134 
Sake of rection NE. by E. Its length measured along the great 
Geneva. 
arch which forms the coast of Savoy, is 18? } , but 
when measured in a straight line across Chablais, it is 
only 143. Its-greatest-width, which is between the 
towns of Rolle-and Thonon, is-3Lleagues. Its breadth 
at Nyon, near Geneva, is 14 league; and from this 
place it constantly diminishes to Geneva, where it is on- 
ly 300 or 400 feet wide. It is about 620 feet deep 
about.a league from Evian ; near the castle of Chillon it 
is only 312 feet, but in an intermediate place in the 
environs-of Meillerie its depth is 950 feet. The lake 
occupies 26° square leagues ; and its height above the 
level of the sea is 1134 feet according to M. Pictet, and 
1154 feet according to Sir G. Shuckburgh. The lake 
of Geneva is said to have once extended as far as Bex, 
about 4 leagues up the Rhone. The village of Port 
Vallais, once on the banks of the lake, is now half a 
league distant from it. From the year 1626 to 1726, 
a large tongue of land, half a league long and 120 feet 
wide, has been formed between Villeneuve and the 
mouth of the Rhone. No fewer than forty-two ri- 
vers empty themselves into this lake. The Rhone, 
which is the principal of these, enters it by three 
branches, and issues from it in two; and after form- 
ing an island containing part of Geneva, they both 
unite, and at the distance of one fourth of a league be- 
low that city they receivethe Aar. In 1711, the Aar 
was so much swollen that it pushed back the Rhone, 
and their united waters flowed back into the lake of 
Geneva, which they discoloured even to the distance of 
a league from the town. 
The lake of Geneva never freezes, excepting a few 
‘paces from its margin ; and in very severe winters it 
reezes between Geneva and the bank of sand. Its wa~ 
ters have a beautiful blue colour ; and such is the purity 
of the atmosphere, that a town upon its banks home 
nated. by the sun, may be easily seen at the distance of 
about forty miles. In autumn, fogs 1200 feet in per- 
pendicular height often rest upon the lake when it is 
the finest weather among. the mountains. On the Ist 
of November 1793,. during a fall of snow, a singular 
waterspout was seen at Cuillus by M. Wild. The 
foaming waters appeared to rise to the height of 100 
feet, and the surface of the lake immediately below it 
appeared to be excavated. The lake is also subject to 
sudden agitations similar to those which have been seen 
in Loch Tay. (See the article Acrrarion.). The wa- 
ter rises suddenly to the height of four or five feet, 
and descending, forms a species of ebbing and flow- 
ing which lasts for several hours. This phenomenon, 
which is called Seiches, is particularly seen near Gene- 
va. There are no islands in the lake, excepting a small 
one with a few trees near Villeneuve. The lake of Gene- 
va contains twenty-nine different species of fish. 
The most common winds on the lake, are the Bise 
or north wind,and the Sechard or north east wind ; and 
the most dangerous are the Bise and the Vaudaise or south 
east wind. Sometimes when the Bise is very strong, 
boats can go from Savoy to Geneva, a distanee of fit- 
teen leagues, in 4 hours. 
The lake of Geneva is undoubtedly the most beauti- 
ful lake in Europe, and that of Constance alone has 
been supposed to equal it. It is impossible to convey 
any idea of its varied beauties to those who have not tra- 
ve led along its banks. On the south east, east, and north 
east, it is encircled with lofty mountains 5000 feet high, 
while on the south, the south west, and the west, the 
banks of the Pay de Vaud rise in terraces from 200 
to 600 feet high, resting on the flanks of the ridge of 
Jura, which ree the whole of the western ,horizon, 
The scenery which is presented to the traveller bes 
GENEVA. 
tween Villeneuve and Vevay, and as far as Lausanne, is 
certainly the finest and the most varied in Switzerland, 
and we had an opportunity of viewing it in the finest 
weather, and at that season of the year when nature de- 
velopes all her beauties. In travelling down the Vallais 
along the banks of the Rhone, after passing the village 
of Rennaz, we first obtain a view of lake and 
the Pays de Vaud. Over its blue waters. appears 
the town of Vevay, at the bottom of a round hill, 
and in the distance rises the hill and town of Gourze, 
finely projected against the dark blue range of Jura, 
A little farther on, the town of Villeneuve is seen on the 
very margin of the lake, situated at the mouth of a 
finely wooded valley, and the lake gradually discloses 
itself as we approach the town. The read is now al- 
most washed by the blue waves. ©The dark flanks of | 
the Savoy hills, clothed with gloomy forests, and occa- 
sionally enlivened with smiling villages, form a fine 
transition from the verdant borders of the lake to their 
peaked and rugged summits. Numbers of vessels open 
their white sails to the wind, and on the Swiss side, , 
one town appears after another, disclosing a succes- 
sion of the most sublime and picturesque views. , The 
old castle of Chillon, almost immerged in the lake, 
and the ivy clad precipices which overhang it, next 
attract the notice of the traveller; the hills on the 
right now retire from the lake, and open more exten- 
sive prospects. The wooded recess which embraces the 
hamlet of Vaiteau, is the commencement of this new 
scenery, and at the village of Montreux, both the dis- 
tant and near objects are combined in forming the loye- 
liest landscape we have ever seen. . The terraced vine- 
yards begin to diminish the picturesque effect of the 
woods and rocks, and the beauty of the scenery de- 
clines as we approach to Vevay. The view of the luke 
of Geneva from the terrace of the cathedral of Vevay is 
much admired ; but we had the good fortune to be 
wandering along the promenade on the margin of the 
lake, when the sun had just begun to descend behind 
the ridge of Jura. A bright glow of purely yellow 
light gilded the whole of the western sky. A warm 
tinge of red appeared at a greater altitude, and. the 
whole expanse of the lake, towards the west, shone 
with the liveliest purple. As the sun descended, the 
yellow tints of the sky gradually deepened into orange, 
and the purple colour of the water declined into a more 
sober hue. In turning the eye to the south, this lively 
scene became less brillant. The mountains of Chablais 
faintly reflected the red twilight, and the Alps of the 
Vallais, and the part of the lake which intervened, were 
involved in almost impenetrable darkness. 
GENITIVE. See Grammar. 
GENOA, a celebrated city in the north of Italy, is 
situated in Lat. 44° 25’ N. and Long. 8° 58! E. on the 
northern shores of the Mediterranean. It is built in 
the form of an amphitheatre, on the slope of a moun- 
tain, rising gnats from the sea, having for a centre 
the harbour, which is of very considerable extent, and 
having sufficient depth of water to admit a ship of 44 
guns. The harbour is protected on two sides by piers, 
which, however, are sometimes found insufficient to 
shelter the vessels from the south-west wind, which al- 
though it does not blow directly into the port, often oc- 
casions considerable damage. The entrance also to the 
harbour, although wide,. is not free from danger, and 
can only be approached with safety from the east side, 
Genoa is surrounded by two ramparts, one of which 
incloses the town, and is about six miles in circuit; and 
the other, which forms a circumference of thirteen miles, 
is carried round the hills which command the city. The 
external appearance is extremely magnificent, In no 
