is because the land has been
formed by deposits from the river, in the course of a long succession of
ages. Of course the river could never build the land any higher, in any
part, than it rises itself in the highest inundations. Indeed, land
formed by river deposits is almost always nearly level, and the surface
of it is but little raised above the ordinary level of the stream, and
never above that of the highest inundations.

It must, however, by no means be supposed that because the surface of
the valley above the head of the lake is flat and level, that it is on
that account monotonous and uninteresting. Indeed, it is quite the
reverse. It forms one of the richest and most enchanting landscapes that
can be conceived. It is abundantly shaded with trees, some planted in
avenues along the roadside, some bearing fruit in orchards and gardens,
and some standing in picturesque groups about the houses, or in pretty
groves by the margin of the fields. The land is laid out in a very
charming manner, in gardens, orchards, meadows, and fields of corn and
grain, with no fences to separate them either from each other or from
the road; so that in walking along the public highway you seem to walk
in one of the broad alleys of an immense and most beautiful garden.

Besides all these beauties of the scene itself, the pleasure of walking
through it is greatly increased by the number and variety of groups and
figures of peasant girls and boys, and women and men, that you meet
coming along the road, or see working in the fields, all dressed in the
pretty Swiss costume, and each performing some curious operation, which
is either in itself, or in the manner of performing it, entirely
different from what is seen in any other land.

Rollo followed the main road leading up the valley a little way one
evening, while his father and mother were at Villeneuve, in order, as he
said, to see where the diligences went to. He was so much pleased with
what he saw that he went back to the hotel, and began studying the guide
book, in order to find how far it was to the next town, and what
objects of interest there were to be seen on the way. He was so well
satisfied with the result of his investigations that he resolved to
propose to his father and mother to make a pedestrian excursion up the
valley.

"Now, mother," said he, "I have a plan to propose, and that is, that we
all set out to-morrow morning, and make a pedestrian excursion up the
valley,