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240 SOUTH SIDE OF THE SWISS ALPS.
nearer mountains of the Valíais ; but the
attentive observer, accustomed to mountain
scenery, cannot mistake them. One
reason why these mountains have not been
mentioned by former travellers, must be,
that they have not known what they were.
The writer of the At/as Portati/ de V Oberland
Pernois, says it is denied by Osdeswald
and others, tliat the Alps of the Bernese
Oberland can be seen from the Semplon
road; but he does not assent to this opinion.
It seems strange, that with any knowledge
of the geography of the Alps, a doubt
on this subject can be entertained. By
measuring the distance on a good map,
from the ascent of the Semplon to some of
the highest summits of the Swiss range, it
will be seen, that it is not much more than
fifteen miles, a distance which seems trifling,
when speaking of mountains that have
more than two miles of perpendicular elevation
above the eye of the spectator. An
English writer says, that Mont Blanc may
be seen from the Semplon road; this is a mistake;
but there is a snowy mountain which
bears some resemblance in shape to Mont
Blanc, seen in the direction of the Gemmi.
After reaching the Barrière we dismissed
VILLAGE OF SEMPLON. 241
our extra horses, and the road soon began
to descend along a barren, swampy, mountain
plain. The road up the Semplon,
and along its summit, is surmounted by
mountains that rise much above i t ; some
of them are covered with perpetual snow.
Near the top of the road is a large unfinished
building, intended for an hospice,
by Napoleon ; and below the road, on a
part which was the old route, there is a
small hospice, where two of the monks of
St. Bernard reside all the year to succour
travellers.
We passed several scattered cottages,
with gardens, orchards, and pastures, before
arriving at the village oi Semplon. This
village, though 1700 feet below the highest
part of the road, is one of the highest large
villages in Europe, being 4836 English
feet above the level of the sea. It was
entirely destroyed by the fall of a mountain,
on the 31st of August, 1597, which
killed eighty-one persons. The inn at the
Semplon is kept by a Frenchman and his
family, who perform all the different functions
of cook, waiter, hostler, and chambermaid
among themselves. The master,
VOL. II. R
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