203 CHAPTER IX. The Valais--Sierre-Sion--St. Pierre--Riddes-The RhonePeasantry of the Lower Valais-Martigny-Papal IndulgencesMountain of the Forclas-Valley of Trient—Passage of the Tête Noire-French and English Inscriptions on the " Dunroc❞—The Valorsine-Argentière-Glacier des Bois-Source of the Arvei ron-Chamouny. AT a quarter past four o'clock (A. M. July 28th), we Ат pursued our course through the Lower Valais. The town of Leuck, whose walls are on one side washed by the yet turbid wave of "the arrowy Rhone," and on the other pressed by the overshadowing bases of the Gemmi, still wore a cheerless countenance as we crossed the bridge by which it communicates with the high road. Intercepted by the eastern mountain-tops, the genial ray of morning had not at so early an hour begun to gild the grey turrets of its ancient castle. In this district German and French are both spoken by the inhabitants; who display no little singularity in their dress and personal appearance; but they are a good natured and obliging set of people. And "beshrew the sombre pen," that fails to note the influence of peaceful • "In the greater part of the Upper Valais, they speak German. In the plains and vallies of the Lower Valais, they speak French; and German on the top of the mountains. With respect to the rest, in consequence of that communication which the Valaisans keep up with the people who surround them, they plume themselves on their knowledge of German, French, Italian, and Latin.-Robert-Voyage en Suisse, v. 2, p. 269. habits and civil manners as especially congenial to a traveller's feelings, if not necessary to his comfort, while he journeys in a foreign land! There is something remarkable in the appearance of the numerous hillocks of sand, that are scattered over the valley at a short distance from the village of Sierre. At that place we again cross the Rhone: its rapid current rolls in strong eddies among the green islets formed in its bed by lodgments of trees, which have been carried down by the stream. Keeping pretty close to the right bank of this impetuous river, our course continues between two ranges of mountains, whose summits are never stripped of their wintry vesture. Of the right hand chain, which divides this territory from the canton of Berne, our road approaches to within two or three miles: that on the left, exhibiting the loftiest peaks, is considerably more distant; and forms the wall of separation between the Valais and Piedmont. It was through the transverse valley of the Einfisch-thal opposite Sierre, that we beheld the sharply tapering point of Mont Cervin,+ lighted up "by the sacred radiance of the sun." With the exception of those ever interesting objects, the landscape offers but little to attract till we come to Sion. This small city, the capital of the Valais, reminds one forcibly of such delineations of towns and buildings as we find in the prints that accompany Froissart's Chronicles. Almost every architectural object partakes more or less of the character of those which had their origin in feudal *To the east the Valais terminates at the mountain of the Furca, which separates it from the canton of Uri. Its length is 34 leagues and its width ten. The Matterhorn or Mont Cervin is 13,850 feet above the level of the sea.-Ebel. times. The place stands between three lofty and insulated eminences: on each of them is a large castellated structure; two of which are in ruins. That called Tourbillon is situated on the highest bill, and has evidently been a seat of great strength and extent. A fire which accidentally happened near it during a storm of wind, about forty years ago, destroyed the whole interior of this ancient castle, and did great damage to the town itself. The consequence, however, of this conflagration was advantageous to Sion. It can now boast of one tolerably good street: in all the rest the houses are for the most part emblems of decay, and scenes of uncleanliness. The second rock is called Majoria (La Majorie), on which stands the present Episcopal residence. We ascended the third rock, called Valeria, or La Valère on which are the remains of a fortress, formerly inhabited by the Bishops of Sion. From the topmost platform, we had a complete view of the town and its environs, which, with the Rhone flowing near it, form a very striking picture. To the southward Sion is commanded by the finest and best cultivated ridge that we have yet seen since quitting the Italian side of the Simplon. This verdant range, on which the vine thrives under terrace husbandry, is covered with corn, grass, and trees, and studded with white churches and cottages, as well as with country seats, to which the richer inhabitants of Sion flee at the present season, to avoid the debilitating heat that annoys them in the low-lands. Within the inclosure of mouldering walls on Valeria stands the very ancient church of St. Catharine, said to be built on the site of a Roman temple. The capitals of the columns are sculptured with leaves and grotesque figures greatly resem bling those in the crypt of St. Denis, near Paris. The choir is embellished with wood carvings, which represent, in not less than twenty different compartments, the ministry, passion, crucifixion, and ascension of our Saviour, executed in a stile of more than ordinary merit. The Jesuits are regaining considerable influence here: their church and possessions have been restored to them: we saw the students of their college, to the number of about forty, attending morning mass. These young men, who with few exceptions, have the look of mere peasants, wear long black cloaks as an academical distinction. A very good breakfast was set before us at La Croix Blanche, situate in the great street: to the usual things some excellent honey was added: this is a staple commodity along the valley of the Rhone. At eight o'clock we left Sion.* The country is walled on each side by a lofty chain; that on our left hand is a continuation of the same green hills at which we had looked with so much pleasure from the episcopal castle. The right hand boundary forms the most dreary contrast that can possibly be conceived: for in that quarter the shattered sides of the Diablerets, and the scarcely less horrid *This city, the ancient Sedunum, whose German name is Sitten, preserves some Roman inscriptions. The Bishop, to whom the Valaisans, being of the Roman Catholic religion, resort in all spiritual cases, bears the title of "Prince of the Holy Empire,” which can hardly sound agreeably in republican ears. The power of this prelacy was in the olden time unlimited; and exercised as much in extending its territorial sway, as its ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The ordinances of state are still made in the Bishop's name, and his arms are placed on public buildings, boundaries, &c. But the sovereign authority now resides in the Diets of the country. + The highest peak of the chain of the Diablerets is 9600 feet above the level of the sea." On the 23d September, 1714, between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, an upper part of these huge mountains suddenly crags of Mont Cheville, rise above us in masses of slaterock so dark and deformed as to render the very snows that crown them a relief to the gloomy prospect. The valley hitherto is in general well wooded and fertile: its chief product is grass. On approaching the village of St. Pierre, our postillion, with a flourish of his whip and no slight manifestation of local pride, pointing at the same time in the direction of Martigny, said to us "voici le commencement de Mont Blanc." At Martigny in fact, the ramifications of that "Giant of the Eastern Star" mix themselves with those of Mount St. Bernard. Just before entering Riddes, we cross by a wooden bridge of slight construction, the rapid and un-transparent Rhone, whose tide already swelled by the tribute "Of a thousand petty rills "That tumble down the snowy hills," gives omen of its future greatness.-From this point for four long leagues we travel in a perfectly straight line, through a tract of bushy marshes, with ditches on each side of the road, whose numerous population of frogs was vying with the grasshoppers in loud expressions of animal enjoyment amidst that intolerable heat under which, reflected upon us by a double line of mountains, we were almost fainting. In such a scene, and with feelings pained by revolting spectacles of goitres, who tumbled down, covering more than a square league with its ruins. By this dreadful fall, 159 cottages, 100 head of cattle, many goats and sheep, and about eighty persons were crushed to death: several woods were buried, and the course of the river Luzerne and three other lesser torrents changed, occasioning the formation of lakes which did not exist before."-RobertVoyage en Suisse, v. 2, p. 303. |