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the cataract roaring many fathoms below, is 

 feen only in furges of riling vapour. 



In ancient times the larch was employed 

 in ftill more arduous fervice. When Hannibal 

 laid the cliffs bare, and heaped up piles of 

 timber to melt the rocks, (fo Livy tells us) 

 the larch was his fuel; its unctous fides 

 foon fpread the flame; and as the gloom of 

 evening came on, the appendages of a nu- 

 merous hoft, elephants, and floating banners, 

 and gleaming arms formed terrific images 

 through the night ; while the lofty fummits of 

 the Alps were illumined far and wide. 



Strabo fpeaks of alpine trees (which moft 

 probably were larches) of a very great fize. 

 Many of them, he fays, would meafure eight 

 feet in diameter*. And at this day, marts of 

 fingle larches meafuring from a hundred and 

 ten to a hundred and twenty feet in length, 

 have been floated from Valais, through the 

 lake of Geneva, and down the Rhone, to 

 Toulon ; though I have heard they are in no 

 great efleem among the contractors for the 

 French dock-yards. 



* Lib. iv. p. 202. 



In 



