OLD ALPINE JOTTINGS. 435 



some enough and graceful enough to brighten a tired 

 traveller's thoughts, and to raise by her presence the 

 modest comforts she dispensed to the level of luxuries. 1 



It rained all night, and at 3.30 a.m., when we were 

 called, it still fell heavily. At five, however, the 

 clouds began to break, and half an hour afterwards the 

 heavens were swept quite clear of them. At six we 

 bade our pretty blossom of the Alps good-bye. She 

 had previously to bring her gentle influence to bear 

 upon her master to moderate the extortion of some of 

 his charges. We were soon upon the Stein glacier, 

 and after some time reached a col from which we 

 looked down upon the lower portion of the nobler and 

 more instructive Trift glacier. Brown bands were 

 drawn across the ice-stream, forming graceful loops 

 with their convexities turned downwards. The higher 

 portions of the glacier were not in view, still those 

 bands rendered the inference secure that an ice-fall 

 existed higher up, at the base of which the bands 

 originated. We shot down a shingly couloir to the 

 Trift, and looking up the glacier, the anticipated cas- 

 cade came into view. At its bottom the ice, by 

 pressure, underwent that notable change, analogous to 

 slaty cleavage, which caused the glacier to weather in 

 parallel grooves, and thus mark by the dirt upon its 

 surface the direction of its interior lamination. 



The ice-cascade being itself impracticable, we 



1 Thackeray, in his • Peg of Limarady,' is perhaps more to the 

 point than Emerson : — 



* Presently a maid 



Enters with the liquor — 

 Half-a-pint of ale 



Frothing in a beaker ; 

 As she came she smiled, 



And the smile bewitching, 

 On my word and honour 

 Lighted all the kitchen.' 



