f
observer. This force has broken and up-
heaved the surface of the globe in several
nearly parallel lines, extending north-east
and south-west over a great distance ; the
intensity of the force being the greatest,
along the axis of each range of mountains.
In some situations, its action appears to
have been more limited, and in such situations,
it is more clearly apparent. Thus
at the Ballenberg, a low narrow mountain
in the valley of Hasli, which approaches
the lake of Brientz, mentioned
page 192 of this volume, the strata at the
western end are regularly bent, but not
b ro k en ; farther eastward the strata have
apparently been subjected to the pressure
o f the upper part of the mountain, which
has bent them irregularly into various
curves, or has entirely broken them ; still
further east they become nearly horizontal.
A section of the contorted part of the
mountain is given in the annexed cut.
That these curves are not produced by
cleavages, but are those of real strata, I
ascertained by a close inspection, each stratum
having been separated by a thin parting
of softer matter, which, by continual exposure
to rain, has been nearly washed
F E 3