733 



SWITZERLAND. 



SWITZERLAND. 



751 



summit seems to rise above the snow-line, extends 20 miles, to Piz 

 Valrhin, which attains an elevation of 10,960 feet, anil is surrounded 

 by extensive glaciers, which are the source of the Hinter-Rhein, the 

 largest of the upper branches of the Rhine. Not far from it to the 

 east is the Muschelhom (10,234 feet) ; and between the roads leading 

 over the St. Bernhardin and the Spliigen is the Tambohorn (10,436 

 feet). The range continues eastward to the source of the Inn, where 

 it turns to the north of north-east, in which direction it runs to the 

 eastern frontier of Switzerland, and enters the Tyrol. This last 

 portion of the range is very high, and the enow along the crest is 

 almost continuous. Some of the glaciers are extensive, especially as 

 we approach the eastern boundary of Switzerland : the glacier which 

 surrounds Mount Fermund, or the Iron Mountain, is calculated to 

 cover nearly 1 00 square miles. From this immense field of ice and 

 enow that range of mountains branches off which is called Rhdticon, 

 and which runs north-west by west until it terminates on the Rhine 

 with the Fascherberg, north of Meyenfeld. The crest of this moun- 

 tain-wall, which is about 10 miles wide and 30 miles long, is generally 

 above the snow-line, and glaciers descend down its sides. The most 

 elevated summit, the Scesa Plana, is 9818 feet above the sea-level. 

 The Rbuticon divides Switzerland from the Tyrol. 



The country between the ranges just described and the valley of 

 the Upper Rhine extends more than 40 miles in length, and about 24 

 miles in width : it is filled with extensive mountain-masses, which 

 are connected with the principal range by lower ridges. These lower 

 ridges sometimes constitute ranges several miles long, rising above 

 the snow-line, and covered with glaciers. Of their summits the 

 Zaporthom, north of Piz Valrhin, rises to 10,841 feet; and the Piz 

 Beverina, on the west of the valley of the Hinter-Rhein, and south of 

 Reichenau, to 8933 feet. The valleys which lie between these ranges 

 and mountain-masses are very numerous, but they rarely exceed half 

 a mile in width. The larger valleys are from west to east. Very 

 little grain is cultivated in them, but potatoes and other vegetable* 

 are grown. Fruit-trees do not succeed, except in the lower parts. 

 Host of them however have excellent pasture-grounds on the Alps, 

 and the level tracts are converted into artificial meadows, which are 

 irrigated. The valley of the Hinter-Rhein is the longest : the great 

 roads between Coire, or Chur, and Italy pass through it. A road leads 

 from Chur to the village of Spliigen, where it divides. The western 

 road pninn over the Bernhardin and leads to Bellinzona, in the canton 

 of Ticino : the highest point of this road is 6981 feet above the sea. 

 The eastern road traverses the Spliigen and leads to Cbinvenna, in 

 the valley of Bregaglia : the highest part is 6715 feet above the sea. 

 Both roads are passable for carriages. 



The southern chain of the Rhactian Alps, called the Bernina range, 

 which name is derived from a mountain-pass creased by the road 

 from the valley of Engadin into Italy, runs parallel to the principal 

 range from south-south-west to north-north-east; its southern 

 extremity extends into Loinbardy, and the northern into the Tyrol 

 It appears to be as high as the principal range, for a great part of the 

 most elevated ridge* are always covered with snow, and contain 

 numerous glaciers. The most elevated summit is said to be that 

 called Monte dell'Oro, which stands south of, anil not far from, 

 the boundary-line of Switzerland, within the Austrian dominions. 

 Between the Bernina, range and the principal rang* of the Rluotian 

 Alps the beautiful pastoral valley of Engadin is inclosed. [E.NGADIS.] 

 i m the southern declivity of the Bernina range only two valleys of 

 some extent belong to Switzerland : the valley of Minister, which 

 opens into the valley of the Adige at Olurns in the Tyrol ; and the 

 valley of Poschiavo, which is 15 miles long, and opens into the valley 

 of the Adda at Tirano, in the province of Somlrio. The valley of 

 Poschiavo is a rich pastoral district, and derives considerable advan- 

 tage from the road over the Bernina Paw, which runs through it 

 Large droves of cattle go by this road from the valley of Engadin to 

 Italy. 



Numerous riven rise on the southern declivities of the Rhtctian 

 Alps, between the great field of ice in which the Aar and Rhone 

 originate, and flow southward : they all unite in the river Tessin, or 

 Ticino. The country drained by these rivers is called Italian Switzer- 

 land, because the Italian language is spoken by the inhabitants. It is 

 traversed by several mountain-ranges, which run southward and 

 occupy the greater part of its area. Many parti of these ranges rise 

 above the line of trees and shrubs, but none of the summits attain 

 the snow-line. Between the ranges there are several valleys of con- 

 siderable extent ; the three largest are those of Misocco, Levantina, 

 and Maggia. All of them are very fertile. la their upper parts, 

 which are about 3000 feet above the sea-level, very little grain is culti- 

 vated, and the inhabitants live on the produce of their herds. In 

 the middle parts of the valleys maize and other kinds of grain are 

 grown, and vines and fruit trees abound, especially the chestnut- and 

 walnut-tree. The lower parts, whose climate approaches that of Italy, 

 have considerable plantations of fig-trees and mulberry-trees. A con- 

 siderable quantity of silk is annually collected in these valleys and 

 not to he manufacturing districts : no other part of Switzerland 

 contains such extensive forests and such fine trees. The great road 

 which traverses the mountain-pass of Saint Qotbard runs through 

 the valley of Levantina, and that which crosses the St. Berulmrdiu 

 through the valley of llisocco. As the southern declivity of tho 



OKOO. BIT. VOL. IV. 



Alpa is very steep, these valleys are subject to very extensive and 

 destructive inundations during heavy rains. 



The brooks and rivers which drain the valleys traverse the basins 

 generally with a gentle current, but in the gorges they form nearly a 

 continuous rapid, which is frequently interrupted by cataracts. It 

 thus appears that the rivers of the mountain region are not navigable, 

 with the exception of the Rhine, which is navigated by river-barges 

 from the town of Reichenau. But even if their course were not 

 interrupted by cataracts, these rivers could hardly be navigated, owing 

 to the great changes in the volume of water, which occur very sud- 

 denly. It frequently happens that in a few hours a river rises several 

 feet and inundates the low tracts contiguous to its banks, and in a 

 few hours it subsides again. These changes sometimes follow very 

 rapidly. Small lakes are very numerous. A few of them occur in 

 the basins of the valleys, but the greater number lie in the mountains, 

 being inclosed by high walls of rocks. Some of them ore at such an 

 elevation as to be covered with ice all the year round. Larger lakes 

 do not occur within the mountain region, with the single exception 

 of the Lake of Brienz, but several of considerable size are found 

 along the outer edge of the region, so that the larger portion of the 

 lake is inclosed by mountains, whilst the lower extremity is within 

 the adjacent plain. Such are the lakes of Luzern and of Thun on 

 the northern, aud tho Lake of Lugano and the Lago-Muggiore on the 

 southern side of the Alps. All alpine lakes are deep ; in some cosea 

 the depth is 100 fathoms. They contain few fish. 



II. The Hilly Region extends over the north-eastern portion of 

 Switzerland, and comprehends the country between tho Lake of 

 Constanz, the Rhine, and the lower course of the Aar, between tbo 

 mouth of that river and iU confluence with the Reuss. The river 

 Reuss and its tributary the Lorze, which issues from the Lake of 

 Zug, separates the hilly region from the plain. The line dividing the 

 hilly region from the Alps runs from the middle of the Lake of Zug 

 to Mount Hoch-Ezel, on the southern banks of the Lake of Zurich, 

 and thence along the depression in which the lower course of the Linth 

 and the Lake of Wallcnstadt are situated, and which from that lake 

 extends to the Rhine north of Sargans. This depression, which 

 continues across the western district of the hilly region through the 

 Lake of Zurich and the valley of the Limmat, terminates at the con- 

 fluence of the last-mentioned river with the Aar. The length of this 

 depression is nearly 70 miles, but half of this space is occupied by 

 the lakes of Wallenstadt and of Zurich. Tho level tract which 

 separates the two lakes, and that which lias between the Lake of 

 \Vallenstadt and the Rhine, are hardly more than 20 feet above tho 

 waters. 



Part of the country inclosed by these boundaries is mountainous. 

 This higher tract occupies the eastern portion of the hilly region. 

 On the northern side of the low and narrow tract between Bargain 

 and the Lake of Wallenstadt above noticed, the country rises with a 

 steep ascent to an elevation of between 3000 and 4000 feet, which 

 increases as we proceed westward, and on the northern shores of tlto 

 Lake of Walleuatadt it attains an elevation of 7000 foot above the 

 sea-level. This continuous range, which extends along the northern: 

 banks of tho lake and descends towur.ls it with a steep declivity, is 

 called tho Kurfirsten, and terminates on the west in tho elcvatc><! 

 summit of Mont Speer (6C36 feet). It is about 4 miles wide. Its 

 northern declivity is comparatively gentle. North of the eastern 

 extremity of the Lake of Wallenstadt, a lower ridge, called the 

 Qrabser Alpen, branches oft' towards the north aud connects the 

 Kurfirsten with the mountain group called the Alpstein, which from 

 east to west extends about 10 miles, and whose lower offsets advance 

 to the very shores of the Lake of Constauz, so that in length it 

 exceeds 15 miles. Towards its southern border are the highest 

 summits, of which tho Siintis, or Hoch-Siiutis, attains nil elevation of 

 8272 feet, and has a small glacier on the northern declivity o[ its 

 summit. The Alte-Maun, which stands east of it, U only about 

 200 feet lower, North of these summits are several others, rising 

 from 4000 to 6000 feet, but at the distance of 6 miles from the Luke. 

 of Constanz they sink down to 4000 feet, and gradually decrease in 

 height. This mountainous tract resembles very much the country 

 north of the Dodi range, except that the valleys are somewhat wider; 

 and an the mountains do not rise to such an elevation, and have less 

 rapid slopes, the pasture-grounds on the upper declivities are more 

 extensive. Very little grain is cultivated, but there are some fruit-trees 

 and vines. 



Tho remainder of this region can only be called hilly, and its 

 surface is nothing but a succession of hi^h swells with, moderately 

 gentle declivities and rounded or flat tops. These swells are some- 

 times several miles long. In several places round-topped summits 

 rise upon their backs. None of these high hills exceed 4000 feet 

 above the sea-level, though several rise 3000 feet above the sea, aud 

 about 1800 feet above their base. The highest summits are arranged 

 in small chains, which in the western districts are between the river 

 Thur and the Lake of Zurich. The most eastern is called the 

 Altmanu chain, which divides the valleys of the Thur and the Toss, 

 and terminates on the Rhine opposite Eglisau. The western, called 

 the Albis chain, from its highest summit (2921 feet), runs between 

 the lakes of Zurich and Zug, aud terminates a short distance west of 

 Zurich. The Albis commands an extensive view over all tho adjacent 



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