2 
2 ’  flccount of a journey to the 
Vallais and the south side of the Lake before arriving at 
Geneva. e had scarcely finished with the curiosities of 
the place, when my friend and fellow-traveller, Mr. W. 
Bene of Baltimore, ee a visit to the Vale of Cha- | 
This delightful valley, the most elevated in Europe, and 
almost separated from the world, lies 18 leagues S. E. of 
Geneva—it is 5 leagues long, and 1-2 a league broad, and 
is covered during the few months of summer, with the most 
luxuriant vegetation. To the North, rises the chain of Red 
Needles (Aiquilles sag on 3) to the South fe gigantic mass 
of Mount Blanc; to the N. E. isthe Col de Balme; and to 
the S. Ww. the mountains of Lacha and of Vaudagne. The 
river Arve, joined by Arvieron, that gushes impetuously . 
from beneath the glacier des Bois, flows rapidly through the 
length of the vale; and receives the tributary streams of 
glaciers that increase its size only to augment the volume of 
the Rhone, into which it pours its accumulated waters. 'The 
beauty of the vale, t the pve of its soil, the innocence and 
simplicity of its 1a _ and the sit ‘ity 
scape, in which mountains of ice alternate with fiélds-of 
flowers, have long drawn the attention of Travellers. Each 
glacier, each needle, each mountain forms a distinct euri- 
osity, and a whole season might pass pleasantly enough in 
contemplating nature in her mildest and in her most chillmg — _ 
moods,—for she smiles and frowns alternately on the vale. 
The most interesting object that strikes the attention, . 
where every thing is worthy of notice, is Mount Blane. The 
frozen glaciers, that like feet seem to support its huge mass 
in the air, while its snow capped summit is lost in the. 
heavens, form a singular contrast to the green fields in 
which they rest. Having already visited some of the high- 
est points of ms iearade in “ohm no ton, = as it ex- 
tends through the Tuscan, the Roman and the Neapolitan 
states into Sicily, I felt a desire to stand on a lofty mount 
before me, and mentioned it to my companion.’ The diffi- 
culty of the undertaking, the many failures, and the small 
number of those who have succeeded, seemed at first very 
discouraging—but we resolved upon the attempt and sent 
out for guides. These it was ‘not difficult to a at por 
as the inhabitants considered it a mark of courage and per- 
severance, it is ever thought an honour to have song on the 
“ : : 
ete ee 
Rs at oe eee ee a 
Sie Spee eS henley ailesee SG 8. ap 
of the land- 
