APPROACHING THE MOUNTAINS. 17 



on every side, are built the rough wooden habitations 

 mere log-houses of the Sennerinnen. Far, far 

 below them the world lies extended. With the sun 

 they rise, and are on the mountain-tops watching the 

 brightness as it gradually diffuses itself over earth and 

 sky. There, with the dawn, while the day is bursting 

 forth in magnificent array, stands the peasant-girl 

 all radiant and effulgent on some peak, the sun's 

 rays glowing around her. Above her, in the distance, 

 the snowy summits are growing rosy with the light ; 

 while the lesser mountains and the valleys below her 

 have not yet seen the sun. And soon the whole face 

 of the stupendous wall of grey rock is flushing in 

 gratulation ; all is teeming with sunbeams and bril- 

 liancy; the haze over the lake and river divides and 

 evaporates ; and shore and village, upland and hamlet 

 lie before her eyes clear and distinct in the dewy fresh- 

 ness of an early summer morning. All is still on the 

 mountain. She gazes on the coming glory, and is 

 silent ; she watches the gradual development in mute 

 delight ; but when the sun himself has at length come 

 forth the spell is broken, and as she turns to look 

 after her herd, proclaims her sense of freedom by a 

 loud burst of song ; and if ever content, joy, and light- 

 heartedness were expressed in sounds, they are to be 

 found in the simple melody of such mountain carol. 

 I know nothing like it. How loud, how high, some 

 of the notes ! how rapidly they change ! what glad- 

 ness is in that jodler, and how boundingly the song 

 returns from the high shrill tone, descending note by 



