PLAN FORMED.
The reason why the Lake of Geneva is of a crescent form is, that that is
the shape of the space in the bottom of the valley which it fills. There
are two ranges of mountains running in a curved direction almost
parallel to each other, and the space between them, for a certain
distance, is filled with water, owing to the spreading out of the waters
of the Rhone in flowing through. Thus the lake is produced by the
valley, and takes its form from it.
The valley does not come to an end when you reach the head of the lake,
but continues for more than a hundred miles beyond, the two mountain
ranges continuing to border it all that distance, and the River Rhone to
flow through the centre of it. Thus at Villeneuve you look in one
direction, and you have a winding valley filled with water, extending
for fifty miles, to Geneva; while in the other direction, the same
valley--though now the floor of it is a green and fertile
plain--continues, with the same stupendous walls of mountain bordering
the sides of it, for a hundred miles or more, to the sources of the
Rhone.
There is another thing that is very curious in respect to this valley,
and that is, that the floor of it is as flat, and smooth, and level,
almost, where it is formed of land, as where it is formed of water.
Geologists suppose that the reason why the bottom of the valley, when it
consists of land, is so perfectly level, 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, to the next town, or the next town but one."
"How far is it?" asked Mrs. Holiday.
"Why, the best place to go to," said Rollo, "is Aigle, which is the
second town, and that is only six miles from here."
"O Rollo!" said Mrs. Holiday; "I could not possibly walk six miles."
"O, yes, mother," said Rollo. "The road is as smooth, and level, and
hard as a floor. Besides, you said that you meant to make a pedestrian
excursion somewhere while you were in Switzerland, and there could not
be a better place than this."
"I know I said so," replied Mrs. Holiday, "but I was not really in
earnest. Besides, I don't think I could possibly walk six miles. But we
will take a carriage and ride there, if your father is willing."
"But, mother, it is not so pleasant to ride You can't see so well, for
the top of the carriage, or else the driver on his high seat before,
will be more or less in the way. Then when you are walking you can stop
so easily any minute, and look around. But if you are in a carriage, it
makes a fuss and trouble to be calling continually upon the coachman to
stop; and then, besides, half of the time, before he gets the carriage
stopped you have got by the place you wanted to see."
What Rollo said is very true. We can see a country containing a series
of fine landscapes much more thoroughly by walking through it, or riding
on horseback, than by going in a carriage. I do not think, however,
that, after all, this advantage constituted the real inducement in
Rollo's mind which made him so desirous of walking to Aigle. The truth
was, that the little walk which he had taken to Chillon with the party
of pedestrian boys had quite filled his imagination with the pleasures
and the independent dignity of this mode of travelling, and he was very
ambitious of making an experiment of it himself.
"And, mother," continued Rollo, "after all, it is only about two hours
and a half or three hours, at two or three miles an hour. Now, you are
often gone as much as that, making calls; and when you are making calls
you generally go, I am sure, as much as two or three miles an hour."
"But I generally ride, making calls," said Mrs. Holiday.
"Yes, mother, but sometimes you walk; and I think when you walk you are
often gone more than three hours."
"That is true," said Mrs. Holiday, "I admit; but then, you know, when I
am making calls I am resting a great deal of the time at the houses
where I call."
"I know that," said Rollo; "and so we will rest, sitting down by the
road side."
Mrs. Holiday admitted that Rollo had rather the best of the argument;
but she was still quite unwilling to believe that she could really walk
six miles.
"And back again, too," she added. "You must consider that we shall have
to come back again."
"Ah, but I don't wish to have you walk back again," said Rollo. "We will
come back by the diligence. There are several diligences and omnibuses
that come by Aigle, on the way here, in the course of the day."
Mrs. Holiday was still undecided. She was very desirous of gratifying
Rollo, but yet she had not courage to undertake quite so great a feat
as to walk six miles. At length Mr. Holiday proposed that they should at
least set out and go a little way.
"We can try it for half an hour," said he, "and then go on or turn back,
just as we feel inclined. Or if we go on several miles, and then get
tired, we shall soon come to a village, where we shall be able to get
some sort of vehicle or other to bring us back; and at all events we
shall have an adventure."
Mrs. Holiday consented to this plan, and it was settled that the party
should breakfast at eight o'clock the next morning, and set out
immediately afterwards.
Rollo had a sort of haversack which he used to carry sometimes on his
walks, and he always kept it with him in the steamboat or carriage, when
he travelled in those conveyances. This haversack he got ready,
supplying it with all that he thought would be required for the
excursion. He put in it his drinking cup,--the one which he had bought
in Scotland,--a little spy glass, which he used for viewing the scenery,
a book that his mother was reading, a little portfolio containing some
drawing paper and a pencil, a guide book and map, and, lastly, a paper
of small cakes and sugar plums, to give to any children that he might
chance to meet on the way.
Rollo made all these preparations the evening before, so that every
thing might be ready in the morning, when the hour for setting out
should arrive.