UNTERWALDEN, a canton of Switzerland, and one of the three Waldstatten, or Forest Cantous, which began the Helvetic Confedera tion, is bounded N. by the Lake of Luzern, W. by Luzern, S. by the Bernese Oberland, and E. by the canton of Uri. The area is 262 square miles, and the population 25,135. The canton consists mainly of two great parallel valleys, each about 15 miles in length, running from south to north, and terminating on the southern coast of the Lake of Luzern. The eastern valley is drained by the Engelberg As, a torrent which rises in the Sureoen Alps on the borders of Uri, flows by the abbey of Engelberg, and enters the lake below Stanz. Tho western valley is drained by the Samar As, the outlet of the little alpine lake of Lungern, at the foot of the Brunie, near the borders of the Bernese Oberland, and which, after passing through the Lake of Sarnen, enters a bay of the Luzern lake below Alpnach. The lower part of the eastern valley constitutes the district called Nidwald, or ' below the forest,' and the western valley, with the nppor part of the eastern valley, forms the district called Obwald. These denominations relate to the Hernwald, or forest of Kerns. which lies on the borders of the two districts. The Ohwald and Nidwald have formed two separate communities ever since 1150. They both joined Schwyz and Uri in the insurrection of 1308, and when tho first federal union was entered into at Brennen, In December, 1315, Obwald and Nidwald were recognised as forming together one canton, by the name of Unterwalden.
Unterwalden is surrounded, except on the north aide, by offsets of the Alps, which detach themselves from the great central group of the St. Gothard, and divide the basin of the Aar from that of the Reuss. One branch runs along the southern border of the canton, separating it from the Bernese Oberland. Another ridge rune along the eastern part of Unterwalden, and divides it from Un, forming the summits of TREF' (10,500 feet above the sea), Wallenstock, and Rothetock, each above 8000 feet. Lastly, another ()Met of minor elevation runs along the western border of Unterwalden, dividing it from the canton of Luzern. Mount Pilate, (about 7000 feet) is the highest summit of this last offset. In the interior of Unterwalden there are no very high mountains, but the surface of the country consists chiefly of hills and terraces, several valleys, and some tracts of plain bordering on the Luzern or Waldstatter Lake. Unterwalden is chiefly a pastoral country. There are about 12,000 cows, 3000 sheep, 6000 goats, 3500 pigs, but very few horsea. About 20,000 cwts. of cheese are aonually
made. The cheese of Uoterwalden, of the first or best sort, is much esteemed in Switzerland and Italy. The canton abounds with fruit trees : a little bad wine is made. The honey is excellent The canton imports corn, wine, salt, manufactures, and colonial articles; it exports cattle, cheese, butter, timber, and hides. Tho canton is not favourably situated for trade, being confined between the Alps and the lake, with no high road passing through it, and none but mountain passes leading out of it All the native inhabitants who are of age, with the exception of a few heimatAlosen, are members of the landsgemeinde of their respective district, Nidwald or Obwald, each of which has also its own administration. In 1835 there were as yet no prisone: serious offences are punished by fines, corporal punishment, and in certain cases by death. Each of the two divisions of the canton has an hospital and a poorhouse. A dialect of the Swiss-German is the language of the country. The Roman Catholic is the religion of the whole canton. The Benedictine monastery of Eogelberg, a foundation of the 11th century, and possessed of a library of 20,000 volumes and several valuable manuscripts, has been suppressed since the revolution of 1847. Nidwald and Obwald return each one member to the National Council of Switzerland, as they did also formerly to the Swiss Diet.
The principal towns or villages are—Sernen, the head town of the Obwald, on the northern extremity of the hike of Sarnen, has a fine town-honao, with historical portraits of the worthies of Obwald. Sarnen Has also a college, a theatre, an hospital, a poorhouse, a publio school, several churches, and 1999 inhabitants. The arsenal of Obwald is on the bill called Landenberg, where was once the castle and resi dence of the Austrian governors. Stan:, the head town of the Nid weld, situated In a floe plain at the foot of the mountains, has a splendid pariah church with a noble dome, and a fine square before it, with two fountains, and a statue of Winkelried, tho hero of Sempach. The convent of the Capuchins (now suppressed) has a considerable library. The town-house contains several paintings. The population of Stanz is 1S77.
The canton of Unterwalden is one of the most interesting districts of central Switzerland, on account of its historical recollections, and the old simplicity of manners and pastoral habits of its inhabitants.
UPHAIiL [Hamssnutz.]