HOSPICE ON THE GRIMSEL.

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cascade. The Hospice of the Grimsel, according to M. Frey, is six thousand five hundred and eighty feet above the sea.* It occupies a hollow rounded space, near two small lakes, which communicate with each other-the nearer having a depth of thirty-two, and the further of sixty-two feet. These waters present a sombre and death-like appearance; they contain no living substance; and to this circumstance, rather than to that mentioned by Saussure, is to be ascribed the characteristic name of Todten-see, or the dead lake.

The Hospice is a rude massy stone building, suited to the place and purpose of its erection. Here the poor are furnished with temporary lodging and refreshment, gratis; and the tourist supplied, if not with luxuries, with, at least, the necessaries of life; which, in a wide inhospitable desert like this, become more acceptable than the most dainty fare would be in the valley.

The Hospice, and its surrounding pastures, which were the theatre of various conflicts between the French and Austians in 1799, are farmed out by the com

This passage of the Grimsel is often attended with hazard, and demands much caution on the part of the tourist, who ought invariably to choose an experienced guide for the journey. Last year, Mr. Bartlett, (to whose admirable delineations of Swiss scenery the present work is indebted for its almost unprecedented success) had a very narrow escape on this route. Being informed that it was perfectly practicable, he set out early, and, proceeding alone, spent some time at the cascade of the Aar, near Handek. From that point where the ascent is very wild-particularly so at this season (May, 1835), when the snow of the avalanches lay unmelted, and arching the torrent of the Aar, which had eaten its way through the enormous masses precipitated during the winter-he arrived at length at the last bridge over the torrent, which, being greatly swollen by the melting snows, foamed over loose blocks of granite-forming an almost continuous cataract. On the left, the sloping bank-covered with smooth frozen snow, five or six feet deep, and based upon the rocks projecting into the river-was traversed by two paths; one, scarcely trodden, lay along the brink, and the other, shewing recent footmarks, ascended the slope very rapidly. He had mounted to about 40 or 50 feet above the river, when having some doubts as to the path, and remaining some moments to survey the locality, he determined to descend. He had scarcely done so, turning round and proceeding step by step, when the sound of a rushing avalanche from above burst upon his ear, and looking up he beheld with consternation a débris of large snow blocks bursting over the summit of the slope and descending upon him with impetuosity. No words can describe the feelings of such a moment. The next instant the blocks thundering down the slope were upon him, and he was dashed headlong-receiving several violent blows-and precipitated with the avalanche into the rushing torrent beneath. Stunned by the crash, he recovered only to what appeared certain destruction; for he was now fast hurrying down the impetuous stream. With convulsive energy he struggled to gain the bank. After some fruitless efforts, to his agreeable surprise he succeeded, and clung for support to a projecting rock overhanging the torrent. But even here escape

appeared difficult, or even doubtful. Evening was coming on, and no traveller could be expected at that hour. For a moment his mind was a prey to fearful misgivings. By renewed exertion, however, he succeeded in scrambling along the rugged rocks overhanging the stream, until he found a spot where the crust of snow facilitated his ascent, and thus effected his escape. Had he been carried down only a few yards further, he must have perished, as the stream at that point makes a sudden leap over a precipice. The contusions which he received were providentially on the body and not on the head, or the consequences must have been fatal on the first burst of the avalanche. Sensible that a sudden chill from the snow-water was to be dreaded, he retraced his steps with what haste he could to Handek, and thence to Guttanen, where at nightfall he entered the small inn, went instantly to bed, and by promoting perspiration with tea and other warm liquids, succeeded in preventing any serious result.

poor

munity of Oberhasli for an annual rent of about one thousand Swiss livres ;* and the tenant engages to furnish a meal and lodging to all the who cross the pass during the season. In return for this hospitality, however, he is allowed, like the monks of St. Bernard, to collect contributions in the neighbouring districts, during the winter, as well as to levy a toll upon all merchandise crossing the Grimsel, which may amount annually to about two hundred and fifty livres. Travellers in easy circumstances are of course expected to pay liberally for a hospitality by which so many lives are saved, and so many disasters averted.

The tourist, by continuing this route, may now visit the glaciers of the Rhone, descend into the Vallais, and following the course of the river to Leuk, visit the Baths, and cross the Ghemmi into the Kanderthal. He will then ascend the valley of the Simmen, and enter the territory of Fribourg, by Gruyères. But for the sake of the illustrations we reverse the order of this tour.

The impetuous Kandert takes its rise not far from the Ghemmi, in the magnificent glacier to which it gives name, and, in the wild and solitary valley of Gasternthal, forming several beautiful cascades, receives the tribute of many kindred torrents. Its course, rendered more striking by the number and peculiarity of its windings, continues towards the north, and, bearing along with it a vast quantity of débris, finally loses itself in the lake of Thun.

This valley is little frequented by tourists; it is about three leagues in length, and being amply watered by its glacier streams, is furnished with a rich and abundant vegetation. The botanist may here, at little trouble, during the season, supply his herbarium with several rare plants. Kandersteg, the only village, consists of a few houses grouped round its temple of primitive simplicity, and surrounded by green and luxurious pastures. About a league and a half north-east from Kandersteg is the Oschenthal—an uninhabited but exceedingly romantic valley. The path to it skirts a torrent of the same name, which precipitates itself through a narrow gorge, and, in its progress to the Kander,

In 1814 the live stock of this alpine farm consisted of two hundred sheep, one hundred and fortytwo goats, scattered over the savage pasture, with twenty-two milk cows, and ten swine with their litters. In a solitude like the present, the sight of such a herd recalled to the imagination of the traveller those of the ancient patriarchs.-Statist. de la Suisse.

At the commencement of the last century the Kander fell into the Aar, above Thun; but the accumulation of rubbish with which it was charged softened more and more the rapidity of both rivers, and by raising their channels, occasioned frequent inundations, and caused much damage to the valley. To avert consequences which every year rendered more apparent, means were taken to conduct the waters of the Kander into the lake. For this purpose, the government of Bern caused a canal to be dug across the hill of Strättlingen, and by turning the Kander in its new channel, secured the country against future depredations. The Bridge of the Kander, here represented, is one of the most remarkable of its kind.