Aiv. 
126 
SCENERY OF SWITZERLAND. 
over the Col de Balme to the valley of Chaniouni, 
and eastwards up the valley of the Rhone. It is a 
continuation of the great synclinal of Chamouni. 
For some distance above Martigny the valley of the 
Rhone was evidently once under water. M. Renevier 
considers that it was a distinct lake from that of 
Geneva, separated by the ridge at St. Maurice, but 
M. Forel has clearly shown that there was a time 
s.E. .Y.rv. 
when the waters of the Lake of Geneva stood at a 
much higher level than the present, and they must 
then have been extended far up the Rhone valley. 
The present level of the lake is 375 metres, the 
Rhone valley between Monthey and Bex is 400 metres, 
Martigny 460, and Brieg 670. The bottom of the 
valley is, however, raised by the alluvial deposits, the 
