2j6 
SCENERY OF SWITZERLAND. 
occurred in 1806, and has been figured by Ruskin,* 
is well seen on the St. Gotthard line, between Lucerne 
and Brunnen. 
Even more destructive was that of Piuro (Plurs) 
in the Val Bregaglia in 1618. After heavy rain a 
great part of the side of Mont Conto fell suddenly 
into the valley, and of 2000 inhabitants very few 
escaped. 
At Flims (“Ad flumina,” so called from the number 
of springs and streams) the road rises far above the 
Rhine and passes over an ancient rockfall, the greatest 
in all Switzerland, far surpassing that of Goldau. It 
blocked up the valley, thus forming a lake, and the 
Rhine has not even yet cut completely through it. 
The debris rise to a height of 700 metres on both 
sides of the river. They consist mainly of Malm 
interspersed however with blocks of Dogger, Verru- 
cano, etc., and fell from the Flimserstein. The fall 
appears to have taken place between the first and 
last great extension of the glaciers. As in all rock- 
falls the surface is very uneven; and in the hollows 
are several beautiful lakes. The isolated eminences 
in the valley below Reichenau may be portions of 
another rockfall. 
* Modern Painters , vol. IV. 
