they had passed through a track tolerably populous; but continuing to ascend, the country suddenly assumed a more steril and inhospitable aspect; the rocks were bare, craggy, and impending; and neither the vestige of a habitation, nor scarcely a blade of grass was to be seen.

In a short time, after entering on this scene, they came to a deep chasm over the Reuss, which here forms a considerable cataract down the shaggy sides of the mountain, which it has undermined. The superstratum is called the Devil's Bridge; and when the cataract is viewed from this spot, neither painting nor poetry can do justice to the sublime horror it inspires.

Not far from this desolate landscape, the road conducted to Urner-loch, a, subterraneous passage, cut in a granite rock, which opened at the opposite entrance into the calm and cultivated valley of Urseren. In general, even in Switzerland, there is a regular gradation from extreme wildness to high cultivation; but here the transition is abrupt, and the change instantaneous.

In this valley are four villages, forming a small republic, under the protection of Uri. The territory is about nine miles long and two broad, and contains about one thousand three hundred people. The chief magistrate is called the Talamman; and there is a permanent council of fifteen members, who assemble in each of the different districts. The inhabitants enjoy many privileges; but are not absolutely independent, as appeals lie, in some cases, to Altdorff and Uri.

Urseren is surrounded by high mountains, covered with pasturage to a considerable height, but capped with snow. Near the middle of this

beautiful plain, they turned to the left, and entered the valley of St. Gothard, filled with the ruins of broken mountains, and washed by the rapid and furious Reuss, which rolls through blocks of granite, with irresistable impetuosity.

The valley of St. Gothard is remarkably dreary. It contains no vestige of human habitation, nor does it produce a single tree. The extremi

ty is closed by the still ruder and naked rocks of the Feudo, supporting in its hollows, vast masses of snow, while the superb glacier of the Locendro towers above the adjacent heights.

They took up their lodging in a house inhabited by two Italian friars, from the convent of Capuchins at Milan, who afford hospitality to all strangers who pass this horrid track. One of the friars being absent, they were accommodated with his chamber, and after the fatigues of their journey, enjoyed as sound repose as if they had slept in a palace. They were supplied with delicious trout, eggs, milk, butter, and cheese, the produce of the vicinity.

Though it was the middle of summer, the cold was become so intense, from the elevation of the place, that a fire was highly acceptable. They passed a boy at work, who was blowing his fingers to warm them; yet a few hours before, the climate was mild and pleasant.

From thence they made an excursion to the sources of the Tesino and the Reuss. The former has three principal sources in the chain of St. Gothard. The first is a spring which rises towards the bottom of the Prosa, and is entirely covered with frozen snow; the Lake of la Sella sup

plies the second source; and the third is furnished by the melted snows of Mount Feudo.

These three sources uniting with another branch, that flows from the Furca, through the valley of Bedreto, from one great torrent that, after quitting the Alps, traverses part of the Milanese, and falls into the Po.

The Reuss rises from a Lake of Locendro, an oblong piece of water, about three miles in circumference, embosomed by the mountains Petina and Locendro. The stream issuing from this lake, pours through the valley of St. Gothard, and joining in the vale of Urseren a branch from the Furca, and another from the Grison mountains, flows towards the north into the lake of Lucerne, and from thence throws itself into the Po.

Within a days' journey, is the source of the Rhine in the Grisons, and about the distance of three leagues, that of the Rhone in the Furca.

They were still surrounded with high rugged rocks and inaccessible glaciers, so that their view was very much confined. According to Saussure, they were now seven thousand feet above the level of the sea; or, according to the calculation of General Pfiffer, 9075; yet this is not the highest spot, even in Switzerland.

A few years ago, the elector of Bavaria sent the friars, who inhabit this dreary spot, several barometers, thermometers, and other meteorological instruments, from which the following observations on the atmosphere have been made.

In the most extreme degree of cold, the mercury in Reaumur's thermometer fell to 19 deg,

below the freezing point, or 10 of Fahrenheit. The greatest heat was 13, or 614 of Fahrenheit.

M. de Luc's barometer never rose higher than 22. 3. 1. nor fell lower than 20.9.9. In the year that the above observations were made, it snowed on one hundred and eighteen days, rained seventy-eight, cloudy two hundred and ninety-three, tempest with hail two, thunder and lightning twenty-two, serene days eighty-seven.

Taking leave of their kind host at St. Gothard, they walked down the valley, and again entered Urseren at Hopital, where the sublime views continued to charm the senses.

Passing through the small village of Zundorf, they stopped at Realp to refresh. From thence they soon arrived at the extremity of the valley of Urseren, when they began ascending a narrow, steep, and rugged path, where a horse, with some dexterity, could barely put one leg before another. To magnify the danger, the path sometimes lay on the edge of a precipice, so craggy and stony, that a false step must have been fatal. Our author, however, gave full rein to his steed, and derived some safety from this confidence.

At length they came to a torrent, which they passed with some difficulty on a plank. A little way farther, they arrived at another, still deeper and more violent, without any bridge; and to increase their difficulties, their guide was unacquainted with the road.

After some observation, they discovered that part of the mountain had lately fallen down and destroyed the path, leaving only a faint narrow track on the side of the precipice. Some of the party passed this on their hands and knees, while

Mr. Coxe plunged into the torrent on horseback. One of the servants being seized with a panic, had nearly fallen down the precipice ; but by some assistance, he got over safe.

Being collected on the other side, they regained a kind of path, but so steep, that it was thought prudent to dismount, and suffer the horses to make their own way. At length, with extreme hazard, they reached the summit of the Furca, which receives its name from a number of rugged and forked rocks, piled one upon another.

The country round is as dreary and desolate as possible. All vegetation seemed to have ceased, and nothing presented itself to their view, but the most astonishing and sublime scenes of rude nature.

Beginning to descend, they came to a clear stream of water, by the side of which they sat down to a repast of bread, cheese, and hard eggs, the only provisions they could procure at the last habitable place. In full view before them was the glacier of Furca, an immense valley of ice, at least three miles long and one broad.

The sun shining in an opposite direction, it glistened like crystal, and reflected a number of beautiful tints. The ice seemed to be breaking in several places, from the cracks they heard; while the torrent of the Rhone, that rises chiefly from this glacier, was roaring beneath. The range of mountains on which they were sitting was overspread with underwood and herbage; and some cattle were feeding on the heights; a pleasing contrast to the sterility of the opposite