Part 5 (1/2)
Having refreshed ourselves sufficiently to encounter fresh difficulties, we determined to visit _Montanvert_, and the _Mer de Glace_, two of the most distinguished objects of curiosity which this place boasts of.
Having provided ourselves with guides and mules, we set out accordingly; and, after quickly pa.s.sing the narrow valley, began to ascend mountains which abound with chamois, and which, by their height and irregularity, seemed to render our arrival on their summit an event not speedily to be expected. We had more reason than ever to be astonished at the extraordinary security with which our mules carried us up such abrupt ascents, which in many places more resembled a flight of steps, hewn roughly in a rock, than a practicable road, and there were in many places hardly any marks to shew which was the preferable way.
After a continual ascent of between two and three hours, we were advised to send back our mules to wait our return in the valley, and to continue our way on foot, which we did accordingly, being provided with long sticks, pointed with iron, to a.s.sist us in climbing the remainder of the ascent. Our arrival on the summit amply repaid us for the toil which it had cost us: the view is not to be described;--before us lay the _Mer de Glace_ (sea of ice) extending to the length of four leagues, and being about three quarters of a league in width; which is one of the most sublime spectacles in nature.--Around us were mountains much more elevated than those which cost us so much trouble in ascending, which consisting of granite, dispersed in the most majestic forms, and being the perpetual abode of frosts, storms, and tempests, leave a most awful impression on the mind. It is impossible to behold these stupendous scenes without, in the language of the Psalmist, 'ascribing unto the Lord wors.h.i.+p and power.'
Although we had ascended not less than 3000 feet, yet, to our astonishment, Mont Blanc appeared _nearly as elevated_ as when we viewed it from the Galley. It is unquestionably the highest mountain in the three old quarters of the world (being exceeded in height only by the Andes); and I shall insert here the calculations of its elevation, and of that of some other mountains:
English feet.
Chimboraco, the highest of the Cordilleras 20,608
Mont Blanc, above the level of the Mediterranean, according to Sir G. Shuckburgh 15,662
Ditto, according to M. de Luc 15,302 1/3
Mount Caucasus 15,000
Etna, according to M, de Saussure 10,700
Teneriffe 10,954
The highest mountain in Scotland is Ben-Nevis, 4,337 feet. In Wales, Snowdon, 3,555. In England, Ingleborough, 3,200 feet. In Ireland, Croagh Patrick, 2,666.
Mont Blanc is easily distinguished from amongst the other mountains (of which _Mont Buet_; of 9984 feet in height, approaches the nearest to it) when Steen on this side, by the astonis.h.i.+ng alt.i.tude to which it rises, and by the vast body of snow with which its top and sides are covered to the perpendicular height of above 4000 feet, without the intervention of any rock, to take off from that extreme whiteness that gives name to this mountain, uniting in the circular form of its summit all the majesty that can possibly be imagined. We partook of some refreshment in an apartment on the summit of Montanvert, which the extreme cold of the atmosphere rendered very acceptable. Having enrolled our names in a book kept here for that purpose, which abounds with the praises of all travellers who have viewed these scenes, we descended to the _Mer de Glace_, which is appropriately so named, from the striking resemblance which its broken ma.s.ses of ice bear to the waves of the ocean, and the resemblance is still further heightened by the blue appearance which the numerous cavities present to the eye.--We walked a little way on this frozen ocean, the better to contemplate its vast extent, as well as to have it in our power to boast of _having walked on a ma.s.s of ice in the month of August_. The depth of the ice is calculated to be from three to _four hundred_ feet, and the solemnity of this scene of desolation is increased by the sound of several torrents tumbling from the surrounding rocks. We again returned to the summit of Montanvert, and were again lost in astonishment at the scene; which did not fail to recall to my recollection the beautiful lines of _Pope_, in his Essay on Criticism:
So pleas'd at first the tow'ring Alps we try, Mount o'er the vales, and seem to tread the sky, Th' eternal snows appear already past, And the first clouds and mountains seem the last.
But, those attain'd, we tremble to survey The growing labours of the lengthen'd way, Th' increasing prospect tires our wand'ring eyes, Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise.
Having sufficiently contemplated the view, we began to think of returning to the valley, which presented a most enlivening appearance after the _chaos_ we had left. The descent was much easier than the ascent, and we were not long before we met our mules, and returned to our inn in great prosperity, although we had, most of us, occasional falls during so difficult a progress.
We had great reason to be pleased with our expedition, and were most fortunate in the clearness of the day, without which our labour would have been lost. The valley is, of course, much more mild in its atmosphere than the mountain, but the weather was autumnal, and a fire was quite indispensable to our comfort. There are no less than _five glaciers_ in this valley, they are separated from each other by forests and by cultivated lands, and this intermixture presents an appearance which, from its singularity, cannot fail to astonish the beholder. These glaciers all lie at the foot of that vast chain of mountains, which supply the sources of many of the greatest rivers in Europe. I observed that the mountains in this vicinity were the first I had seen enlivened by the mixture of the larch with the fir, which produces a very pleasing effect, and continues afterwards to be often seen. The vast quant.i.ties of Alpine _strawberries_ that every-where abound on these mountains, have a most excellent flavor, and numbers of children employed in gathering them find ready sale among the numerous strangers, attracted by the wonders of the neighbourhood. These Alps possess great attractions for the _botanist_, who is surrounded by saxifrage, rhododendrons, and a variety of other plants, which he must highly value, but which I have not sufficient knowledge of the science to distinguish particularly. Nor would the _mineralogist_ find fewer attractions in the rocks themselves, than the botanist in the plants which they produce. We did not witness any of those _avalanches_ which are said to fall so frequently from the mountains, and of the dreadful effects of which such interesting statements have been published. The whole of this valley, however, appears to be continually threatened, by the enormous ma.s.ses which hang over it, and seem to need the application of but a trifling force, to move them from situations, to which they are to all appearance so slightly attached.
CHAP. VIII.
We left Chamouny at an early hour to proceed on our way to Martigny, from which it is nine leagues distant; but as there is nothing which deserves the name of a road, we continued our journey on mules. The morning was so very hazy, that we were prevented from enjoying the prospect from the Col de Balme, and we travelled for several hours amongst mountains, at one moment enveloped in the fog, which was sometimes the next instant carried to a considerable distance from us, by one of those sudden currents of air which are so common in these elevated situations. As we approached Valorsine, the rain began to fall, but fortunately it was not of long continuance, and afterwards the weather became much clearer.
_Nothing can surpa.s.s_ the romantic situation of this little village, its valley is one of the most secluded we had yet seen amongst the Alps.
The impression which this scene has left on my mind, can never be effaced; every thing presented an appearance of tranquillity, and of extreme simplicity. It was the feast of the patron saint of the village, and the peasants were in their best dresses. The women were of a better appearance than is usual in Savoy; their dress attracted the particular attention of our French companion, who had never before quitted his own country, and who had previously expressed a contempt for Savoy, which he now seemed willing to retract; and certainly it would be difficult to see a spot where primitive simplicity was more conspicuous. We determined to refresh ourselves here, and afterwards went through the village to the church, which was decorated with flowers for the festival; and during our walk we were saluted with the utmost civility by the peasants, who surveyed us with a curiosity which proved they had but little intercourse with strangers. A monk saluted me, and said in Latin he was rejoiced again to see Englishmen. In one of the groups, I observed a fortune-teller, who seemed to have a good deal of custom, but her dialect was one of the most singular I ever heard. The inn where we breakfasted, like most of the houses here, was raised on beams, to allow for the depth of the snow in winter. They are built of timber, and covered with pieces of fir, cut to about the size of tiles. The rooms were very small, and could with difficulty accommodate the unusual number of guests then a.s.sembled. Civility was more abundant than provisions, but there was more fruit than one could expect to see amongst these mountains.
If the peasants of Meillerie, which is the part of Savoy Rousseau took so much pleasure in describing, at all resemble those of Valorsine, he cannot there at least be accused of having dealt in fiction. M. de Saussure relates an anecdote which serves to give an idea of the Savoyards in these situations, so remote from the corruption incident to cities. He says, ”I was one day prosecuting my researches amongst the Alps, and being without provisions, was induced to take some fruit not far distant from a cottage. I observed a woman coming towards me, as I concluded, to ask payment for the fruit; and I a.s.sured her I had no intention of going away without satisfying her. She answered, 'I came out thinking you had lost your way, and that I might be able to set you right. As for the fruit, I will take nothing for it. He who made it, did not intend it for the use of one in particular.'”
We had not yet performed above half our journey, and as it was getting late, we were obliged by the representation of our guides to continue on our road, which lay through a romantic district, abounding with streams and falls of water. Some of the fir trees on the Tete Noire opposite to us, are said to be above 100 feet in height. We were after the first league frequently obliged to dismount, having in some places literally to ascend steps cut in the rock, which I think must have not a little puzzled two gentlemen, who set out on _horseback_ about the same time we did from Chamouny, but who did not reach Martigny for a long time after us, and were greatly tired with the difficulties they had to encounter.
The village of Trient is in a romantic situation, but has not the same attractions as Valorsine. The hill near it is astonis.h.i.+ngly difficult of ascent. The guides wished us to let the mules s.h.i.+ft for themselves; and we all at last arrived at the summit. An hour afterwards, we reached the Mount Fourcle, from which is seen a vast extent of country. This view is by some travellers considered as surpa.s.sing all others in Switzerland, as it embraces the greatest part of the Canton of the Valais, watered by the Rhone; and we could distinctly see its capital city Sion, although above eight leagues distant. Martigny and St. Branchier seemed to lie at our feet; but we had still a long way to descend before we reached them.
The city of Sion will be long remembered as the scene of one of the most horrible of those outrages which cast such a just odium on the French name. It was given up to the savage fury of an army irritated by the brave but ineffectual resistance, which its inhabitants attempted to oppose against the invaders of their property and liberty. But here, as in too many other instances, numbers occasioned the worse to prevail over the better cause. A person on whose authority I can confide, a.s.sured me he was at Geneva, when a part of the French army arrived there after this _glorious_ exploit, and that rather than return without plunder, they carried away with them the miserable household furniture of these unfortunate people, which sold at Geneva for a sum so trifling as hardly to pay for the expense of conveying them thither. It may seem _incredible_, but it is however _true_, that many of the inhabitants of the Valois, _regret the recovery of their independence_, and would wish again to see their country in the possession of the French. They prefer the advantages which Buonaparte's military road, and the frequent pa.s.sage of his troops into Italy afforded them of making money, to their present liberty under a government of their own selection.