lllioiie is miicli swelled, it rises above tbe
level of the lake of Bourget; and instead
of receiving the waters from it, by the short
passage or outlet, on the north end of the
lake, it pours a part of its own waters by
this passage into the lake itself, and occasions
inundations at the other end.
There cannot be a doubt that the lake of
Bourget once extended as far south as
Chamberry, and covered the plain or basin,
in which that city is built. At that time
the low range of hills in the valley on which
the village of Tresserve stands, most probably,
was an island. The lower part of
the valley, near the lake, is still a rushy
swamp, and has been gained from the water
at no distant period.
That the lakes in Savoy, in Switzerland,
and in our own country, are gradually
lessening, must be obvious to any attentive
observer, though the progress of their diminution
may, in some instances, be very
slow. On the lake of Geneva we have fortunately
a chronometer to mark the progress
ofthe diminution. The upper Bhone
enters the lake at the N.E. end, and brings
down the debris from a line of Alps of
nearly one hundred miles in length, on each
side the valley through which it passes.
The immense quantity of sand and stones
thus brought down, and deposited near its
entrance, must occasion the land to advance
into the lake ; in proof of which
Tort Valois, the ancient Portus Valesioe,
which is now situated about two miles from
the mouth of the Bhone, was a port at the
head of the lake, in the time of the Bomans.
The waters of the lake of Geneva are
said to be gaining on the land in some parts
of the southern shore. A gentleman residing
at Colligny, immediately above the
lake, informed me that there were formerly
quarries at tlie bottom of the hill, which
supplied Geneva with building-stone. They
are now covered by the water of the lake,
and may be seen under its surface.
It has been supposed that the submersion
of these quarries was occasioned by the
land on the opposite side having been en-
creased by débris, carried there by the
Bhone or currents, thus throwing the water
back on the southern bank ; but this explanation
cannot be admitted, unless the
quarries had been always lower than the
level of the lake ; for the water could not
rise on the southern side, without the genem
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