mountains which border it, as far as St.
Gothard ; but the outline was not well defined,
owing to a slight degree of haziness
in the eastern horizon, though the atmosphere
was uncommonly transparent on the
western side o f the Col de Balme. We
descended,a little below the summit to be
screened from the wind, while we took our
dinners on the grass ; there was a mass of
snow immediately beneath us, though the
mountain is below the estimated line of
perpetual snow. The height o f this mountain
pass is stated at 7676 English feet
above the level o f the sea ; this, however,
is not the true height of the pass, but that
o f a hill above it, which commands a more
extended view of the Valíais, and was
measured trigonometrically by M. Pictet.
The summit of the passage of the Col de
Balme cannot be much more than 3000 feet
above the valley o f Chamouny, though it
is about 4700 feet above the upper valley
o f the Bhone, at Martigny, and about 6400
feet above the level of the sea.* The descent
towards Martigny is very steep.
* The valley of Chamouny is 3400 feet above the
level of the sea, and that of the Upper Rhone, at Mar-
tigny, is only 1700 feet.
Looking to the west, Mont Blanc is seen
in profile, from its summit to its base, and
its different parts rise above each other in
their just proportions. The summits of
the principal Aiguilles, those of Charmos,
the Aiguille Vert, the Aiguille de Dru,
d 'Argentière, and de Tour are seen nearer,
and in the same range. These peaks rise
from eleven to thirteen thousand feet above
the level of the sea, and would in any
other position be regarded with astonishment,
but the effect of Jheir amazing height
is diminished by the superior elevation and
masnitude of Mont o Blanc. On the north
side of the valley are seen a lower range of
mountains, which, from their red colour,
are called the Aiguilles Bouges ; beyond
these is Mont Breven, and nearer, on the
north-west, rise the mountains of the Valor-
sine. The valley of Chamouny appears
deep and narrow, and is seen from one
end to the other, with the Arve winding
along it. The Col de Balme on which we
stood closes the eastern end of the valley,
and a mountain called the Vaudange closes
the western extremity. The length of the
valley is about fifteen miles ; when viewed
from hence, there can be little doubt of its