Part I. 



A LITTLE TOUR IN. THE ALPS. 



79 



green meadows instead of snow at its top, is nearly 5000 feet 

 high, and affords a good opportunity of commencing training 

 for more serious work. The hmestone 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. It 

 will afford us our first introduction to alpine flowers, and a mag- 

 nificent view of the mountains around. We are on the banks of 

 Lake Leman, and the " live thunder " is not leaping from 

 darkened Jura to the "joyous Alps ; " but, valleys, hills, and far- 



off mountains all glow with the genial sun of a clear June 

 morning. A few miles' drive through the clear sparkling air 

 brings us from the fringe of the lake to the roots of the mountain 

 before six o'clock, and then we gradually and pleasantly begin 

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

 most part very like Enghsh meadow land, but much more gay 

 with flowers. Bright Pinks, blue Harebells, Sages, and various 

 Pea-flowers, make the scene as gay with colour as the air is full 

 of the voices of innumerable insects, for which the long grass is a 

 forest. Soon we pass the cultivated land, and enter on the hem 

 of an immense belt of hazel and low wood, with numerous little 



