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GALLERY OF THE GLACIERS.

GALLERY OF THE GLACIERS.

AFTER quitting the gallery of Schalbet, the trees, yieldingto the severity of the climate, only languish, and almost entirelydisappear : a beautiful plain and tufts of rhododendron supplytheir place, and cover the small number of rocks which are notoccupied by the ice. The glaciers which are observed on theroad are called Tavernetto, and comprise a great extent of ice,one part of which corresponds with those of the Gantlier, andthe other stretches towards Italy . The waters which flow fromthese glaciers form an infinite number of cascades, that embellishthe road, above which a passage has been formed for them.This spot, which in fine summer days presents a grand and pic-turesque scene, is rendered extremely dangerous all the rest ofthe year, by the violent gusts of wind, and the snow which accu-mulates during winter.

On the side of the glaciers the Schonhorn majestically raisesits blue summit in the air. At the foot of this mountain, andof a hill covered with Alpine roses, the traveller passes the Gal-lery of the Glaciers. The rocks over which it is constructedhave a number of fissures, through which the water perpetuallyfilters and trickles down the sides of the gallery: on the slightestvariation of temperature these waters congeal, and produce anumber of columns formed of icicles suspended from the arch.This coup-d’cril is very beautiful, and would tempt one to lingerin the gallery to enjoy it, if the cold and the perpetual draughtof air did not render the situation equally dangerous and un-pleasant. After quitting it, the traveller regains the old road,which is carried along the Saltine as far as Tavernetto, whencerising suddenly by a very steep ascent to the height of 215 fa-