I 12 
SCENERY OF SWITZERLAND. 
Massif, and at the line of junction with the Protogine, 
can hardly be distinguished from true Gneiss. The 
Felspar is generally white, sometimes rose. The Mica 
is white, brown, or black. The celebrated “Jardin” 
is an island of rock in the Glacier du Tal^fre. 
In the centre of the Plan des Dames, on the Col 
du Bon Homme is a cairn, on which it is the custom 
for every passer-by to place a stone, as is done in 
Jerusalem on the so-called Tomb of Absalom, and 
in so many other places. 
As usual in the Alps, the drop on the south side 
is more abrupt than that on the north, and the trans- 
verse valleys are consequently shorter. In fact, the 
mountains form a grand and almost continuous wall 
from Mont Blanc to the Aiguilles d’Argenti^re. There 
are only two or three passes, and those very lofty. 
The Col de Geant is that most frequently used. 
Of all the views in the Alps, says Forbes, few if 
any can be compared with that of the Mont Blanc 
Massif from Courmayeur. 
The moraines on the south of the chain are also 
very grand. The Cretaz de Saleinoz in the Val 
Ferret is one of the most magnificent in the whole 
Alps. It was the former right lateral moraine of the 
Glacier de Saleinoz, but is now quite detached from 
