RHONE, ran, a river of Europe which rises in Switzerland, near the east frontiers of the canton of Valais. Its precise origin is com monly said to be in the Rhone glacier, between Mount Furca on the east, the Gallenstock on the north and the Grimsel on the west, feet above the level of the sea; but the natives give the name of Rhodan or Rotten to three springs situated in a single basin at the foot of the Mayenwand, at an elevation of 5,282 feet, the water of which flows with an equal temperature in summer and winter (61° to 63° F.), and these they consider to form the true source of the Rhone. The waters from these springs join the•stream from the glacier at a very short dis tance from their origin. The young river dashes down with great rapidity into the valley beneath, leaping from cascade to cascade; tra verses the centre of Valais in a westerly direc tion, and near Villeneuve enters the Lake of Geneva at its eastern extremity. On entering the lake its waters are surcharged with mud; but on issuing from it, at its southwest ex tremity, at the town of Geneva, it is of a pure deep blue color, soon after changed into a muddy brown by the accession of the glacier born Arve, which joins it one and one-half miles below Geneva. Proceeding southwest to the frontiers of the department of Ain in France, it turns almost due south, forming the boundary between that department and Savoy; then turning suddenly northwest, traces the boundary between the same department and that of Isere and reaches Lyons. Here, having
at least doubled its volume by the accession of the Saone, it proceeds almost due south, sepa rating the departments of Rhone, Loire, Ardeche and Gard on the west, from the department of Isere, Dr6me and Vaucluse on the east. On approaching Avignan it takes a more circuitous but still southerly course, separates the depart ment of Gard from that of Bouches-du-Rhone, traverses part of latter department and finally falls into the Gulf of Lyons in the Mediter ranean. At Arles it divides into two branches, the lesser of which, under the name of old Rhone, flows southwest, forming the west side of the large delta, known by the name of the Ile de Camargue. The main branch, under the name of Grand Rhone, continues its southerly course, but again divides into two branches and enters the sea by two mouths. Its whole course is about 580 miles, of which 200 miles are in Switzerland and 380 miles in France. It is navigable for 360 miles. By means of a series of magnificent canals, the navigation of the Rhone has been continued, without interruption, to the Rhine (through the Saone), Seine, Loin. and Garonne.