ALPINE FLOWERS 



[PART I. 



The limestone chain, to the highest point of which we have to 

 walk, is situated a little to the south of Geneva, and has vast 

 escarpments looking toward that town, with many alpine 



flowers, and a noble view of the mountains around, of Lake 

 Leman, and valleys, hills, and far-off Alps, all aglow with the 

 sun of a June morning. A few miles' drive through the 

 fragrant, sparkling air brings us from the margin of the lake 

 to the foot of the mountain before six o'clock, and then we 

 begin the ascent, through the last patches of meadow land, for 

 the most part very like English meadow land, but fuller of 

 Pinks, Harebells, Sages, and Peaflowers, making the land gay 

 with colour. Soon we pass the cultivated land, and enter on 

 the hem of an immense belt of hazel and copse wood, with 

 numerous little green and bushless carpets of grass here and 

 there, which cuts off vine, and corn, and meadow, from the 

 slopes of the mountains. Here, at six in the morning, the 

 nightingale is singing, while white-headed eagles float aloft, 

 now over the lake, and now over plain and hill, sometimes on 

 motionless wing, and silently gliding along on the look-out for 

 prey. From floating bird in glowing air fragrant with Lily-of- 

 the- Valley, the white bells of which may be seen leaning out 



