DEPARTURE FROM MARTIGNIE.
Having experienced much fatigue on my return across the Great St. Bernard , owing, in greatmeasure, to the different climates I may be said to have passed through in the same day’s journey,according to the greater or less degree of elevation in which I found myself, never having feltheat more intense than on the one side of the pass, nor more suffocating than on the other, nearthe village of St. Pierre, though so cold on the top of the mountain,—I consequently decided ondelaying, for a few days, my departure from Martignie, previously to pursuing my journey intothe Upper Vallais, where I not only purposed tracing the Rh6ne to its source, but exploring theMont St. Gothard, a pass no less tremendous than the former. This being my only view, Idetermined on taking sufficient time to visit that part of the country, and make my observations ;and, therefore, I proceeded the first day no farther than Sion, the capital, only twelve miles distantfrom where I set off. On leaving Martignie, I took an eastern direction, and followed the roadwhich leads along the basis of the mountains that screen the southern side of the valley, keepingnear the banks of the swampy plain which here forms the bottom of. the basin, whose width hasbeen computed to exceed eight English miles.
This extensive surface, which gradually contracts towards the east, is crossed by the Rhonefrom east to west, and has every appearance of having been the work of that great river, which hasformed it by the progressive accumulation of its sediment. This its soil very strongly evinces,from being in every respect similar to that which extends from Port Vallais, mentioned in a pre-ceding chapter, to where the same river throws itself into the Lake of Geneva . Most part ofthe soil is, however, far less fertile than the former, producing generally but very indifferent cropsof hay, filled with rushes or reeds, while only a few groups of aquatic trees, such as alders, willows,linden or limes, are seen thinly scattered over this large surface. Yet as the valley graduallyapproaches the lateral mountains, and begins to rise by a gentle slope, the soil improves, and becomesmore fruitful and well cultivated : and it must be acknowledged, that the inhabitants of this partof the Vallais , though much of the country still appears poor and miserable, spare neither pains norlabour to ameliorate the land, and to increase its fertility and value, either by digging deep ditchesto drain off the water, or by constructing strong mounds or dykes to oppose the impetuosity of theriver, in order to keep it in its proper channel. But, unfortunately, these efforts have not as yetbeen crowned with the success that had been expected, nor in all probability ever will, till thesurface of the soil rises higher, or the bed of the river sinks lower,—alterations which timewill naturally produce. For one of the greatest obstacles they have now to contend with, andwhich can in no wise be prevented, is the periodical overflowing of the Rhone at the melting ofthe snow from off the stupendous peaks that screen both sides of the valley in an extent of morethan one hundred miles, which is the distance estimated from Martignie to the source of that river,at which time the rise of the water is so considerable and powerful as to carry away most of thebarriers erected during the summer.
Besides, these dykes naturally forcing the water towards the opposite shore, • each individual,desirous of preserving his lands, finds it impossible, without materially injuring his neighbour,which consequently brings on discontent, and becomes a source of disagreements, grievous impe-diments against the ameliorating of land, or any thing else. These disagreements, likewise, oftencreate law-suits, and bring inevitable ruin on both parties, leaving the unfortunate spot eitheruncultivated, or else to be reaped by the attorney only, and thus too often realising the fable ofthe oyster and the litigants.
There are two roads which lead from Martignie to Sion ; one that crosses the plain above men-tioned, which may be considered a tolerable good summer-road, though unvaried in appearance,