CLOUDS AND KIVEKS, ICE AND GLACIERS. 95 



§ 35. Motion of Morteratsch Glacier. 



240. Far to the east of the Oberland and in that 

 interesting part of Switzerland known as the Ober En- 

 gadin, stands a noble group of mountains, less in height 

 than those of the Oberland, but still of commanding 

 elevation. The group derives its name from its most 

 dominant peak, the Piz Bernina. To reach the place 

 we travel by railway from Basel to Zurich, and from 

 Zurich to Chur (French Coire), whence we pass by dili- 

 gence over either the Albula pass or the Julier pass to 

 the village of Pontresina. Here we are in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood of the Bernina mountains. 



241. From Pontresina we may walk or drive along a 

 good coach road over the Bernina pass into Italy. At 

 about an hour above the village you would look from 

 the road into the heart of the mountains, the line of 

 vision passing through a valley, in which is couched a 

 glacier of considerable size. Along its back you wou]d 

 trace a medial moraine, and you could hardly fail to 

 notice how the moraine, from a mere narrow streak 

 at first, widens gradually as it descends, until finally it 

 quite covers the lower end of the glacier. Nor is this 

 an effect of perspective ; for were you to stand upon the 

 mountain slopes which nourish the glacier, you would 

 see thence also the widening of the streak of rubbish, 

 though the perspective here would tend to narrow 

 the moraine as it retreats downwards. 



