[Footnote 21: M. de Saussure, in his 2d volume of Voyages dans les Alpes, has shown the origin of these travelled granites, and traced the way by which they have come.] We have here a picture of one of those valleys which branch from, or join the main valley of the Rhône. In this subordinate valley, there is the most evident marks of the operations of water hollowing out its way, in flowing from the summits of the mountains, and carrying the fragments of rocks and stones along the shelving surface of the earth; thus wearing down that surface, and excavating the solid rock. On the summit of the mountain, again, there is an equal proof of the operation of water and the influences of the atmosphere continued during a long succession of ages. It is impossible perhaps to conjecture as to the quantity of rock which has been wasted and carried away by water from this alpine region; the summits testify that a great deal had been above them, as that which remains has every mark of being the relicts of what had been removed, and moved only by those operations which here are natural to the surface of the earth. Let us now abstract any consideration of that quantity above the summits of those mountains, as a quantity which cannot be estimated; and let us only consider all the cavity below the summits of those ridges of mountains to have been hollowed out by those operations of running water which we now have in view. In taking this view of the mountains on each side which supply the water of the Rhône, what an immense quantity of stones, of sand, and fragments of rock, must have travelled in the bed of that river, or bottom of that valley which receives the torrents coming from the mountains! The excavation of this great valley, therefore, will not be found any way disproportionate to that which is more evident in the branches; and, though the experience of man goes for nothing in this progress of things, yet, having principles in matter of fact from whence he may reason back into the boundless mass of time already elapsed, it is impossible that he can be deceived in concluding that here is the general operation of nature wasting and wearing the surface of the earth for the purposes of this world, and giving the present shape of things, which we so much admire in the contrast of mountains and plains, of hills and valleys, although we may not calculate with accuracy, or ascribe to each particular operation every individual appearance. With a view to corroborate what has been here alledged of the valley of the Rhône, I would beg leave to transcribe still more from the same author. From the immense masses of horizontal strata remaining upon both sides of the valley of the Rhône, with a face broken off abruptly, we shall find the most perfect evidence of that which had been carried away in the course of time, and in the forming of those valleys.