schreckhorn (4080 meters), the Brietsch (3950 

 meters), the Monk (4100 meters), and the Finsteraarhorn (4270 

 meters) . Advancing toward the east, we see Mount. Bernin (4050 

 meters) and Mount della Disgrazia (3680 meters) separating the 

 valley of the Valteline, in which flows the Adda, from that of the 

 Engadine, in which the Inn conducts by the Danube to the Black 

 Sea the waters brought to it from numerous peaks more than 3000 

 meters high, such as the Piz d'Err (3390 meters), the Piz Linard 

 (3410 meters) , the Piz Languard (3270 meters) , etc. On the other 

 bank of the Adda, the Tyrolese Alps display still loftier peaks; the 

 Adamello (3560 meters), the Wildspitze (3770 meters), the 

 Venediger (3675 meters), the Gros-Glockner (3890 meters), and 

 especially the Orteler (3920 meters) . 



But it is towards the west and on the left bank of the Rhone 

 that the giants of the Alps rise. First, around the Simplon (3200 

 meters), are Monte-Leone (3560 meters), the Fletschhorn (4020 

 meters) , and the Weismies (4030 meters) ; then the base of Monte 

 Rosa, with its three surmounting peaks; the Dome du Mischabel 

 (4550 meters) , the Matterhorn or Mount Cervin (4480 meters) , and 

 Monte Rosa itself, the highest peak of which, the Pointe de Dufour, 

 rises to 4640 meters. Next come the Dent-Blanche (4360 meters) , 

 the Weisshorn (4510 meters) , the Grand Combin (4320 meters) , 

 and farther to the west Mont Blanc (4810 meters) , which, sur- 

 rounded by numerous almost inaccessible pinnacles, dominates all 

 the other mountains of Europe. 



Beyond, the chain drops rapidly, although it still displays a few 

 lofty summits, such as Mount Iseran (4045 meters), Mount Cenis 

 (3620 meters), the Vanoise (3860 meters), in the Graies Alps; 

 Mount Viso (3840 meters) . Mount Olan (4215 meters) , in the Cot- 

 tian Alps; Mount Pelvoux (3955 meters), the Pointe des Ecrins 

 (4100 meters) , the Grandes Rousses (3475 meters) , in the Alps of 

 Dauphine. The Maritime Alps are still less lofty; finally come the 

 Apennines, the highest peak of which, Monte Corvo, in the Abruzzi, 

 is only 2910 meters high. But beside these giants, what an ap- 

 pearance the Capitol makes with its 47 meters above sea level! 



At the end of the chain, a rather high mountain, Mount Alto 

 (1080 meters), faces Sicily, the hilly soil of which, like that of 

 Sardinia, has no peaks reaching 2000 meters. Above all these sec- 

 ondary mountains the crater of Etna rises to 3310 meters. 



Among these high peaks, these abrupt pinnacles, which are 

 climbed only by those inspired by love of science, a taste for grand 



