For some years before that date, the waters
of the Lake of Joux had been inconveniently high, and the people
determined to clean out the _entonnoirs_ and fissures of the Lake of
Brenets, which is only separated from the Lake of Joux by a narrow
tongue of land, in the expectation that the water would then pass away
more freely. In order to reach the fissures, they dammed up the outlet
of the upper into the lower lake; but the pressure on the embankment
became too great, and the waters burst through with much violence,
creating an immense disturbance in the lake; and the Orbe, which had
always been perfectly clear, was troubled and muddy for some little
time. The source of the Loue, near Pontarlier, is more striking than
even that of the Orbe.[25]
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 21: A point common to the two sections, which are made by
planes nearly at right angles to each other.]
[Footnote 22: The dimensions of the two caves, and of the various masses
of ice.]
[Footnote 23: The Cartulary of Lausanne states that the wealthy village
of Biere received its name from the following historical fact:--In 522,
the Bishop of Lausanne, S.
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