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French advanced division at Altorf , and drove them back as far as Schwitz. On hearingthe loss of the battle of Zurich , Smvarrow, after some partial engagements, was obligedto turn, by a more difficult path over Mount Briigel and by the Klbntlial, into thecanton of Glarus, whence he was likewise driven by the French under General Molitor,and obliged to retire in the night, and by the light of torches, through the pass of theKrauhenthal, into the country of Sargans, on the borders of the Grisons . Soon after theRussians left Switzerland altogether. The details of this mountain warfare among thehigh Alps, in which generals Lecourbe, Soult, and Molitor among the French , andSuwarrow and Ilotze among the Russians and Austrians, distinguished themselves,are full of strategic interest. But the unfortunate mountain cantons were utterly ruinedby this strange immigration of numerous armies of Russians, Austrians, and French , allliving at free quarters upon the inhabitants, and committing many acts of violence.
The constitutions of the twenty-two cantons, as established in 1814, might be rangedinto three classes, according to the prevailing principle of each. The first class is thatof the pure democracies, which remained unaltered in their principle. The cantons thusconstituted are the old mountain cantons, namely, Schwitz, Uri, Unterwalden, Glarus ,Zug, and Appenzell. To these may be added two more cantons, the Grisons and theYalais, which were formerly only allies of the Swiss , but are now, as we have seen,integral parts of the confederation. These two states are composed of a number of smalldemocracies, one in each valley, having each its own councils and magistrates, whoadminister all internal affairs, and who send deputies to a great council or cantonal diet,which exercises the higher legislative powers in matters concerning the whole state.The laws, however, which emanate from this great council are submitted to the appro-bation of the assemblies of the people of each valley or district. These states, in short,constitute confederations in miniature, similar to the great Swiss confederation, of whichthey form a part. In the Yalais the forms are less democratic than in the Grisons , thelower Yalais not having an equality of votes with the upper Valais ; indeed, it will beremembered that previous to 1798, the lower Yalaisans were subjects of the upper orGerman Yalais. The bishop of Sion has also a vote in the general diet of the Valais .In the Grisons , on the contrary, a system of perfect equality exists between the inhabitantsof the numerous valleys or districts of that Alpine region.
The population of the canton of the Grisons is reckoned by a recent authority at about96,000, of whom one-third speak German, and the rest speak .the Romansch and Ladin dialects, except those of the valleys south of the Alps , where they speak a Lombarddialect of the Italian. One third of the above are Roman catholics , the rest are pro-testants of the Helvetic communion.
The productions of the soil are extremely varied, according to the elevation of theground and the aspect of the respective valleys. Some enjoy almost an Italian climate,and the vine, wheat, maize, as well as the fig-tree and the almond, thrive in them ;whilst others produce with difficulty scanty crops of barley and rye. Hemp and flax arelargely cultivated, as well as potatoes, turnips, carrots, and other roots. A considerablepart of the canton is occupied by pastures and forests. Cattle, goats, and pigs arenumerous, but the horses are few. Cattle and cheese are exported to the Italian markets.The mountains abound with game, as well as bears, wolves, lynxes, and wild cats. Troutand salmon are found in the rivers.
Coire is the capital of the Grisons, situated at the foot of the Alps , in a rich plainbetween two or three miles wide—a considerable breadth of valley for this mountainouscountry. Opposite is the chain of mountains which separates the country of the Grisons from the canton of Glarus ; of this chain the Calendar is esteemed the highest point, butit is far inferior in elevation to several of the Swiss and Savoy Alps, and wants onecertain criterion of great height—perpetual snow. The town lying partly in the plain,