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THE STORY OF THE HILLS.




  [Illustration]




  [Illustration: NORHAM CASTLE. AFTER TURNER.]




    THE

    STORY OF THE HILLS.

    A BOOK ABOUT MOUNTAINS
    FOR GENERAL READERS.

    BY

    REV. H. N. HUTCHINSON, B.A., F.G.S.

    AUTHOR OF "THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE EARTH."

    With Sixteen Full-page Illustrations.

They are as a great and noble architecture, first giving shelter,
comfort, and rest; and covered also with mighty sculpture and painted
legend.--RUSKIN.

    New York:
    MACMILLAN AND CO.
    AND LONDON.

    1892.




    _Copyright, 1891_,
    BY MACMILLAN AND CO.


    University Press:
    JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.




TO

ALL WHO LOVE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS

This little Book is Dedicated,

   IN THE HOPE THAT EVEN A SLIGHT KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR PLACE IN
   NATURE, AND PREVIOUS HISTORY, MAY ADD TO THE WONDER AND DELIGHT
   WITH WHICH WE LOOK UPON THESE NOBLE FEATURES OF THE SURFACE OF
   THE EARTH.



PREFACE.


Now that travelling is no longer a luxury for the rich, and thousands
of people go every summer to spend their holidays among the
mountains of Europe, and ladies climb Mont Blanc or ramble among the
Carpathians, there must be many who would like to know something of
the secret of the hills, their origin, their architecture, and the
forces that made them what they are.

For such this book is chiefly written. Those will best understand it
who take it with them on their travels, and endeavour by its use to
interpret what they see among the mountains; and they will find that
a little observation goes a long way to help them to read mountain
history.

It is hoped, however, that all, both young and old, who take an
intelligent interest in the world around, though they may never have
seen a mountain, may find these pages worth reading.

If readers do not find here answers to all their questions, they
may be reminded that it is not possible within the present limits
to give more than a brief sketch of the subject, leaving the gaps
to be filled in by a study of the larger and more important works
on geology. The author, assuming that the reader knows nothing of
this fascinating science, has endeavoured to interpret into ordinary
language the story of the hills as it is written in the rocks of
which they are made.

It can scarcely be denied that a little knowledge of natural objects
greatly adds to our appreciation of them, besides affording a deep
source of pleasure, in revealing the harmony, law, and order by which
all things in this wonderful world are governed. Mountains, when
once we begin to observe them, seem to become more than ever our
companions,--to take us into their counsels, and to teach us many a
lesson about the great part they play in the order of things. And
surely our admiration of their beauty is not lessened, but rather
increased, when we learn how much we and all living things owe to
the life-giving streams that flow continually from them. The writer
has, somewhat reluctantly, omitted certain parts of the subject
which, though very interesting to the geologist, can hardly be made
attractive to general readers.

Thus, the cause of earth movements, by which mountains are pushed up
far above the plains that lie at their feet, is at present a matter
of speculation; and it is difficult to express in ordinary language
the ideas that have been put forward on this subject. Again, the
curious internal changes, which we find to have taken place in the
rocks of which mountains are composed, are very interesting to those
who know something of the minerals of which rocks are made up, and
their chemical composition; but it was found impossible to render
these matters sufficiently simple.

So again with regard to the geological structure of mountain-chains.
This had to be very briefly treated, in order to avoid introducing
details which would be too complicated for a book of this kind.

The author desires to acknowledge his obligations to the writings
of Sir A. Geikie; Professor Bonney, Professor Green, and Professor
Shaler, of Harvard University; the volumes of the "Alpine Journal;"
"The Earth," by Reclus; the "Encyclopaedia Britannica." Canon Isaac
Taylor's "Words and Places," have also been made use of; and if in
every case the reference is not given, the writer hopes the omission
will be pardoned. A few passages from Mr. Ruskin's "Modern Painters"
have been quoted, in the hope that others may be led to read that
wonderful book, and to learn more about mountains and clouds, and
many other things, at the feet of one of the greatest teachers of the
century.

Some of our engravings are taken from the justly celebrated
photographs of the High Alps,[1] by the late Mr. W. Donkin, whose
premature death among the Caucasus Mountains was deeply deplored
by all. Those reproduced were kindly lent by his brother, Mr. A. E.
Donkin, of Rugby. To Messrs. Valentine & Son of Dundee, Mr. Wilson
of Aberdeen, and to Messrs. Frith we are indebted for permission to
reproduce some of their admirable photographs; also to Messrs. James
How & Sons of Farringdon Street, for three excellent photographs of
rock-sections taken with the microscope.

  [1] Published by Messrs. Spooner, of the Strand.




CONTENTS.

    Part I.

    THE MOUNTAINS AS THEY ARE.

    CHAPTER                                          PAGE

    I. MOUNTAINS AND MEN                                3

    II. THE USES OF MOUNTAINS                          33

    III. SUNSHINE AND STORM ON THE MOUNTAINS           70

    IV. MOUNTAIN PLANTS AND ANIMALS                   103


    Part II.

    CHAPTER                                          PAGE

    HOW THE MOUNTAINS WERE MADE.

    V. HOW THE MATERIALS WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER        139

    VI. HOW THE MOUNTAINS WERE UPHEAVED               174

    VII. HOW THE MOUNTAINS WERE CARVED OUT            205

    VIII. VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS                          242

    IX. MOUNTAIN ARCHITECTURE                         282

    X. THE AGES OF MOUNTAINS AND OTHER QUESTIONS      318




ILLUSTRATIONS.


    NORHAM CASTLE. After Turner                   _Frontispiece_

    BEN LOMOND. From a Photograph by J. Valentine             16

    CLOUDS ON BEN NEVIS                                       38

    SNOW ON THE HIGH ALPS. From a Photograph by
        Mr. Donkin                                            64

    A STORM ON THE LAKE OF THUN. After Turner                 86

    THE MATTERHORN. From a Photograph by Mr. Donkin           98

    ON A GLACIER.                                            116

    RED DEER. After Ansdell                                  133

    CHALK ROCKS, FLAMBOROUGH HEAD. From a Photograph by
        G. W. Wilson                                         152

    MICROPHOTOGRAPHS ILLUSTRATING ROCK FORMATION             172

    THE SKAEGGEDALSFORS, NORWAY. From a Photograph by
        J. Valentine                                         192

    THE MER DE GLACE AND MONT BUET. From a Photograph
        by Mr. Donkin                                        229

    THE ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS IN 1872. From an
        Instantaneous Photograph                             250

    COLUMNAR BASALT AT CLAMSHELL CAVE, STAFFA. From
        a Photograph by J. Valentine                         280

    MONT BLANC, SNOWFIELDS, GLACIERS, AND STREAMS.           312

    MOUNTAIN IN THE YOSEMITE VALLEY.                         336




    ILLUSTRATIONS II.

    Fig. 1. SECTION ACROSS THE WEALD OF KENT AND SURREY.     237

    Fig. 2. THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND ON A TRUE
    SCALE (after Geikie.)                                    237

    Fig. 1. THE RANGES OF THE GREAT BASIN, WESTERN
    STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, SHOWING A SERIES OF
    GREAT FRACTURES AND TILTED MASSES OF ROCK.               272

    Fig. 2. SECTION THROUGH SNOWDON.                         272

    SECTIONS OF MOUNTAIN-RANGES, SHOWING THEIR
    STRUCTURE AND THE AMOUNT OF ROCK WORN AWAY               306




PART I.

THE MOUNTAINS AS THEY ARE.




THE STORY OF THE HILLS.

Part I.

THE MOUNTAINS AS THEY ARE.




CHAPTER I.

MOUNTAINS AND MEN.

    "Happy, I said, whose home is here;
    Fair fortunes to the Mountaineer."


In old times people looked with awe upon the mountains, and
regarded them with feelings akin to horror or dread. A very slight
acquaintance with the classical writers of antiquity will suffice
to convince any one that Greeks and Romans did so regard them. They
were not so familiar with mountains as we are; for there were no
roads through them, as now through the Alps, or the Highlands of
Scotland,--to say nothing of the all-pervading railway. It would,
however, be a great mistake to suppose that the ancients did not
observe and enjoy the beauties of Nature. The fair and fertile
plain, the vine-clad <DW72>s of the lower hill-ranges, and the
"many-twinkling smile of ocean" were seen and loved by all who had
a mind to appreciate the beautiful. The poems of Homer and Virgil
would alone be sufficient to prove this. But the higher ranges,
untrodden by the foot of man, were gazed at, not with admiration,
but with religious awe; for men looked upon mountains as the abode
of the gods. They dwelt in the rich plain, which they cultivated,
and beside the sweet waters of some river; for food and drink are
the first necessities of life. But they left the high hills alone,
and in fancy peopled them with the "Immortals" who ruled their
destiny,--controlling also the winds and the lightning, the rain and
the clouds, which seem to have their home among the mountains. A
childlike fear of the unknown, coupled with religious awe, made them
avoid the lofty and barren hills, from which little was to be got
but wild honey and a scanty supply of game. There were also dangers
to be encountered from the fury of the storm and the avalanche; but
the safer ground of the plains below would reward their toil with an
ample supply of corn and other necessaries of life.

In classical times, and also in the Middle Ages, the mountains,
as well as glens and rivers, were supposed to be peopled with
fairies, nymphs, elves, and all sorts of strange beings; and even
now travellers among the mountains of Switzerland, Norway, Wales,
or Scotland find that it is not long since the simple folk of these
regions believed in the existence of such beings, and attributed to
their agency many things which they could not otherwise explain.

Of all the nations of antiquity the Jews seem to have shown the
greatest appreciation of mountain scenery; and in no ancient writings
do we find so many or so eloquent allusions to the hills as in the
Old Testament. But here again one cannot fail to trace the same
feelings of religious awe. The Law was given to their forefathers
in the desert amidst the thunders of Sinai. To them the earth was
literally Jehovah's footstool, and the clouds were His tabernacle.
"If He do but touch the hills, they shall smoke."

But this awe was not unmixed with other and more comforting thoughts.
They felt that those cloud-capped towers were symbols of strength and
the abode of Him who would help them in their need. For so we find
the psalmists regarding them; and with our very different conceptions
of the earth's natural features, we can but dimly perceive and
realise the