§42 
The foil of the fub-alpine valleys, 
where they are flat, is frequently a 
blueith clay; which is the caufe why they 
are generaily marfhy. For the rills of 
water falling from the heights fwim upon 
this clay and ftagnate, nourifhing plants 
of that kind which love to be always in 
water. Above this clay, the torrents 
depofit either a ftratum of ftone and gra- 
vel, or fine fand; the latter more rarely. 
But that the inuadations of torrents have 
aatiently been very frequent, is demon- 
ftrated by the great and round ftones 
which are in many places found on dig- 
ing cellars and wells. That the marthy 
meadows were formerly wooded, may be 
conjectured from the trees which are fre- 
quently found in fenny foils. Above the 
Jakes there is every where, I believe, a 
_ plain of fome leagues, through which the 
parent river runs through the midft of 
fevel marfhes. 
. Mould would be fcarce in Switzer- 
land, had not the perpetual induftry of 
three ages gradually fabricated vegetable 
earth from manure, which now tempers 
the gravels or clays. Here and there, 
however, fertile fields may be found, 
yielding a large increafe of feed. 
I have no where in the Alps met with 
weltiges of volcanic mountains; no pu- 
mices, ox any thing like {corie, or matter 
calcined by the force of fire.. Yet ful- 
phur ts plentiful in fome parts. Fun- 
nels, alio, or chafms, an acre or more in 
.extent may be obferved ; but I rather fup- 
pole them the ruins of gypfeous itones, 
- which water. has confumed. 
. Metals do not belong tomy fubje&; 
yet Switzerland poflefies many, though 
wery few in any abundance, fo as to be 
_ wrought with profit. Several torrents 
wath down gold, particularly the Emma, 
and the Goldbach which fiows into it, and 
next to thefe the Aar and Rhone. I know 
-mot whether any mine of gold has been 
difcovered, except in the Valais, where 
‘about, mount Semperen, in a yellow 
clayey earth, fome gold is extraéted by 
means of quickilver, by the fourifhing 
family of Burginers, Silver mines have 
. been difcovered in the canton of Bern, and 
even in the higner Alps, about lake 
Engftlan, but tono advantage. Copper is 
dug up in the Valais, about Martinach. 
. There is a-rich mine of lead above 
. Morcle, in Bern: and formerly lead was 
fmelted about Sichellauinen, in the valley 
of Lauterbrunnen. Iron is fuficiently 
plentiful, yet in very few places are there 
. profitable mines of it. The richeft ore, 
in roundith mafits, like yellowith flints, 
Haller’: Defcription of the § wils Alps. 
. [Sup. 
abound in mount Jura; it is foft and of 
gocd quality; but being miftakenly aban- 
doned to itrangers,’is tmelted to advan- 
tage almoft folely in the mountains of the 
bithoprick of Baiil. In mount Wetter- 
horn, a rich heavy ore nearly refembling 
the iron produced trom it, is found: but 
the furnaces in which it was {melted are 
fallen to decay. Steel has been made in 
the county of Chiavenna about Flims; 
but I am informed that this fabric too is 
difcontinued. Sulphur is frequent in 
Bern, in mount Lohner, out of which F 
have feen brimftone and vitriol procured, 
in the village of Canderftee : alfo, about 
Sublins, above Le Bevieux, where it ef 
floreices virgin from the rocks. There 
are alfo fprings loaded with fulphur in 
the falt-water pits; and fub-faline waters 
rich in fulphureous vapour, which takes 
fire on the approach of a candle, are boiled 
down not without benefit. Above Lau- 
wenen the earth alfo is found rich in ful- 
phur; yet they no where turn thefe gifts 
of nature to advantage. Petroleum flows 
in various places ; as not far above Bern 
on the Aar; and it is found copioufly 
mixed in the gritty ftone of Chavornac. ~ 
Cryitals are in tolerable abundance, 
and of fome value. Large pyramidal 
maffes of it are found in caverns, where 
the inhabitants difcover them by protube- 
ances in the rock. On the banks of the 
Aar, as it flows towards the hofpital of. 
‘Grimful, in a moit wild valley, mafles of 
one hundred, two hundred and more 
pounds, were dug out in the year 1727, 
which I faw.and examined in 1728 and 
1733. Among thef€é, was,a mafs com- 
pofed of two united pyramids, weighing 
697 pounds... In the upper Walais ftill 
greater mafies have been tound. The can- 
ton of Uri alfo yields cryitals ; and many 
perfons throughout the country fupport 
themfelves by digging up or vending cry= 
ftals. 
’ Of mimeral waters there is ample ftore 
in Switzerland. ‘True hot {prings are 
found at Baden and near Leuk; tepid 
waters at Fabar and Weiflenburg: » there 
are alfo cold waters impregnated with a 
fine bole or lixivial earth, which have the 
odour of rotteneggs. Acidulous waters 
“are rare, fcarce any being known but 
' thofe in the Engadina, near St. Maurice’s 
church. 
Brines or falt-fprings, are only met 
with in that corner of the territory of 
Bern which is terminated on this fide by 
the torrent of Avanfon, on the other by 
that. of La Grande Eau. This tract is 
covered with a firatum of gypfum, which 
; ' ; ISy 
