THE JUNGFRAU'S BREAST 7 



some of the seaside plants on our own coast, which, in 

 fact, include species closely allied to them (" cud-weeds " 

 of the genus Gnapkalium). 



The huge cliffs of rocks on either side (in some parts 

 over a thousand feet in sheer height from the torrent) 

 come closer to one another in the part where we now are 

 than in most Alpine valleys, so as almost to give it the 

 character of a " gorge." At some points the highest part 

 of the precipice actually overhangs the perpendicular face 

 by many feet. A refreshing cold air comes up from the 

 icy torrent, whilst the heat of the sun diffuses the delicious 

 resinous scent of the pine trees. Above the naked rock 

 we see steep hill-sides covered with forest, and away above 

 these again bare grass-slopes topped by cloud. But as 

 the clouds slowly lift and break we become suddenly 

 aware of something impending far above and beyond all 

 this, something more dazzling in its white brightness than 

 the sun-lit clouds, a form sharply cut in outline and firm, 

 yet rounded by a shadow of an exquisite purple tint 

 which no cloud can assume. The steely blue Alpine sky 

 fits around this marvel of pure whiteness as it towers 

 through the opening cloud, and soars out of earth's 

 range. What is this glory so remote yet impending 

 over us? It is the Jungfrau, the incomparable virgin of 

 the ice-world, who bares her snowy breast. She slowly 

 parts her filmy veil, and, as we gaze, uncovers all her 

 loveliness. 



The rock walls of the Lauterbriinnen valley show at 

 one place a thickness of many hundred feet of strongly 

 marked, perfectly horizontal "strata" the layers deposited 

 immense ages ago at the bottom of a deep sea. Not 

 only have they been raised to this position, and then cut 

 into, so as to make the profound furrow or valley in the 

 sides of which we see them, but they have been bent and 

 contorted in places to an extent which is, at first sight, 



