696 PROF. T. G. BONNEY ON [Nov. 1902, 
this are other lateral valleys, the beds of which are more or less 
separated from that of the main one by a steep ascent, but exhibit 
less strongly marked characters than those already mentioned. 
Above them, this spur reaches its greatest elevation in the Weissmies, 
Laquinhorn, and Rossbodenhorn—all overtopping 12,000 feet, and 
looking down on the deep trench of the Simplon Pass (6590 feet). 
To the west of Visp, three valleys only, the Val d’Anniviers, the 
Val d’Hérens, and the Val de Dranse, descend from the watershed 
of the Pennines to the great trench along which the Rhone flows to 
Martigny. In the first the stream issues from a deep gorge, the 
floor of the valley being nearly 1200 feet above that of the Rhone. 
The rise in the next 4 miles is not quite 1000 feet; in the next 
2 miles, to Mission, near the Junction of the Val de Zinal and the 
Valde Moiry, it is about 280 feet ; after that the floor of the former 
rises almost 600 feet in nearly a mile’; then the ascent for about 
3 miles to Zinal (5505 feet), and for some distance beyond it, is 
rather gentle, not more than 200 feet a mile. The Val d’Hérens is 
roughly similar. At the mouth is a steep drop and a gorge, but as 
the valley is more V-shaped, it is not easy to give exact figures. 
The entry, however, of the western and smaller branch—the Val 
Moiry—does not seem to produce very much effect. The Y-like 
outline, in fact, continues till we approach Evolena (4520 feet), 
where a valley, rather short, brings the drainage from the Ferpecle 
Glacier. ‘This produces no apparent effect on the depth of the valley, 
which, however, is distinctly broadened at the junction. From 
Haudeéres (4747 feet), where the torrents unite, to beyond Arolla 
(6570 feet)—well over 3 miles—the ascent is steeper and generally 
steady ; but, after running nearly level from below Arolla to some 
little way up the Colon Glacier, the usual rapid ascent takes place 
to rather high passes and peaks.” The Dranse Valley consists of at 
least three tributaries, and drains a large mountain-area, but as 
I believe its story to be complicated by the upheaval of the Mont- 
Blane range, I shall merely say that it enters the Rhone Valley 
at Martigny, after descending a steep-sided V-shaped rocky glen, 
which is glaciated almost down to the level of the river. 
East of the Simplon Pass, the topography of the Rhone Valley 
and its tributaries becomes less simple, and the dominant features — 
can alone be noticed. A short distance above Brieg the drainage of 
the great Aletsch Glacier, which occupies a kind of hanging valley, 
issues from the grand gorge of the Massa to jointhe Rhone.* About 
2 miles beyond this (and so not due to that glacier), a distinct step 
occurs in the floor of the main valley between Moril and Lax, after 
1 These figures are not quite accurate, for they are taken from villages above 
the stream, which is running in a deep notch or gorge, but their only error is 
to exaggerate slightly the drop from the junction of the valleys. 
2 The lowest pass, Col de Colon, is 10,270 feet above sea-level. Some of the 
peaks are about 12,700 feet. 
’ All the valleys from the Oberland to the west of this are more or less 
‘hanging valleys,’ the torrents from them issuing from a gorge or very steep- 
sided V, 
