warn
T H E RH^TIAN ALPS. 77
THE miijor part of thefe mountains, or at leaft the fecondary range, are compofcd of
fchiftus, or horn-ftone; fome of them hard, others lamellated, of the fpecies of corneus
Jifftlis mollior. Soon after fun-fet I arrived at Naflereit, a village remarkably well built I
and, from its delirable iituation, it increafes daily in confequence and extent. It is feated
in the valley Gurgel, near the torrent of the fame namej and is particularly rich in
f i l v e r , lead, copper, and i r ^ mines. The moft confiderable are thofe of Teugenftin,
Dirfchendritt, Reifenfchuch, and St. Veil,
FINDING that this village was iituated in one of the higheft vailies belonging to the
fecondary chain of tlie Alps, I was determined to take its elevation, and found that it
was nearly 2340 feet above the level of the fea, or 930 above the city of Infpruck.
ON leaving Naflereit I crofled the torrent Gurgel. The valley tlien becomes fo narrow
tliat one feems at a lofs how to get out of it: however, a very rapid afcent condufts one
into a fmall but elevated plain, where ftands the caftle o f Vernftein.
THE chain of mountains which borders the above valley is extremely high; for the
back range is continually covered with fnow.
MOST of them are compofed of granite, the ftrata of which are perfeftl y diftini l , inclini
n g to the eaft.
THE lower range differs confiderably in elevation. Some of them are formed of
fchiftus horn-ftone, or a fpecies of calcareous lamellated ftone.
ON the right, near the caftle of Vernf tein, are found large banks of fand-ftone, or cos
isdijicialis, of a blueiih colour, which is foft when firft taken out of the quarry, but Toon
hardens when expofed to the air. This ftone effervefces in a fmall degree wi t h acids; or,
more properly, this is the cafe wi t h the glutinous parts whi c h cement the fand and compofe
that fpecies of ftone. This bed of ftrata appears to form the bottom of the fmall lake
o f Sigmundfburg: for ftrata of the fame kind are vifible on the oppoiite fide of the lake,
w h i c l i takes its name from a large ancient caftle, fituated nearly in its center, ftanding
on the lonely peak of a huge rock, that feems ftarting from the midft of its limpid
waters. This caftle, from its tremendous fituation, appears inacceiTible. It is of a
Gothic form, and flanked by four round towers.
THE caftle of Vernftein is partly ancient and partly modern, neverthelefs, it ferves as
the key to the defile. It is well fortified, and its fituation ftrikes the traveller with
furprize, being on the edge of an enormous rock, ihelving over a frightful precipice,
through which runs the torrent Klans, making a moft hideous noife. It is neceflary to
crofs this precipice, in order to get into the road, which pafles through the outward
yard of the caftle, over a wooden bridge of extreme height, which is demoliflied in
time of war to cut off all communication. The road paiTmg as it were through the
U ca f t l e ,