ded
those of destruction. The pools of calm water lie clear beneath their
fallen rocks, the water-lilies gleam, and the reeds whisper among their
shadows; the village rises again over the forgotten graves, and its
church-tower, white through the storm-twilight, proclaims a renewed
appeal to His protection in whose hand "are all the corners of the
earth, and the strength of the hills is His also." There is no
loveliness of Alpine valley that does not teach the same lesson. It is
just where "the mountain falling cometh to naught, and the rock is
removed out of his place," that, in process of years, the fairest
meadows bloom between the fragments, the clearest rivulets murmur from
their crevices among the flowers, and the clustered cottages, each
sheltered beneath some strength of mossy stone, now to be removed no
more, and with their pastured flocks around them, safe from the eagle's
stoop and the wolf's ravin, have written upon their fronts, in simple
words, the mountaineer's faith in the ancient promise--

"Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh;

"For thou shalt be in league with the Stones of the Field; and the
beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee."

FOOTNOTES

[98]

Small fragments of limestone, five or six inches across, and
flattish, sharp, angular on edges, and quite loose; slope deg.
near fountain of Maglans 311/2
Somewhat larger stones, nearer Maglans; quite loose 313/4
Similar debris, slightly touched with vegetation 35
Debris on southern side of Maglans 331/2
Slope of Montagne de la Cote, at the bottom, as seen from the
village of Chamouni 403/4
Average slope of Montagne de Taconay, seen from Chamouni 38
Maximum slope of side of Breven 41
Slope of debris from ravine of Breven down to the village
of Chamouni 14
Slopes of debris set with pines under Aiguille Verte, seen
from Argentiere 36
General slope of Tapia, from Argentiere 34
Slopes of La Cote and Taconay, from Argentiere 273/4
Profile of Breven, from near the Chapeau (a point commanding the
valley of Cha