Ad99999 04 061a/eng
Alpen-Glätscher : Das Thal von Chamouny
Beschreibungstext eng
Miscellanies. XLII. Vol. IV. No. 59., GLACIERS OF THE ALPS., The Valley of Chamouny., The Valley of Chamouny is the most beautiful and most remarkable Valley not only in the Alps of Switzerland but perhaps in the whole World; for hère are to be found some of the mostfublime exhibitions of nature in her most awful and tremendous form interfected with so many romantick and picturesque scenes, that one is struck with amazement at first perceiving them. Having the form of a cradle and the bending of a bow it is almost seven hours long. It is incompaffed by Itupendous mountains and rugged rocks whofe heads touch heaven and whofe narrow valleys filled up with glaciers, exhibit the most delightful landscape that can be conceived. At some diftance Mont-Blanc, the higheft mount in ihe ancient world, whofe fummits and sides are covered to a considerable depth with eternal ice and snow, elevates its head above the clouds; as we fhall better fee in the next picture., The superb glaciers which are perceived between the fummits and sides of the granitrocks, generally proceed from the Lake of ice described in the former picture. Under these maffes of ice numerous fources and rivulets rife which rival the brightness of criftal; even the river. Arveiron which waters the whole valley, il'fues like a filver-ftream from an ice grotto of a Glacier., Very often a thunder-like noife is heard in the valley which is produced by the fragments of ice falling down from the tops of these Glaciers. The ice though in some parts about 100 feet deep, continually thaws at the bottom and hence the quantity of water proceeds which inceffantly pouring forth gives rife to many large rivers. The furface of the ice is not frnooth nor very fiippery, but rather rough and therefore easy to be passed.
