Ascent of the Jungfrau in 1841, 321 
tant mountains appeared to us still less accurately defined. But, 
even had they been as distinct as the line of the Jura, seen 
from an eminence in the plain, I believe that they would not 
long have attracted our attention, so fascinated were we by the 
spectacle presented by our immediate neighbourhood. Before 
us lay extended the Swiss plain, and at our fect the anterior 
chains were piled up in stages, and they seemed, by their ap- 
parent uniformity, still farther to increase the size of the 
mighty peaks which rose almost to our level. At the same 
time, the valleys of the Oberland, which at the moment of 
our arrival were shrouded in thin mists, could be descried in 
many places, and we were thus allowed to contemplate the lower 
world, in some measure, through the openings. We distinguish- 
ed on the right the valley of Grindelwald, with its glaciers ; on 
the left, in the depth, an immense crevice, and at the bottom 
of the latter a shining thread which followed its windings ; 
this was the valley of Lauterbrunnen, with the Lutschin- 
nen. But, above every thing else, the Eiger and Ménch 
attracted our attention. We had some difficulty in forming 
an idea as to what these summits were which seemed nearer 
heaven than earth, when seen from the plain. Here we 
contemplated them, looking down upon them from above, 
and their near proximity allowed us, in some measure, to ob- 
serve them in detail, for we were separated from them only by 
the circus of the névé of Aletsch. Opposite, on the western 
side, rose another peak, less colossal, but more beautiful ; its 
sides entirely covered with snow, obtained for it the name of 
Stlberhorn (Silver Peak). In the same direction, we observed 
many other peaks, alike crowned with snow, the nearest and 
most prominent of which appeared to us to be the Gletscher- 
horn ; the other, which is visible from the plain of the glacier, 
is the Ebene-Fluh. These summits, and many others which 
have yet obtained no name, form, as it were, the immediate 
attendants upon the Jungfrau, which rises like a queen in the 
midst of them. 
Beyond the Eiger and Ménch, in an eastern direction, the 
mountain masses which bound the glaciers of Finsteraar and 
Lauteraar, form another group of greater extent and more sa- 
vage character than that in the midst of which we were placed; 
