SWITZERLAND. 



SWITZERLAND. 



760 



Formasza and the Rhine near Sargans, on the Tyrolese border, the 

 distance only just exceeds 60 miles. The area of Switzerland is 15,179 

 square miles ; the population, according to the census of 1850, 

 amounted to 2,392,740, of whom 971,809 were Catholics, 1,416,786 

 Protestants chiefly of the Calvinist faith, 3146 Jews, and 2198 were 

 houseless or vagrants. The number of foreigners, including refugees, 

 amounted to 71,570. 



The surface of Switzerland presents a greater variety than most 

 countries of Europe. Monte Rosa, on the southern boundary, attains 

 an elevation of 15,226 feet above the sea-level; while the sur- 

 face of the Rhine at Basel u only 800 feet, aud that of the Lago 

 Maggiore, on the southern boundary, only 678 feet above the sea. 

 The greater part of the country is mountainous. The ranges of the 

 Alps and their numerous onsets extend over the southern and south- 

 eastern districts, and occupy about one-half of Switzerland. Along 

 its western boundary run the ridges of the Jura Mountains. The 

 country between these two mountain systems has towards the south 

 the form of a plain, interspersed with isolated hills ; and towards the 

 north it is traversed by ridges or groups of bills of moderate elevation. 

 Thus Switzerland is naturally divided into four regions: the Alps, 

 the Plain, the Hilly Country, aud the Jura Mountains. 



I. The Region of the Alps, which is the most extensive, is divided 

 from the Plain and Hilly Country by a line which begins on the north 

 bank of the Lake of Geneva, at the town of Vevay, and running north 

 by east puses over Mont Molesson, which may be considered as the 

 most western summit connected with the Alps in these parts. It 

 traverses the river Saane at Oruyere, north-east of Mont Molesson, 

 and thence runs east by north to the western extremity of the Lake 

 of Thun. From the northern shores of the Lake of Thun it runs 

 again north by east to Mont Nspf, which is on the boundary- 

 line between the cantons of Bern and Luzern, near 47" N. lat, 8 

 K. long. From Mont Napf it runs due east to the northern extremity 

 of the Lake of Luzern, and thence east by north crossing the Lake of 

 Zug to Mont Hoch Ezel, which is near the most southern part of 

 the Lake of Zurich. From this point it follows the depression which 

 runs east by south from the Lake of Zurich through the valley of the 

 Limmat, the Lake of Wallenstadt, and the low ground which extends 

 from the eastern extremity of the last-mentioned lake to Sargaus and 

 the banks of the Rhine. The whole country south of this line is 

 occupied by the mountain masses and chains of the Alps, and only a 

 small portion of it is cultivable; a larger portion, which is on the 

 upper declivities of the mountains, is available as pasture-ground. 



The natural division of the Alps of Switzerland is formed by the 

 immense mountain knot which is on the west of the mountain pass of 

 the Saint Gotbard, and surrounds the sources of the Rhone. A space 

 exceeding 1 00 square miles rises above the snow-line, and is overtopped 

 by numerous pointed summits, rising from 10,000 to 12,000 feet above 

 the sea. The most remarkable of these summits are the Galleostock, 

 the Gletscherborn, the Diechtenhorn, the Trif tenstock, the Sustenhorn, 

 and the SpitsUberg. From this mountain knot a chain runs north- 

 ward, and terminates at the narrow channel which connects, the Lake 

 of Uri with that of Luzern. This chain contains several lofty summit*, 

 among which is the Titlis, 11,406 feet high, and the Umer Bothstock, 

 10,065 feet high. The chain which extends southward from the 

 mountain knot between Val Formazsa on the west and Valle Maggia 

 on the east does not contain any summit which rises above the snow- 

 line, though several of them are between 6000 and 7000 feet high. 

 From the western edge of the mountain knot issue two ranges, of 

 which the northern, called the Bernese Alps, runs west by south ; and 

 the southern, called the Lepontian Alps, runs south-west. Two other 

 range* branch off from the east side of the mountain knot The 

 southern, which runs nearly east, is called the Rhntian Alps, and near 

 9* 6V E. long, divides into two ranges, of which the northern is called 

 the Septimer Alps and the southern the Bernina Alps. These two 

 ranges however do not run east, but north-east, and extend beyond 

 the boundary-line of Switzerland into Tyrol. The northern range, 

 branching off from the mountain knot of the Saint Gothard on the 

 east, is also comprehend*. 1 under the general name of the Rhtctun 

 Alps, but has lately received the name of the Dodi Range, from its 

 highest summit. It runs north-east, and terminates near the banks 

 of the Rhine between 46 40' and 47 N. Ut These mountain regions 

 and the valleys inolosed between them differ considerably in their 

 productive powers. 



The basin of the Upper Rhone, which constitutes the canton of 

 Valais, is enclosed by the two most elevated aud widest ranges of the 

 Alps, the Lepontian aud Pennine Alps on the south, and the Bernese 

 Alps on the north. The southern range runs from the great mountain 

 knot south south-west as far as the mountain pass of the Simplon, a 

 distance of about 30 miles, and so far it bears the name of the 

 Lepontian Atpt. Its mean elevatiou is about 7500 feet, but several 

 summits attain 10,000 feet; the width does not exceed 10 miles. 

 There are several glaciers, but none of them of great extent Some 

 of them descend to the vicinity of the Pass of the Simplon, over which 

 the great road leads from the Valais to Italy. 



Tfais road, which not long ago was considered one of the most 

 magnificent works of modern times, was made by the French govern- 

 ment between 1800 and 1805. It connects the town of Briegg in 

 VaUis with Domo d'Oxola in Piedmont, and is about 38 miles long. 



The width is about nine yards, and its rise and fall only about oue 

 inch and a quarter for every yard, so that it can easily bo passed by 

 carriages. It runs in most places between steep and nearly perpen- 

 dicular rocks, and at six places tuuuels 30 feet high, with openings at 

 the side to admit light, have been made through the rock. In several 

 other places the road traverses precipices of great depth by meaiis of 

 substantial bridges. The highest part of the road is 6576 feet above 

 the sea-level : Briegg is 2334 feet, aud Domo d'Ossola 1004 feet above 

 the sea-level The road is in parU exposed at certain seasons to the 

 ravages of torrents and avalanches, aud is frequently out of repair. 



West of the Pass of the Simplon are the Pennine A Ipt, which rise 

 much higher, and occupy a much greater surface. The highest part 

 of this range extends from the Pass of the Simplon, nearly due south, 

 about 20 miles, to the enormous mountain mass of Moute Rosa, 

 where it turns west, aud in that direction extends to the northern 

 part of the mountain mass of Mout Blanc. [BLANC, MONT.] With 

 the exception of two or three passes not much exceeding the elevation 

 of 8000 feet above the sea-level, the general elevation approaches to 

 the height of 10,000 feet above the sea; and the higher part of this 

 range, with the exception of the passes, is covered with snow all the 

 year round. This elevated mountain tract is of great extent On its 

 eastern edge are the summits of Mont Parabrauco, Ciraa de Jazzi 

 (13,840 feet high), and Monte Rosa (15,226 feet) ; and on its southern 

 edge, Slont Cervin (14,764 feet), Mont Combin (14,126 feet), and 

 Mont Velan (11,043 feet), and several other summits of equal ele- 

 vation. Towards the east aud south the mountains descend with a 

 rapid declivity, and the valleys on that side in Piedmont are inhabited 

 to the vicinity of the most elevated mass. But on the north the high 

 irmacn extend many miles without falling below the snow-line, aud 

 are overtopped by many summits rising to the height of 12,000 feet 

 above the sea. They terminate about <i miles from the banks of the 

 Rhone. A tract between the Simplou on the east and Mont Combin 

 on the west, and measuring in that direction 30 miles, with au average 

 breadth of 15 miles, is covered with snow, ice, and glaciers, with the 

 exception of only two valleys, Sass and San Nicolai, which are inha- 

 bited, and, uniting about 5 miles from the banks of the Rhone, are 

 called the Valley of Visp. 



The Valley of the Rhine lies north of the mountain region which 

 has just been described. [Ruoxt.] It is about 92 miles long. Its 

 eastern portion, as far down as Briegg, varies between a quarter and 

 half a mile in width. Below the confluence of the Rhone with the 

 Visp the valley is from one to two miles wide, and in a few places 

 the width U greater. Besides the valley of the Visp, the branches of 

 which are inhabited to the distance of eighteen miles from the Rhone, 

 several lateral valleys open into the valley of the Rhone, which are from 

 a quarter to half a mile wide, and inhabited to the extent of six miles 

 from the banks of the river. They occur in both the southern and 

 northern mountain chains, and thus the inhabited portion of this part 

 of the country occupies about twelve miles in width. But between Sion 

 and Martigny the unbroken mountain msnsni approach the river, and the 

 inhabited tract is not more than two or three miles wide. Below the 

 great bend, the rocky masses of the Dent-de-Morcles on the east, and 

 of the Det.t du-Midi on the west, approach so near to the river, that 

 in several places there is hardly room enough for a road along the 

 banks of the stream. About eight miles from its influx into the Laku 

 of Geneva, the low ground along the banks of the river becomes two 

 miles wide. It is a swampy tract, very little elevated above the level 

 of the hike, which is about 1210 feet above the sea-level. The descent 

 of the valley amount* to 3720 feet. Above Briegg corn remains in the 

 fields till the beginning of October, and it is reaped west of Siou iu 

 the month of June. The climate in the higher parts is cold even iu 

 summer ; whilst in the lower, at the same season, the thermometer 

 frequently rises to 8S and 90. Only the common grains and roots 

 of northern Europe are cultivated above Briegg, and some fruit-trees 

 do not grow ; the lower districts produce maize ; and the vine, 

 almond, and fig tree flourish. 



On the northern side of the valley of tho Rhone are the Bcrnete 

 A Ipt, the most elevated edge of which is parallel to the course of the 

 river. Their eastern extremity is formed by a ridge called tho 

 Grimsel, over which a mule-road leads from the valley of Hash to 

 that of the Rhone. The highest part of thu road is 8300 foet above 

 the level of the sea. To the west of the Grimsel and tho valley of 

 Hasli begins the largest continuous mass of ice and snow on the Alps. 

 It extends on both sides of the highest edge of the range, aud occupies 

 from east to west, from the valley of Hash' to that of Kander, a space 

 30 miles long in a straight line, and from north to south a space of 

 about 20 miles, constituting nearly the whole of the country between 

 the lakes of Brienz and Thun and the valley of the Rhone. Its area 

 is about 600 square miles. The outer edges of this region only arc 

 indented by three short valleys, Lotsch, Grindelwald, and Lauter- 

 brunnen, which are inhabited. The valleys of Grindelwald and 

 Lanterbrunnen are annually visited by many foreigners, as they offer 

 the most easy access to the glacier*. From this immense lake of ice 

 rise numerous summits, chiefly in (he form of pyramids: along the 

 highest portion of the region, from east to west, are the Finstersar- 

 horn (14,107 feet), the Munch (13,502 feet), the Jungfrau (13,621 feet), 

 the Breithorn (12,462 feet), the Altels (12,172 feet), the Rinderhoru 

 (11,683 feet), the Wildstrubel (10,980 feet), and between them several 



