Switzerland and Savoy - The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia (2024)

From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

Switzerland and Savoy by (1852) by David Bogue

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BOGUE'SGUIDESFORwitSWITZERLANDANDSAVOY TRAVELLERS20521f 119

BOGUE'SGUIDES FOR TRAVELLERS.I.BELGIUM AND THE RHINE:WITH MAPS AND PLANS.6s.II.SWITZERLANDAND THE ALPS OF SAVOY:WITH MAP.6s.то BE FOLLOWED BYPARIS:WITH RAILWAY EXCURSIONS FROM IT, ETC. ETC.THE GREAT CITIES OF GERMANY:BERLIN, VIENNA, MUNICH, DRESDEN,ETC. ETC.ITALY.1. VENICE AND NORTHERN ITALY.II. ROME, NAPLES, AND SOUTHERN ITALY.THIS new series of GUIDES FOR TRAVELLERS has beenprepared for publication at a moderate price, in the hope andbelief that such compact volumes will be acceptable to theyearly-increasing number of Tourists. Steam, that has placednearly all Europe within reach of the summer holiday-maker,by economizing time and money, has also done another service; it has rendered needless all the old directions aboutpost- roads and cross- roads, post- horses, and tolls, anddrivers' fees and drink-money, and a score of other nuisancesthat in old times made travelling costly and troublesome.Now the Tourist has only to take his railway ticket, at a fixedprice, from civil clerks, and that part of the business is complete. The lines run to all the places best worth seeing, andGuide- Books on the old system are obsolete, with the roadsand villages they discoursed about. It is -to select a homeillustration -no longer necessary to give a history of Brentford and of Hounslow, to while away the time of the traveller along a dusty road to Windsor. And so of placesabroad. A railway and steam-boat Guide- Book is what isneeded, with full accounts of chief places only. This is nowoffered, in the sincere hope that it may be acceptable tothat great patron of all useful attempts -the Public. Anycorrections or suggestions for future editions will be gladlyreceived by the publisher, Mr. D. BOGUE, Fleet Street,London.SWITZERLAND AND SAVOY.1BOGUE'SGUIDES FOR TRAVELLERS.II.SWITZERLANDANDSAVOY.WITH A MAP.LONDONDAVID BOGUE, 86 FLEET STREET.MDCCCLII.(246.j. 67.)LONDON:Printed by G. BARCLAY, Castle St Leicester Sq.HECA

DOMINA NUSITIO LLUMEAEIANCONTENTS.PAGE Preparations for the Journey- Baggage-LanguageInns in Switzerland Guides-Mules Charts-Money-Passports-Choice of Route . · 1-101011• 13Currency of Switzerland Relative Value of Coins Glaciers .151717Routes in Switzerland.Basle to Berne 20Berne to Thun 31Thun 37The Oberland 39Interlacken Interlacken by Lauterbrunnen and the Wengern- Alp to46Grindelwald .48 Lauterbrunnen 50Grindelwald 53Ascent of the Faulhorn 54Lake and Town of LucerneBerne to Lausanne, by FreiburgGrindelwald to Meyringen, over the Great Scheideck The Grimsel, by the Rhône- Glacier and Furca, to St. Gothard •The Hospice of St. Gothard to AltorfLucerne, over the Rhigi, to Arth and Zug Zug to Zürich, by HorgenGeneva and Lake LemanGeneva to Chamonix Chamonix5663 • 74809199 103 114 167 178vi CONTENTS.Excursions from Chamonix PAGE 184Glacier des Bossons • 186Cascade des Pélerins 187Mont BuetThe JardinThe Flegère The ChapeauCoupeau The Brévent Col de Forclaz Col de Voza .Tête Noire Col de BalmeThe Mer de Glace•The Ascent of Mont BlancValley of SamoënsValley of St. Gervais, or Mont Joye Visit to the Valley of Sixt Chamonix to Martigny Martigny to Aosta, over the Great Saint Bernard .Excursion to Riffelberg and Monte Rosa188 189 190 190 192 193 194 196 198 200 202 205 219 222 225 250 • 255Martigny to Brieg, with the Excursion to Monte Rosa 264 • 268Pass of the Gemmi, and Baths of Leuk 275Brieg to Domo d'Ossola 285Brieg to Andermatt 289 Andermatt to Chur 290Chur to Ponte in the Engadine, by the Albula Pass 296The Engadine 299Chur to Splügen 303Coire to Constance by Ragatz, Rheinech, Rorschach,and the Baths of Pfeffers 309Constance to Schaffhausen Schaffhausen to Basle Chur to Zürich Zürich to Basle Table of Distances314 316 321 · 323. 325BOGUE'SGUIDES FOR TRAVELLERS.SWITZERLAND.PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOURNEY.Baggage. The tourist having made up his mind for atrip, has three indispensable things to arrange-his baggage, his money, and his passport. On these points we mayrepeat the suggestions given in another volume. * " As tobaggage, there is a short and golden rule, which is,―Take aslittle as possible. The man of many packages becomes aslave to them. On steamboats, on railways, in seeking innsand on leaving inns, his luggage becomes a source of anxiety,annoyance, and loss."Mr. Albert Smith, whose experience as a tourist every onewill be ready to acknowledge, gives some very shrewd andpractical hints to those who are about to set out for a foreigntrip. He says:-" I must premise, I started with a companion, and we each had a knapsack to carry our things.This latter article cost 11. It was four inches deep, thirteenbroad, and twelve long. A round tin case at the top wasadded afterwards. It was in three portions, for better di-

• Bogue's Guides for Travellers: " Belgium and the Rhine. ”

London, D. Bogue.B2 BAGGAGE.viding the articles it contained, and one of these could turnupon emergency into a sort of saucepan, to go over a spiritlamp which went inside it . It was at times useful for furnishing hot water, when there would otherwise have been adifficulty in procuring it. I contrived to put the followingarticles into my knapsack. It was tolerably heavy whencharged, but I am blessed with broad shoulders and a goodconstitution, and I never felt distressed:66" A coat, waistcoat, and trowsers, of thin black tweed,which were very light, and when folded up could have beenput in a hat. These were for such occasions as might occurwhen something like evening dress was necessary. Theywere made for me by Mr. Astley, of the Quadrant, at a small expense."A pair of light French brodequins."Five shirts: four coloured, and one white-also for greatoccasions."Four pocket handkerchiefs."Two black silk neck-ties."Four pairs of lamb's-wool socks." Comb and brush; with some oil- silk bags for holding soap, sponge, nail, and tooth-brush."A housewife, ' containing pins, needles, and thread ,scissors, and buttons." (These latter articles went in the pocket at the side ofthe knapsack, for ready use. )"In the tin case at the top I had a strange collection ofthings. They comprised a few Seidlitz powders, some laudanum, and a box of Brockedon's compressed soda. I alsotucked in some sticking- plaster, a dozen steel pens, a portable inkstand with writing paper, a box of water- colours,note-books, string, lucifers , and other minor comforts. Whenall these things were packed there was still room for whatfew souvenirs I might collect on the way.66 Mytravelling dress was a blue blouse with useful pockets ,BAGGAGE - LANGUAGE. 3and a broad-brimmed felt hat. I started in a cap, but thesun so caught my face on the Moselle, that I bought the hatat Metz. I had a stout pair of shoes-not too thick, whichis a great mistake; and a kind of pouch to hang at my side,and hold a hand- book or map, block drawing- book, knife, &c."The great advantage of a knapsack-and I speak fromthe experience of several tours made with one-is , that youare so completely your own master. You are dependent uponno porters, mules, or conveyances; you come and go as youplease, and you have always got all you have about you.Your expenses are also considerably diminished. The abovelist may be altered, according to the views of the tourist, butI do not think he will be able to improve it, so as to increasehis comfort." I should state that the tourist should have contrived, insome way or another, to have picked up a little French. Onthe Rhine boats, and in many of the leading Swiss hôtels,English is freely spoken; but it is by no means general,whereas the former language is everywhere understood. Iwould, however, warn him, by all means, against the phrasebooks, which will only lead him into worse difficulties , fromtheir being like printed washing-books-filled up with a lotofuseless things, and all necessities omitted. Ex. gratia: onwishing to inquire for the hour of dinner, the luxuriance ofidiom leads the traveller into thus putting the question tothe landlord: -" At what hour shall we dine? —when is the timefor dining?-what hour of dinner have you? —the dinner hour, when shall it be?'" To which the reply of the host will most probably be, in the book:-" We shall dine at five o'clock—at one—at half-past seven— at two at eight-a little past.' And should the traveller inquireafter the viands to be looked for on table, in a simple ques- tion, the answer will most probably be:-' Nous avons duMONEY.lapių, des pigeons, du bœuf, des cotelettes, du filet, des rognons,des lentilles, et du fromage.' This is only equalled by the billof fare in our old spelling-book-we forget the name of theauthor, but it was the one which contained the exciting domestic legend that commenced Tom fell in the Pond.' Afew pages after, there was a dialogue about dinner, and thequestion being May I have some meat?' the answer wasNo; you shall have some peas, and some beans, and somecarrots, and some turnips, and some rice-pudding, and bread.'6" I have a Tourist's Companion ' in four different languages, which I take to be one of the finest practical jokesgoing. I can imagine no situation more embarrassing thanthat of a traveller, thrown upon a desolate hôtel, with no othermeans of procuring subsistence than this work afforded. "Money. The Continental tourist may, as regards money,safely rely, wherever he may go, upon the currency of English sovereigns and Bank-of-England notes. Should he think itunwise to carry with him as much as he may deem requisitefor the trip, he can, before his departure, obtain circular notes of 101. each, or a circular letter of credit. This is done bypaying a sum of money into the London and WestminsterBank, the London Joint- Stock Bank, the Union Bank of London, or into the banking-house of Herries, Farquhar, andCo.; Glyn and Co.; or Coutts and Co. The tourist is thenfurnished with two papers, authorising him to receive, at dif- ferent towns on his intended route, the cash he may be entitled to and require. Two papers are given, lest one should be lost; and the traveller should carry one of these in hispocket, and the other in his baggage, to lessen the liabilityof both being lost together.A Passport is a thing less easily arranged. For a tripbyway of Belgium and on the Rhine, an English passport is wanted; ifthe route be by railway through France, a Frenchpassport is required. The following are the last regulations on this subject:-PASSPORT.OFFICIAL " REGULATIONS RESPECTING PASSPORTS. "FOREIGN OFFICE, Feb. 20, 1851.-Notice is hereby given,that on and after Saturday, the 22d instant, passports willbe issued from this department, according to the followingregulations:-1. Applications for Foreign- office passports must be madein writing, and addressed to Her Majesty's Secretary of Statefor Foreign Affairs, with the word " Passport" written uponthe cover.2. The fee on the issue of a passport is 7s. 6d.3. Foreign-office passports are granted only to Britishsubjects, including in that description foreigners who havebeen naturalized by Act of Parliament, or by certificateof naturalization granted before the 24th day of August,1850; in this latter case, the party is described in the passport as a " Naturalized British subject."4. Passports are granted between the hours of twelve andfour, on the day following that on which the application forthe passport has been received at the Foreign Office .5. Passports are granted to persons who are either knownto the Secretary of State, or recommended to him by someperson who is known to him; or upon the written applicationof a banking firm established in London.6. Passports cannot be sent by the Foreign Office to persons already abroad. Such persons should apply to the nearest British Mission or Consulate.7. Foreign- office passports must be countersigned at theMission, or at some Consulate in England of the Governmentof the country in which the bearer of the passport intends to visit.8. A Foreign-office passport granted for one journey may be used for any subsequent journey, if countersigned afresh bythe Ministers or Consuls of the countries which the bearerintends to visit.PASSPORT.A passport obtained as above will carry the travellerthrough Prussia, without any visé from the Prussian embassyin London.If the traveller have no banker, the easiest way, perhaps,of obtaining the requisite recommendation to the ForeignOffice is to obtain a circular note of a banker, who will givethe necessary line of introduction to the Passport Office.The Foreign Office will, it is to be hoped, make English pass- ports more readily obtainable. It is absurd to ask for abanker's reference for leave to make a summer holiday onthe Rhine, and in Rhenish Prussia an English passport isabsolutely requisite. To travel in Belgium alone, a Belgianpassport is of course enough, and that may be obtained atonce, for 6s. 6d. , at the Consul's office, 52 GracechurchStreet, between the hours of eleven and four; where also otherpassports are visé for 1s. 3d. To travel through Belgium andup the Rhine, the English traveller must have an Englishpassport, visé by the Belgian Consul, the total cost of whichwill be 7s. 6d. for the passport, and 1s. 3d. for the visé. AFrench passport may be quickly and cheaply got at theFrench Consulate, King William Street, City.As a rule, a passport is not asked of the traveller inSwitzerland; but on returning by Germany, or proceeding to Savoy, Italy, Austria, or France, such attestation will be foundindispensable. In this case the passport must also bear the signature of a minister or consul of the country which is to be entered. It will be advisable to obtain this signature, ifpossible, before the commencement of the journey; but whenthis precaution has been neglected, the omission may be re- paired either in Berne or Lausanne. Berne is the usual residence of all the representatives of foreign states ac- credited to the Swiss Confederation, except when the Great Federal Council, which sits by turns at Berne, Zurich, or Lucerne, is in session at one of the latter towns. The or- dinary residence of the Sardinian Minister is at Lausanne.CHOICE OF ROUTE.Passports are visé at the Austrian Embassy in Berne only,between the hours of ten and twelve A.M. At Lausanne thepass must be visé at the Sardinian Legation, if the travellerbut wish to cross the Simplon; for this he will have topay four francs. If the name of the country to be entered isnot found in the passport as originally drawn, the minister of the traveller's state will have to be consulted before thenecessary visé can be obtained. It often happens that one orother of the passport- offices at Berne is closed for days together, on which account it is well to send on to Bernea passport not strictly en règle, either to some friend or aninnkeeper, who will do what is necessary.The traveller going from England by way of the Rhinewill act most wisely by getting an English passport at theForeign Office, Downing Street, and then having it viséd insuccession by the Prussian Ambassador, in Carlton Gardens ,and by the Belgian Consul, 52 Gracechurch Street.Route. After the cash, the passport, and the baggagehave been arranged , the next question for decision is -Whichis the best route? For those who do not suffer from sea- sickness,steam -boats offer a passage direct from London to Ostend or Antwerp, and go up the Rhine to Switzerland. The latterhas its recommendations for those who have much baggage.Steamers are also ready to carry such as please from Ramsgate to the Belgian coast. Both these, however, shouldbe regarded as exceptional routes, suited chiefly to certain classes of travellers. The regular highway between Englandand Belgium and the Rhine, is by Dover and Ostend-thewaythe mails go. The quickest route through France is by the South-Eastern and Boulogne and Amiens Railway toParis; thence by railway to Strasbourg and Basle. Anotherroute is byrail to Châlons, and thence by diligence to Geneva or to Lausanne.The tourist when at Paris may also go thence by theStrasbourg line, as far as it is open towards the latter city,8 CHOICE OF ROUTE.and then by rail to Basle. But by this route there is atpresent a long and dreary space to be travelled, by thedearest, and dirtiest, and most tiresome of diligences. Indeed, until the railway lines are completed, Switzerlandcannot be reached from England through France withouta long stage by diligence-a thing always to be avoided, ifpossible, by those who travel for pleasure and health; when considerations will enter into the traveller's decision inchoosing the road to Switzerland, all of which may moreor less influence him in proportion to his continental experience. If he has never been abroad before, or seldombefore, he may safely adopt one rule. It is this: Better gofifty miles round by railway than venture upon the track ofa diligence. Hence, when visiting Switzerland for the firsttime, it is best to go by railway to Cologne; then by steamup the Rhine to Mayence; thence by railway to Basle.It will afford an idea of the cost of this route, to quotehere the tariff issued by the South-Eastern Railway. Travellers may purchase, at the Booking-offices of that Company at London Bridge Railway Station, Through-Ticketsas follows: London to Cologne, vid Calais, first- class,31. 6s. 4d.; second- class, 21. 7s. 8d. London to Cologne, vidDover and Ostend, first- class, 37. 5s.; second- class, 21. 8s. 3d.;performing the journey to Cologne in about twenty- onehours."Tourists who wish to avoid the salt water and its sicknessas much as possible, may go by way of Dover and Calais.By so doing, the sea passage is reduced to less than twohours, whereas by Dover and Ostend it is always four hours,and generally more. Going by way of Calais, the tourist passes through Lille.The route by Ramsgate is sometimes adopted, on thetheory of a short sea-passage to Ostend, but is not to berecommended, as the time of leaving Ramsgate is regulatedby tide, and unless tide at Ramsgate and tide at OstendLUGGAGE.both suit each other, the tourist may be detained , and loseseveral hours and much patience, both places having tidal harbours. *On landing at Ostend, the traveller who has too muchluggage begins to find out the mistake he has made-bythe increased expense on rail, increased porterage, and alsothe need for a Commissionnaire to get it through the littleCustom-house quickly. The employment of a Commissionnaire at the Ostend Custom-house is not unwise, if there beladies and much luggage: he opens your boxes for you, tellsyou the weight in English, says what you have to pay, andsaves much trouble. If you have a sac de nuit only, suchassistance will not be requisite.When going direct to Belgium by way of Calais, baggageis not examined by the Custom- house officers, but merelyweighed, ticketed, and deposited in the train , for search atthe Belgian frontier. The steamboat lands the traveller closeto the Calais station, where he will find a good refreshmentroom, and close to that (in the same building ) the desk wherepassports are visé. Calais, like Ostend, is not a place toremain in longer than absolutely requisite. The Calais innkeepers have a reputation for extortionate charges.The carriage of much luggage virtually doubles the tra- veller's fare on all Continental lines. The baggage isweighed, and in Belgium every ounce above twenty kilogrammes (about forty-four pounds) rigorously charged for.Aticket containing a number is pasted on each article, and acorresponding one is given to the owner, and at the end ofthe journey great is the bustle, noise, and confusion, whenEnglish travellers are numerous, and English portmanteausand carpet- bags are in course of delivery to their respectiveproprietors. Luggage must be at the station a quarter of anhour before the departure of the train.When about to depart by railway, the traveller will find all

• Bogue's Guides for Travellers: "Belgium and the Rhine. "

10 LUGGAGE - INNS.66his baggage taken possession of by the officials attached tothe station, who, as already stated, paste separate numberedtickets on each trunk, &c. , giving the owner a correspondingly numbered ticket, with the name of each article of baggage (as " malle," sac de nuit," &c. ) . On no account shouldthe traveller take into the carriage with him any box, parcel ,or bag, unless it is thought desirable to carry any slight refreshments. Any package taken into the railway-carriagewill be taken from its owner as he passes out of the Belgianinto the Prussian territory, and although quite safe, it isdifficult to obtain again: in fact, the owner may be detaineduntil all the other baggage is examined before he can getsuch packages restored to him.INNS IN SWITZERLAND.Switzerland has, probably, some of the best inns in theworld. The Three Kings at Basle, the Schweizerhof atLucerne, the Hôtel Baur at Zurich, are great establishments, replete with all that can yield convenience and comfort.But the smaller houses are, as a rule, to be esteemed good,while really bad inns are very rarely met with. The usualcharges at the larger establishments are: Beds, from 2francs (French) upwards; dinner, at one, with wine, 3francs; at four, 4 francs; breakfast, with tea, coffee, bread,butter, and honey, 1 franc in the Speisesaale, or salle àmanger, and 2 franes in a private room; wax- candles, 1franc; servants, 1 franc. It is not usual to sup à la carte;at least, it is not cheaper than to order a supper,In the smaller houses, the customary charge for a bed isfrom six to ten batzen; breakfast, four to six; and dinner,with wine, twelve to fifteen batzen, Candles are not set downin the bill, and the item, " servants," figures at three or fourbatzen; the charges here are thus one-half those of thegreat houses. In the following pages particular notice isINNS GUIDES. 11taken of these smaller and moderate-priced inns . No fixedrule can be given respecting the choice of houses of publicentertainment; at many of the large houses the travellerwill be treated as liberally, and may live as cheaply, as inthe smaller inns . The specific information given furtheron under each town will, it is hoped, render the absence ofsuch a rule of less consequence. As a general remark, itmay be noticed that the prices charged to the travellerdepend in no small degree upon his own comportment.He who, travelling with heavy coffers , arrives at an hôtelwith great bustle and importance, finds the viands and winenot to his taste, is dissatisfied with his bed and chamber,has a hundred wants, and sets the bell ringing for each,must not complain if, in the end, he has much to pay.For a traveller of this kind the prices in the list first quotedare probably not too high. But did innkeepers generallyrightly understand their own interests, they would not claimof the unostentatious traveller the franc now charged forlights, and would leave the reward of their servants to the discretion of their guest. What a man consumes he willingly pays for, especially when it is good; but to charge asmuch for lights as would fairly pay for a bed is a downrightimposition. However, such as the world is the travellermust take it, and not lose his cheerful temper because everything is not just as at home.GUIDES.In mountain excursions the assistance of a guide is allbut indispensable. Most of the Swiss guides are experiencedand well-informed men, and thoroughly acquainted with thecountry and people. Thun, Interlacken, Lucerne, Arth,Zug, Martigny, and Chamouny, are their principal stations.All the villages on and near the mountain passes also supplyguides for those particular districts . The usual pay of aguide, out of which he maintains himself, is four, five, and,12 GUIDES MULES.in the height of the season, six ( French) francs per diem,besides which they will expect one franc for trinkgeld. Inaddition to this they demand payment, at the same rate,for the days required for their return to the stations, unlessthey have an opportunity of making an engagement withsome tourist going their way. They are bound to carry fromtwenty to thirty pounds of luggage, and stand wholly at theiremployer's disposal; so that they answer, in the course of ajourney, the purpose of interpreters, porters, and servants.Meanwhile, a guide is no slight addition to a Swiss excursion. To those, however, who are rather accustomed to consult convenience than to count their francs, a guide is to bestrongly recommended. The tourist, thus escorted, sees bythe way a hundred things of which the best maps give nointimation, and if of a genial, sociable disposition, picks uppleasantly a little cyclopædia of local and historical information, besides getting a better insight of the character of thepeople. The little services of an attendant, such as washingthe feet with Kirschwasser, looking after linen, &c. , have tootheir worth, when one arrives tired at the resting- place.When two, three, or more tourists journey together, theproportional cost of travelling is considerably lessened, onlyit is to be remembered that the guide is not bound by theordinary terms of engagement to carry more than thirtypounds weight of luggage. When the quantity of this isgreat, it is preferable to hire in common a horse or a mule.In districts much travelled the man who accompanies theanimal will often know the way as well as a guide. Lads,quite competent to point out the way, and who may be hadfor half the amount of the guides' wages, are to be met within many a well- frequented route; as, for instance, the Rigi,and the Bernese Oberland. Such lads, however, shouldonly be engaged whenthe luggage is ofvery moderate weight;with heavy loads the boys want to rest so often, that more is lost in time than is gained in money.GUIDES -CHARGES -CHARTS. 13- The regular guides are paid five or six batzen per houror stunde, when engaged for less than a day their returnpay is included in this payment. The traveller requiring aguide for only a few days should exhibit bis luggage, andthen demand of the guide for how much he will conducthim, and carry his articles—say from A, by B to C- maintenance, return pay, and every other expense included, whether the journey occupy more or fewer days. In this wayone avoids disputes, which would otherwise arise upon numerous occasions; e. g. detention for half a day or more byrain, when the guide would not fail to charge for the timeduring which he had been hindered; or again, in the case thata journey is made in two days, which had been estimated at athree-days' march, when the guide would expect three days'wages. A fair-dealing guide will soon come to an understanding with a reasonable traveller upon such a footing as this;one who will not should be avoided. In selecting a guidea stranger will, as a rule, do well to consult the opinionof the landlord, whose good fame is, to a certain extent,pledged not to deliver up his customer to a rapacious plunderer. To be sure, host and guide have, for the most part,common interests, and judge that one good turn deservesanother. Usually, moreover, the guide pays nothing in the inn. Where everything is charged by a fixed tariff, such anarrangement is the business only of the host, but in smallerhouses, or in places where only a breakfast or luncheon istaken, the traveller, whether he know it or not, will pay for his attendant.CHARTS.An accurate map is, before all things, indispensable to thepedestrian. Keller's " Road Map of Switzerland," whichhas borne away the palm of renown for the last thirty years, is still the most accurate and minute of generalmaps. The Zürich edition of the map should be procured, as14 CHARTS.worthless imitations are printed at Paris and Milan. Gall'sMap, published by Faesli and Co. , at Zurich, is on the samescale (1: 600,000) . That by Worl, published at Freiburgby Herder, in twenty sheets, is on a much larger scale( 1: 200,000 ); and the glaciers, snowy mountains, roads andpaths, having their distinctive colourings, present a very picturesque view of the Swiss country. It wants, however, thatexactness which one has a right to look for in a chart of itssize. A fine map is now in course of construction by theOrdnance engineers of the Confederation, but only a fewsheets have appeared. The establishment of Faesli andCo. , of Zurich, is particularly rich in a choice of maps, views,&c. , of Switzerland.46 If you have a companion, so much the better, supposingthat your views in travelling, your tastes and strength, aretolerably matched without this, better that each pursue hisown path. Two companions are enough for a journey ofthis description; three present at least this recommendation, that there is always a casting vote; four may travel together, but are apt to fall into two distinct parties; five isout ofthe question. " -LATROBE.Ebel says, " In Switzerland every circ*mstance combinesto give the advantage to the pedestrian tourist. The traveller a-foot is dependent on no one's convenience or caprice, butenjoys a freedom in harmony with the scenes and countryvisited. His equipment permits him to use a conveyance for shortening a dull route; while it leaves him free to climbwhither neither car nor mule can reach. The magnificentviews to be enjoyed in Alpine regions are not to be reckonedup, labelled, and examined like the pictures or minerals in amuseum: they are innumerable, and, through the changes oftheatmosphere, ever shifting; thus he who is not at full liberty at any moment to make the most of his opportunities will becontinually losing the objects ofhis journey. All tourists have not the health or time to travel in this free and healthfulWEATHER - COINS . 15manner, butto those who have both, a noble and inexhaustiblefield of recreation is open."Fair weather is the first condition of a pleasant visit toSwitzerland, whose celebrities and attractions all lie underthe open heavens. " The months in which fair weather ismost to be depended on," says Ebel, " are July, August, andSeptember; and from these, therefore, should the periodbe selected for traversing the Alpine routes; which, moreover, are scarcely free from snow before June." On the 13thof July, 1843, a fall of snow took place which rendered theroutes of the Rigi and the Bernese Oberland impassable forsix or eight days; and on the 23d of August, 1845, a heavy falloccurred on the Scheideck. These, however, are exceptionalinstances . As a rule, the snow has vanished from the Rigiand the Bernese Oberland by the beginning of June. The choicest season for a tour in Switzerland lies between themiddle of July and the middle of September. In Southwestern Switzerland, the Pays du Vaud, and the canton ofGeneva, the months of September and October are often thefinest of the year; the purity of the air and serenity of thesky then combine to render the autumn a delightful season.MONEY.The currency of Switzerland is in a state of complication and confusion to the traveller, more hopelessly unintelligibleand entangling than even that of Germany. It were in vain to enter into the multifarious modes of reckoning of theseveral cantons, and it is the more unnecessary, as in nearlyall the districts visited by travellers the stranger is, or maybe at his request, charged in French francs, which will bereceived in payment of his bill. Should he, however, come into possession of any of the cantonal coins, he will dowell to employ them all before proceeding to the next littlestate, where they may not be found current.16 COINS.In the western half of Switzerland, Geneva excepted, calculations are made in Swiss francs, divided into ten batzen,or 100 rappen. It must be impressed on the memory thatthe Swiss franc has a value equal to one franc forty- eightcents, or, more practically, one franc and a-half French currency; oversight of this distinction leads to perpetual mistakes and surprises in bargains and agreements, very amusing except to the losing party. The Swiss franc isequivalent to about 1s. 2d. English , and the batz to threehalfpence. The common Swiss coins are the half franc,or five-batz piece, the batz, half-batz, and rappen. The halfand whole batzen are very difficult to distinguish, on accountof their almost equal weight; the first have usually a stroke drawn under the lettering.In the north-easterly parts of Switzerland, the cantons ofAppenzell, St. Gall, and the Grisons, the twenty- four guldencurrency of Southern Germany, namely, the Bavarian florin of20d. divided into sixty kreutzers, constitutes the circulatingmedium. The zwanziger belongs to this system of coinage; itrepresents twenty- four kreutzers, and is therefore of about fourfifths the value ofthe French franc, and equal to six batzen. Itwill be found very useful in trinkgeld ( drink- money, the nameofa common gratuity) , where afranc must otherwise be given ,and is, moreover, current throughout German Switzerland.For the sake of completeness, notices of the peculiar coinageof Ticino and the smaller cantons will be given in the bodyof this work where those localities are particularly described.The French gold coins of twenty francs, Napoleons, aregladly seen by innkeepers and tradesmen throughout Switzerland; they are exchanged for fourteen Swiss francs, and constitute the most convenient and advantageous moneywhich the traveller can carry, whether in Switzerland orUpper Italy. A Table showing the relative value of coinsmay be found useful for purposes of reference.COINS -GLACIERS . 17NAMES OF COINS.- France, francs and centimes.— Germany,florins and kreutzers. — Prussia, thalers , silbergroschen,and pfennings. - Austria, in silver, florins and kreutzers.-Holland, gulders and cents . Switzerland, francs,batzen, and rappen.000 12 1 4000000OOOHHHRD∞0R01-10 1. 0England.£France and Belgium.Switzerland. Germany. Prussia.S. d. Frs. Cts. Fr. Btz. Rp. Fl. Kr.0 0Th. Sgr. Pf.1 0 13 00 2130 31 0 42 0 62 409 1 00 10 1 4 711 1 14 710 1 250 1 2 1 51 10 0 18 2 13 1 42 60 13 0 3 80 55 6 25 4 18 10 0 60 10 0 12 50 8 21 15 10 10 00 0 25 0 16 504181WROZOTKIH1808OT122HOTO+ VI620801 00 0 101 00 10 0 2 50 12 3 30 17 4 11 0 27 7 92 0 30 0 8 29 0 32 0 9 07 0 35 0 9 100 42 0 11 10 7 1 0 0 16 10 7 5 1 13 0 20 6146 1 0 04 2 56 1 19 31 4 41 2 18 10 5 51 3 8 77 4 3 29 25 11 42 6 17 3GLACIERS. -M. Ebel's work states that there may be in Switzerland at least 400 glaciers, ranging from three or four to between twenty and thirty miles in length . The depth,he says, is in some only 100 feet, but in many it is 600 or 700 feet. It is difficult to form an estimate of the ground actually covered by all the glaciers in Switzerland. M. Ebel computed that the aggregate area could not be much less than 130 square leagues, or about 1400 square miles. The origin, structure, and movement of these enormous masses of ice have engaged very much of the attention of scientificmen during the last twenty years, and opinion is yet divided,C18 GLACIERS.on those subjects. The natural object which comes nearest in resemblance to the glacier is the iceberg of the Polar Sea.Indeed the iceberg itself must have formed part of a glacier.There is this difference, however, that the glaciers which form icebergs end in valleys which reach to the sea, or, at least, are open to it, while the glaciers of Switzerland terminate on dry land. The glaciers which come down from the Alps ofSavoy, Switzerland, and the Tyrol, on reaching the warm districts below, melt off, and form the Po and the Rhône,the Rhine and the Danube. The glaciers of the polar valleys find their way into cold seas, melt slowly, and are broken off by tides and currents. A little observation issufficient to show that at a certain elevation-in Switzerland,8600 feet above the sea level-the mountains are coveredwith perpetual snow, and also that above another level, less constant, snow falls in greater or less quantities during nine months of the twelve. The accumulation resulting is sogreat that immense masses of snow are constantly falling from the higher ridges into the upper valley of the Alps.Piled one over another in elevated valleys, these massesbecome partially melted by the heat; but as they are too large to be entirely dissolved in this process during the brief warm season of those high regions, they last until winter comes on, and then freeze into a mass, whose consistency Professor E. Forbes has likened to that of thick mortar, but which varies according to the exposure of the valley to the sun. Any one who has watched the formation of an iciclependent from a snow-covered roof, has seen the very pro- cess by which the glaciers of Switzerland have been formed;only, in this instance, the body of melted snow congealed is so small that it passes at once from the viscous to the solid form; whereas in the glacier the semi-fluid condition is retained. As all the high valleys of the Alps are greatly inclined the mass has a tendency to move down the bed of the valley, which is well lubricated by running streams that per- colate from the melting surface of the ice. Winter andsummer, although slow and varying, a certain advance is made by the huge accumulation. The movement is greatest in the centre of the mass, and the top moves faster than the bottom. To an observer the movement of the glacier is imperceptible, even in the height of summer; abundant proofs of the fact, however, present themselves, one of the mostROUTES IN SWITZERLAND. 19striking of which is the manner in which the enormous snout of the mass ploughs up the ground before it. Pro- fessor Forbes states from observation, that the motion of the Mer de Glace during summer and autumn is as great asfour feet in twenty-four hours in some places, and only eight or nine inches in others .The surface and fissure of glaciers are determined by the nature of the ground on which they lie. In continuousvalleys which have but a gentle inclination they are also con- tinous, and present but few fissures . On the contrary, whenthey descend a steep incline, and their bed is very unequal,their surface is covered with crevasses and elevations which look like the billows of the ocean. During the winter a profound silence reigns among the glaciers; but when the air becomes warmer, and as long as the summer lasts, a strange sound is heard, often like that of distant thunder, caused by the ice breaking across from side to side, and a sort of slightearthquake sensation is experienced. Whenthese sounds are heard several times in a day they are regarded as a sign of fair weather. The crevasses, which form daily and hourly in the summer, are the chief sources of danger on the glaciers.ROUTES IN SWITZERLAND.THE traveller, having reached Basle by Belgium and the Rhine, will do well to adopt the following as the best route for seeing the Oberland, &c.: -Basle,Berne,Thun ,Interlacken,Wengern- Alp,Grindelwald,Faulhorn,Meyringen.Lauterbrunnen,Extending his journey he may, with the most satisfactory results, go from Meyringen to The Grimsel Hospice Over the Furca, toRighi,Arth ,Zug,Hospital, onthe St. Gothard, Zurich,Altorf,Baden,Lucerne,Berne.20 BASLE TO BERNE.Having made this circuit the traveller will have seen all the best features of the Oberland, and certainly will have ob- tained an acquaintance with the most charming, as well as some ofthe grandest features of the unrivalled scenery of Switzerland. Captain Basil Hall says, " I may fairlystate, for the satisfaction of those whose travels are limited to Europe, that in everything constituting either that striking interest which astonishes for the moment, or that which comes so strongly home to the reason and the ima- gination as to endure for ever in the memory, the Alps bear away the palm from every other." This scenery by the route here indicated will have been seen, and the travellers bemade acquainted with the real " lions " of this charming land.To see Geneva requires a much more extended journey,but those whose time or inclination limit their Swisswanderings should fill up the outline thus indicated, as for the space travelled they will be well rewarded.There are,of course, other and longer tracts, all of which will be here- after set forth.BASLE TO BERNE.BASLE. Inns.-The Drei Könige, on the Rhine, excellent (bed, 2 francs; dinner with wine, 3 francs; breakfast with honey, 1 franc; service of the hôtel, franc; candles, 1franc) . Storch, near the Post office ( bed, 1 and 2 francs;dinner with wine, 3 francs; breakfast with honey, 1 franc;service of inn, franc). The Wilder Mann, in the town,and the Kopf und Krone, on the Rhine, are good and mode- rate houses. The Bär, in Lesser Basle, on the right hand,is yet cheaper.Cafés.-The Casino, on the right bank of the Rhine, near the bridge. The Drei Könige has a café.Baths. The swimming and bathing establishment near the Minster, entrance from the terrace, called the Pfalz.Warm baths at Sigmund's, Holzach's, &c.Diligences.-At the Post- office will be found diligences for Berne, both by the Münsterthal and by Soleure, for Lucerne, Zurich, the Aarau and Schaffhausen.Railways.-Basle is connected with France by the Alsace railroad, and with Germany by that of Baden. The journeyBASLE TO BERNE. 21to Strasbourg may be made by either. That of Baden is admirably regulated, and leads through the delightful scenery of the Black Forest. Travellers returning from Switzerland by the Alsace line can escape the annoyance of the French customs' officers by taking the early express train for Strasbourg, and proceeding at once by the Rhine steamer. The other trains halt at every station, and are two hours longer on the road.Newspapers in great number are to be seen in the Reading- rooms near the Minster, open from 11 to 9.Strangers are admitted upon their request.Carriages. -Voituriers are to be engaged for a day, ora longer period. Grehm is one of the principal of them.Brunner, a respectable man, at the Schwanen, No. 146 , has agood team, and drives for 12 francs daily, travelling charges included.BASLE, the capital of the canton of Basle- town, is a town of 26,000 inhabitants, of whom 4000 are Catholics . The greater portion of the town is built on the left bank ofthe Rhine, and is connected with Klein, or Lesser Basle,on the right bank, by a wooden bridge 630 feet long. Its position, at a point where the frontiers ofGermany, Switzer- land, and France meet, is greatly conducive to commercial prosperity, and has rendered it the wealthiest and most flourishing town in the Swiss Confederacy.During the fifteenth century, Basle stood in the height of its pre- eminence as the most powerful of the Imperial free cities on the Upper Rhine ( it was not admitted into the Helvetic Confederation until 1501 ) . At this period two events of great importance to Switzerland, and memorablein the older history of Europe, occurred; the first of these was the great ecclesiastical council of that date; the second,the heroic death of 1400 Swiss at St. Jacob of the Birs. Thedeliberations of the Council, which were attended by 500 ofthe clergy, began on the 14th December, 1431 , and had for theirend " the restoration of peace and unity to Christendom ,the adjustment of the Hussite differences, and the general improvement of the Church." But, before all things , the Assembly sought to establish the principle that the autho- rity of the Council was greater than that of the Pope, on which account Pope Eugene IV. pronounced its dissolution,and the excommunication of its members; the latter, in22 BASLE TO BERNE.return, publishing the deposition of Eugene, and electing Duke Amadeus VIII. of Savoy, in his stead. After acontest of seventeen years, during which many bulls hadbeen issued, the Council dissolved itself in 1448, and acknowledged Nicolas V. as Pope.The Battle of St. Jacob, the Thermopyle of the Swiss,took place on the 26th of August, 1444. Count Armagnachad collected in France a large army of adventurers, with whom the Dauphin, afterwards Louis XI. , marched against the Confederates, and appeared before Basle at the head of 30,000 men. The Swiss were posted at the mountain fast- ness of Farnsburg, about sixteen miles from Basle. In thelanguage ofthe patriotic historian , Zschokke, -" As now word was brought to Farnsburg that the enemy lay in the fields ofMünchenstein, not far from Basle, 900 men of the garrison and 600 who had newly arrived there marched out to seek them. At daybreak, they found before the village of Pratteln many thousand Armagnacs, who drove them back in murderous combat into the trenches at Muttenz, and out of the trenches into the waters of the river Birs. From the towersof their city the people of Basle saw the little Swiss army driven back before the superior might of the enemy.3000 men of Basle marched out to join the Swiss, andbring them into the city; but they narrowly escaped being cut off themselves, and were forced to return within theirwalls. The Confederates swam across the Birs, and reachedthe opposite shore, where the enemy stood in force, and thundered with their artillery against them in vain. Again and again the Swiss threw themselves with fury upon the innumerable host of their foes. Their little force wasbroken and divided, yet still they fought; 500 maintained the contest upon an open meadow, the rest behind the garden wall ofthe Siechenhaus of St. Jacob. Wrathful as lions, they fought in the meadow till man after man fell dead upon the corpses of numberless enemies. At the garden wall the battle raged just as fiercely: three times they repelled the assault, twice they made a sally. At last the wall fell: the Siechenhaus and chapel were set on fire. The Confederates, to the number of 1300, died like heroes; but theFrench, with their horses, from Pratteln to St. Jacob's, fell by thousands and thousands. There stood the Dauphin still pon the field, and would venture no further, for he heardBASLE TO BERNE. 23་that the Confederates had come out of the stronghold of Zurich to bring against him their whole might. I will pro- voke this obstinate people no further,' he cried; and , full of reverence for so much bravery, he met them at Ensisheim,and concluded a peace." At the burial-place of the heroes,not far from the town, on the road to Berne, a Gothic column was raised in 1824, in memory of their deeds. The village of St. Jacob itself, with the former Siechenhaus, lies about half a mile from the memorial. A marble tablet wasplaced in the church in 1844, bearing the inscription, " Our souls to God, our bodies to the enemy! Here died unconquered, but exhausted with victories, 1300 Confederates and allies, in conflict with French and Austrians, August 26,1444." A red wine produced in the vineyards of Wahlstadt,not far from the field of battle, is called " Swiss blood . " The young men of the singing-unions and rifle-clubs celebrate the event every year by their vocal and military fêtes .The Minster, or Cathedral, occupies the first place among the sights of Basle; its red sandstone walls and two towers rising picturesquely before the eye on every approach to the town. The church was built by Henry II. in 1010, in the Byzantine or Round-arch style, common at that period. In 1356 an earthquake shock destroyed a portion of the old structure, which was re-edified in the Gothic or Pointed style. The remarkable northern portal, the St. Gallen- Pforte adorned with statues of Christ and Peter, with a representation ofthe Wise and Foolish Virgins, belonged to the earlier edifice, as also did the crypt under the choir, the nave, and the curious and wonderful caricature sculptures on the frieze, capitals, and chapiters. The choir and side-gables show the blending combination of the Byzantine and Gothic styles. The west front under the towers, with the chief portal and two side- entrances, belongs to the thirteenth cen- tury, and has rich Gothic sculptures and statues, -St. George and St. Martin, mounted; four figures of unknown kings ,and three females. In the gable stands the Holy Virgin,Henry II., and St. Kunigunde; on the tower, four French kings, and the Wise Men ofthe East.The interior of this venerable building was despoiled of its fairest ornaments bythe iconoclastic zealots of the early por- tion of the sixteenth century; it contains, however, a considerable number of good specimens of antique wood carving,24 BASLE TO BERNE.as well as the memorial of the famous Erasmus of Rotterdam, on a pillar to the left of the communion- table; another ofthe Empress Anna, wife of Rudolph of Hapsburg, and her son, in the choir. The pulpit as well as the fount is of stone.The nave is divided from the choir by a Gothic screen,executed in 1381. The first alone is now used for divineworship, while the second is employed as a school- house.The former episcopal throne in the choir is converted into apulpit.A staircase leads from the choir to the council- chamber, in which, during the session of the great ecclesiastical Council of1459, one of the five committees held its deliberations, -theCouncil itself assembling in the body of the cathedral. The chamber is so far worthy of inspection, as that it is seen in precisely the same state in which it existed four hundredyears ago. The sacristan resides just opposite the chief entrance. The gratuity which he customarily receives forshowing the church is three or four batzen from a single visitor, and for a party more in proportion . On the south side of the choir are several spacious and picturesque clois- ters, built severally in 1362 , 1400, and 1487, and which formerly connected the cathedral with the episcopal residence.For several centuries they have been used as a burial- place.The memorial of the reformer, Ecolampadius, is found among the many sepulchral monuments of the place; and the names of the old patrician families of Basle, Merian,Passavant, and Burckhardt, are encountered on every hand.These walks, the favourite resort of Erasmus, extend asfar as to the terrace behind the Minster, named the Pfalz,after an imperial palatinate which once existed here. It rises from the Rhine, to the height of seventy- five feet, is planted with chestnut trees, and coinmands a delightful view ofthe Rhine and the dark heights of the Black Forest. To the left is the large bathing establishment, and above it are the Reading- rooms.In the narrow street leading from the Minster platz to the bridge over the Rhine a Museum of the fine and useful arts has lately been built, a great building, with some good re- liefs on the frieze emblematical of art and industry.The University Library is contained in a back- lying build- ing called Zur Mucke, in a corner of the square in which stands the Minster. In this building a conclave of theBASLE TO BERNE. 25Council of Basle was held , to elect Pope Felix V. The library numbers from 40,000 to 50,000 volumes, with 4000 manuscripts, among them one by Erasmus, in Praise of Folly,with marginal embellishments by Holbein; writings by Luther, Melancthon, Zuinglius, and others.The Romish antiquities are chiefly from Augst, about six miles from Basle. In the small picture- gallery the works of the younger Holbein, found here in greater number than in any other collection, are pre- eminent. Holbein is stated to have been born at Basle 1498, and died 1554; twenty- six of his pictures being in this gallery. For that of the " Sacred Passion " ( No. 8) , an animated picture in eight compartments, the Elector Maximilian of Bavaria vainly offered, in 1641, the price of 30,000 florins. The portrait of Erasmus ( No. 18 ) is one of Holbein's best. Other portraits are ( 15 ) of the learned printer, John Froberius; ( 16 ),Schweizer, the artist's friend; ( 17 ) , Ammesharb, his patron; ( 12 ) , Holbein's Wife and Children; ( 19 ) , Burgo- master Meyer and his Wife; ( 7) , A Dead Christ, said to have been drawn after a drunken Jew; ( 10 and 11 ) , of aLady, inscribed " Lais Corinthiaca;" ( 13 and 14) , A School,painted in the fourteenth year of the artist's age as a school- master's sign- board, and used for several years at Basle.Besides these a number of sketches by Holbein are shown,among which are his own portrait, heads of the Burgo- master Meyer's family, designs for his famous picture in the Dresden Gallery, and others for the family picture of Sir Thomas More. There are also some fresco fragments of the celebrated Dance of Death, with a coloured series of all the figures painted on the walls of the Dominican Church before they were pulled down in 1805. These pic- tures , which are well known all over the world by litho- graphic copies, have been erroneously ascribed to Holbein,but they were probably painted in 1439, in memory of the plague. A new oil - painting of the battle of St. Jacob, by Hermann Hess, is worth examining.The Rathaus, in the market-place, was built in 1508, in the so-called Burgundian style, which is encountered so fre- quently in the Netherlands. The structure has a pleasing aspect. The frieze displays the arms of the three primitive Swiss cantons-Uri, Schwytz, and Unterwalden; then the arms of Basle, a bishop's crook and a fish-hook; and below,20BASLETOBERNE.on the left, a religious procession of children . The passages in the interior are embellished with frescoes, the work of Hans Bach and his son ( 1609 ) . The frescoes by Holbein,formerly in the hall of the Grand Council, have disappeared;the walls and roof, however, present some droll wood- .carving, some of which represent the hares rising in a most revolutionary manner against the sportsmen and dogs.These works are by Giger, and were executed 1608. In the small hall at the foot of the stairs stands a statue of Munatius Plancus, said to have been the founder of the Roman Augusta Rauracorum, and also of Basle.The Arsenal lost the best portion of its antiquities when the canton was divided into Basle-ville and Basle- campagne.Besides the arms of the Basle federal contingent, it pos- sesses only a very few specimens of ancient armour; among these, however, is the coat of mail worn by Charles the Bold at the battle of Nancy.The gates, bastions, watch-tower, and ditch of Basle are kept in good order, though of little or no value in a military point of view.The Spahlenthor, built about 1400, is a fine specimen of a city gate. The Fischmarktsbrunnen and the Spahlen- brunnen, with the figure of the bagpiper, after Durens' well- known design, are worthy examples of middle-age architec- ture. The same may be said of the Byzantine arcade in the St. Alban's convent. The former church of the BarefootedFriars, which at the beginning of the thirteenth century boasted the highest choir in the valley of the Rhine, is now in ruins, and is used as a warehouse.A curious memorial of the local feuds of which one continually hears in the neighbourhood of the Borders existed until recently at Basle. This was the Lalenkönig, often mentioned in the Folks-books of the middle ages. A tower stood on the left bank of the Rhine, near the bridge, havinga clock, from above which a wonderfully carved human head of colossal size projected. A long tongue was thrust out of the mouth of the figure, which being connected with the machinery of the clock, wagged derisively with every beat of the pendulum in the face of the people of Little Basle,on the opposite side of the river. The figure was originally set up to commemorate the failure of the Klein-Baselers to surprise their neighbours in the dead of night. TheseBASLE TO BERNE. 27on their part replied by setting up another figure, which stood with its back to the Lalenkonig in a most insulting attitude. The figure, with the tower, was removed in the year 1839.Two routes conduct from Basle to Berne; the one, theshortest, by Soleure ( or Solothurn ) , the other by the Mün- sterthal, the most interesting. The tourist who visits thediligence-office to secure his place is almost certain to bebooked for Soleure, unless he particularly specify his desireto travel by the other route, the demand for places throughthe Münsterthal being always briskest, while places for the conveyance of travellers by the less attractive road are at adiscount.The distance from Basle to Berne, vid Biele ( Bienne) ,thus through the Birs, or Münsterthal, is twenty-fourstunden. Diligences run twice a-day, in sixteen hours, fare9 (Swiss ) francs 2 batzen. A voiturier is two days in performing the distance, and stays a night in a good house at Dachsfelden.The Roman road connecting Aventicum (now Avenches,or Wiflisburg) , then the capital of Helvetia, with the greatmilitary post of Augusta Rauracorum, led through this valley.Opposite Reinach, a few miles out of Basle, on the right bank of the Birs, are seen several old castles; among them,at Arlesheim, Schloss Birseck, the former seat of the Bishop of Basle, with charming prospects and gardens. Further on is Dornach, where, on July 22, 1499 , 6000 Swiss gained a victory over 15,000 Imperialists, the last great conflict of the Suabian war. The Golgotha is to this day full of the skulls of the fallen. In the church of the village reststhe body of the mathematician Maupertius, who died in 1759. Schloss Augenstein, a stately old structure, whichprojects from a copse directly upon the road, is to- day the property of a citizen of Basle.At Aesch the Birs leaves the Jura mountains, and thetraveller finds the landscape fairer as he presses onward in this pleasing route. As the valley grows narrower, the bold rocks which crown the heights take forms suggesting fortresses and battlements, while the slopes which they overhang are covered with firs . The valley retains this28 BASLE TO BERNE.conformation as far as Delsberg, where it again opens into a basin.On the route is Pfeffingen, lying on the northern declivity ofthe mountain called the Blauers. The boundary of the cantons of Basle and Berne is at this village. At Grellingen the Birs, narrowed between rocks, forms a pretty waterfall.Further on is Zwingen, with an old castle; Lauffen, a post- ing-station (inns, the Kreuz and Sonne) , at the junction of the Lusel and the Birs.SAUGERN ( French Sohière) is a very old village, plea- santly situated. On the right bank of the Birs, upon a lofty and well-wooded hill, which commanded the entrance tothe valley opposite, is seen the Schloss Vonburg. Here the valley opens. The post-road deviates to the right and passes through Delsberg ( French Délémont; inns, the Bärand the Kreuz) , a posting- station, with a country seat of the former Prince-bishop of Basle. Our road, however,leaves Delsberg, lying at a small distance on the right, and now shortly begins the Münster-thal proper in a wild and deep gorge.From Delsberg, diligences run daily by Mont Terrible to Pruntrunt ( Fr. Porentrui ) , formerly a residence of the Bishops of Basle, and thence to the French frontier. Excur- sions may be made southwards from Pruntrunt to the wild,romantic bank of the Doubs; on the north-west, to thecastle of Morsperg ( Fr. Mormont) , and Pfirt ( Ferette) , with fine views of the plain of Alsace and over the Vosges. Just in the narrow valley of the Münsterthal is Rennendorf ( Fr. Courrendlin; inn, Hirsch) , with considerable iron works,supplied with a peculiar red and granular ore from the neighbouring mountains.At Roche, the Jura has been rent by some violent convulsions of nature, so that the rocks stand perpendicularly on each side, allowing the Birs free passage between. The defilesuddenly expands, and in a wide and fruitful valley is seen the fine old village of Münster ( Fr. Moutiers Grandval; inn,Krone) , named after its collegiate church, which was founded in the seventh century by St. Germanus, a native of Trèves.The sacred edifice is rapidly progressing to ruin, and the village contains about 1300 inhabitants.To pedestrians, the ascent of the Weissenstein from thisBASLE TO BERNE . 29point is to be recommended. The ascent takes about four hours, and is better made from here than from Solothurn,the more usual point de départ, as the fine prospect is re- served as a surprise for the traveller on reaching thesummit, instead of stealing upon him imperceptibly, and being lost in the toils of the journey. The way leads over the Birs, just above the entrance to the Münsterthal, and follows the course of the Rauss through the villages of Til- fenbach, Granfelden, and Cremine; it then bends to the right into a very steep and wild defile, at the end of which lies Gansbrunnen ( Fr. St. Joseph) , with a good inn at the northern base of the Weissenstein, and about an hour's journey from its summit.About three-quarters of a mile behind Münster, the road again leads through a romantic and fir-clad gorge, animated by the rushing Birs. From Court, a steep footpath, practicable only in summer, leads over the Monto ( about two hours' walk) , which commands a fine prospect, like that of the Weissenstein to Peri, on the road to Biel (Fr. Bienne) ,between Souceboz and Batzingen. The post- road keeps the chief valley through the villages of Surbelen ( Fr. Sorvillier) ,Bevillard, Malleray, and Rockweiler ( Fr. Reconvillier; inn,Goldnerlöwe) , to Dachsfelden ( Fr. Tavannes; inns, Krone and Kreuz) . The Krone was entirely destroyed by fire, Sep- tember 18, 1846, when seven travellers perished in the flames.A good half-mile from Dachsfeld the Birs takes its rise; the road, however, does not pass by the source, but leads up asteep valley, and at a distance of about three-quarters of amile conducts to a natural rocky gate or archway, about forty feet in height, which upon several occasions has been strengthened by art, and employed as a fortress. The open- ing is called Pierre Pertuis ( Petra Pertusa, or Porta Petrea ),and was known to the Romans, as is proved by the remains of an inscription on the north side of the rock, which is thus restored:-NUMINI AUGUSTORUM VIA FACTA PER SITUM DUNNIUM PATERNUM(DUUM) VIRUM COLON. HELVET.(This way was opened by Titus Dunnius Paternus, ruler of the Helvetian colony, under the protecting care of theEmperor. )80 BASLE TO BERNE.The gate formed, at this point, the boundary between the Raurracian and Helvetic provinces, afterwards the bishoprics of Avenche, Lausanne, and Basle.SONCEBOZ ( inn, Krone ) , a village in the Erguel-thal ( Fr. Val. St. Imier) . From hence a good road, about ten stunden (or hours' walking ) , and daily travelled by diligences , leads up this valley to Neufchâtel, and also to La Chauxdefonds.The Erguel- thal is distinguished in Switzerland for its pas- toral riches, and the industry of its inhabitants, who produce large numbers of watches, and much lace. The road to Bielfollows the course of the Scheuss ( Fr. Suze) through thevillages of La Hutte, Peri, and Renchenette, and passes close by the ruins of the old episcopal castle, called Rond- châtel,which once commanded the road. From the last slope ofthe Jura, near Biel, a noble prospect opens, extending over the wide district watered by the Aar, and Emme, and the Zihl, the lake of Biel, with St. Peter's Isle, beyond whichthe snow- covered Alps lie, forming a crescent of sixty leagues, from Vierwaldstatter to the Lake of Geneva.At Botzingen the road debouches again upon the plain.BIEL (inns, Jura, without the town; Krone; and Kreuz ) ,lies at the base of the Jura, not far from the lake of thesame name, and was from 1250 to 1798 an independent freecity, with walls and gates. The gate still displays the civic arms, two axes; Biel, in old German, signifying an axe. The road from Biel to Neufchâtel, on the western bank of the lake, leads to St. Peter's Island, celebrated as the residence ofRousseau in 1765. Steam- boats ply from Biel to Neufchâtel.The Gestler, with one exception the highest mountain on the Jura, being 5460 feet above the sea level, and 3616 above the lake, may be ascended from Biel, and in favourable weather affords a fine prospect. The mountain rises by a series of three acclivities, and is on the southern side studded with numerous villages, and covered with verdure.A carriage- way of four stunden and a half leads almost to the summit, where there is an inn. The view, like that from Wiessenstein, extends over a great portion of western Switzerland, the Black Forest, and the Vosges.Beyond Biel, the road to Bern crosses the Scheuss , then the Zihl, which flows out of the lake of Biel, and after acourse of about three miles falls into the Aar. Before Nidan(inn, Bär) , on the outlet of the Zihl, lies an old castle, sur-BERNE TO THUN. 31mounted with lofty towers, formerly the residence of the lords of Nidan, and now tenanted by an official of the canton of Berne.At Belmont, a pleasing view is obtained of the lake and the St. Peter's Island. On an eminence to the right, and in a fir-wood, is an obelisk to the memory of the Swiss who fell here in 1798, fighting with the French.AARBERG (inn, Krone) is a small town of some strategetic importance, built upon a rocky headland, and at high- water wholly surrounded by the waters of the Aar. Only one road passes through the town, and this at its entrance and exitis carried over two covered bridges. Near the church is the old Schloss of the Counts of Aarberg, who, in 1531 , sold their manorial rights to the Bernes.Passing Seedorf, Friensberg (where in an old Cistercian convent there is now a Deaf and Dumb Institution ) , May- kirch, Ortschwaben, and Neubrucke, where a covered bridge stretches over the Aar we reach Bern.BERNE TO THUN.BERNE. Inns.-Falke, good; Krone; Distelzwang (bed,from 14 French franc; dinner, 3 francs; breakfast, 1 franc) .The Mohr and Affe, near the Post-office, are good houses,and moderate in charges. The Schmiedenzunft and Webernzuft, on the other side of the Post-office, are very cheap houses; as is also the Bär, a corner-house to theleft of Katigthon . The Hôtel des Boulangers , a new house,good. •Cafés. In the Hôtel de Musique, to the left of the clock- tower, the best; Café de la Post. Breakfasts and suppers very good at the coffee and eating-houses of Du Mont, over the bridge. The two little bow- windowed houses on the platform, near the Minster, are open at one P.M. as cafés: good ices at three batzen the glass.Baths at the Aar Island, at one French franc.Passports.-The foreign ministers accredited to the SwissConfederation usually reside in Berne, with the exceptionof the Sardinian Ambassador, who dwells at Lausanne.When the Federal Diet is sitting at Zurich or Lucerne, the ministers follow it thither. The Austrian minister visés passes only between the hours of ten and twelve A.M. Dili-32 BERNE TO THUN.gences run daily to Aargau: to Basle, both bythe Münster..thal and Solothurn; to Geneva, through Freiburg andLausanne; and also through Neuchâtel, to Lucerne; to Thun; to Vivis; and to Zurich.The old capital of Berne lies on a semicircular height,embraced by the Aar, and contains about 24,000 inhabitants.The houses, built from base to roof of good free- stone,strike a stranger by an aspect of great strength, and their flights of stone- steps and long arcades suggest their Bur- gundian relationship . A long street runs through the whole length of the town, and forms, with its parallel streets, the heart of the city. The gates now open to the suburbs, but formerly marked the limits of Berne. No manufactures are carried on here, as at Zurich and Aargau,the natural advantages of the canton drawing capital off toagriculture, and the patrician spirit of the town helping to disfavour such pursuits. The entire aspect of Berne, the capital of the canton, and indeed of Switzerland, is sombre,not to say gloomy. The social spirit of the city, moreover,is peculiar, exclusive, and out of harmony with Swiss cha- racter. In Zurich and Vaud, public men mingle with thecitzens in coffee houses, and other places of general resort.They are not unmindful of their origin, and do not seek to invest themselves with patrician superiority unsuitable to the magistrates of a democracy. But in Berne the de- scendants of the old nobility have inherited their spirit.They isolate themselves from the people; they never appearin public places, and avoid all opportunities of meeting the people. Hence, heart-burnings and émeutes led, in 1848, to a revolution, followed by the proclamation of a new consti- tution; and even the new government has had to encounter continual perils.The freedom of the city of Berne costs no less than three thousand francs. In return , every citizen receives a hundred francs per annum as interest, together with wood for hishousehold. The aged poor are provided for in a fine burgher hospital.For the traveller, the most important feature in Berne is the view ofthe Alps of the Oberland, obtainable under favour- able circ*mstances from the terrace near the Minster. Theterrace itself is an artificial platform, 108 feet above theAar, which rushes directly below the spectator. The view ofBERNE TO THUN, 33the mountains is most beautiful at sunset, but the peculiar atmospheric conditions on which it can be commanded are of very inconstant character. If, however, the sky be clear, fortunate indeed is the spectator. Six of the most celebrated of the Bernese peaks, the Wetterhorn ( on the east) , next it the Schreckhorn, then the Finster-Aarhorn, the Eiger, the Mönch, the Jungfrau, the Gletscher- horn, the Mittaghorn, the Blumlis Alp, rise before the view, and with the Niesen and Stockhorn in the middle distance, reflect the rays of the declining sun in a thousand combinations of the most delicate hues. Besides this view, the principalobjects to be seen in Berne are-The Minster; The Church of the Dominicans, now a parish church; The Church of the Holy Ghost; The Library; The Museum, or Cabinet of Natural History; The Hall of Antiquities; The Picture Gallery, near the Military Hospital; The Hôtel de Ville;The Bear Garden; The Arsenal; The Mint; The Ob- servatory.The Bear, of whose name the word Berne is the middleold German equivalent, is in especial favour in this city,which has its effigy for its arms; and either in living bodily presentment, carved on public buildings or on coins, hisfigure is perpetually recurring to the eye. The Bears-ditch,just without the Aarburg gate, is a menagerie of these animals, which has been maintained at the public charge for centuries. In the revolutionary wars the French took away the bears to Paris, and their restoration was one ofthe first cares of the citizens upon the return of more peaceful times. On a fountain in the Street of Justice, the cantonis represented in a militant attitude by the effigy of a bear in knightly armour, with sword and belt, and banner in paw.Another fountain has a bear attending a cross-bowman in the capacity of his squire.The Minster is a fine specimen of Gothic architecture.It was built in the period 1421-1457 , and had for one of its architects the celebrated Erwin of Steinbach, so often mentioned with regard by the historiographers of the middle ages, and known to the Rhine tourist as the builder of Strasbourg Cathedral , to which this minster is not unlike.On the principal or western portal are several sculptured designs and groups, one of which represents the Last Judgment, and another the Wise and Foolish Virgins.D34 BERNE TO THUN.The interior contains the memorial of 700 Swiss, who fell in 1798 fighting against the French.Anotherobject which may reward the traveller of Strasbourgis the clock in the Zeitglockenthurm, or clock-tower, which stands between two other old watch- towers in the JusticeStreet. Just as the hour is about to strike a wooden figureof Chanticleer makes his appearance, and crows twice with a great flapping of wings. Another puppet strikes the houron a bell, and forthwith a number of bears emerge from theinterior of the clock, and pay their duty to an enthroned figure, who at every stroke opens his mouth and inclineshis sceptre.The Museum of Berne deserves a most honourable mention, and is not to be classed with the common, miscel- laneous, and often-increasing collections to be found in somany continental towns. It is truly a repertory of what- ever is characteristic in the natural history of Switzerland.Here are specimens of the lämmergeyer, or lamb-vulture,with the exception of one species the largest of birds , and building only in the highest mountains of the Alps. The highly-interesting geology of Switzerland, on which ourcountryman Forbes has bestowed so many years of suc- cessful study, is amply illustrated in the geological and mineralogical departments of this museum, as well by fossils and minerals as in a series of plans in relief. The bearmeets one again in the zoological department, stuffed spe- cimens of the animal, from the size of a kitten to that of the full-grown quadruped, being here carefully preserved.The distance from Berne to Thun by the direct road on the right bank of the Aar is rather over five stunden, or about seventeen English miles. Diligences leave Berne twice in the forenoon and once in the afternoon. Fare: cabriolet,18; interior, 15 batzen. The road on the left bank, i.e.to the right of the river in going, offers prettier prospects,but is two stunden longer than the other. A fourth diligence starts for Thun by this route at noon. A cheaper conveyance (personwagen ) than these leaves Berne at halfpast five A.M., and returns in the evening. The market- boat, which leaves Thun daily for Berne, and makes the passage of the Aar in about two hours, has few conve- niences, but may at a pinch be a serviceable conveyance,especially to pedestrians: the fare is 4 batzen. A deckedBERNE TO THUN. 35boat from Thun to Berne may be had for 30 French francs.A voiturier charges for the land journey 18 French francs and trinkgeld; he has no right to charge back- fare by this route. A Thun voiturier returning thither may be engagedfor 10 or 12 francs.Leaving Berne by the customary route, the traveller as- cends the hill of Muri- Stalden, and can now look down intothe deep valley of the Aar, whose azure waters announce their origin among the pure glaciers of the Hautes- Alpes.Presently Berne disappears, and the vicinage of the Aar is only recognisable by the hoarse murmuring of the stream.At the distance of a mile from Muri- Stalden the way diverges ,one road leading to the Emmenthal, the other tending di- rectly to the Oberland. At the egress from the grove of trees, through which the high-road leads, the view becomesmore rural; the villas of the citizens occur at longer intervals,and are separated by small woods, farms, and houses, with thatched roofs. About two minutes' walk from the churchof Muri, a road leads to the right of the highway; a point from which the artist Aberli has taken one of his mostcharming landscapes. The way leads between a few houses right up a hill, which may be climbed in five minutes.When the ground is not sown, the stranger may ascend as far as to the two lindens, which cross its summit, and enjoy a wide and delightful view.Following the road, the Aar is again seen on the right;and beyond it, at the foot of the Belpberg, the great village of Belp; behind which again the Laengenberg is seen,whose gently-inclined slope had been hitherto concealed by the Gurten. From Muri the road is continued, almost on alevel, between pasture-lands, orchards, and fields, as far as Allmendingen, where it rises gently and intersects a small wood. On the left is a small eminence called the Höhullin,whose summit bears traces of human operations of a veryremote antiquity. In the neighbourhood of Allmendingen are found the remains of a temple, where the Druids offered their sacrifices. From Allmendingen as far as Thun, the view on the left of the route is of a commonplace character,and limited, with the exception of some occasional vistas,through one of which is seen Gümlingen. Further on the eye penetrates the pretty valley of Diessbach and its green36 BERNE TO THUN.pastures; and near Thun, the village of Steffisburg may be discerned.From Rubigen, a hamlet where now only one sad solitary house is standing, the road leads to Münsingen (inn, Löwe) ,a parochial village, which has several times been burnt down,-a fact to which it owes much of its present beauty. It wasat Münsingen that was held, in the spring of 1831 , the great popular assembly, which wrested the cantonal government from the oligarchy, and established the existing present more democratic constitution. The village is situated oppo- site the Belpberg, and at the foot of the Haube; a hill, on the slope of which lies the little village of Heutlingen. The road now passes by Wichtrach, Heimberg, and Neuhaus toKiesen, through a well- cultivated country. A pretty château,surrounded with hives and acacias, crowns the gentle height at this latter place, and some new well-built houses lie at its base. The clear stream of the Kiesen, issuing from the smiling valley of Diessbach, becomes suddenly visible, and runs close to the road . Above the village of Diessbach,situated in a fertile and well- watered valley, between the mountains of Kurzemberg and Bucholterberg, is the steep rock of Falkenfluh. To the south of the Falkenfluh, and nearer to the road, the rock called Heimbergfluh rises, andforms with its fellow the powerful bulwarks of the Emmen- thal. The scenery now changes, and the route enters asombre region of forests, which forms the entrance to the district of the Heimberg, which extends as far as Sulg. The forests traversed, the country opens again to the right, towards the Bünberg; on which are seen the houses of Thunerges- chreit. Further on, Eichberg, Uetendorf, and Burgistein riseinto view. In this part of the journey the thickly- scattered rural dwellings, chiefly those of substantial farmers, sur- rounded with neat gardens, give an idea of agricultural pro- sperity, and agreeably diversify the landscape. Near theextremity of the Heimberg, a pretty valley opens on the east, and ascends at a gentle inclination as far as to the plateau of the Schwarzenerb. The mountain itself starts suddenly and perpendicularly from the plateau. The Sulg or Salg, a wild torrent, precipitates its waters from the moun- tain to the bottom of a pebbly ravine. It takes its source among the heights of Segriswild and Mont Blume. TheBERNE TO THUN. 37masses of the Stockhorn and the Niesen now appear, and engross attention by their imposing aspect, The first rises to the height of 6760 feet, the second 7340 feet above thesea level. Entering Thun the traveller enters the Oberland.Inns. -The Bellevue is not only the best in Thun, but one of the best in all Switzerland. It stands on the borderof the lake, near the steam- boat landing- place. The quiet,dignified tone prevalent in the establishment, assimilates it rather to a private mansion than to a hôtel.Its gardens are as large as many a baronial castle, and in them is a chapel, where the English service is performed.These gardens are situated on the slope of a height, and by winding paths the visitor may ascend to Jacob's Chapel, fromwhich there is a beautiful prospect over the lake. Messrs.Knechtenhofer, the proprietors, have another inn near the Bellevue, the Bateau- à-Vapeur, at which the boat lands passen- gers, and also a pension: at these houses the visitors may be well entertained, at lower charges than at the chief establish- ment. The Freyenhof and Falke, Kreuz and Krone, are fair second-class houses. The pensions are mainly supported byEnglish visitors, who flock here in considerable numbers,and are provided with everything for five francs a-day.THUN, placed in the vestibule of the Oberland, uniting thesublimity of mountain scenery with the softer parts of the country which stretches towards Berne, is one of the most picturesque spots in all Switzerland: the town is full of cha- racter and reminiscence, while its environs present a perfectminiature of Oberland scenery. The older and chief portion of the town is cramped and crowded. Some of the streetsremind an Englishman of the rows in the city of Chester,there being a kind of terrace, about ten feet high, on each side, by which the shops are gained; the carriage- way passing between what are, in fact, the cellars of the houses. The Aar flows here clear as crystal, in two separate streams, one ofwhich intersects the town, while the other laves its external walls. The ancient church stands on a height overlookingthe most delightful scenery: the town, with its outlying gardens and pretty country- houses, lies beneath the spec- tator; the gigantic Niesen and Stockhorn back the view,and the tranquil lake reflects the whole picture from its clear surface.From the pavillon of St. Jacob, the ascent to which is rather38 BERNE TO THUN.steep, almost the same objects are seen, but the view is more extensive. Seats are now placed at intervals on the steep,which render the ascent more easy.The Bæchi-Holzi offers, at every turn, agreeable surprises and vistas, some of which extend as far as to the distant glaciers. On a fine evening, at sunset, the spectacle is sublime. The best point for enjoying this scene is at a seat on the margin of the little wood, and which bears the in- scription, " Repose et Jouis ," and the following lines:—"Avec leurs grands sommets, leurs glaces éternelles,Par le soleil couchant, que les Alpes sont belles!La verdure, les eaux, les bois, les fleurs nouvelles,Tout dans leurs frais vallons sert à nous enchanter.Heureux qui sur ces bords peut longtemps s'arrêter!Heureux qui les revoit, s'il a pu les quitter! "Penetrating the wood, and continuing the promenade by the side of the Hunnibach, a quarter of an hour's walk by a romantic path brings one to a cascade, formed by the stream, which having forced for itself a passage through amass of rocks , precipitates its waters with much noise intoa wild- looking cavern. Returning to the town, the stranger,by crossing the Aar, may admire the pretty grove of the Schadan, where the lake presents its fairest aspect. Apleasing promenade, passing before the old chapel of Scherzlingen, leads to the gates of Thun.On the opposite side of the town, and on the right bank of the Aar, is the richly-shaded walk of the Schwabis. Seatsare found here, from which numerous agreeable views of the neighbouring mountains may be enjoyed.Numerous agreeable drives, each of which would suffice to make the reputation of an ordinary town, may be taken from Thun. The chief of these are to the following localities.Thieracken, which, situated on a hill over against Thun,offers a most extensive view. The foundation of its churchdates from the 10th century. At the Muhlemmattvoisin five tombs of a very high antiquity were found in 1767. When the weather is serene, not only the distant glacier may be seen,but also the spires of ten villages.Asmoldingen, placed on the same hill , but more in arrear,is a pleasing village on the little lake of the same name.The old château and its promenades are exceedingly picturesque. The ruins of the château of Jadgberg are seenTHE OBERLAND. 39mirrored on the lake. In 1809 an old house was taken downhere, when numerous Roman remains were discovered.The road to Wimmis, at the entrance of the Simmenthal,offers a succession of fine views. Wimmis itself lies onone side of an undulating plain, rich in every kind of fer- tility, and bounded by lofty mountains on three sides . Behind, and on either side, the hills are covered to their very summit with wood, and rise in picturesque forms to the height of six or eight hundred feet. The Simmen runs close to the village, the houses of which are white and detached.The church here was built by the Transjuran king, Rodolph,in 932. The château, built on a very high rock, is surrounded by a tower. In returning from Wimmis to Thun, the road to Spiez-Wyler should be taken.Histerfingen is a pretty Bernese village, agreeably situated between the lake, vineyards, and orchards. The presbytery of the old church, founded by Rodolph of Strattlingen, pre- sents a pleasing view of the lake.Agreeable as are Thun and its environs to the tourist, it is chiefly important as the portal of the Bernese Alps, which compose what is calledTHE OBERLAND.The word Oberland, in its most extensive sense, is appliedto the whole southern part of the canton of Berne. It commences at Thun, being at first bounded by the Gurnigheland Emmenthal; from these it opens with a fan-like configuration to the south, where the height of the mountains increases, as far as to the frontiers of the Valais, from whichit is separated by the Hautes - Alpes and their immense fields of ice. It is contained on the eastern side by the cantons ofLucerne, Unterwalten, and Uri, and on the west by those ofFribourg and Vaud. Independently of the valley of Sarine,which opens on the side of the last canton, and that of Bellegarde, the greater part ofwhich is in the territory of Fribourg,the Oberland is composed of four great valleys, running from north to south, and whose waters, as well as those of theirramifications, fall into the lake of Thun. The most westerlyof these valleys is the Simmenthal, which forms a kind of crescent between the chains of the Niesen and the Stockhorn. It is, as its name applies, drained by the Simme,which falls into the Kander. To the east of this valley, that40THE OBERLAND.of the Kander, also the name of an impetuous stream , which traverses its entire length, and along which the path of the Gemmi lies . The two valleys unite in the western bank of the lake of Thun, and there form a fine campagne covered with villages , and meadows of the richest verdure. The twoother valleys open to the south- west, near the commence- ment of the lake of Thun, and form the true Oberland. Itis here that nature has lavished her beauties with unsparing hand to form one of the most charming regions of the world.Of the two valleys, the more eastern is that of Hasli, which follow the course of the Aar; the other is traversed by the Lütschine, and divides into two branches, which form the valleys of Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. Their united waters join those of the Aar, in the pretty dale of Bædeli,and fall with them into the lake of Thun. The principalmountains of this region are the Finster- Aarhorn (Peak of the Black Eagle ) , 14,106 feet above the sea; the Jungfrau(Virgin) , 13,718; and the Schreckhorn ( Peak of Terror) ,13,386 feet above the same level.The routes in the Bernese Oberland have undergone considerable change within the last few years, owing to the steam boat service on the lake of Thun, the new roadfrom Thun to Interlacken , and the new auberges on the Wengern-Alp, and on the summit of the Faulhorn.The following plans of excursion into the Oberland will assist the tourist in adjusting the extent of his wanderings to the time at his command: -TOUR OF THREE DAYS.First Day.-From Thun by steam- boat, at six A.M. for Neuhaus; thence, at a quarter-past seven, for Lauterbrunnen,seven miles; visit the Staubbach, half a mile distant, at ten,at which hour it is seen to most advantage; then to WengernAlp, fourteen miles, but five hours' walking and climbing;where stop and see the Jungfrau in the evening, or go on to Grindelwald, a descent taking three hours.Second Day. -Leave Grindelwald early; see the upper glacier; dine at Meyringen, seven hours' walk; see the Reichenbach, and sleep at Brienz.Third Day.-See the Giessbach; get early to Interlacken, athree-hours' walk; visit the environs; depart from Neuhaus at four P.M., and arrive at Berne at nine of the same evening.THE OBERLAND. 41TOUR OF FOUR DAYS.First Day.-As in preceding route, to Wengern- Alp.Second Day.-To Grindelwald, thence to the Faulhorn,and there sleep.Third Day.--Dine at Meyringen; see the Reichenbach;sleep at Brienz.Fourth Day.-As the third in preceding route.TOUR OF FIVE DAYS.The three first days as in preceding route.Fourth Day.-Ascent of the Kerchet, Brienz, the Giess- bach; sleep at Interlacken.Fifth Day. Visit the environs of Interlacken, return at four P.M., and leave Neuhaus for Berne.TOUR OF EIGHT DAYS.First Day.--See the environs of Thun, and sleep at Inter- lacken.Second Day.- Continue the inspection, ascend to the ruins of the castle of Ringenberg, and to Lauterbrunnen to sleep .Third Day.-To Trachsellanonen, thence to the Steinberg,and sleep at the Scheideck.Fourth Day.-To Grindelwald, and in the afternoon to the Faulhorn.Fifth Day.-By Rosenlaui to Meyringen.Sixth Day.-To the Hospice of the Grimsel.Seventh Day.-Return to Meyringen.Eighth Day.-Return to Berne.The views from the Lake of Thun combine grandeur with beauty in a more complete degree, perhaps , than any other in Switzerland. On leaving Thun, the voyager has on hisright hand and left scenery of a soft and gentle character,enlivened with pretty villas and gardens; but the north bank soon becomes precipitous , while on the south, the two giant guardians of the Simmenthal, the Niesen and Stockhorn,thrust, the first a huge pyramid, the second a sharp,horn-like termination, upwards to the sky. The background of the picture is formed, to the south- east by the Mönch,the Eigher, the Jungfrau, and other Oberland mountains,which overtop the more proximate Abend and Morgen bergs.The Kander, whose embouchure is seen on the right soon42 THE OBERLAND.after leaving Thun, formerly flowed into the lake by a cir- cuitous course, and, for want of higher banks, often over- flowed the country. In 1714, however, a channel was formed,by which its waters were led directly into that of Thun. At present this canal bears no traces of its artificial origin ,except in the straightness of its line. About six miles downthe lake the waters attain their greatest depth, and the Oberland mountains are seen as soon as the " Nose," a promontory on the south bank, is passed. On the north bankis seen the pretty village of Merlingen, with its population ofvine- dressers and boatmen. Merlingen is the Boeotia of the Oberland, and many curious tales of its inhabitants are current in the surrounding valleys. Further on, and on the same side of the lake, is the Grotto of St. Beatus, under which the finest of the many cascades about here falls into the lake. The curious in legends have only to open theirears to the many eccentric performances of the saint in the cavern and on the lake. The village of St. Beatenberg is close by, and has a population of 800.Neuhaus, at which the steamer disembarks her passengers ,serves as the port of Interlacken. Until lately it consisted of but one solitary hostel; a few houses have now been built on the margin of the lake. It is, however, no resting- place, and the tourist may at once commence the tour of the Oberland ,availing himself, if he pleases, of the carriages, horses,guides, porters, &c. , which he will find waiting in abundance,or go on to Interlacken, a distance of two miles, traversed by an omnibus on the arrival of every steamer: fare, 1 franc.Carriage hire here, and at Interlacken, is regulated by anauthoritative tariff of charges, the chief items of which follow:-From Neuhaus to Interlacken, with 1 horse ( einspäning) , 2 French francs; 2 horses ( zweispäning ) , 3 francs.From Neuhaus, or Interlacken , to Grindelwald and back on same day, 1 horse, 9 francs; 2 horses, 18 francs. ТоLauterbrunnen and back same day, 1 horse, 6 francs; 2horses, 12 francs . To Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald andback same day, 1 horse, 10 francs; 2 horses, 18 francs. FromBrienz to Meyringen and back, 1 horse, 6 francs; with 4sons, 7 francs; 2 horses, 12 francs. If the carriage isout a night, the half of these sums isto be paid in addiBesides a trinkgeld, the traveller has nothing furtherTHE OBERLAND. 43to pay. A horse or mule costs, with a man or lad to ac- company it, from 6 to 9 francs per diem; from Grindel- wald to the Faulhorn and back, 9 francs; to the Glaciers, 2francs; to the Eismeer, 4 francs .The following schemes of routes exhibit the variousmodes of reaching the most noted scenery of the Oberland.The distances from point to point are expressed according tothe Swiss and German custom, not by any definite measureof length, but by stunde, or hour's walking. The stundevaries, according to the nature of the ground, from 3 to 2English miles. The letter m represents minutes ' walking.1. FROM INTERLACKEN TO MEYRINGEN,by Brienz, 6 stunden.Aarmühle InterlackenBridge over Aar .Voyage on the Lake to Brienz Tracht ·Bridge of Glysibach KienholzBridge of Gurgenbach Bridge of WylerMatten5 m.10• 5• 3 st.•15 m.15 • 1015 • 45Fall of the Oltschei- bach Unter der Heid Balm .Fall of the Falcheren- bach NeubrückEisenbolgen Meyringen• 25 m.55. 15 • 30 . 1052. FROM INTERLACKEN TO MEYRINGEN,by Iseltwald, 6 stunden.• 20 m. Iseltwald Bridge of Lütschinen 30Boenigen Pont .ErschwendSengg Pont •10 m.Maison du Maître • 5 d'Ecole et Giessbach 65 10 Inder Engi . 20 15 Winkel . 60€ 35 Fall of Oltschibach . 40 5 Meyringen . 65Interlacken3. FROM INTERLACKEN TO TRACHT,Bridge over Aar Golzwyl GolzwylerséeCarriage road, 3 stunden.• • 15 m. Rinkenberg Nieder- Ried 15 m.• 5 35 15 Pont 2010 Klein- Oberreid · 1044 THE OBERLAND.Gross - OberriedEbligen Pont .· . 20 m.. 25 Brienz Tracht • 15 m.. 15 . 254. FROM MEYRINGEN TO GRINDELWALD,9 stunden, 45 m.As in route 2, as far as to the Upper fall of the GiessbachFaulhorn (summit)BachseeBachalp1 st. 30 m.1 10 0 25 0 50Grindelwald 18988053 st. 15 m. Holzmat Im BodenTschingelfed· 1 0· 0 305. FROM MEYRINGEN TO GRINDELWALD,6 stunden 55 m.Eisenbolgen 5 m.Gemmi 15 m.Bridge over Aar 10 Rossalp Reichenbach 20 Scheideck 10Willigen 10 Pont de Bergelbach • 45Schwendi 20Swirgi 15 chineSagemühle (mill ) 25sur la LütsUpper Glacier of Grin35Pont de Reichenbach 5 delwald 25 Schwandmatt 10 Pont sur la Lütschine 35 Baths of Roslaui 1 st. 10 Moos . 15Pont • 10 Pont de Gemsbach 15 Pont de Mühlibach Grindelwald 10156. FROM GRINDELWALD TO LAUTERBRUNNEN,by the Scheideck, 6 stunden.GrundWergisthal .• 35 m. Staldenfluh 20 m.30 Schiltwald 10Alpigeln Wengern-Alp1 st.1Wengen 30 15 Grund 45Wengeren • • 45 Lauterbrunnen 15 Mettlen 157. FROM LAUTERBrunnen to thE STAUBBACH, 10 minutes.THE OBERLAND. 458. FROM LAUTERBRUNNEN TO THE SCHMADRIBACH ,by Stechelberg, 4 stunden, 30 m.Staubbach Pont de la Lütschine Trümmelbach Im Grund• 10 m. Trachsellauenen 10 Hauri. 10 Hauteur . 10 PrairiesStechelberg . 15 Steinberg Schwendi 5 Lac d'Oberhorn Reuti . 10 Steinberg SichellauenenIn der Matten . 105Schmadriback• 15 m.1015 € 10 . 254545. 209. FROM LAUTERBUNNEN TO THE SCHMADRIBACH,by Wintereck, 7 stunden , 15 m.Hauteur du Staubbach 50 m.Wintereck Murren •Pont de Sefinen . • 35 m.Pont de la Lütschine . 30 Renti .3540 • 5Grümmelwald 40 To Schmadribach 3 st. 2010. FROM THUN TO UNTERSEEN, by Gunten, 4 stunden.Beatenberg ( cheminHofstetten . 5 m. Ralligen Bæchigut 10 Merligen Pont de Hünibach 5Eschenbühl 10 du)Hilterfingen 15 Balmwald Oberhofen 15Oertli 35Herzigacker 5 Küblisbad Gunten 5 Neuhaus Pont de Pfannen 15 Unterseen Stammbach 10• 5 m.30• 305Caverne de Saint- Béat 10 Sundlauenen•251553011. FROM THUN TO GRINDELWALD, 94 stunden.To Unterseen see No. 10, 43 st. Pont de la Lütschinen 15 m.Matten 20 m. Gündlischwand • 20 Ruine 20 Bülh . 25Wilderswyl 10 Burglauenen 45 Pont de la Saxeten 5 Enge . 25Inscription . 20 Hôpital 40Sweylütschinen · 20Grindelwald 1046 THE OBERLAND.15 m.. 10 .301012. FROM MEYRINGEN TO THE GRIMSEL, 6 stunden.Pont de l'Aar Kirchhet height .Pont sur l'Aar Imhof nenPont de Tschingelmatt 15 m.Pont de SchwarzbrunFall of the AarBottigen Ochistein Urweid• 5 Forêt . .15 Pont de Aerlenbach • 10 Châlet of the Handeck Pont de Zubenbach Lower Urweid ·10 Helle-Platte 5 Petit pont de Bœge- Schwanden Pont Benzenfluh• 5 lein • Grand Pont,&Fat 552520155151015 10 Rocher, Bose, Seite 5 (mauvais pas )10 Pasturages of Rode- • 5 rischboden 25 • 1015 Pont de l'Hospice L'Hospice .2515Pont de BenzlauibachIm-BodenAegerstein .Pont de Spreitbach GuttanenFor those who propose to travel the customary road by Lauterbrunnen, Grundelwald, the Scheideck, and Meyringen,to the Hospice of the Grimsel, no guide is in the least neces- sary. Groups of tourists may be seen traversing the route on a fine summer's day. The way cannot be mistaken; even the traces of horses and mules would suffice to assure the hesitating traveller. At the same time, those who prefer the convenience of an attendant, who would willingly shift their small baggage to other shoulders, may engage the services of a guide, and will find his company instructive. Lads willpresent themselves, who, for a couple of francs per diem (no back- pay) , will show the way, and point out objects of inte- rest. For excursions over the Grimsel, the Furca, or the Brienzergrat, or upon the Rothhorn or Faulhorn, a guide is indispensable. They may be engaged at the nearest villages and inns,—at the Grimselspital, Brienz, or Grindelwald .INTERLACKEN.The space between the lakes of Thun and Brienz is occu- pied by the valley of Interlacken, one of the most popular spots in all Switzerland. Its form is somewhat singular.INTERLACKEN. 47Surrounded by lofty mountains, it is nevertheless open, and might almost be called a plain . On the east and west it looks towards the two lakes, and on the south towards thevalley of Lauterbrunnen, -its boundaries thus giving it atriangular configuration. The beauty and fertility of this little valley are extraordinary. The greenest and most luxu- riant meadows, the richest and most variegated foliage, or- chards red with fruit, gardens enamelled with flowers, form altogether a picture of singular beauty. The plain isstrewed with picturesque eminences, rocky, and overspread with fine timber; and along the right side of the Aar the bank rises gradually up to the old mountains which shut in the valley. The immediate environs present the picturesque in most various aspects, and the peaks of the Silberhorn,Mönch, Eiger, and Jungfrau are the boundaries of its horizon. The climate is delightfully soft; and in the hot- test sun, the fine avenues of walnut-trees offer an effectual shade.Interlacken has, since some years, changed its physiognomy and aspect. It is no longer a Swiss village, but an English settlement. The wooden houses, with their long inscriptions from the Psalms, their high-pitched roofs and oval windows,have been replaced by comfortable habitations . The indigent have been sent away to Unterseen, and the village is now almost exclusively occupied by English tourists and residents. The houses and hôtels, which nearly make up Interlacken, are sprinkled about amid the trees upon either side of a broad avenue which extends from lake to lake.Hôtels. -The Jungfrau, the best for passing guests (charge,five francs per diem with wine); the Belvedere, in the centre of the village, opposite the Lauterbrunnen valley, very good;and the Hôtel d'Interlacken , indifferent. The two last lienear the Brienzer- see, without, however, commanding the view ofthe lake. Besides these, there are as many as a dozenwell- built and well-appointed houses, called pensions, which,within and without, fulfil every purpose of luxury and con- venience. Formerly, these were open as boarding- houses only to strangers intending to make a considerable stay at Interlacken; but they may now be used as hôtels by tra- vellers remaining but a day; while those who stay four or five days, or longer, may live en pension, paying for board and lodging, without wine, for five or six francs a- day. The best48 INTERLACKEN BY LAUTERBRUNNEN.of these houses are the Casino, the pensions of Hochstetter,Seiter Fischer, Abersold, Richard, and Sterchi.One or two cottage- looking houses are kept as shops, and the little articles of Swiss wood- carving sold here are perfect in their way.Unterseen, like Interlacken, as the name of each implies,lies about midway between the lakes of Brienz and Thun,but nearer to the latter than its Anglicised neighbour.With its goats and goatherds, its old-fashioned wooden houses brown with age, and one thousand rustic inhabitants,it presents the aspect of a thoroughly Swiss village. Thereis an inn here (the Kaufhas) , and several cheap pensions,chiefly frequented by Germans.INTERLACKEN BY LAUTERBRUNNEN AND THEWENGERN-ALP TO GRINDELWALD.At its entrance from Interlacken, upon which it directly opens, the valley of Lauterbrunnen is formed by meadows and gently-rising hills, richly wooded and rounded at theirsummits. About a mile on the way, the traveller sees the old castle of Unspunnen. The ruins of this stronghold are so covered by copse-wood, that little more than the top ofthe central square tower can be seen. There is no door or gateby which it may be entered, and the curious must thereforeclamber in by a small loophole. The Abendberg, one of the mountains seen from the lake of Thun, lies behind the old castle, and, covered with firs and bush nearly to its summit,rises to the height of about 5200 feet above the sea-level.On the southern declivity of the mountain the patientand philanthropic Dr. Guggenbühl has established his in- stitution for the treatment of crétins. A little beyond Uns- punnen is the village of Wylderswyl, with about a hundredhouses, built of materials for the most part taken from the ruins ofthe old castle. Crétinism prevails here in the vil- lage, and in the whole valley, to a considerable extent; and astranger is painfully surprised at the indifference of parents and friends of crétins to the mental privation of their children, whom they will expose to visitors with the utmost levity, and find in the lamentable idiocy of their offspring frequent occasions of mirth. Just beyond Wylderswyl theINTERLACKEN BY LAUTERBRUNNEN. 49scenery changes, and the road enters a wild and narrowgorge, reminding one of Salvator Rosa's pictures, down which rushes the stream of the Lütschine. The hamlet ofGsteigwyler lies on the other side of the torrent, which is crossed here by one of the picturesque mountain bridges so frequently occurring in Switzerland. Before reaching Gs- teigwyler, the road passes the rock called Rothenfluth, for- merly crowned with the ancient château called the Balme of Rothenfluth. Beyond the bridge, to the right of the road, is seen a projecting rock, called, indifferently, the Bösestein ( Rock of Crime) or Bruderstein ( Brother's Stone) .amateur of Swiss history had recorded the local tradition by engraving the following inscription on the stone::-- "Here theBaron Rothenfluth was killed by his brother. Compelled to fly his country, the murderer terminated his life in exile anddespair, and was the last of his race, once so rich and powerful."AnIn the recent widening of the road this inscription has been " improved off." On the right a dark forest of pines extends along the mountain slope, and contrasts with naked and menacing rocks, while on the left the Lütschine rushes,growling over its stony bed. At Zweilütschinen , a little hamlet, formed but of a few peasants' houses and an auberge,the Black and White Lütschinen, whose united waters dash through the lower part of the valley, are seen in their divided channels . The first of these, a muddy torrent, is seen onthe left, emerging from a narrow gorge, overhung with the huge cliffs of the Hunenfluh, which forms the entrance to the valley of Grindelwald. A carriage- road leads through the defile to the village of Grindelwald and the Wetterhorn;but every traveller who can walk should prefer the route thither by Lauterbrunnen, following for the present the White Lütschine. The mountain barriers now close in uponthe main valleys, which henceforth have a rich ravine-like character, numberless rivulets falling down from the cliffs above 1000 feet in height, on either side, in threads of silver foam, and forming, indeed, what the name Lauterbrunnen implies, " clear fountains. " Beyond this point the ascent is steep, the view on either side being bounded by the rocks ,and in front by the Jungfrau. About an hour's walking brings one to50 LAUTERBRUNNEN.LAUTERBRUNNEN,A village of some 1400 inhabitants, built in a very primitive style, on both banks of the Lütschine. The inn here is indifferent and dear; a little precaution at starting renders one independent of its accommodation. Although placed at a height of about 2500 feet above the sea level, owing to the cliffs which overhang its valley, Lauterbrunnen enjoys the sun's rays six hours less in the day than the plain of Interlacken below. The modest and dilapidated oldchurch has the jambs of its doors and windows of grey marble, dug from the environs of the Sau torrent. A painted glass window represents the legend of Rodolphe of Strätt- lingen. The Archangel Michael, armed cap- à-pié, holds asword in his right hand, and the balance in his left; Satancatches at one of the scales , in which is seen the spirit of the defunct monarch, imploring the Divine mercy, and trem- blingly awaiting the issue of the conflict. A monk in prayer is placed before the angel. Falls without number may be seen in this part of the valley. A quarter of an hour,however, suffices to reach the graceful Staubach, which sur- passes all the rest in beauty. The stream of the Staubach is scanty, even when the supply of water is good, andfalling down from a rocky projection, 925 feet in height, it is blown into spray. Byron, in his Journal, likened it to the tail of the pale horse in the Book of Revelation. In verse he thus alludes to the Staubbach:" It is not noon, the sunbow's rays still arch The torrent with the many hues of heaven,And roll the sheeted silver's waving column O'er the cross headlong perpendicular,And fling its lines of foaming light along,And to and fro, like the pale courser's tail,The giant steed to be bestrode by Death,As told in the Apocalypse. "-Manfred .Goethe has the following verse:" Strömt von der höhen Steilen Felswand Der reine Strahl Dann stäubt er lieblich In Wolkenwellen Zum glatten Fels,Und leicht empfangen Wallt er verschleiernd Leis' runschend Zur Tiefe neider. "LAUTERBRUNNEN. 51Goethe's simile of a veil is manner, when the cascade is justified in a very striking seen in foam. Ten in the morning is the best time for visiting the fall. When the brow of the rock is concealed by vapour, the stream seems actually to descend from the clouds. Then," Der Wandrer Sieht erstaunt in Himmel Ströme bliessen .Die aus den Wolken fliehn und sich in Wolken giessen."Two routes lead from the village of Lauterbrunnen to Grindelwald. By the first, or carriage- road, the distance is about eleven or twelve miles . To reach it the traveller mustretrace his steps in the valley as far as to the bridge over the Zweilütschinen, just below the village of that name; and then, crossing the torrent, keep the northern bank of the Black Lütschine for about seven miles . A route, preferableby far for the healthy and robust, in fine weather, is the mule-track which leads from Lauterbrunnen over the Wen- gern-Alp, or Lesser Scheideck, as it is also called . If therebe a series of prospects worth visiting, the Oberland, to behold it, is to be found on this the most elevated of all the routes of the Bernese country. The way may beabout fourteen measured miles, but it is at least sevenhours' good walking, and may be travelled with perfect safety.The traveller starting from the Staubbach crosses the torrent, and enters upon a wooded hill almost as steep as acliff. The path is one of the most zigzagged in all theOberland, but is not badly made. After tracking up the ascent for about an hour, the traveller reaches a green upland slope, diversified with timber, and laid out in pas- turages, with châlets, and many of them with cottages at- tached. The holdings are so small, and the buildings so numerous, that the whole slope seems to form one wide- spread village. The cattle in these pastures are neat,clean-made, and small, not altogether unlike those of the Highlands of Scotland. The herdsmen hang a bell upon the neck of each animal; and the tinkling of some two or three hundred rustic bells, heard amidst a scene so perfectly rural, on a fine summer's evening, has in it something very pleasing to an Englishman, reminding him of the meadowsofhis native land. The retrospective view from this eleva- tion shows the valley of Lauterbrunnen, of dimensions ex-52 LAUTERBRUNNEN.tremely reduced, and the Staubbach seems to be like asnowy wreath on its black rocky background. Beyond thisplateau the path leads to the right of a lofty, perpendicular,cliffy range, which forms the eastern barrier of the upper valley of Lauterbrunnen, and courses the base of the Wen- gern Alp in a southern direction . About a mile and a halfbelow the top of the pass, on the slope of the Wengern-Alp,and onthe edge of the cliff which separates the Trumlethenthal from the Scheideck, is the inn called Hôtel de la Jungfrau.The accommodations are of a simple character, but the view ofthe Jungfrau constitutes the staple attraction of the house,which stands directly opposite to the Queen of the Oberland.The height of the Jungfrau is 13,700 feet above the sea level; thus this is the fourth among Swiss , and the eighth among European mountains, Mont Blanc belonging to Savoy.The first ascent of the Jungfrau was made in 1822,by two young Swiss of Aarau, named Meyer. Professor Agassiz and Professor Forbes have since climbed its steep.The hôtel is nearly 6000 feet above the sea level, and seems to a stranger to be within a mile of the mountain. A row of benches is placed in front of the house,where, on a summer's noon, one may sit for hours watching the avalanches which detach themselves every few minutesfrom the Jungfrau, and are precipitated into the Trum- lethenthal. At the moment when the avalanche leaves itsparent glacier, a heavy dull sound is heard reverberating along the sides of the valley. In its passage through the air the mass loses its compactness, and shoots as if in asilvery cascade down to the depths of the gulf. The accu- mulation of the fragments on the ground at the bottom causes a second report, more prolonged than the first, and this is followed by an appearance of mist arising from the depths of the valley." Opposite us, out of a horrid abyss, rises the Jungfrau in her icy robe. A frightful gulf, however, separates usfrom the mountain, and now securely we may sit and watch the vanishing avalanches which the sun's rays hourly detach from her dazzling crest. The murmur of a distant thunderannounces the fall of the mighty mass, which to the eye appears a mere snow- ball which a child might throw. "-ZSCHOKKE.GRINDELWALD . 53"Ye toppling crags of ice,Ye avalanches, whom a breath draws down In mountainous overwhelming, come and crush me!I hear ye momently above, beneath,Crush with a frequent conflict; but ye pass And only fall on things that still would live,On the young flourishing forests-the huts And hamlet of the harmless villages.The mists boil up around the glaciers; clouds Rise curling far beneath me, white and sulphurous,Like foam from the roused area of deep hell. "-Manfred.About an hour's walking brings the traveller to the top of the Lesser Scheideck Pass, where a large building intended for the accommodation of travellers has been erected. Itcannot be depended on for accommodation, as its commercial success does not ensure it being kept open in every season.From this point the path descends, and a beautiful valley is seen spreading out to a vast extent, lying along the base of the great mountain- chain of the Bernese Oberland Alps.The mountains which enclose it present here a most magnificent aspect. The path lies through a number of plashy pastures, and reachesGRINDELWALD.During the season this village is often so full of visitors,that travellers are compelled to resort to private houses.The inns are-Bär on the west, Adler at the east end ofthe village. Grindelwald has a population of about 2000,and in aspect differs in no remarkable particulars from the majority of Bernese villages. In its valley immense rocks and colossal mountains rise, at the foot of which extendthe glaciers, which are inferior to those of Rosenlaui, but being within easy distance of the habitations may be ob- served without risk or trouble, and are thus more visitedthan their rivals. The upper glacier, situated between the Wetterhorn and the Mettenberg, is 1 league in length,full of rifts and crevasses, and has very pure ice pyramids of all kinds. The lower glacier, situated between Metten- berg and the Eigher, is the more interesting. It is a sea of ice, three leagues in length, terribly torn and cleft, and scattered with pyramids of a grotesque form. " Scarcely three hundred years ago an open pass, several leagues in54 ASCENT OF THE FAULHORN.length, led over the chain into the Valais, from which people came to the church of Grindelwald to celebrate baptisms and weddings. To-day all is covered with a wild and impassable sea of ice. "-ZSCHOKKE .In the seventeenth century the glacier increased in an extraordinary manner, and was no longer to be contained byits valley. Bursting its barriers , it carried away the dwellings which lay in its course, and destroyed the church of Petro- velle, the bell of which, cast in 1044, is yet in the church of Grindelwald. Tradition relates that at one time the Mettenberg and Eighers formed but one mass, behind which was a lake of considerable size.ASCENT OF THE FAULHORN.

The traveller who can make up his mind to a steep walk,will in fine weather be well rewarded for making the ascent of the Faulhorn. Before setting out he must understand that he should sleep at the top of the mountain the chief object being to see the sun-rise from thence. The peak is 8300 feet above the level of the sea. But as Grindelwalditself stands at a considerable elevation, he need not reckon upon having that height to climb. The walking may be rough, but the mountain air is clear and bracing, and everand anon during the ascent he is encouraged by magnificent views of the neighbouring Alps. Having slept at Grindel- wald, the wisest plan is to rise very early, and having break- fasted, to set out slowly, alpenstock in hand, for the day's task. He should not be too heavily clad, and if the Ober- land has been the scene of his first Swiss trip, and the ascent of the Faulhorn his first serious climb, it may be well to remind him that he should have good shoes, not too tight ortoo thin; and that if on the night before he start he send them to the Grindelwald inn- cobbler to be provided with afew nails, his excursion will be made all the better for it.The long alpenstocks , which look unnecessary to those who are just beginning a Swiss tour, will on the Faulhorn prove of real value. Repeating the suggestion to start slowly, and giving a hint also that in narrow passes and dangerous places it is well to stand still when desirous of contemplating a view, we may add that it is always better to formASCENT OF THE FAULHORN. 55a party, if practicable, as the services of a guide, although not absolutely indispensable, are of much value.About half way up the mountain there is a rude châlet,where the traveller may refresh himself with milk and bread and cheese, and when he has climbed to the top, pass ing on his way numberless views, in which all the features of Alpine scenery are combined, he will be quite ready to du justice to the dinner, which is obtainable at the rude inn.The accommodations on the summit of the Faulhorn are very poor indeed. During the winter months the place is shutup, as no human being could live there. The company en- countered by the tourist is of a very miscellaneous character.German students, English and French gentlemen, travelling Americans, and Russian noblemen, enter into the composi- tion of the groups which meet round the deal table in a sort ofkitchen, which forms the only salle à manger of the establish- ment. The bed-rooms are small and crowded with beds,which are, at times, as crowded as the house. It must notbe supposed that accommodations are to be obtained here comparable to those on the Rhigi; still there is a certainamount of satisfactory entertainment: food and wine, which would be rejected in the valleys, are relished here, after the long walk; and the very crowding of the house has this advantage, that the travellers help to keep each other warm in this stone-cabin up amongst the snows. As night draws onit becomes bitterly cold, and the Alpine horn which calls up the traveller in the darkness of morning to see the sun-rise is not always welcome; but having mounted to the top of the Faulhorn, he must be more than ordinarily a sluggard who would not turn out, even under these discomforts, to meetthe reward of the ascent, -the marvellous prospect unfolded as the first rays of light glide on the edge of the horizon.The spectator seems to stand upon a rocky promontory, athousand feet below which the white clouds lie like boundlesshillocks of snow, or rather like the frozen billows of some arctic sea. The upper edges of them are first lighted by therising sun, which soon gives to each a warmer, rosy tint.The peaks of the surrounding Alps are brightened in the same way, whilst their bases are hidden by the clouds: as the sun rises higher, the influence of its rays is shown by the dissipation of the vapours and rents, as it were, being formed in these billowy clouds; through them is seen,56 GRINDELWALD TO MEYRINGEN,thousands of feet below, the lower world of lake and valley and river. The gazer sees for a while, as it were, three stages of the world. Rugged and apparently isolated , the rock on which he stands is 8000 feet above the sea; perhaps 2000 feet lower,this world of cloud we have sought to describe; and throughthis, thousands of feet lower, the valley from which he over- night came up hither. Less than half-an-hour is enough to include the horn-sounding that calls him from his bed, the scramble into his clothes and on to the peak; the sun rise,and the view; and the dissipation by the sun's rays of the bulk of the clouds. When these are gone the tourist has amagnificent panoramic view; having enjoyed which it only remains for him to get his breakfast, and commence the descent. But if he be fortunate in the weather, that halfhour repays all the labour it has cost, and stores his memory with a recollection which will endure for life. The walkdown from the Faulhorn is , of course, accomplished in less time than the ascent; as the traveller descends into theclouds, he becomes unpleasantly aware that they are much better to look at than to be in. On these heights you fre- quently pass from sunshiny August into foggy October on different parts of the same mountain.From the Faulhorn, a path leads to the Giessbach on the Brienzer- See.It is not desirable to return to Grindelwald , but to pass over the greater Scheideck by Rosenlaui to Meyringen in the vale of Hasli.GRINDELWALD TO MEYRINGEN, OVER THEGREAT SCHEIDECK.This route is eight stunden, or about eighteen miles inlength, and can only be travelled by the pedestrian and horseman. About three miles up the valley, a little to the right of the Meyringen track, is the Upper Glacier of Grindelwald. There is a little lake of crystal water at its margin, in which the mountains and sky are reflected with wonderful depth and beauty. A blithe old man who shows this glacier is sure to be found here, and to inform the touristthat he had twenty- four children by his first wife, and four- teen by the second. In 1851 there was a cavern in the ier, a deep crystal ravine, high enough to advance withtouching the pointed roof, winding quite a distance intoOVER THE GREAT SCHEIDECK. 57the body of the glacier, whose superincumbent mountain masses must one day crush it. The ice-walls are of anexquisite and almost transparent azure, smooth as glass , and dripping with water. It is this rich colour of the ice whichmakes these glaciers so much more beautiful than those of Chamouni; at the same time that these peaks and minarets are so varied, their depths are enormous, and the step from them into the depths of an intense summer verdure so sudden and startling.From Grindelwald to the top of the Scheneck is a good third of the journey to Meyringen. On the traveller's right,at every point of the way, the stupendous Wetterhorn, or Storm-peak, rises in a bare wall apparently close to the path; from which, however, its base is distant a good quarter of an hour's walk. The ground is by no means difficult.From the height of the Great Scheideck the glacier is amost magnificent object, as are also the mountain barriers which enclose it. Avalanches occasionally descend from the Wetterhorn there is, first, a sudden jet from the mountain,like a rocket of white smoke; then the fall of the whole mass of ice and snow, with a cloud rising from it, and a rush of small thunder, like the roar of a waterfall. There is acow-shed on the top of this pass, which has lately been im- proved into a rude lodge; it now contains a couple of beds,and affords the usual Alpine fare for passing guests.From the Grand Scheideck, down into the valley of Hasli ,at Meyringen, the journey is one of exceeding magnificence.It is true that the prospect before the traveller, as he passesdown towards Rosenlaui, is not so remarkable for grandeur as the scenes he has already passed through; but behind him, in the evening sun, the way is a lengthening perspective of beauty, where the snowy mountains, seen through the forests of firs , and overhanging them, floating as it werein the golden light, give to the eye a wonderful vision of contrasts and splendours .The way to Meyringen from the Scheideck leads by asmall reddish- looking lake, about ten minutes' distance from the top, passing some châlets; half an hour further on,over the bridge of the Gemsbach just beyond them, and aquarter of an hour beyond this, attaining Schwarzwald, with its dear inn on the Schwarzald. Here the path divides; one track leads on to the left bank of the Reichenbach to Sage58 GRINDELWALD TO MEYRINGEN,(three miles ) , the other brings the traveller by the right bank of the Reichenbach, at a distance of about two miles from Schwarzwald to Rosenlauibad, or the baths of Rosenlaui.Before reaching the baths, however, a foot- path to the right leads to the glacier of Rosenlaui, so denominated from the extreme beauty of its roseate and azure colours . It lies on a mighty mountain gorge, far up between the great masses of the Wellhorn and Engelhörner, or Angels' peaks; the ice-born picture, its fir- clad base, and its gigantic craggy frame, forming a most remarkable scene. In summer athundering torrent comes roaring down an almost fathom- less rent in the mountain, whose jagged sides look like the yawning jaws of some monstrous savage. Torrents from different directions meet fiercely at the foot of the glacier,which is thrown over them as a mountain of ice, with vastice- blocks roofing the subterranean fissure, with a mighty peak of rock towering above, and a mountain of granite on the other side. The traveller may enter the bosom of the glacier, by steps cut in the ice by the guide, at the risk of tumbling into the conflict of waters below. The surrounding forests of fir, the ice-cliffs shining, and the grey bare cross keeping watch like sentinels, together with the extreme picturesqueness and beauty of the valley opening out be- neath, make up a scene well worth the toil of climbing to it.The Baths of Rosenlaui, the name by which a few tubs at the Steinbach inn are magnified, are about half-an- hour'swalk from the glacier. A mineral spring which rises here is supposed to have some medicinal properties, but it is not in very great request. There are some very pretty carved gemsen or chamois sold at this house. Behind the Steinbach the Reichenbach springs impetuously from a rock, and the path follows for some distance the course of its torrent.The retrospect on the road from Rosenlaui to Meyringen is exceedingly beautiful, owing to the peculiar combination between the snow, the sun, and the black fir forest; the first show against the snow, the snow against the sun, andthe air seems a flood of glory. Between four o'clock and sunset this Rosenlaui pass, in a bright day, is wonderful:the white perfect cones and pyramids of some of the sum- mits alternate with the bare rocky needles and ridges ofothers, all distinctly defined against the sky, with the light falling on them in a wild, magic, azure-tinted clearness.OVER THE GREAT SCHEIDECK. 59Here is one section or quadrature of the picture, as youlook upwards to the heights down which you have been solong descending; far off, up in the heavens, a vast curlingridge of snow cuts the azure; nearer the enormous grey peak of the Wellhorn shoots above it; lower, towards the world,between two great mountains, down rushes the magnificentglacier of Rosenlaui, till its glittering masses are lost to the eye beyond the green depths of the forest.We descend beside the roaring torrent, which is im- petuously plunging and foaming to take the leap of the Reichenbach, when suddenly comes another of those swift vastcontrasts, those mighty shiftings of scenery, so unexpected and unthought of, as in a dream. As if the world's wallshad opened, the vale of Meyringen is disclosed far beneath,with its villages and meadows, church- steeples and clumps of trees, and the bright Alpbach cascade pouring over the crags on the other side. From this point the descent intothe valley is nearly two thousand feet, rugged and precipitous;and from nearly this level, the Reichenbach torrent takes its grand leap down a gorge to the left of the path, making the celebrated Reichenbach Falls. Afterwards, by a succession of leaps not quite so grand, it races, foams, and thunders over precipice after precipice, through black, jagged,picturesque, tortuous ravines, down into the valley, to join the Aar.About a mile and a half from the last fall, and on theright bank of the Aar, is the village of Meyringen, con- taining 80 houses and 1000 inhabitants. There are three inns-the Wilde Mann and the Krone, both good; and the Landhaus, dear. The view of the Reichenbach Falls , the Engelhörner, the snow-clad Wetterhorn, and the Rosenlauiglacier, seen from the balcony of the Wilde Mann, is very charming. In Switzerland the Hasli Vale, of which Mey- ringen is the capital, is reckoned a perfect model of an alpine valley. The climate is soft; the view takes in num- berless hamlets, waterfalls, the hills clad with verdure,glaciers, and the snow- clad mountains. The inhabitants ofthe Hasli valley, it has been repeatedly noticed, have a finer organisation, more personal beauty, and a more melodious dialect, than those of any other part of Switzerland. Escher,following the tradition preserved in a bardic composition,called the " Song of the East Frieslanders," relates that theirGO GRINDELWALD TO MEYRINGEN,ancestors migrated hither from a boreal region between Sweden and Friesland. A famine came upon the land, andthe elders of the people assembled to take counsel upon theemergency. It was resolved that one man in every ten, to be designated by lot, should emigrate. " Thus," says the poem, " our fathers came forth from the north country,their friends lamenting as they went; and the mothers leading their infant children . Six thousand giant warriors were they, divided into three bands, each man with his wife and children, his store and his stuff. They took an oath to stand by one another to the death. They had manymoveables, and by their valorous arms defeated Count Peter of Franconia, who said that they should never pass theriver. Then they prayed to God to give them a land like that which they had left, where they might pasture their cattle in peace without let from the malicious, and He led them into Brochenburg, where they founded Schwytz. Then the people waxed strong and multiplied, and there was no room for them in the valley, though they worked lustily,and cleared the pines of the forests. So a part of themultitude went into the country on the Black Mountain (Brunig in Unterwald ) , and another part into Weitzland ( Ober Hasli) , and afterwards their children spread over other parts of the Oberland into Frutigen Obersiebenthal ,Saaven, Afflentsch, and Jaun ( Bellegarde): but beyond Jaun is another race."The vale of Hasli is washed throughout its length by the torrent of the Aar, which comes thundering down as amighty stream from the Grinsel, and is increased in volume by numberless streams which melt from neighbouring gla- ciers. The lower part of the valley, of which Meyringen is the chief place ( 1818 feet above the sea level ) , is perpetually exposed to the devastating overflow of the Aar, and inunda- tions by these glacier streams . The most mischievous of these is the Alpbach, which pours down a mass of water close to the village of Meyringen. The only outlet of the valley is on the north-west, for all the lateral valleys lead to the snow-covered mountains. These lateral valleys are the Urbachthal on the west, and the Mühlethal on the south- east,which again divides into the Nesselthal, the Gadmenthal,and the Gentelthal. Above Meyringen, the chief valley is interrupted by a low mountain, the Kerchet, through whichtheOVER THE GREAT SCHEIDECK. 61Aar has pierced for itself a passage. Another cleft is shown,through which the Aar formerly poured its waters, and traces are yet extant of the lake which it must have formed beforeit could have forced for itself an outlet. Here properly be- gins the Upper Haslithal, a name, however, which is often applied to the whole valley. The mountains on both sides of the valley are very steep, and in many places all but perpendicular; hence the numberless fine waterfalls whicheverywhere meet the eye, and heighten the enchantment of the region. The ground, where not rendered marshy or covered with débris by repeated inundations, is very fruitful.Meadows are mown four times in the year, and potatoes are cultivated on the slopes, even to a considerable height. In the Mühlethal and Nessenthal cherries and pears, and in thelower districts apricots and other wall-fruits, attain greatperfection. The south wind blows gently, and adds to the agreeableness of the climate; but, at the same time, promotes the inundation of the valley through the melting of the snows and glaciers. Several parts of the Haslithal are, moreover,visited by avalanches.The distance from Meyringen to the Grimsel- Pass is about eighteen miles, and takes eight hours walking. A bridleroad crosses the Aar at the village, and is continued on theright bank through a picturesque, broken - wooded vale, with many romantic side - openings. Here we encounter theKerchet, at which the path leaves the river, and ascends thesteep side of the hill in many a zigzag, scarcely less bold than those of the Wengern Alp going from Lauterbrunnen.On the other side of the mountain lies a hollow, inclosed on every side by hills. It is supposed to have contained thelake, which, bursting through the thicket, forced an outlet for the Aar. The road passes the entrances of the valleys of Urbach and Gadmen, which lead out of this basin, and bring the traveller to Grund.The village of Grund, consists only of a few houses, near which stand the remains of a former smelting furnace; the works are now carried on at Mühlethal. From Grund toGuttanen the way is rough, and often covered with frag- ments of rock which have fallen down from the mountains;an evil which here and there makes whole pastures desolate,snatching entire fields from the culture of man. Traces ofhumanity now grow fewer and more scanty; now and then62 GRINDELWALD TO MEYRINGEN, ETC.are seen the ruins of a châlet, which an avalanche has de- stroyed. Nothing breaks the silence of the place but the falling of some torrent over the steep rocky walls. Gut- tanen lies in a very wild and narrow valley, surrounded with crags and cliffs. It is an entrepôt for the humble commerce of the Valais , from which the inhabitants of theHaslithal send yearly a quantity of cheeses to Italy, receiving in return wine and rice from the Eschenthal. In sum- mer the traveller may happen to encounter the pack- mules,by whose aid this trade is carried on. The dreary precursors of eternal winter, which reigns higher up the valley, now present themselves on every hand.We come suddenly upon the celebrated Handek Falls ofthe Aar. There is a point on which they are visible fromthe verge of the gorge below, before arriving at Handek,but it is by no means so good as the points of view above.These points are very accessible, and from a bridge throwndirectly over the main fall you may look down into the abyss where the cataract crashes. A storm of wind and rain rushesfuriously up from the spray, but when the sun is shining itis well worth a thorough wetting to behold the exquisitely beautiful rainbows which circle the fall beneath . A sidetorrent comes down from another ravine on the right, meeting the Aar Fall diagonally, after a magnificent leap by itself over the precipice, so that the cataract is two in one. Theheight of the fall being about two hundred feet, when theAar is swollen by rain this must be by far the grandest andmost beautiful cataract in Switzerland. The lonely sublimity of the scenery makes the astounding din and fury of the waters doubly impressive.A short distance from the falls, a single châlet, which itself is the inn, constitutes the whole village of Handek.From this place up to the Grimsel the pass increases, if pos- sible, in wildness and desolation. Vegetation almost entirely ceases. The fir, satisfied with so little of earth, can no morefind a footing. Gloomy bare mountains, silent and naked asdeath, frown over the pathway, and you seem to be coming to the outermost limits of creation.The path crosses a singular, vast, smooth ledge of rock,called the Höllenplatte, nearly a quarter of a mile in extent,about two miles above the Falls, said to have been the bedof an old glacier, and to have become worn smooth andTHE GRIMSEL BY THE RHÔNE- GLACIER, ETC. 63polished by the attrition of the ice-mountain. The path is hewn along the edge of the precipice. A pedestrian, having no care of a mule, is comparatively independent of its dan- gers, though he would not wish to cross this place in a tem- pest. A traveller, whose mule slipped here and fell over the precipice, was saved only bythe presence of mind and suddenfirm grasp of his guide, dragging him backwards, even while the mule plunged down the abyss.Presently the path crosses the Aar, and recrosses, and at length leaves it on the left, to seek the Hospice of the Grimsel. Vegetation seems annihilated; but amidst all this frightful sterility the traveller may sometimes behold, upon a rocky shelf far up the side of an almost perpendicular mountain, a man mowing.THE GRIMSEL, BY THE RHONE GLACIER, ANDFURCA TO THE ST. GOTHARD.The Hospice of the Grimsel stands about 800 feet below the summit of the Pass. Berne being a Protestant cantonthere is no religious community attached to the establish- ment, which has long been, for all practical purposes, an inn.It is a rough, strong, rock building, with few windows, and looks like a gaol, a Spanish monastery, or a hospital for the insane. Its entourage is the most dreary in all Switzerland.On all sides and above it is frowned upon by shapeless mountains, covered with ice and snow. Its elevation abovethe sea is more than 7000 feet, and the peaks rise above to the height of another thousand.Within the building, however, everything is neat and com- fortable; there are a little library, enriched chiefly by English travellers, with some good books, a well- furnished refectory and abundant table, eighty beds or more, and everything in excellent order. In the height of the season, the number of visitors daily at table is from thirty-six to forty. An excur- sionist recently met here one hundred persons at once, who stopped for the night, with half as many guides in addition."We sat down, about twenty visitors in all, to a plentifulevening meal, with a cup of tea, most refreshing to such atired traveller as I was. I liked mine host at the Grimsel;he seemed to take a fatherly interest in the stranger, and64 THE GRIMSEL,pressed my hand warmly at parting, with many good wishes for my pleasant journey. How it takes away from the mer- cantile, cold, mercenary character of an inn, when the keeper of it is blessed with cordial, hospitable manners! Whetherhe have the heart of a good Samaritan or not, if he seems to take an interest in you, he gets double interest from you; it invests the bought fare with a home feeling; you pay for it ten times as readily as you would to a grumbler, and you leave the house as that of a friend." -G. B. C." There is a little tarn, or black lake, directly behind the Hospice, black, grim, stagnant-a fit mirror of the desolation around it. No fish live in it, but it is said to be never frozen though covered deep with snow all winter. A boat likeCharon's crosses it to get at the bit of green pasture beyond,where the cows of the Hospice may be fed and milked for one or two months in the summer." Last night, as we left our little chamber to retire to rest,we found the sky so wonderfully clear, that the smallest stars shone out with a brilliancy unknown to the lower country. The milky way appeared of an extraordinary bril- liancy, which I could only ascribe to the finer air of thiselevated spot, which is filled with less vapour than at alower level."This morning we sallied out to inspect the strange world into which we had climbed . The greater part of the valley was yet covered with snow, and, at almost every step, showed us some feature of a Spitzbergen landscape. Scarcely, how- ever, had we walked a few steps, than we were surprised to find that, where the snow had begun to melt, the earth was sending forth young shoots of vegetation from her surface.Thus, hard by the snow we saw the young leaves of the veratrum album, a little further on plants of the same species had strong stalks, and at a greater distance the ground was adorned with flowers; thus presenting us with apicture of spring, summer, and autumn. Often we couldplant one foot in deep snow, while the other was buried amid auriculas, violets, and the like. We climbed a smallrock near the Hospice to see the garden of our host, and found there lettuce, turnips, and mangold- wurzel. Fromthis place we could see the two lakes which lie behind the Hospice, and are united by a little strait. Their waterappeared blackish, and being surrounded with naked rocks ,THE GRIMSEL HOSPICE. 65they had a melancholy aspect. A small brook flows out of them, runs through the building, and falls into the Aar,Ascending to the highest stage of the pass we could see both sides of the mountain boundary which divides Berne from Valais. Here the region puts on its wildest aspect, and reminded me so strongly of Greenland that I almost ex- pected to see white bears, wolves, and rein-deer make their appearance. On our left, at a short distance, we saw the Todten-See, or Lake of the Dead, which was almost entirely frozen over, and in some places was covered with snow.The prospect was terribly sublime: a thousand high moun- tains lay before us, and between them the inexhaustible stores of ice, whence are supplied the greatest rivers of Europe. Before us the Furca proudly raises its ice-crowned head, and looks with contempt upon the berge below; then,at a greater distance, is the nest of the Gothard. Right in front of us, at mid-day, we could see the Griesberg, and caught a glimpse of its ice- rift, through which the road to the Eschenthal is carried. Further on, to the S.W. , was the Simplon. ""--WYTTENBACH.The Hospice of the Grimsel is tenanted from March to November by only a single servant, with provisions and dogs.In March, 1838, this solitary exile was alarmed by a myste- rious sound in the evening, like he wailing of a human being in distress . He took his dog and went forth seeking the traveller, imagining that some one had lost his way in the snow. It was one of those warring voices, supposed by theAlpine dwellers to be uttered by the mountains in presage of impending storms or drea convulsions . It was heard again in the morning, and soon afterwards down thundered the avalanche, overwhelming the Hospice, and crushing every room save the one occupied by the servant. Withhis dog he worked his way through the snow, thankful not to have been buried alive, and came in safety down to Mey- ringen.Miss Lamont, in her " Letters," tells the story differently:she says, that " the lonely tenant of the Hospice occupied himself all winter with his art of wood-carving, having nocompanions but his dogs, and was able, during the perilous seasons, to save the lives of nearly a hundred persons every year. He said he heard the supernatural voice several times before the fall of the avalanche. It was a great storm,F66 FROM THE GRIMSEL BY THE RHÔNE- GLACIERand for four days snowed incessantly. When he first took out his dog, it showed symptoms of fear; at last it would not go out at all: so when he had the third time heard thelow voice, which said, ' Go into the inner room,' he went ingreatly frightened, and knelt down to pray.While he waspraying the avalanche fell, and in a moment every place,except the one little room where he was, was filled with snow."The natural horrors of the Grimsel have been deepened by the combats of the French and Austrians . In the month ofAugust, 1799, the former were led hither from the village of Guttannen, through the valley filled by the glaciers of Ghelmen, to surprise the Austrians, then occupying the Grimsel. About 200 men perished.The vast glaciers in which originates the stream of the Aar,called respectively the Ober, and Unter, Aar- Gletscher, are best visited from the Grimsel. The lower glacier may bereached in about three-quarters of an hour's walking, by apath which, though not good, is without danger.The termination of the glacier in the valley, unlike that of Rosenlaui, is of the colour of a rhinoceros' hide, from themixture of rocks and gravel ground up in the ice; and where the river runs out of its mouth, it gives a personstanding below its huge masses the idea of a monstrouselephant disporting with his proboscis. The rocks protrude from the ice, constantly dropping as fast as it melts, and forming chaotic masses of fragments beneath . This enor- mous glacier is said to be eighteen miles long, and from two to four in breadth. The great peak of the Finster-Aarhorn,the Aar-peak of Darkness, rises out of it, probably the loftiest of the Oberland Alps-a most sublime object. Thisis the glacier so interesting for the studies and observations of Agassiz and Hugi, carried on upon it, and for their hôtel under a huge rock upon its surface. Hugi, in 1827, built on it his hut, to measure the movement of the masses, and it was found that in 1836 they had advanced 2184 feet. The bed of ice is nearly 80 square miles in extent, and how many hundred feet deep no man may know, constantly moving alto- gether with the motion of life amidst the rigidity of death.It is crossed by the Upper Glacier, the two throwing up between them a mighty causeway or running ridge ofmingled ice and rocks, sometimes 80 feet high. The UpperAND FURCA PASS TO THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD . 67and Lower Glaciers together are computed to occupy a spaceof nearly 125 square miles. They are not so much split into fissures as the glaciers of Chamouny, and therefore they are much more accessible.The distance from the Hospice to the Rhône glacier is about six miles. The journey, though lying along a mule- road, should be performed in company with a guide. About three-quarters ofan hour's walking up a tolerable path brings one to the top of the pass, where, at a height of 8400 feet above the sea level, the way coasts the left margin of a little dark, still lake, into which the bodies of dead travellers, who perished by the way, have been launched for burial. Ittherefore goes by the name of the Dead Sea, or Lake of the Dead. These names are singularly in keeping with theeffect of the scenery upon the mind, so wild, so grim, yet so majestic, so seemingly upon the confines of the supernatural world. A small glacier which you have to cross falls into this lake, and feeds it, and the peak of the Seidelhorn rises above it, with the snowy Schreckhorn towering through the mountain ridges from the Aar glacier. The magnificent white range of the Gries glacier sweeps glittering on the other side.Beyond the Lake of the Dead the path becomes slippery,and leads down a steep declivity. A little distance beyond the lake you come suddenly upon the view of the glacier of the Rhône, very far below you-a grand and mighty object,with the furious Rhône itself issuing from the ice, and then leaping, dashing, thundering, foaming through the valley.The glacier is a stupendous mass of ice terraces clear across the valley, propped against an overhanging mountain, with snowy peaks towering to the right and left. There is amost striking contrast between the bare desolation of the rocks on the Grimsel side, and the grassy slopes of themountains in companionship with this glacier. The path here coasts along its margin, amidst athick fringe of bushes and flowers, from which one can step down upon the roofs and walls of the ice- caverns, and look into the azure crevasses,and hear the fall , the gurgle, and hurrying sub-glacial rush of unconscious streams just born as cold as death. Far above it herds of cattle are seen browsing on the steep mountain- side, so steep that it seems as if they must hold on to the herbage to keep from falling. The voices of the68 FROM THE GRIMSEL BY THE RHÔNE- GLACIERherdsmen echo down the valley; and it seems as if thewhole group might at any moment slide, like an avalanche,down into the glacier below.There are, properly speaking, two glaciers of the Rhône,for as you pass up towards the Furca you see a rapid stream rushing from a glacier that cuts the sky above you to the right, and pouring, cavernous and cataractical, into the Lower Glacier, from whence it afterwards issues in the same stream which constitutes the Rhône.One ofthe worst specimens of a Swiss innkeeper waits for travellers in a house at the foot of the hill, and lives by taking advantage of rather than relieving their necessities.From the pass of the Furca, which costs a hard climb to surmount, there is a grand and varied view of the Finster-Aarhorn and the Schreckhorn, with the more distant snowy mountains. From thence into the valley of the SidliAlp the path rapidly descends, and leads over wide, steep fields of ice and snow, down which experienced Alpine pedestrians find an exciting and dangerous delight in flying with the Alpenstocks.From the Rhône glacier to the summit of the Furca valley is about two stunde. The traveller keeping the east side of the valley has the glacier on his left for some dis- tance. The path then turns to the right, and enters a wildlooking treeless defile, where the only traces of human habi- tations to be met with are a few goatherds' huts.On the Furca pass is the boundary between the cantons Valais and Uri, and within a circle of little more than ten miles around are the sources of five prominent rivers, someof them among the largest in Europe: the Rhine, the Rhône, the Reuss, the Ticino, and the Aar, some tumbling into the Mediterranean, some into the German Sea. Thetraveller has passed two of their most remarkable feeding glaciers, those of the Rhône and the Aar. The Furca is about 8200 feet above the sea-level, and in fine weather commands a fine view of the Oberland range, which is seen on the side exactly opposite that discerned from the Minsterplatform at Berne. Goethe passed over here in 1779, as late in the year as November. " After a march of aboutthree hours and a half we reached the saddle of the Furca,near the cross which marks the boundary of Valais and Uri. Even here we could not discern the forked peak fromAND FURCA PASS TO THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD. 69which the Furca takes its name. A vulture, or lammergeyer, swept over our heads with incredible rapidity; it was the only living thing we had seen in all this waste. In thedistance we could see the mountains of Ursi lighted up withbright sunshine. The guides wanted to enter a shepherd's hut which had been abandoned and snowed up, and takesomething to eat, but we urged them onwards, fearing to stand still in the cold."Descending the Furca, on the Uri side, the path leads frequently along the verges of dangerous banks; the country is devoid of trees, the grass is stunted and short, and no human abode is met with until the traveller comes toRealp, about midway between Furca and Hospital, a little hamlet, consisting of four or five houses and a convent."We were received at the door by one of the fathers, who,with much friendliness of manner, invited us to enter, andat the threshold begged that we would put up with such en- tertainment as they could alone offer. As to our meat, hesaid, we must be indulgent, for they were in the middle of a long fast, which would continue till Christmas-day. ' We have not,' he said, ' an hospice like the fathers on Mount St. Gothard, but are here in the capacity of parish priests . 'He went on to describe their hardships and toils here at the furthest end of a lonely valley. This spot, like all others,was formerly provided with a secular priest, but an ava- lanche having buried half the village, the last one had runaway and taken the pix with him; whereupon he was sus- pended, and they, of whom more resignation was expected,had been sent here in his stead."HOSPITAL ( inn, Goldener Löwe) , about three miles beyondRealp, is a village of about twenty-five houses and a church.There is now no hospice here; that from which the place takes its name, and which was founded in the thirteenthcentury for travellers passing the St. Gothard, has longsince disappeared. A tower, seen on a hill close to thevillage, was formerly the seat of the knightly family of Ospenthal, a noble race now extinct.At Hospital the traveller is fairly in the valley of the Reuss. In this valley the whole canton of Uri may be said to be comprised, having the little plain of Ursern ( in the midst of which Hospital stands ) for its head, and the lower end expanding into another little plain between Altorf and the70 FROM THE GRIMSEL BY THE RHÔNE-GLACIERLake of Uri. The Reuss is a remarkable river from its ex- traordinary rapidity, far greater than that of the Rhône, and from the fine scenery which is to be found on its banks.The entire course of the river from the Vale of Ursern till it falls into the Lake of Lucerne is a series of cataracts ,and in the space of twelve miles its slope is 2500 feet.In the canton of Uri the peach and melon ripen in its orchards, and a breath of Italy seems to find its way down through the pass of the St. Gothard and up the valley of the Reuss. The houses lie scattered up and down on the slopes, but in summer the people mostly live on the higher Alps with their stock, and only descend as the cold season approaches. About St. Gothard you begin to hear Italiandialects, to meet more sparkling eyes and sharply- cut fea- tures. Athletic sports are in great popularity here, as in most of the pastoral cantons. The goat and cow herds on the mountains have their wrestling- matches, their foot- races,games with the sling , &c. , and their daily occupations furnish them with frequent occasions of exhibiting feats of strength, in which they delight. Accustomed to carry down from the High Alps the produce of their dairies, they will bear great piles of cheese and enormous bundles of haydown slippery paths, and safely find their way with their burdens along the brink of precipices through rains and fog.The fleet and nimble chamois is still frequently seen inthe loftier Alps, in the neighbourhood of glaciers and eternal snows. Its pursuit puts the strength and agility of thehunter to a severe test, as he must climb lofty crags and keep his footing on the giddiest precipices, on ledges scarcely broader than his hand; he must cross fields of ice and leap fearful chasms; must endure hunger and thirst for days and nights together, and sometimes, after all, return bootless home.Many a fine bold fellow is lost, and many an anxious hour is passed in the cottage when the father or husband is absent with his rifle. Great- grandfather, grandfather, and father have perished in the pursuit of the chamois, and still the son takes up the chase. An irresistible fascination , and not a love of gain, seems to draw the mountaineers towards this mode of life , for the chamois is worth but about seventeen shillings when secured.The plain of Ursen, in which Hospital stands, is one of the highest inhabited vales in Switzerland, 4356 feet aboveAND FURCA PASS TO THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD. 71the level of the sea, perfectly destitute of trees, yet covered with soft green pasturage, and affording subsistence to four dairy-keeping, cattle-rearing, cheese-making villages, with 1360 inhabitants. The Hospice of the St. Gothard lies acouple of hours farther up the pass, from whence the road leads down by innumerable zigzags into Italy.Goethe, writing of this place, says:-" Our road now lay through the valley of the Uri, which is remarkable as having,at so great an elevation, such beautiful meadows and pas- turage for cattle. The cheese which they make here I prefer to all others. Sally- bushes line all the brooks, and little shrubs lie thick on the ground. To me this is the mostlovely of all the countries I know. The sky has been quite clear, without a single cloud; the hue far deeper than one is accustomed to see in town; flat countries, and the white mountain ridges which stood out in strong contrast to it,were either glittering in the sunshine or took a greyish tint in the shade." The great translucency of the air noticed in this passage causes the valley to appear much shorter than its actual length, which is, as near as may be, eight miles.From Hospital to the top of the St. Gothard is about 24 stunde. The road quits the valley of Ursen at that vil- lage, and ascends the left bank of the Reuss torrent, whichcomes dashing down all the way over a succession of dark,black rocks. It may be travelled either in a carriage, on horseback, or on foot; of which three methods the last is the best, and the first certainly the worst. About two stundeon the journey the road narrows to a gorge, and just beyond this point crosses the Reuss by the bridge of Rudunt to enter the Alp of the same name, whence are visible the mountain peaks which surround the valley forming the summit of the pass, Blauberg and Prosa on the E. and the Luzendro and Orsine to the S.E. A few minutes' walkleads to the margin of Lake Luzendro, in which the Reusshas its rise. The road to the hospice leads between several smaller lakes, most of which discharge their water on the Italian side, and form the reservoirs of the Ticino. Thesummit of the St. Gothard pass has been compared to abald skull surrounded with a crown. It is flat and bare;snow-clad peaks and crags rise on all sides above it. St.Gothard is not the highest mountain in Switzerland, yet it maintains among them a royal rank, because all the great72 THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD.chains converge together around him, and rest upon him as their base. The mountains of Schwytz and Unterwalden,joined by those of Uri, range from the north; from the east,those of the Grisons; from the south, those of the Italian cantons; while from the east, by means of the Furca, the double line of mountains which enclose Valais press uponit. Not far from the hospice are the sources of the Rhine,which pursue an easterly direction; and if we take the Rhône, which rises at the foot of the Furca and runs west- ward through Valais, with the Reuss, which empties its waters into Lake Lucerne and the Ticino, which through gorges and valleys pours down from here into Stor, we shallfind ourselves at the point of a cross, from which mountain ranges and rivers proceed towards the four cardinal points of the compass.The Hospice of St. Gothard is situated at the most ele- vated portion of the pass; it is a large heavy- looking place,capable of accommodating about twenty persons in a certain rude fashion, and is managed by two monks. The poor are entertained here gratuitously; tourists are very properlyexpected to make some present, in acknowledgment of the service rendered them. The rudiments of the present in- stitution existed here in the fourteenth century, about which time the pass began to be used; for to the Romans it was utterly unknown. The rcad of the St. Gothard is now one of the most frequented of the Alps, twenty thousand persons and much merchandise passing by it every year between Switzerland and Italy. The road is a very fine one, andhas been constructed at great charge by the cantons of Uri and Ticino, through which it passes; but the tolls upon it are so high that the expenditure is now nearly repaid.There is a warehouse at the hospice, where the merchants deposit and often sell their goods. During the French oc- cupation which preceded the conflict, the soldiers burnt the doors and window-frames, with all the carpentry of the hospice, to make their fires; the present building is main- tained by the canton of Ticino. The climate here is of the most rigorous severity. Winter lasts nine months of theyear, and snows accumulate in places to the depth of from twenty to forty feet. "The cold in this clear atmosphere isawful; the stove here is made of stone tiles, and I am sittingupon it. It is scarcely possible to keep one's selfwarm, espe-THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD. 78cially as they have no fuel here but brushwood, of which they are obliged to be very sparing, as it must be fetched up the mountains from a distance of about three leagues;for at the summit, they tell us, scarcely any wood grows.The reverend father is returned from Airolo so frozen thathe can scarcely utter a word. " —( GOETHE, in November 1779. )Tourists, however, have no business on the St. Gothard so late in the year as this. In winter and spring certain por- tions of the route are exceedingly dangerous on account of the avalanches, which then fall in great numbers. In the travelling season the danger from this source is incon- siderable, but three or four persons perish every year during the bad season. In the whole valley of St. Gothard thereare but three Alps -those of Rudunt, Sella, and Luzendro,where cows can be pastured, or where the traveller will find a châlet.The St. Gothard was the scene of some sanguinary con- flicts at the close of the last century. In 1799 , in the middle of May, the French, under Marshal Soult, seized the hospice.On the 16th and 18th of the same month they encountered the Austrians, united with the inhabitants of the country, in the Val Levantine and in Mont Cevere. On the 19th , the French withdrew from the Grisons to Ursern, under Souchet.On the 28th, the Austrian General Haddich repulsed the French under Lecourbe. On the 29th, the Austrian general,Count St. Julien, seized the Devil's Bridge, and advanced towards Wasen; and on the 6th of June, after a severe struggle, the French were compelled to abandon the canton of Uri. In August, the French again penetrated through the Surene Alps from Sustenberg to the Val Maggia, driving the Austrians before them to Flueln and Wasen. On the17th they obtained possession of the valleys of Ursern,the St. Gothard, and the Ober- Alp, as far as Disentisin the Grison; and a corps coming from the Valais occu- pied the Furca. On the 24th and 25th of September,Suwarrow, with 25,000 Russians and 5000 horses, passedthe St. Gothard, and drove the French to the Surene Alps.On October the 4th, the latter returned to take possession of St. Gothard from the side of the Valais. On the 28thof May, a division commanded by Lorge and Money tra- versed the St. Gothard, fighting incessantly all the way along the Val Levantine as far as to Lugano and Como,74 FROM THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD TO ALTORF.where they arrived in June. It seems almost incredible,on looking at these passes, that a whole army, with cavalry and artillery, could have traversed them; and yet it is true. The cannon were taken to pieces, and carried by men;the horses were held by their tails, and supported. Many things , indeed, were lost by the way; many a horse and piece of baggage; and 500 Russians fell over into the abysses: but the generals marched on, and let them lie, as indeed they were compelled to do.FROM THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD TOALTORF.Distance, 10 stunde. The first portion of this journeyretraces the zigzag way of St. Gothard as far as Hospital,and there again enters the valley of Ursern. From Hospital the high road leads to Andermatt, half a stunde distant. Agallows on the way- side is carefully kept up, as a monument of the power of life and death , formerly exercised at Andermatt, when the valley of Ursern formed a republic in it- self, and was governed by separate laws. To-day it ismerged in the canton of Uri, of which Altorf is the capital.ANDERMATT (inns, Drei Könige and Sonne, the former one of the best in Switzerland) is the largest of the four towns of the valley of Ursern, and is delightfully situated: thelittle green valley, environed by snows, presenting an image of spring in the arms of winter. Very fine trout are to be had at the inns, obtained from the lake of the Ober-Alp.The high pasturages produce a very beautiful cheese,which, however, is too delicate for exportation, and is re- served for the crowds of tourists who traverse the St. Gothard pass in the season.During the war of 1799-1800, Andermatt was thrice pil- laged, and lost two-thirds of its cattle, besides sixty-two châlets on the Ober-Alp. A portion of the little ash forest,preserved with religious care for so many generations, and which protected the village from avalanches, was then also destroyed. When the Russians, under Suwarrow, arrived in the village, September 25, 1799, they were so famished, that,in default of other provisions, they devoured an enormousquantity of soap, which they found in an auberge, and cutting in pieces several hides which were drying in a yard, boiledFROM THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD TO ALTORF. 75and ate them. In the strength of these aliments they drove the French across the Devil's Bridge, and rushed themselves to the passage. The French, in their retreat, broke downthe bridge by blasting the arch, but this put no stop to the impetuous fury of the Russians, who crossed the chasm on beams of wood tied together with the officers' scarfs, and in their rage to come to their enemies, plunged hundreds of the foremost ranks of their own columns into the foaming cataract.During the night which succeeded the retreat of the French, one of the Cossack sentinels passing the banks hearing a gurgling voice in the depths below, descended. He found there a young French officer, at a depth of 200 feet,so broken and bruised by the fall that he could not stand .The Cossack fastened him on his shoulders with his belt,and in that way set to work to carry him up. When he hadmade some progress with his burden, a part of the rock broke under his feet, and he fell, receiving himself con- siderable injury. At length he regained bis post, afterincredible fatigue , bringing his charge with him. The officer was sent to Ilanz, and there recovered.The Devil's Bridge, where these scenes were enacted, isabout half-a- league from Andermatt, on the way to Altorf.From the green, smooth, and open meadows of Andermattthe road abruptly enters a mountain, through the long gallery or tunnel of Urnerloch, hewn in the solid rock overthe river Reuss, 180 feet in length, and wide enough forcarriages. Before this grand tunnel was bored, the mountain,shutting down perpendicular into the roaring river, had tobe passed by a rude suspension gallery of boards outside,hung down by chains amidst the very spray of the torrent.It was a great exploit to double this cape.Astranger is not at all prepared for the scene which bursts upon him on the other side of the tunnel, for he has beenluxuriating in meadows, and there is no sign of change.From the green and quiet slopes of the sheltered Ursern valley, after spending a few moments in the darkness of Urnerloch rock valley, you emerge at once into a gorge of utter savageness, directly at the Devil's Bridge, and in full view of some of the grandest scenery in all Switzerland.It bursts upon you like a tropical storm, with all the sublimity of conflicting and volleying thunder-clouds. It76 FROM THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD TO ALTORF.is a most stupendous pass. The river, with a great leap over its broken bed of rocks, shoots like a catapult into the chasm against the base of the mountain, by which it is sud- denly recoiled at right angles , and plunges, bellowing, down the precipitous gorge.The new bridge spans the thundering torrent at a height of about 125 feet over the cataract. It is of solid, beautifulmasonry, the very perfection of security and symmetry in modern art. As to a wild sublimity, though there is from itby far the best view of the cataract of Reuss, and though,being nearer to that cataract, it sets you more completely in the midst of the conflicting terrors of the gorge, yet foritself it is not to be compared with the simple rude old structure, above which it rises. That, the genuine Devil's Bridge, is still standing a few yards lower down than thenew, like an arch in the air, slight, frail , and trembling. It is much more in accordance with the scenery than the new,and is so covered with mosses, being made of unhewn stones,which centuries have beaten and grizzled with tempests, that the mountains and the bridge seem all in wild harmony.The old bridge was built in 1118 by the Abbot of Ein- seidlen, probably to facilitate the journeying of pilgrims from a distance to that famous convent. The upper bridge spans the cataract of the Reuss at an angle in the mountain,where, naturally, there is not one inch of space for the sole of the foot, but a perpendicular cliff, against which the torrent rages, and in which the only way of blasting the rock, and scooping out a shelf or gallery for the passage on the other side, was by lowering down the workmen with ropes from the brow of the mountain; where, hanging over the boiling gulf, they bored the granite, and fixed their trains of powder.The old bridge was only one arch thrown across the gorge, and but just broad enough to admit of two persons passing each other in safety, with scarcely any protection at the sides, and at a height of about a hundred feet above the torrent. It was a dizzy thing to pass it, and to get uponit the passenger must coast the gulf on zigzag terraces. The new bridge is of two arches, with safe and strong parapets,and of ample width for carriages. Till the first bridge was made there was no communication possible from one side to the other.After the gorge of the Devil's Bridge, you plunge down theFROM THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD TO ALTORF. 77precipitous valley by well- constructed zigzags, crossing and recrossing the Reuss repeatedly, till you come to the savage defile of Schellinen, where, for about a stunde, the ravine isso deep and narrow, that the cliffs seem to arch the heavens,and shut out the light. The Reuss meanwhile keeps such aroaring din, making in the short space of four leagues a fall of 2500 feet, almost in a perpetual cataract, that the people have called this part of the way the Krachenthal, or Crashing Valley.There are curious legends in this part of the valley.Enormous fragments of rock are strewn around, one ofwhich, almost a mountain by itself, nearly in the road, goesby the name of Teufelstein, or Devil's Stone, having beendropped, it is said, by the overworked demon, in attemptingto get it across the St. Gothard pass . The legend runs, thathe set out to convey this crag across the valley for a wager,but let it slip, and lost the game.At GESCHENEN the road emerges from the defile of Schel- linen, and the scenery henceforward gradually becomes morevaried and beautiful. Charming meadows lie by the water- side , diversified by little orchards of walnut and pear-trees;cottages and hamlets stud the slopes, at a height which places them beyond the reach of the winter floods, as well as of the stones and avalanches, which descend at times into the valley. Just before coming to Wasen there is a tollhouse, where foot-passengers pay half a batz, and carriages fourteen batzen, for the maintenance of the highway.At WASEN, a village of 500 inhabitants, on the left bank of the Reuss, where it is joined by the Mayen torrent, there is a good inn, the Ochs. Beyond the village the road crosses to the right bank by a wooden bridge, then leads through a wood, and still descending, returns to the left bank, finally crossing the stream again, near Arn Steg. The traveller is still in the magnificent pass of the St. Gothard, which con- tinues to present a character at once picturesque and beautiful, wild and savage. The gorges are tremendous;the bridges thrown across the torrent frequent and bold.Here and there dark forests of fir cling to the mountains,and sometimes are seen the savage jagged paths of recent avalanches. Now and then there is a little chapel on the mountain's brow; the chime of bells comes ringing up the78 FROM THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD TO ALTORF.valley; and you meet corded brown friars walking, and women working on the roads.The variety and contrast of colours offered to the eye such a scene, the azure of the sky, the violet mountains,of a hue as deep as the heartsease, the grisly grey rocks ,the black firs , the deep blue gorges, the pale verdure of the trees, the deeper green of the grassy slopes and meadowpatches, the white snow, the dim mists, the silvery clouds,the opal of the morn, the golden lights of evening, make up a delightful intermingling of hues and shades . At some distance below Wasen the mountains are singularly grand.Far down the valley a pyramidal peak of bare granite guards the way to the region of Tell; and now the green and flowery mottled slopes, with the thick luxuriant foliage and fruits of the walnut, chestnut, pear, and other trees, begin to spread out more largely. In the hay-harvest are seenwomen with their heads and shoulders buried beneath enormous bundles of the short grass, labouring along the pathat the brink of precipices , where a single step would plunge bundle and carrier into the gulf below.AM- STEG (inns, Hirsch and Stern) lies at the foot of the mountains called the Bristen and Windguelle. To the eastthe valley of the Maderan opens, and is prolonged as far as to the glaciers of Uri , Glarus, and the Grisons. From AmSteg to Altorf is three stunde. The valley now opens out,and the way no longer descends, but winds through awell- wooded and cultivated region: it leaves shortly the margin of the Reuss, and conducts by the ruins of an old tower, said by some to be identical with the Zwing Uri (Bridle for Uri) , constructed by the infamous Gessler to overawe the Swiss , and by them demolished at the com- mencement of their revolt: by others it is stated to have been nothing more than the ancestral seats of the lords of Silchlinen.At BOTZLINGEN, two stunde from Arn Steg, the public officers and members of the parliament of the canton are elected every year. The constitution of Uri is very simple.Nearly all power is reserved in the hands of the " gentle- men," i.e. the descendants of the oldest families. The cantonal council consists of forty- four members elected for life,who both make and administer the laws without appeal.FROM THE HOSPICE OF ST. GOTHARD TO ALTORF. 79In Uri a citizen is not allowed to marry a stranger withoutpaying to his village a fine of 300 florins, and a citizenessmarrying a stranger loses her rights in the common pro- perty of her canton.Just before reaching Altorf the road reaches the Schachenvalley to the right of the road, celebrated as containing the village of Burglen, where William Tell was born. It is abeautiful rural hamlet, of most magnificent verdure, higherup among the mountains than Altorf, and commanding arich leafy view of the valley below. The church is in front,and in sight is the village of Attighausen, where Walter Furst, Tell's wife's father, and a Swiss liberator, was born.A little chapel stands on the spot formerly occupied by the house in which Tell long resided as Mayor of Burglen. Itis covered with very rude paintings, descriptive of various scenes in Tell's life, accompanied with sentences from Scrip- ture. On the front of the chapel is the text, " We are called unto liberty, but by love serve one another." The valley is about four miles in length, rich in Alpine pasturage, and isinhabited by one of the finest races in Switzerland. It wasthrough this vale that Suwarrow, in 1799, led his army into the canton of Glarus.Before coming to Altorf you cross the rapid stream of the Schachen, in which it is said that William Tell lost his lifein his old age by endeavouring to save a child from drown- ing, when the waters were high. This was in 1350. He was born about the year 1280. The traditions respecting Tellare highly prized in Uri, and the public authorities of the canton ordered to be burned a book by the son of the celebrated Haller, criticising the story of Tell so as to injure the popular version. On a clear moonlight night, it is said, you can even now sometimes see the stalwart form of Tell in hisnative valley, bending his great cross-bow, and trying the strength of his arrows.ALTORF is from Burglen less than half- an- hour's walk(inns, Adler and Clef- d'Or, best; Aigle and Clef- d'Or) . It is the capital of Uri, and stands nearly on the confine of the canton. It is small, not having above 1700 inhabitants, butclean, beautifully situated, and surrounded by gardens and orchards. The town has no manufactures, and is poor; aconflagration occurred here in 1799, when nearly all the80 LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE.houses then forming the little capital were burned down,and a loss of 4,500,000 francs was sustained.It was in the square of Altorf that the celebrated boy- and- apple scene was enacted, and an old tower is shown, said to have been built upon the site where once grew the linden towhich the tyrant Gessler bound the noble child as the mark for his father's archery. Wordsworth's lines were suggestedby contemplating this tower:-" How blest the souls, who, when their trials come,Yield not to terror or despondency,But face, like that sweet boy, their mortal doom,Whose head the ruddy apple tops, while he Expectant stands beneath the linden tree,Not quaking, like the timid forest game;He smiles, the hesitating shaft to free,Assured that Heaven its justice will proclaim,And to his father give its own unerring aim."Figures of the heroes stand above the fountain, and are dearly cherished in spite of the rudeness of their execution.From Altorf a walk of about half an hour brings the traveller to Fluellen, a mere village in the low unhealthy part of the valley of the Reuss, but of some importance, as being the place of embarkation for Lucerne, on whose lake it stands.LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE.From Fluellen a steamer starts for Lucerne morning and evening, at hours which are fixed at the commencement of every season. On its way it calls at Brunnen, the port ofthe canton of Schwytz; at Gersau and Weggis, to disembark passengers for the Rhigi; and at Beckenried, the nearest landing- place to Buochs and Stanz. Distance from Fluellen to Lucerne, 25 miles. Fares: 1 fr. 60 rap. and 3 fr. 20 rap.The Lake of Lucerne, also called the Vierwaldstadter Sea,or Lake of the Four Cantons, ( Uri, Schwytz, Unterwalden,and Lucerne, which it laves, having during the middle ages borne the name ofthe Four Cantons ) , is the geographical and historical centre of Switzerland, since the heroic scenes which introduced its modern history were enacted on its banks.Its surface is 1430 feet above the level of the sea. In formLAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE. 81it is most irregular, presenting at no point an expanse ofwater at all proportioned to its real capacity, and being for the most part made up of a number of narrow channels dis- posed at various angles to each other. The first of these straits lies between the southern extremity of the lake near Fluellen and Brunnen, where the Muotta pours down its waters. At Brunnen the lake narrows and suddenly bends,forming a wider channel, the north bank of which ends at Gersau, while its southern side is prolonged in a bay to Buochs. Above Gersau the lake expands somewhat, and permits its north- western extremity at Lucerne to be reached from that point in a straight line. About midway be.tween Gersau and Lucerne it thrusts out two arms, oneof which extends on the right to Kussnach and the other to Alpnach.Lucerne is allowed on all hands to be the finest of Swisslakes, its three reaches presenting every variety of lake scenery. No other presents such a magnificent varietyof light and shade: snowy peaks and silvery glaciers, deep green ravines , dark wood and naked rock, and lovely fertilespots of cultivation , sunny, warm, and rich. Along the bay of Uri, between Fluellen and Brunnen, the banks are precipitous, and the rocky shore, wild scenery, and crags crowned with pines, remind a northern traveller of the fiords of Norway. The rocks dip perpendicularly into the water,and a landing in case of a storm would be almost impossi- ble. In the middle branch, grandeur gives place to pie- turesqueness ofscenery; while the characteristic of the lowerbranch, which joins Lucerne, and is surrounded by country- houses, and orchards, and wooded knolls, is its beauty.The Swiss boats are coarse and clumsy in construction;keeled-boats are never seen; the oars are crossed, and usedstanding, the rower pressing against them with arms and breast. Some of the larger vessels carry a square sail, butthis demands great caution and skill; sudden gusts of wind often rush through the ravines and lash up the waters to awild tumult, making it needful to seek immediate shelter.Accidents, however, are comparatively rare, owing to the caution, perhaps the timidity, of the boatmen, who have avery justifiable distrust oftheir abilities in an emergency.About two miles from Fluellen, on the east side of the lake, at the foot of the Achsen mountain, are the Tellenplatte,G82 LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE.and Tell's chapel. William Tell having been taken prisonerat Altorf, was to be taken for greater security to the fortressat Kussnach. For this purpose he was put into a boat at Fluellen, and the boat set sail; but one of those sudden andviolent storms to which the lake is so subject having arisen,the bont was driven close to the shore. Tell, who was apowerful man, was released, that he might assist in saving the boat, which contained Gessler. He saw and seizedhis opportunity, leaped on shore at this spot, and wellknowing all the mountains, fled over to Kussnach to await the tyrant. It was on the 28th November, 1307, that Tell's arrow slow Gessler on the cross-road of Kussnach. On the1st of January following, the deputies of the cantons whichhad entered the league ofliberation expelled the Austrian bailiffs from Uri, Schwytz, and Unterwalden, and seized allthe forts. Tell fought at Morgarten in the ranks of the1300 Confederates, who won the first victory over the Austrianpower. He lived until the middle of the fourteenth century,and had the happiness to see the cantons of Lucerne,Zurich, Zug, Glarus, and Berne included in the Confederation. At an advanced age he perished in the Schachen,near the bridge by which the traveller enters Altorf, in attempting to save a child which had fallen into the torrent.His race became extinct by the death of Verena Tell, who died in 1720. At the death of William Tell the inhabitantsof Uri ordained a yearly meeting of the canton at Burglen in honour of their illustrious fellow- citizen. The CantonalCouncil decreed, moreover, that every year a sermon shouldbe preached in the place " where stands the house of ourdear fellow- citizen, the first restorer of our liberties, to theeternal memory of the mercy of God and the sure aim of thehero." In 1880, about thirty years after his death, thischapel was built, and 114 persons met there who had known him during his life. The prospect on the ledge near Tell'schapel is very magnificent.About three miles from the Tellenplatte the west shorehas subsided, and a beautifully green meadow opens out,called the Grutli-matte. It was here that Werner Staffaucher of Steinen, in Schwytz, Erni ( or Arnold ) der Halden of Melchthal, in Unterwalden, and Walter Furst of Atting- hausen, in Uri, met in the moonlight, and swore to breakthe fetters of their country's slavery, expel the tyrants, andLAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE . 83if necessary, to pour out the last drop of their blood in restoring their country to its ancient freedom. After thisthey continued their midnight meetings to concert measuresfor carrying out their resolve. Finally, on the 17th of November, 1307 , each of them repaired to the spot, accompanied by ten stout and trusty companions, and these three- and-thirty agreed to take an oath " to undertake nothing but with the participation of his confederates, to sustain and be faithful to one another to death, to defend the old rights ofthe land, to do no injury to the Counts of Hapsburg, eitherin their persons or rights, and not to ill - treat their go- vernors." This done, the three chiefs advanced to the middleof the group, and with hands lifted to Heaven swore to standby one another, and transmit a free country to their children.On the 1st of January, in the following year, the plan was executed simultaneously in the three forest towns; the castleswere taken, and the tyrannical bailiffs of Austria conducted to the frontiers unharmed, where an oath was taken of them never to re-enter either of the three cantons. Such was theorigin ofthe Helvetic confederation and of the Swiss nation.In June, 1313, the people of the three cantons of Uri,Schwytz, and Unterwalden, renewed their alliance in the meadow of Grutlé. In 1713 they confirmed it in the sameplace, by the oath of 360 deputies.On the opposite side of the lake, one of the precipitousAlps, whose foundations it conceals , shows, high up in theair, a white scar, where a fragment of rock, 1200 feet wide,broke from the mountain and fell into the lake in the year1801 , raising such a wave in its fall, that at the distance of amile a hamlet was overwhelmed and five houses destroyedby it, with the loss of a number of lives. The size of this fragment, though the scar in the mountain looks so inconsiderable, may serve to direct the traveller's measurement ofthose huge avalanches, which at the distance of leagues look so enormous on the Jungfrau, and which on othermountains have buried whole villages and swept whole forests in their way.Beyond this point the shores again grow bold and pre- cipitous as far as to the headland of Treib, which marks the extreme point of the Bay of Uri. Opposite Treib, where there is an inn, is BRUNNEN (inn, Goldener Adler) , a village at the mouth84 LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE.of the Muotta, which drains the canton of Schwytz. A greatnumber of boatmen constantly frequent the village, relying upon the traffic by the pass of the St. Gothard.At Brunnen we enter the second reach of the lake. Theright coast has by far the more beautiful bank. Although in many places steep, it is , for the most part, covered with arich verdure, and is well clothed with beech, hazel, and oak.At the end of the reach is seen Mount Pilate, whose pointed summits form a magnificent background.GERSAU, a little village ( inn, Sonne ) , is delightfully situated on a little green platform at the foot of the Righi, level withthe lake. Its eighty white houses, each with its garden,occupy a ledge of about a quarter of a mile square, and on three sides are shut in by lofty mountains.The history of Gersau is somewhat singular. In the year 1359 the village and territory, in all about six square miles,formed a commune, which the Counts of Hapsburg had sold to the Barons of Moos, of the country of Uri. In this year the people of the commune allied themselves withthe three first cantons, and assisted the Confederates in all their wars. At the battle of Sempach, in 1386, one of itswarriors took a standard from the Hohenzollern. In 1390 itmade a compact with the Barons of Moos, by which the latter undertook to trouble the commune no more with theirclaims upon receiving the sum of 690 lbs. of pfennings; which were actually raised and paid by this small and poor com- munity. The liberty and independence of Gersau were then acknowledged, and from that time to the revolution of 1798 Gersau was the smallest sovereign state in Europe. It now makes part of the canton of Schwytz.BECKENRIED, on the west coast, is the nearest point to Stanz and Buochs, in Unterwalden, at which the steamercan touch without entering the Bay of Buochs, which lies too far out of the road to Lucerne. The vessel now turnsnorthward, and enters a narrow strait, not seen until, nearly approached, and formed by two advancing promontories running out on the left from the Burgenberg, and on the right from the Righi. As the boat, when past these head- lands, changes its direction, it seems, on looking backward, as ifthe mountains actually shut in the portion of the lake now entered, and to which belongs more especially the name of Lake Lucerne.LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE. 85WEGGIS, the nearest point of landing to the Righi , stands on the base of that mountain, where it descends to the lake at a small angle. Beyond Weggis the lake throws out an arm, which reaches Kussnach. The right side of the bay isformed by the Righi, which is covered with pastures and woods, amid which rise a great number of cottages. Oppo- site is a cliff, with the castle of New Hapsburg and the village of Meggen.MOUNT PILATE, occupying a point beyond the termination of the Alpnach arm, is seen well from this point, and is in manyrespects an interesting mountain. Theform ofits threehighest peaks is very striking, and rising immediately from the lake to the height of more than 7000 feet, it presents agrand front. There is a small lake, high up in the mountain,into which Pontius Pilate, who is said to have resided inSwitzerland after he was banished by Tiberius into Gaul,plunged, stung with remorse. His vexed spirit still dwells there, and invites the tempest. According to the popular proverb,"When Pilatus doffs his hat Then the weather will be wet."But when he keeps on his slouched closed beaver all day ,one may expect fair weather.It was upon this mountain that was constructed , many years ago, a great and useful work, the Slide of Alpnach, for facilitating the descent of timber.On the south side of Pilatus are great forests of sprucefir, consisting of the finest timber, but in a situation whichthe height, the steepness, and the ruggedness of the ground,seemed to render inaccessible. They had rarely been visitedbut by the chamois hunters; and it was from them, indeed,that the first information concerning the size of the trees,and the extent of the forest, appears to have been received.These woods are in the canton of Unterwalden, where thereare no manufactures, little accumulation of capital, and nocommercial enterprise. In the possession of such masters,the lofty firs of Pilatus were likely to remain long the orna- ments of their mountain.Mr. Rupp, however, a native of Wirtemberg, and a skilfulengineer, in which profession he had been educated, indig- nant at the political changes effected in his own country86 LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE.was induced to take refuge among a free people, and came to settle in the canton of Schywtz, on the opposite side of the Lake of Lucerne. The accounts which he heard thereof the forest just mentioned determined him to visit it, and he was so much struck by its appearance, that, long and rugged as the descent was, he conceived the bold project of bringing down the trees, by no other force than their own weight, into the Lake of Lucerne, from whence the conveyance to the German Ocean was easy and expeditious. A more accurate survey of the ground convinced him of the practicability of the project.He had, by this time, resided long enough in Switzerland to have both his talents and integrity in such estimation,that he was able to prevail on a number of the proprietors to form a company, with a joint stock, to be laid out in the purchase of the forest, and in the construction of the roadalong which it was intended that the trees should slide down into the Lake of Lucerne, the arm of which fortunately approaches quite near to the bottom of the mountain. The sum required for this purpose was very considerable for that country, amounting to 9000l. or 10,000l.; 3000l. to be laidout on the purchase of the forest from the community of Alpnach, the proprietors of it, and the rest being necessary for the construction of the singular railway by which the trees were to be brought down.The distance which the trees had to be conveyed is 46,000 feet. The medium height of the forest is about 2500 feet.The horizontal distance just mentioned is 44,252 feet-eightEnglish miles and about three furlongs. The declivity is,therefore, one foot in 17.68; the medium angle of elevation ,3° 14′ 20″.This declivity, though so moderate on the whole, was, in many places, very rapid. At the beginning the inclinationwas about one- fourth of a right angle, or about 22° 30′; in many places, 20° , but nowhere greater than the angle first mentioned, 22° 30' . The inclination continued of this quan- tity for about 500 feet, after which the way was less steep,and often considerably circuitous, according to the directions which the ruggedness of the ground forced it to take.Along this line the trees descended in a sort of trough built in a cradle form, and extending from the forest to the edge of the lake. Three trees squared, and laid side by side,LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE. 87formed the bottom of the trough; the tree in the middle having its surface hollowed, so that a rill of water, received from distance to distance over the side of the trough, mightbe conveyed along the bottom, and preserve it moist. Ad- joining to the central part ( of the trough) , other trees, also squared, were laid parallel to the former, in such a manner as to form a trough rounded in the interior, and of such dimensions as to allow the largest trees to lie or to move quite readily. When the direction of the trough turned or had any bending, of which there were many, its sides were made higher and stronger, especially on the convex side, or that from which it bent, so as to provide against the trees bolting or flying out, which they sometimes did, in spite of every precaution . In general, the trough was from five to six feet wide at top, and from three to four in depth;varying, however, in different places, according to circum- stances.This singular road was constructed at considerable ex .pense; though, as it went almost for its whole lengththrough a forest, the materials of construction were at hand,and of small value. It contained 30,000 trees; was in general supported on cross- timbers, that were themselves sup- ported by uprights fixed in the ground. It crossed in itsway three great ravines: one at the height of 64 feet, another at the height of 103, and a third, where it went along the face of a rock, at that of 157. In two places it was conveyedunder ground. It was finished in 1812.The trees which descend by this conveyance were spruce- firs , very straight, and of great size. All their brancheswere lopped off, stripped of the bark, and the surface, of course, made tolerably smooth. The trees or logs , of whichthe trough was built, were dressed with the axe, but without much care.All being thus prepared, the tree was launched with the root-end foremost into the steep part of the trough, and in afew seconds acquired such a velocity as enabled it to reach the lake in the short space of six minutes: a result altogether astonishing, when it is considered that the distance is more than eight miles , that the average declivity is but one foot in seventeen, and that the route which the trees have tofollow is often circuitous, and in some places almost hori- zontal,88 LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE.Where large bodies are moved with such velocity as has now been described, and so tremendous a force of course produced, everything had need to be done with the utmost regularity, every obstacle carefully removed that can obstruct the motion, or that might suffer by so fearful a col- lision. Everything, accordingly, with regard to launching off the trees, was directed by telegraphic signals . All along the slide men were stationed at different distances, fromhalf a mile to three-quarters , or more, but so that every station might be seen fromthe next, both above and below.At each of these stations also was a telegraph, consisting of a large board like a door, that turned at its middle on ahorizontal axle. When the tree was launched from the top,a signal was made by turning the board upright; the same was followed by the rest, and thus the information is con- veyed, almost instantaneously, all along the slide, that a tree was on its way. By and by, to any one that is stationed on the side, even to those at a great distance, the same was announced by the roaring of the tree itself, which becamealways louder and louder; the tree came in sight when it was perhaps half a mile distant, and in an instant after shotpast with the noise of thunder and the rapidity of lightning.As soon as it had reached the bottom, the lowest telegraph was turned down, the signal passed along all the station,and the workmen at the top were informed that the tree hadarrived in safety. Another was set off as expeditiously as possible; the moment was announced as before, and the same process repeated, till the trees that had been got in readiness for that day had been sent down into the lake.The trees thus brought down into the Lake of Lucernewere formed into rafts, and floated down the very rapid stream of the Reuss, by which the lake discharges its water,first into the Aar, and then into the Rhine. Bythis convey- ance, which is all of it in streams of great rapidity, the trees sometimes reached Basle in a few days after they had left Lucerne, and there the intermediate concern of the Alpnachcompany terminated. They still continued to be navigated down the Rhine in rafts to Holland, and were afloat in the German Ocean in less than a month from having descended from the side of Pilatus, a very inland mountain, not less than a thousand miles distant. The Emperor Napoleon had made a contract for all the timber thus brought down.LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE . 89This useful work has since been taken down.Beyond the bays of Alpnach and Kussnach the boat passesthe cape of the Meggenhorn and the little island of Altstadt,and soon touches land at the Hofbrucke, when the voyager is at Lucerne.LUCERNE.-Hôtels: Schweitzer Hof, near the pier, first- rate; Waage, good and fair; Schwann, good. There are like- wise two pensions.Lucerne is built on both sides the Reuss, at the point where Switzerland's most historic river leaves its only lake in a clear sea- green stream. Its situation is extremelybeautiful, with the Lake of Lucerne on the south- east; anda fertile country lies in its rear and on both sides , while Mount Pilate rises in grand gloom on its right, and the Righi with cheerful verdure in front. Lucerne is one of the three towns, with Berne and Zurich, where the Diet of theConfederation holds its sessions. It is styled " Town and Republic," having a Council of One Hundred for its govern- ment, divided into a daily council of thirty- six, and the larger council of sixty-four, the whole hundred meeting every three years, or, if the daily council require it, oftener.At the head of the council is a chief magistrate, called the Avoyer. The number of the inhabitants in the town is about 8000 Romanists and 200 Protestants, the Protestantsbeing excluded from all participation in the rights of citi- zens, and only admitted on sufferance.Lucerne is a very ancient city, with a wall and numerous towers. It has been said to derive its name from a tower inthe lake, on which a light was kept burning. Dr. Casimir Pfyffer states that a Benedictine monastery was founded here in 698, and that the town grew up around it. In the progress ofhistory the citizens gained for themselves manyrights and privileges, elected their own magistrates, and in 1291 acknowledged allegiance to Austria, but in 1332 re- moved it, and joined the league of the Forest Towns, fight- ing with them at the battle of Sempach. The first consti- tution of the canton was democratic, and the citizens hadequal rights; but by the close of the fifteenth century the patrician families had contrived to appropriate all the publicpower and prerogatives in public matters. No one not born in the town could sit in the Cantonal Council, and in 1773 an ordinance was published making certain offices here-90 LAKE AND TOWN OF LUCERNE.ditary. After many revolutions, a liberal constitution was formed in 1831; but in 1841 a peasant democracy swept itclean away, and placed all power in the hands of the clerical party. In 1845, Colonel Ochsenbein marched against the town at the head of a free corps, intending to overthrow the Jesuit influence; but, through some misunderstanding, the expedition had a disastrous issue, and many a citizen was left for months in a dungeon before he was ransomed by his canton.The bridges of Lucerne are remarkable features of the town. The Hofbrucke, which extends across a portion ofthe lake, and, until 1835, was 1380 feet in length, is hung with 240 pictures representing the whole Scripture history,scenes from the Old Testament being arranged on one side,and subjects from the New being represented on the other.The Kappellebrucke is hung on one side with pictures,representing, in oil- colours, all the heroic events in Swiss history." Long may these homely works devised of old,These simple efforts of Helvetian skill,Aid, with congenial influence, to uphold The State-the Country's destiny to mould;Turning, for them who pass, the common dust Of servile opportunity to gold;Filling the soul with sentiments august,Thebeautiful, the brave, the holy, and the just!"WORDSWORTH.The Mühlbrucke, the most distant from the lake, is hungwith paintings of the Dance of Death.The Arsenal contains the banner of the canton, stained with the blood of the Avoyer de Gundoldingen, who diedwhile defending it at Sempach, 1386; the coat of mail worn by Duke Leopold of Austria; and the collar of spikes, in- tended to have been put on the neck of the Avoyer had he survived and the Austrians been victorious .In a garden about five minutes' walk outside the Weggis- gate, is a monument erected to the memory of the Swiss Guards who fell in defending the Tuileries on the 10th of August, 1792. It is hewn out of a solid rock, and represents a lion dying wounded by an arrow, and seeming in the agonies of death to protect the Bourbon fleur- de- lis . Thefigure is twenty- eight feet in length, and is eighteen feetLUCERNE, OVER THE RIGHI. 91high. The idea was proposed to Thorwaldsen, by a person sent to Rome for that purpose by General Pfyffer; and that sculptor, varying a little the original conception, produced amodel, which was brought to Switzerland, and intrusted to Mr. Ahorn of Constance, who completed the present work.It occupied him eighteen months, and he was paid for it 20001. sterling. The names of the Swiss Guards who fell in the event commemorated are carved beneath.The churches of Lucerne are not very remarkable . Thecathedral contains a picture by Lanfranc, and a very fineorgan, which is only surpassed in Switzerland by that recently placed in the cathedral at Fribourg.The corn-market held at Lucerne once a-week is one ofthe largest in Switzerland. Lucerne, although one of thelargest cantons of the Confederation, and covered with thefinest soil, which produces most abundantly whereon time and industry are bestowed on the land, produces little more than it consumes, and has paupers in every commune. Themarket is supplied with rye and wheat, the greater part ofwhich is brought from Aargovia, and which feeds not only Lucerne, but Unterwalden and Uri. The boats from Fluellen and the Unterwalden side of the lake arrive on market- daysin considerable numbers.The Papal Nuncio honours the first Catholic canton by residing in his capital; a fact which intending travellers in Italy should remember, if they would have their passports en règle.Diligences run daily to Berne, Solothurn, Basle, Aargau,Zurich, and Zug.LUCERNE, OVER THE RIGHI, TO ARTH AND ZUG.The Righi is the chief feature in this route, commandingas it does a magnificent view into the mountain- world ofSwitzerland, which no tourist should neglect. The simplestand most direct way of reaching the Kulm ( or culminatingpoint) of the Righi from Lucerne is over the lake to Weggis,thence ascending the mountain. The ascent from Kussnachis not to be recommended. Many travellers ascend from Arth, on the opposite side of the mountain. The drive fromLucerne to Arth by Kussnach, a distance of about 13 miles,92 THE RIGHI TO ARTH AND ZUG.is very pleasant, a good road lying on the banks of the lakesLucerne and Zug nearly the whole distance; and the tourist intending to return to Lucerne by Weggis may vary his excursion by taking the road. The ascent of the mountain from Arth, however, is far more toilsome than from Weggis,owing to the greater steepness and roughness of the path.The Fluellen steam-boat touches at the Weggis twice a- day. Sailing-boats with two rowers may also be hired at Lucerne, at prices regulated by an official tariff exhibited in every inn. By steam-boat the lake is crossed in about an hour; for a sailing- boat, another hour should be allowed.From Weggis to Righi Kulm is about 3 hours; from the kulm to Arth, 24 hours. From Arth to Zug there is a capital carriage-road; distance about 7 miles.To see the sun rise is, of course, the great object of the tourist, for which purpose it is necessary to sleep on the mountain. In the height of the season, travellers who arenot prepared to take their chance of accommodation in the crowded inn on the summit must send and engage a bed.The view, after all, is extremely uncertain. An ordinarily fine morning will not answer; the sky must be clear the moment the sun rises into it. Though the whole heavens be- sides be fair, yet if there happen to be a stripe or bank of clouds lying along the eastern horizon, the great spectacle is lost. The fog, which sometimes rises in fine weather, is still more destructive. So it may thus easily be conceived, that of the many thousands who travel thither very few obtain the object of their journey. By taking care to gain the summit before sunset, a chance of a view only second to that of the morning is secured.WEGGIS (inn, Lowe) , a clean, small village, stands on alittle platform at the base of the Righi, where the pitch of the mountain slope is less than ordinary. In 1795, a tor- rent of mud descended from the Righi, and swept away agreat portion of the village. In the spring, the melted snows and rains had entered the crevices of the rocks above, untilgradually they had converted a considerable portion ofthe internal stratum ofthe mountain into a bed of mud.the cohesion of a superior part of the pile been broken, alandfall would have occurred; but such not being the case,the immense weight forced the mud through openings in the rock to the surface, whence it flowed down the declivity intoHadTHE RIGHI TO ARTH AND ZUG. 93the lake. The progress of this extraordinary avalanche,like that of lava, was slow, but irresistible; and the earthwas left completely covered to the height of many feet.Every vestige of the labours of man that was abandoned to its course was swept away. There was time, however, tosave nearly everything but the earth itself and its fruits;the peasants actually removing most of their houses.Horses and chaises-à-porteur are kept ready at Weggis for parties making the ascent of the Righi. The terms of hiring are fixed by an official tariff. The guides that offer them- selves here can only render the services of porters, as the mule-track cannot possibly be mistaken. All the way up there is an agreeable variety of lake, woodland, and mountain scenery. A little chapel dedicated to the Holy Cross is passed shortly after leaving Weggis; beyond it is the Fel- senthor, or Rocky Gate, a curious arrangement of three blocks from pudding- stone, through which the traveller must pass. About a mile further on is a little bathing- house, built on a mountain spring.About a mile belowthe Kulm is the Staffelhaus, an humbleinn, chiefly used as a lodging-house by invalids, but which isoften the pis-aller of the traveller, who finds all the inns at the summit of the Righi occupied.The chief inn on the Righi stands a few steps down the slope below the Kulm. The company encountered in this establishment is of the most miscellaneous character.Every nation in Christendom, and America into the bargain,sends it representative of the day. The excitement of aplace where so many individuals of different tongues, fea- tures, and manners are constantly arriving, all, however, urg- ing the same demands with the greatest exigence and in every language, is very amusing to the visitor who has dined.The cold here is very intense, the mountain being 5900 feet in height above the sea level, and travellers have need of all their garments. In the morning, upon rising from a warm bed, this want is especially felt, and travellers occasionally endeavour to rectify their uncomfortable mistake bywrapping themselves in the blankets under which they have slept; apractice which has suggested the intimation, in form of awarning, to be found in every room, that those who carry off the bed coverings shall pay a tax of ten batz each. In 1849 ,the former inn was destroyed by fire.9699 THE RIGHI TO ARTH AND ZUG."Twixt gladness and amaze,In sooth no will had we to utter aught,Or hear Our eyes Coursed up and down along the living light,Now low, and now aloft, and now around,Visiting every step Each mount did seem Colossal ruby, whereon so inwrought The sunbeam glowed, yet soft, it flamed intense In ecstasy ofglory.'"In truth, no word was uttered when that scene became visible. Each person gazed in silence, or spake as in awhisper." This was the transient view, to behold which one might well undertake to cross seas. After these few moments,when the sun rose so high that the whole masses of snow upon the mountain ranges were lighted with the same rosy light, it grew rapidly fainter, till you could no longer distin- guish the deep exquisite pink and rosy hues by means of their previous contrast with the cold white . Next the sun'srays fell upon the bare rocky peaks, where there was neither snow nor vegetation, making them shine like jasper, and next on the forests and soft grassy slopes, and so down into the deep bosom of the vales. The pyramidal shadow cast by the Righi mountain was most distinct and beautiful, butthe atmospheric phenomenon of the Spectre of the Righi was not visible." This amazing panorama is said to extend over a circum- ference of 300 miles. In all this region, when the upperglory of the heavens and mountain peaks has ceased playing,then, as the sun gets higher, forests, lakes, hills, rivers,trees, and villages, at first indistinct and grey in shadows,become flooded with sunshine, and almost seem floating uptowards you. There was for us another feature of the view,constituting by itself one of the most novel and charming sights of Swiss scenery, but which does not always accom- pany the panorama from the Righi, even in a fine morning.On earth, the morning may be too fine. This was the soft,smooth, white body of mist, lying on most of the lakes and on the vales -a sea of mist, floating, or rather brooding, like a white dove, over the landscape. The spots of land at first visible in the midst of it were just like islands half emerging to the view. It lay over the bay of Kussnacht at our feet, like the white robe of an infant in the cradle, but theTHE RIGHI TO ARTH AND ZUG. 97greater part of the Lake of Lucerne was sleeping quietly without it. Over the whole of the Lake of Zug the mist wasat first motionless, but in the breath of the morning it began slowly to move altogether towards the west, disclosing the village of Arth and the verdurous borders of the lake, andthen uncovering its deep sea-green waters, which reflected the lovely sailing shadows of the clouds as a mirror.""Now the church bells began to chime under this body of mist, and voices from the invisible villages, mingled with the tinkle of sheep- bells, and the various stir of life awakening from sleep, came stilly up the mountain. And now some of the mountain peaks themselves began suddenly to be touched with fleeces of cloud, as if smoking with incense.Detachments of mist began also to rise from the lakes and valleys, moving from the main body up into the air. Thevillages, châlets , and white roads, dotting and threading the vast circumference of landscape, come next into view. And now, on the Lake of Zug you may see reflected the shadowsof clouds that have risen from the surface, but are them- selves below us." It is said you can see fourteen lakes from the place where we are standing. I counted at least twelve last even- ing, before the night- veil of the mist had been drawn above them, but this morning the scenes in the heavens have beentoo beautiful and grand to take the time for counting them;and, besides, they are too much enveloped with the slow- retiring fogs to detect them. On the side of the Righiunder the eastern horizon you behold the little Lake of Lowertz, with the ruins of the village of Goldau, destroyed by the slide of the Rossberg; and you trace distinctly the path of the destroying avalanche, the vast groove of bare rock where the mountain separated and thundered down the vale. A little beyond are the beautiful peaks of Schwytz,called the Mitres. All this wondrous panorama is before us. Whatever side we turn, new points of beauty are disclosed; and as the day advances, every image, fully defined,draws to its perfect place in the picture."The descent of the Righi to Arth takes about 24 or 3hours; about an hour's walk from the summit the steepnessof the path is interrupted, and the way leads for a mile along the side of a beautiful ravine. A village called Mary of theSnow ( Marie zum Schnee) , consisting of a few houses built H94 THE RIGHI TO ARTH AND ZUG.The brow of the Righi is as perpendicular as Arthur's Crag at Edinburgh, and almost cresting over. The sunset,as seen from this point in fine weather, is of extraordinary splendour. In the distant south are seen the snowy peaks of the Bernese Alps; on the south- east and east, another snowy range, the mountains of Glarus and their adjuncts. The lakesof Lucerne and Zug are at the bottom of the mountain, the latter almost at the beholder's feet. "In the evening, walkingalong the edge of the precipice , the vast scene is one of deep beauty, though you are waiting for dawn to reveal its severalfeatures. The lights in so many villages far below, over so great an extent, produce a wild and magic picturesqueness.There, at ourleft, is Lucerne; here, at our feet, is Kussnacht;a few steps to the right, and Arth is below you, with many glancing lights in the surrounding châlets. The evening church bells are ringing, and the sound comes undulating upward, so deep, so musical! There is no moon, but the stars are out, and methinks they look much brighter, more startling, more earnest, than they do from the world below."In the morning, about twenty minutes before sunrise, one of the people of the air blows a blast on a long wooden horn to waken the sleepers." It was the 6th of September, and the most perfectly beautiful morning that can be imagined. At a quarter past three the stars were reigning supreme in the heavens, with just enough of the old moon left to make a trail of light in the shape of a little silver boat among them. But speedily the horizon began to redden over the eastern range of mountains, and then the dawn stole on in such a successionof deepening tints, that nothing but the hues of the pre- ceding sunset could be more beautiful. But there is thisgreat difference between the sunrise and sunset, that the hues of sunset are every moment deepening as you look upon them, until again they fade into the darkness, whilethose of the sunrise gradually fade into the light of day. It is difficult to say which process is most beautiful; for if you could make everything stand still around you, if you could stereotype or stay the process for an hour, you could not tell whether it were the morning dawn or the evening twi- light."A few long, thin stripes of fleecy cloud, lay motionless above the eastern horizon, like layers of silver lace, dippedTHE RIGHI TO ARTH AND ZUG.4595first in crimson, then in gold, then in pink, then lined with an ermine of light, just as if the moon had been lengthened in soft furrows along the sky. This scene in the eastattracts every eye at first, but it is not here that the glory of the view is to be looked for. This glory is in that part of the horizon on which the sun first falls, as he struggles up behind the mountains to flood the world with light. And the reason why it is so glorious is that, long before you call it sunrise in the east, he lights up in the west a range of colossal pyres, that look like blazing cressets kindled from the sky and fed with naphtha." The object most conspicuous as the dawn broke, and indeed the most sublime, was the vast range of the enormous snowy mountains of the Oberland, without spot of cloud or veil ofmist to dim them; the Finster- Aarhorn at the left,and the Jungfrau and Silberhorn at the right, peak after peak, and mass after mass, glittering with a cold wintry whiteness in the grey dawn. Almost the exact half ofthe circumference of the horizon commanded before and behindin our view, was filled with these peaks and masses of snow and ice; then, lower down, the mountains of bare rock, and lower still the earth with mounts of verdure; and this section of the horizontal circumference, which is filled with thevast ranges of the Oberland Alps, being almost due west from the sun's first appearance, it is on their tops that the rising rays first strike." This was the scene for which we watched, and it seems as if nothing in nature can ever again be so beautiful. It was as if an angel had flown round the horizon of mountainranges, and lighted up each of their white pyramidal points in succession, like a row of gigantic lamps burning with rosy fires. Just so the sun suddenly tipped the highest points and lines of the snowy outline, and then, descending lower on the body of the mountains, it was as if an invisible hand had taken them, and dipped the whole range in aglowing pink; the line between the cold snow untouched by the sunlight, and the warm roseate hue above, remainingperfectly distinct. This effect continued some minutes, be- coming, up to a certain point, more and more beautiful."We were like children in a dark room, watching for thelighting up of some great transparency. Or, to use Dante's image,-96 THE RIGHI TO ARTH AND ZUG."Twixt gladness and amaze,In sooth no will had we to utter aught,Or hear .Our eyes Coursed up and down along the living light,Now low, and now aloft, and now around,Visiting every step Each mount did seem Colossal ruby, whereon so inwrought The sunbeam glowed, yet soft, it flamed intense In ecstasy of glory. '"In truth, no word was uttered when that scene became visible. Each person gazed in silence, or spake as in awhisper." This was the transient view, to behold which one might well undertake to cross seas. After these few moments,when the sun rose so high that the whole masses of snowupon the mountain ranges were lighted with the same rosy light, it grew rapidly fainter, till you could no longer distinguish the deep exquisite pink and rosy hues by means of their previous contrast with the cold white. Next the sun'srays fell upon the bare rocky peaks, where there was neithersnow nor vegetation, making them shine like jasper, and next on the forests and soft grassy slopes, and so down intothe deep bosom of the vales. The pyramidal shadow cast by the Righi mountain was most distinct and beautiful, but the atmospheric phenomenon of the Spectre of the Righi was not visible."This amazing panorama is said to extend over a circum- ference of 300 miles. In all this region, when the upperglory ofthe heavens and mountain peaks has ceased playing,then, as the sun gets higher, forests, lakes, hills, rivers,trees, and villages, at first indistinct and grey in shadows,become flooded with sunshine, and almost seem floating uptowards you. There was for us another feature of the view,constituting by itself one of the most novel and charming sights of Swiss scenery, but which does not always accom- pany the panorama from the Righi, even in a fine morning.On earth, the morning may be too fine. This was the soft,smooth, white body of mist, lying on most of the lakes andon the vales-a sea of mist, floating, or rather brooding, like a white dove, over the landscape. The spots of land at first visible in the midst of it were just like islands half emerging to the view. It lay over the bay of Kussnacht at our feet like the white robe of an infant in the cradle, but theTHE RIGHI TO ARTH AND ZUG. 97greater part of the Lake of Lucerne was sleeping quietly without it. Over the whole of the Lake of Zug the mist was at first motionless, but in the breath of the morning it began slowly to move altogether towards the west, disclosing the village of Arth and the verdurous borders of the lake, andthen uncovering its deep sea- green waters, which reflected the lovely sailing shadows of the clouds as a mirror.""Now the church bells began to chime under this body of mist, and voices from the invisible villages, mingled with the tinkle of sheep-bells, and the various stir of life awaken- ing from sleep, came stilly up the mountain. And nowsome of the mountain peaks themselves began suddenly to be touched with fleeces of cloud, as if smoking with incense.Detachments of mist began also to rise from the lakes andvalleys, moving from the main body up into the air. The villages, châlets, and white roads, dotting and threading the vast circumference of landscape, come next into view. And now, on the Lake of Zug you may see reflected the shadowsof clouds that have risen from the surface, but are them- selves below us."It is said you can see fourteen lakes from the place where we are standing. I counted at least twelve last even- ing, before the night-veil of the mist had been drawn above them, but this morning the scenes in the heavens have been too beautiful and grand to take the time for counting them;and, besides, they are too much enveloped with the slow- retiring fogs to detect them. On the side of the Righiunder the eastern horizon you behold the little Lake ofLowertz, with the ruins of the village of Goldau, destroyed by the slide of the Rossberg; and you trace distinctly the path of the destroying avalanche, the vast groove of bare rock where the mountain separated and thundered down the vale. A little beyond are the beautiful peaks of Schwytz,called the Mitres. All this wondrous panorama is before us. Whatever side we turn, new points of beauty are disclosed; and as the day advances, every image, fully defined,draws to its perfect place in the picture."The descent of the Righi to Arth takes about 24 or 3hours; about an hour's walk from the summit the steepness ofthe path is interrupted, and the way leads for a mile along the side of a beautiful ravine. A village called Mary of the Snow (Marie zum Schnee) , consisting of a few houses built H98 THE RIGHI TO ARTH AND ZUG.round a church dedicated to the Virgin, lies within a short dis- tance of the Kulm. Its inns receive the excess of guests whenthe hôtel at the summit is too crowded . It is chiefly inhabited by goatherds , guides, and the keepers of lodging- houses.Below Marie zum Schnee there are about a dozen smallchapels, called the stations, each with its picture intended to represent some scene or event of Our Lord's Passion. Thelargest of the number contains a wretched figure of Christ bearing the Cross. The path becomes steeper and rougheron approaching Goldau, owing to the loose nature of rock,a conglomerate or pudding-stone, from which pieces are constantly detached. To give a certain permanence to the road, the trunks of trees are imbedded in it at variousstages, making a kind of wooden staircase to and from the Righi. Within a mile of Goldau the fields are strown withfragments ofthe opposite mountain, the Rossberg.The catastrophe to which the rent and scarred features of this mountain, as seen from this point, bear witness, was one ofthe most terrible natural convulsions in all the history of Switzerland. The strata of the rock forming the Rossberglie in a plane greatly inclined, and shooting directly upon the spot where Goldau was built. The superficial side ofthe mountain, then forming a rich pasturage, and covered with cottages, châlets, flocks, and herds, suddenly fell into the valley. Four hundred and fifty- seven persons are saidto have perished beneath this mighty avalanche. The place out of which it broke in the mountain is a thousand feet inbreadth by a hundred feet deep, and this falling mass ex- tended bodily at least three miles in length. It shot across the valley with the swiftness of a cannon- ball, so that in five minutes the villages were all crushed as if they had been egg- shells, or the mimic toys of children. And when the people looked towards the luxuriant vale where the towns had lain smiling and secure, the whole region was a ruin.Dr. Lay, of Arth, published at Zürich, in 1807 , a little work under the title " Goldau and its Neighbourhood," in which the best account of the fall of the Rossberg is given.In this catastrophe 111 houses were buried, besides churches and chapels. Several hundred head of cattle were destroyed,and a great loss to the commune was sustained by the anni- hilation of the vast extent of fine pasturage that lay upon the sides of the Rossberg.ZUG TO ZÜRICH .66 99GOLDAU (inn, Schwan, clean, comfortable, and moderate) ,is much smaller than was the village of which it inherits the name. The path here opens into the high road of Schwytz ,and turns sharply to the left . From Goldau to Arth is about a mile and a half of down- hill walking.ARTH ( inns, Schwarzen Adler and Schwert) is a village of about 2000 inhabitants. It lies in a very pleasant situation in a corner of the Lake of Zug, being closely jostled by the Righi and Rossberg.From Arth to Zug there is a good carriage- road, running along the narrow ledge between the mountains on the right and the lake on the left. The mountains, which near Arth are very steep and almost overhang the road, are clothed to their summits with fruit and forest-trees.The Lake of Zug is about eleven miles long by two and ahalf wide. The western and northern banks are level, andhave a somewhat monotonous aspect, but the southern shore is fertile and well wooded. The best view of the lake isgained from the road, about four miles before coming to the town.FROM ZUG TO ZÜRICH, BY HORGEN.ZUG (inns, Hirsch and Ochs) is a town of about 3000 inhabitants, and capital of the canton of the same name,the smallest in the Confederation, and numbering only15,000 souls. It is most agreeably situated on the Lake of Zug, lying embosomed in gardens beneath the Zugerberg,and prettily variegated with forest and fruit- trees. Thetown has a quiet appearance, being without trade, and its inhabitants living entirely by agriculture.The churches of Zug are the objects best deserving of notice. That of St. Michael, which stands on an eminence about a quarter of a mile from the town, is the chief. Its cemetery in summer looks like a great bed of pink and whitelilies , among which the bright gilt crosses which stand at the head of every grave have a very singular appearance.At the side of the cemetery there is a Golgotha, where skulls without number are piled up, each labelled with the name of its former owner. The interior is showy, but in bad taste.The church of St. Oswald has a treasury of images, crosses,salvers, and candlesticks, all of silver, which testify the100 ZUG TO ZÜRICH.devotion of the successive generations which have inha- bited Zug.In the year 1435, after a loud report, an entire street of the town, with some towers and a part of the wall, fell into the lake. Sixty persons, among whom were Collin, presi- dent of the little republic, and Willard, the keeper of the archives, perished in the waters. The son of the latter was found floating in his cradle on the lake, and, being rescued,lived to old age, and became the progenitor of a race which has deserved well of the state. In 1594 several houses again fell into the lake, and in 1795 a great part of the town was consumed by fire.In the Arsenal at Zug is shown a number of arms and trophies which the little army of the republic have taken from the enemy, and also the banner of the town dyed with the blood of Peter Collin and his son, who fell together at the battle of Bellinzona, 1422.The best views of the neighbourhood are to be obtained from the tower of the Capuchins. The Righi and Mount Pilate occupy the foreground of the picture; between them are seen the heights of the canton of Unterwalden; andbeyond these, in the regions of the clouds, the snowy Alps of the Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. Not far from the town, on a height to the right of the Reuss, is one of thetowers of the old castle of Hunenberg. In 1315, on the eveof the departure of the Austrian army for Egheri, Henry of Hunenberg found means to counsel the inhabitants ofSchwytz to " occupy the defile of Morgarten," using for this purpose an arrow, which he shot to Arth, where his friendswere keeping watch. Herman of Hunenberg having, on the contrary, taken the side of the Austrians against the Confederation, destroyed the family castle after the battle of Sempach.From Zug, two routes to Zürich offer themselves to the traveller's choice. One of these lies over the Albis, a mountain range running parallel to the Lake of Zürich, and com- manding, in clear weather, a most extensive view; the otherleading to Horgen, on the Lake of Zürich, from which point the journey is continued by steam- boat. The first will befound described in the route from Zürich to Lucerne. Anomnibus runs to Horgen at a small fare. The road is new and well made, and the distance about thirteen miles. TheZÜRICH. 101first part of the route leads to the bottom of the valley of Sihl, which is crossed by a bridge that connects the cantons of Zürich and Zug. The road is henceforth very steep on both sides of the lower Albis, but leads through ahighly-cultivated and well-wooded country, abounding in rich slopes of pasture.HORGEN (inns, Schwan and Lowe) is the place of em- barkation for Zürich, and nothing more. The voyage ismade by steam in one hour on THE LAKE OF ZÜRICH. -The scenery on this lake is fine but less beautiful than that of Lucerne. On the southern shore,belonging to the canton of Schwytz, are seen pastures of therichest green, alternated with stripes of cultivated land and blooming orchards. Descending towards Zürich, the western bank slopes gently down to the lake, and is entirely covered with vineyards, gardens, meadows, and corn- fields, thickly studded with white cottages and country-houses. Behind this slope, and separated from it by a narrow valley, rise the rocky heights of the Albis, wooded to the summit. On theopposite or eastern bank, a plain stretches back for abouttwo miles, laid out in gardens and meadows; among which bleaching and dye-houses, cotton and silk manufactories, are thickly sprinkled. The mountains of Glarus, the stately Glarnisch, with his snowy crown, and the blue- jagged peaks that rise from St. Gall, form a background worthy of thepicture. The lake itself is about twenty-five miles in length,and varies from two to three in width. A carriage-roadborders it on either bank, and at Rapperschwyl a wooden bridge, above three- quarters of a mile long, connects the northern and southern shores.ZÜRICH. -Inns: Couronne d'Or, on the Quay, clean and comfortable; Hôtel Baur, one of the largest in Switzerland,charges moderate, a library and reading- room attached;Schwert; and Corbeau.Zürich, the capital of the canton, has been called the intellectual capital of Switzerland. Its manufacturing su- premacy is certainly incontestable. The inhabitants number about 15,000. The houses and streets of the inhabitants arescattered over a very wide space. In the most thickly in- habited parts of the town, where mills and manufactories stand on each side of the river, the streets are narrow and steep, and here and there traces of the ancient fortifications102 ZÜRICH.are to be seen. Nearer the head of the lake the buildingsgrow larger and more handsome, and on the southern sideof the great bridge the large houses, the paved footways, and the animation of the streets, speak for the rank of Zürich among the towns of Switzerland.The general aspect of situation of Zürich is one of natural beauty, everywhere improved and heightened by the hand of industry. The shores of the blue lake are covered with vine- yards, fruitful gardens, corn-fields, and cultivation of all kinds. Nowhere is a waste spot to be found; neat and cheerful dwellings, country-houses, and manufactories, ex- tend in all directions . The town has vastly improved since the old walls and bastions have been shattered and cast into the lake. Onthe ground where the former wall stood , new and substantial buildings have been reared in modern taste, and surrounded with gardens and shrubberies. Rows of houses stretch away towards the mountains, and good public buildings, such as the cantonal school of the hospital, attest the progress of the town.The traveller, intent on staying any considerable time in Zürich, should hire a lodging in one of the near suburbs,where he may live both cheaply and agreeably. Zürich re- sembles Munich in the meeting of all ranks in its coffee- houses, where the reigning burgomaster, the count, the mili- tary officer, and the millionaire, may be found in unpretending intercourse.There are no great architectural monuments in Zürich to claim the stranger's attention. The Arsenal contains alarge collection of ancient armour, and modern weapons,more than sufficient for all the men in the canton. Among the trophies is a standard taken from Charles the Bold. Across-bow, said to have belonged to William Tell, if equally authenticated, would be the most interesting relic in the collection.The City Library contains about 70,000 volumes. Here also are portraits of all the burgomasters that ever occupied the civic chair; a marble bust of Lavater; three lettersfrom the unfortunate Lady Jane Grey to the reformer Bullinger; the Greek Bible of Zuinglius, and his portrait,with that of his daughter.The churches of Zürich are more remarkable for theirassociations than their grandeur or beauty. That calledBERNE TO LAUSANNE. 103the Great Minster was the scene of the labours of UlrichZuinglius. The reformer first preached here on the first day of the year, 1519. The house in which he lived yet stands on the Grosse Stadt.Lavater, who was a born Züricher, was for four- and-twenty years the minister of the church of St. Peter. In thetaking of the town by the French under Massena, Sep- tember 26, 1799, he was wantonly shot by a French soldier,to whom he had just shown great kindness, and while he was in the act of comforting another of the invaders whowas wounded. He lay for three months afterwards, suffer- ing great agony, and was buried in the churchyard of St. ‹ Anne.Having brought the tourist to Zürich, we must again re- turn to Berne as a starting- point for other excursions.BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.This route, lying on the line between Geneva to Berne, is one of the most travelled in Switzerland. The Geneva diligence makes the journey in eleven hours, the distance beingabout fifty-four miles. There are posting- stations throughout its length." From Berne we hired a vehicle to convey us to Lausanne, staying one night on the road. The charge was 60 francs, and 8 francs bonnemain. We left Berne at sevenA. M., and arrived at Freiburg about half-past one o'clock. It would be advisable for travellers to leave earlier than we did;by so doing, they arrive at the Zahringer Hof in time to dine at the table d'hôte. We arrived when dinner was half over;and as the organ at Freiburg plays directly after the table d'hôte, you lose either dinner or music by arriving late. Ishould recommend persons who travel with a voiture from Berne to Lausanne to contrive to stay the night at Freiburg.Those who travel by diligence will be able to make the entire journey in the day."For Freiburg the road leaves Berne bythe handsome gate of Morat, the portals of which are surmounted by two enor- mous bears well carved in granite. For the first six or seven miles the road leads through a succession of large woods,from which the town derives its fuel. Beyond these the104 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.country opens, and presents a picture of neatness and industry; the rich enclosure of pasture-land and the well- cultivated fields having a somewhat English appearance.NEUENECK (inn, Hirsch, good ) , a village situated on the Seuse, is remarkable as the scene of a defeat which a body of French sustained at the hands of some Swiss militia, in1798. The Swiss were only 2000 strong, but managed to kill or wound 1500 of the enemy, and take 18 pieces of cannon.They drove the French up the hill at the point of the bay- onet, and chased them from every position . No prisoners were made. The Swiss loss was 173 killed, and a greatnumber wounded. It was on the same day that the Swiss repulsed the French at Laupen and Gümminen, but, after all, ✦were compelled to surrender Berne. The Seuse here is about midway between Freiburg and Berne, and marks the separa- tion of these two cantons.From this point a change in the dress, agriculture, reli- gion, and inns is remarkable; the latter, at any rate, being for the worse. The language of the people, too, becomes divided, one half speaking French and the other German, and neither party being able to comprehend a single word uttered by the other.About four miles to the right main road is Laupen, situ- ated at the confluence of the Seuse and the Saane. Herethe Bernese achieved their first military victory shortly after the foundation of their republic, and under Rodolph of Erlach defeated the mailed nobility of Burgundy, Alsace, Suabia,with the prince-bishops of Sion, and Lausanne, and Basle; in all 1200 knights, leading an army of 1500 infantry. On the 21st of June, 1339 , Rodolph left Berne at the head of 4000 Bernese, 900 men of Uri, Schwytz, and Unterwalden, 300 men of Hasli, 300 from the Simmenthal, and 80 from Solo- thurn, and at midnight arrived at Bramberg, two miles fromLaupen, which the enemy had been assailing. From this point, his rear protected by a forest, he could command the position ofthe enemy. Before the battle, an interlocution tookplace in the Homeric fashion between the leaders of the two armies. The Avoyer of Freiburg, in the course ofthe dialogue,said that the Bernese had swelled their ranks with women indisguise. Rodolph replied, that they would soon prove on which side were the men. The foremost of the Bernese thenthrew themselves upon the enemy, and were repulsed. TheBERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG. 105ranks behind thoughtthat they fled , and were about themselvesto give way. But Erlach exclaimed, cheerfully, " Friends,the victory is ours! the cowardly among us are got rid of. "He then advanced with the banner of Berne in his hand,and after an hour's terrific fighting the enemy took to flight.The ground from Oberwyl to Wyden was covered with the bodies of men, with horses, and with spoils. Eighty coronet- ted personages, all the chief people of Freiburg, 3000 footsoldiers, and 1500 horsem*n, were left on the field of battle.In the feudal relations of those times D'Erlach, the Berneseleader, found himself opposed on the field of battle to Ro- dolph, count of Nydau, his superior lord. A few days before the encounter, D'Erlach went to the count, according to feudal custom, to ask permission to take the field. Rodolph haughtily conceded the request, observing, that " he, who had 200 knights amongst his followers , could very well afford the loss of a man."" The count was slain in battle,and such was the confidence reposed in D'Erlach, that the relatives of the deceased noble constituted him guardian of the young heir and administrator ofhis estate. At Neueneck the road becomes very hilly for some distance: from theheight gained by this ascent the Alps may be seen for aconsiderable distance on a fine day. On nearing Freiburg a surprise awaits the traveller. The wood suddenly turns a point on the declivity of the hill near the town, and the valley of the Saane is disclosed. On the opposite height is Freiburg. The large new building seen on the top of the hill is the Jesuits' School. The old road by which alone Freiburg was formerly accessible from Berne led down intothe deep valley of the Saane, and only reached the town after many toilsome circuits and ascents. We now, how- ever, cross the gorge by the long wire bridge, which is flung lightly across the valley like a thread.FREIBURG (inns, Zähringer Hof, very good; and Hôtel des Marchands, good) , the capital of the canton of the same name, has about 9000 inhabitants. It is built partly on the edge ofthe precipitous ravine (150 feet deep ) of the Saane,and partly in the ravine itself, so that the people in the upper town look over the chimneys of their neighbours below. Thelower town is occupied by the poorer German- speaking por- tion of the population . The upper town, on the hill side,where stands the Pensionat and the great Jesuit-house, is106 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.inhabited by the richer classes, who eschew German and German ways. Like all Catholic towns, Freiburg abounds in churches and monasteries. The tower of its cathedral is386 feet high, the highest in Switzerland, and is remarkable for the delicacy and elegance of its architecture.The Hôtel de Ville, a remarkable old building, stands ona site which was formerly that of the palace of the ancient dukes of Zähringen, the founders of Berne.The situation of the town, however, is more remarkable than any of its structures. The terrace ofthe ZähringenHof commands the whole ravine, with the dark, narrow streets, and convents, in this singular hollow, and looksdown upon the yellow Saane, winding beneath the suspen- sion bridge, and the ancient watch- tower perched upon the rocks above, the old world and the new looking face to face.The view from the Porte de Bourguillon well repays the trouble of the ascent thither. One stands here on a narrowisthmus about 250 feet wide, and has a precipice of more than double that extent on either hand. The town is builtfor the most part on a projecting rock opposite to this isthmus, and the walls on the north- east stand on the very verge of a precipice of 200 feet. Atthe foot of the precipiceswhich form the Porte de Bourguillon, and at the base of the rock upon which the town is built, the river rushes in awinding stream. A gate and a short rampart across the wall of the isthmus form the Porte de Bourguillon.The street called Court Chemin, leading from the river to the upper town, is built on the face of the rock, and is re- markable from the fact, that the roofs of its houses form the pavement of a street above.Two suspension bridges span the ravine of the Saane.The largest, above 900 feet long, was completed in 1834. It was constructed by a company under the superintendence of the French engineer Chaley, and brings him a good income;for his remuneration is a percentage on the returns.The second and smaller was finished in 1840, andstretches across the defile of Gotteren, through which the old road to Berne was carried. The gorge itself is about 80 feet wide, bordered on each side by sandstone rock, from250 to 300 feet high, and closed by an antique wall, which is continued some distance at the top of the cliffs , and termi- nates in curious and antique towers.BERNE TO LAUSANNE , BY FREIBURG. 107In the centre of the town stands a tree, which was plantedon the 28th June, 1476. Here, according to tradition, theyouth who, wounded and bleeding, ran from Morat with thenews of the victory gained there, fell exhausted and died.A branch of lime which he carried in his hand was at onceplanted, and flourished for centuries. The tree is stillhealthy, but reduced to the condition of a pollard.No stranger leaves Freiburg without visiting the cathedral to hear the new organ, the masterpiece of Aloys Moaser,who completed it in 1831. It has in all 64 stops, 7800 pipes, 12 pairs of bellows. One of the stops is the most perfect imitation of the human voice which has yet been achieved. The organist, a man of talent, gives a represent- ation for travellers morning and evening. A fee, of course,is charged. The best way is to make one of a party, for which the fee is 11 francs .Freiburg is the stronghold of the Catholic and Jesuit party in Switzerland. Besides the Jesuits, there are in the town seventeen convents; a chapter, and five other religious corporations; 200 monks and a great number of nuns, 300 secular clergy, and a multitude of brotherhoods.The extremities to which the Jesuits advised the people of the canton, especially the formation of the Sonderbund,a separate league formed with the other Catholic cantons in 1845, led to the advance of Federal troops upon the town.On the 14th November, 1847, Freiburg, notwithstanding that the government and priests had sworn by saints and angels to stand by the cause, surrendered without a blow. All was dejection and despair. The Federal authorities could not maintain among the troops the discipline and forbearance which they had promised, and the soldiery committed various excesses . Private houses were plundered, valuable pictures were pierced with bayonets, and the organ was sadly injured.Beyond Freiburg the journey to Lausanne may be con- tinued by either of three routes. The prettiest, by Vevay, isalso the most circuitous; the next, by Payerne, is only less indirect, and dull: the shortest, by Romont, is a very bad road.PAYERNE ( inns, Bär, and Hôtel de Ville) , a small town,is in the canton de Vaud. " Above all things, let no travellerbe induced to sleep at Payerne, the most uninteresting of108 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.all dull places; the only object they boast of being a side- saddle of Queen Bertha. The chief hôtel, named after her,Hôtel de la Bertha, is a bad inn, where the landlord has twosets of prices-one for English, another for natives, as we found out. I enclose bill . The charges are equal to thoseof the best hôtels in Switzerland. We were glad to getaway. We left soon after six the next morning, our object being to reach Lausanne in time for the steamboat to Geneva, which calls in the summer season at half- past two P.M."About eight miles to the north of Payerne is Avenches,(German, Wiflisburg, the Roman Aventicum, capital of Hel- vetia) , where vast quantities of antiquities have been found.Near them is Morat, where the Swiss signally defeated the Burgundians under Charles the Bold, in 1476.The road to Lausanne begins at Payerne to ascend the valley of the Broie to Moudon: German, Milden. Inn, Hôtel Victoria.The aspect of the country on the way is neat, but by no means peculiarly Swiss. Moudon is a place of some interest.The river Broie passes close to it, and there are two ancient and striking châteaux in its vicinity. In the Hôtel de Ville there is a Roman inscription, which formed part of an altar,discovered in 1732. The inscription states that QuintusÆlius, a priest of Augustus, raised the altar in honour of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, and of Juno Regina.The remnant of the journey to Lausanne, about twelve miles in length, lies over the Jorat, a range of minor moun- tains which begin to rise near Lausanne. These mountains,which inclose the basin of the Rhône on the north- east, lieacross the Pay de Vaud, and form a considerable part of its surface, connecting also the Alps with the Jura. The streams which fall on the northern side of this watershed flow to theocean by the Broie, the Aar, and the Rhine; those of the southern slope are carried to the Mediterranean by the Rhône." After passing Moudon, the road begins gradually to ascend, to surmount the Jorat, a long and steep hill of seven miles. At the summit, a most glorious view ofnearly the whole expanse of the Lake of Geneva can be seen at once, with the grand Alpine Chain, of which Mont Blanc forms the centre in the distance, and Lausanne lyingBERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG. 109at the foot: few prospects can equal it in beauty. A descent offive miles brought us to Lausanne."LAUSANNE.-Hôtels: H. Gibbon, Place St. François, one ofthe finest in Switzerland; H. du Fauçon, Rue St. Pierre,smaller, but very good; H. Bellevue, on the promenade of the Casino; H. de la Poste, Place St. François; H. du Grand Pont, at the entrance of the Grand Chêne and the GrandPont; H. d'Angleterre, Rue St. Pierre; H. de France, Rue de St. Laurent.Strangers who desire to sojourn for some time in Lausanne,elsewhere than in an hôtel, should apply for a permission de séjour at the Bureau de Police, which is on the ground-floor of the Hôtel de Ville, Place de la Palud. It is open everymorning from eight till noon, and again from two to five,P.M.The Bureau des Passeports is at the Préfecture, at the extremity of the Place de la Palud, second floor. It is open every day from eight till twelve, and from two till seven.ALausanne, capital of the canton of Vaud, and, after Geneva,the most important in French Switzerland, contains about 12,000 inhabitants. It is easy to perceive that it has been built in detached portions, which have only been recently united, and have been allowed to extend in a most irregular form. The ground on which it stands is irregular and broken;hence it seems a confused labyrinth of streets , houses,churches, terraces, and gardens, distributed as it were by chance. The government, as well as private individuals,has made the most laudable efforts to improve and beautify the town, and great ameliorations have been effected.deep valley runs through Lausanne, dividing it into the upper and lower towns; the latter lying parallel with the lake.The two are connected by a large bridge, which spans the ravine between the two hills. The Roman Lausoniumwas built at the base of the hills, where the undulations ofthe Jorat are lost in the plain of Vidi. The modern town was built after the ruin of the ancient city, and, like most middle-age cities, rose around a sacred spot, and under the protection of the church. The fine cathedral terrace,then covered with wood, was the site of its first edifice.The situation of Lausanne is more than sufficient to compensate for the defects of its construction. Its elevation above the lake makes it healthier than Geneva, and110 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.severe.places it in view of a very extensive range of delightful scenery. From the terrace of the cathedral, the mountains to the east and south present their most majestic aspect;their details are lost in distance, summits are grouped toge- ther, valleys disappear, and the slopes of the mountains form a zone of various colours, which are reflected in the lake.To the west, every object takes a softer tint, and a form less The horizon enlarges; the lake, less narrowly con- fined between its banks , extends like the surface of a mirror surrounded with verdant festoons. Villages without numbercover the lands, which everywhere display the riches of amost varied culture. The Jura encloses a great part of thislandscape; only one feature is wanting in the panorama,which in a space of thirty leagues embraces almost every description of landscapes which are to be admired in Savoy and Switzerland-Mont Blanc is not visible from Lausanne,being concealed by the Alps of Chablais. About two miles above the town, however, near the culminating point of the Jorat, Mont Blanc, and the whole chain of the moun- tains of Taveigny, are seen.The amphitheatre formed by the slopes which descendfrom Lausanne to Lake Leman is covered with vineyards,lawns, pleasure- grounds, and gardens, which are studdedwith villas and elegant residences; some scattered freely over the space, others bordering the lake. Two roads whichdescend from the town, one towards Vidy, the other towardsPully, trace an arc around the space thus occupied, the chord of which is the sinous line of the north shore, or theroad which follows its length. On the bank, or small promontory, is the site of Ouchy, the port of Vaud; a littleplace which is not a village, and yet more than a hamlet, for it has shops, merchants' offices, and a custom- house; itserves for the port of Lausanne and the canton of Vaud. Ajetty, constructed in masonry on the west of the promontory,makes Ouchy a very good harbour. Its high tower, which is seen at a considerable distance, once was part of a strongcastle, built in the thirteenth century by the bishops of Lausanne to protect the port from the incursions of pirates. In the Hôtel de l'Ancre, which now has an English landlady,Byron wrote in two days his " Prisoner of Chillon." The farms and country-houses scattered to the west of Ouchy,above the bay formed by the little promontories of OuchyBERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG. 111and the Maladière, are called the Cours. One of these houses,situated on a little hill , surrounded by some old trees, is Montrined, sometime the dwelling of Voltaire.From Ouchy to Lausanne the road is steep; the chapel by the wayside is used for English worship. Among the villas which are seen to the left is that of St. Luce, the property ofMadame Larochejacquelin; that of Beauséjour, which commands the road, was in 1802 the retreat of the Hel- vetic government, driven from Berne, and pursued by insur- gent Federalists. Two years before, Bonaparte, about to cross the St. Bernard, lodged here. Among the houses of Lau- sanne which are seen from the Ouchy road, is that in which Gibbon composed the later volumes of his " Decline and Fall ." It was in the " garden of four acres, laid out by M. Deyverdun," in front of this residence, that the his- torian experienced that tender melancholy of a liberal mind,which he so affectingly confesses in his autobiography:-" It was on the day, or rather night of the 27th of June,1787, between the hours of eleven and twelve, that I wrotethe last lines of the last page in a summer-house in my garden. After laying down my pen, I took several turns in a berceau, or covered walk of acacias, which commands aprospect of the country, the lake, and the mountains. The air was temperate, the sky was serene, the silver orb of themoon was reflected from the waters, and all nature was silent. I will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on therecovery of my freedom, and perhaps the establishment of my fame. But my pride was soon humbled, and a sober melancholy was spread over my mind by the idea, that Ihad taken an everlasting leave of an old and agreeable companion, and that whatever might be the future fate of my history, the life of the historian must be short and precarious ."The house in which the two friends resided still bearsthe name of the Grotto, but the garden has been sadly in- vaded to give space to the Hôtel Gibbon. The berceau ofacacias is gone, sacrificed to the demands of comfort- loving Englishmen.The Faubourg du Chêne leads from the Hôtel Gibbon tothe long, grassy, and planted esplanade of Montbenon. Alittle belvidere, which rises at the entrance of the esplanade,112 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.commands a view of the entire basin of the lake. Montbenon is military exercise- ground, as well as the promenade of Lausanne. On one side the ground, covered with farms and villas, slopes in gentle undulations down to the lake;and on the other, by a deeper declivity, to the verdant ravine of the Flon. At the extremity of Montbenon a road leadsto the Cours by the Petit Languedoc, while the Genevan road, after traversing the promenade, descends from hill to hill down to the Pont de la Maladière, and the plain of Vidy. Beyond the Maladière, near the shore, and in the place which tradition assigns to the ancient Lausonium, thepatriot Davel, whose memorial is seen in the cathedral, was executed, after having failed in his enterprise for securing the liberties of his countrymen .From the plain of Vidy we may ascend to Lausanne by keeping the right bank of the Flon , and afterwards taking either of the shady roads which wind along the sides of the hills one among the villas of the Bois de Vaud, Malley,Sebeillon, Violette, and Boston; the other along the Renen sur Roches, Prelaz , and Valency. The two routes unite at the entrance of Lausanne, and enter the town by the Pont Pichard.The Great Causeway, or Pont Pichard, is 1800 mètres in length. The viaduct is carried by two superposed rows of arches, five being in the lower and nineteen in the upper tier. Owing to the openness of the arches, the structure has a light and agreeable appearance. The cost of the under- taking was 500,000 French francs, including the purchase of ground and indemnities. A marble tablet bearing an in- scription is seen on one of the pillars in the middle of the bridge; it is a memorial of Adrien Pichard, the engineer of the causeway. The bridge leads to the Place de St. François, in front of the Post- Office, and in the midst of several hôtels, among them the Hôtel Gibbon. The building with blackened walls seen here is the Temple or Church:it was built in 1442.The hilly streets of Bourg and St. Pierre are the pro- longation of the Place St. François, inhabited formerly bythe noblesse of Vaud and the merchants of Lausanne; they form still the best portion of the town. The houses have terracesand gardens richly cultivated , and command an admirableBERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG. 113view in the direction ofthe Leman. A new road, constructedin order to avoid by a détour the steep hill of the street, is carried under the terraces, and below the road the beautiful promenade of Derrière Bourg is prolonged. The Rue St.Pierre terminates at the Hôtel du Fauçon, and ramifies into two faubourgs, those of Etraz and Martheray, one on the road to Berne, the other on that to Vevay.men,The road to Vevay is commanded by the rich campagnes of Villamont, Monrepos, Montalegre, and Bellevue.Thehouse of Monrepos, is no longer that where Voltaire, as the "bon homme Lusignan," drew tears from Swiss eyes; where tragedy was played " by beautiful women and handsome better than at Paris;" where Voltaire was one day so enchanted with the acting of M. and Mme. D'Hermenches,that, drawing up his chair unconsciously, and by degrees, he found himself at last fairly on the stage between Zaïre and Orosmane, so as to prevent the poignard- stroke, and stop the action ofthe play. The villa, then the property of the Marquis de Langalerie, has been entirely rebuilt by its pre- sent proprietor, M. Perdonnet. On the Vevay road are seen the Rosière, the residence of Louis Buonaparte, king of Holland in 1813. At Beausite, further on, Kemble died, in1828. The shady valley of Chamblande is prolonged in this direction as far as Pully.The Cathedral of Lausanne is its principal public building;it is large, and, architecturally, the finest Gothic edifice in Switzerland: the want of coloured windows, pictures, oraltar gives it a cold appearance. It contains the remains ofSt. Bernard, founder of the celebrated Hospice which bears his name.Steamers.-The Leman, 80, Helvetia, 120, and Aigle, 80-horse power low-pressure iron steamers, make the passage from Geneva to Villeneuve in 4 hours, touching at Ouchy,and calling also at Vevay, Morges, Rolle, Nyon, and Cappet.Omnibuses, which call at the principal hôtels, convey passengers to and from the steamer for half a franc, or withluggage, one franc. There are in summer two departures a-day, both from Ouchyto Geneva and Ouchy to Villeneuve.In spring and summer there is but one departure in each direction, and in winter the service is suspended. Tables indicating the hours of arrival and departure of the steamers are found at all the hôtels. Omnibuses for Aigle, Bex, and I114 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.the baths of Levey await the arrival of the steamer at Ville- neuve.Omnibuses. For Vevay at seven and eleven A.M., from No. 2 Rue de Bourg; and at three and five P.M., from the Lion d'Or, Rue de Bourg. For Morges: at ten A.M. and one and five P.M., from the Hôtel de Soleil, Place St. François.For Yverdon at six A.M. (at hours corresponding with the steam-boat on the Lake of Neuchâtel, when the boat is running on that lake) , and at three P.M. , from No. 1 Rue des Terreaux. For Orbe: at three P.M., from the Grand Chêne No. 23. For Moudon: at three P.M., from No. 6 Rue St.Pierre. For Payerne: at three P.M., from No. 18 Rue St. François. When the steamer does not run on Lake Leman,one omnibus leaves Lausanne for Geneva daily, from No. 22 Rue de Bourg.Diligences.-For Paris, by Pontarber, every day at mid- night. For Italy daily, at midnight. St. Maurice, in summer,a quarter past four; in winter, at three o'clock P.M. Berneat Freiburg daily, at seven P.M. ( Messagerie ) , in summer,ten; in winter, eight A.M. Geneva daily, at midnight; asecond departure in summer, at four; in winter, at two P.M. Neuchâtel and Yverdon, in summer, at a quarter to ten A.M. (coinciding with the service for St. Croix and the Val deTravers ); in winter, eleven A.M.; a second departure every evening at seven.GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.GENEVA.-Hôtels: H. des Bergues, Quai des Bergues;views over the bridge, Rousseau's Isle, the Quai du Rhône,the lake, and the Alps; table d'hôte at ten, one, and five o'clock; restaurant à la carte. H. de la Couronne, at the end of the Quai du Rhône: a good house and cuisine; view of the lake and both its banks; table d'hôte at one, five , and eight P.M. H. de l'Ecu de Geneva, Place du Rhône; well kept; view of the lake; table d'hôte at five, 4 francs . H. de la Balance, Rue du Rhône 57; was formerly the most fashionable in the town, and is still a good house; table d'hôte at one, five, and eight P.M., at 3 francs; rooms, 1 to 3francs. H. du Grand Aigle, Rhône 91 , opposite the landing- place of the steam-boat; table d'hôte at five P.M.; quiet and CO ble. H. du Rhône, Rhône 181; rooms, from 1 toGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 1153 francs; persons may be served à la carte, or live en pension by the month. H. du Lion d'Or, Rhône 87, newly furnished; table d'hôte at noon, 2 fr. 50c.; at five P.M. 3 fr.;chambers, 1 and 2 fr. H. du Lac, Rhône 169; view of thelake and the Alps . H. de l'Europe, Place de la Grenette;table d'hôte at half-past twelve and at five o'clock. H. desEtrangères aux Paquis, half a mile outside the town; very good; baths; horses and carriages; boats for a row on the lake.Strangers who purpose to make any considerable stay,and wish to avoid unnecessary expense, will do well to place themselves en pension. They should on their arrival apply for a permission de séjour, at the Département de Police et Justice ( Hôtel de Ville, 29) , stating the house in which they propose to reside. The permits, available for three, six, or twelve months, cost from 2 to 3 francs per quarter. Changes of habitation must be registered, but for this no charge is made. The law renders the aubergistes and householders responsible for the observance of these regulations.Travellers are not subject to any custom-house visitations ,nor do their effects pay any duty. On entering the town they are required to place their passports in the hands of the police (Bureau de Police, Hôtel de Ville, No. 28). This measure is rendered necessary by the peculiar position of Geneva on the frontier of three states. The papers thusdeposited may be withdrawn at any time on application, the traveller stating the place of his destination. The visé of the police of Geneva is gratuitous. Persons going to Savoy and Chamonix have to procure the visé of the Sardinian Consul, for which they are charged 4 francs. The Geneva Bureau des Passeports ( Hôtel de Ville, No. 28) is openevery day (not a holiday) from 9 A.M. till 4 in the afternoon;on Sundays from 9 to 10 in the morning, and every day from 9 to 10 in the evening.Geneva, though the canton of which it is the capital is ,with one exception ( Zug) , the smallest of the Confederation,is the largest town in Switzerland, containing, with its suburbs, 36,000 inhabitants . The town occupies the de- clivities of two hills, in the centre of a basin formed bythe approach of the Jura to a secondary chain of the Alps , at the place where Lake Leman terminates in an elongated point ,114 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAthe baths of Levey await the arrival neuve.Omnibuses. -For Vevay at seveNo. 2 Rue de Bourg; and at thr Lion d'Or, Rue de Bourg. For and five P.M., from the Hôtel For Yverdon: at six A.M. (a*:steam-boat on the Lake ofning on that lake ) , and rTerreaux. For Orbe:No. 23. For MoudonPierre. For Payern François. When th one omnibus leaveRue de Bourg.Diligences.-Tnight. For Itea quarter pas at Freiburg ten; in vsecond dNeuchâ(coinc Trav115course. The a bank of thed Quartier St. er encountersans usual in ds wide andpeople.Rue Beas Grang he lak theVis aand oblique ides the river intoyards. Enclosed from until 1850, in the narrowa was fortified, at the commenceJ, on the system of Vauban-a circumidently contributed to the elevation ofthe ike those of the old town of Edinburgh, rise erable height. Although the place was not ineve on to withstand a regular siege, its fortifications1792,1814, and 1815. This consideration was of great savedit severaltimesfroma coup-de-main, especiallyinweightwitha numberofthecitizens

but

aftertherevolutheworks, andtheirdestructionbeganinthemonthoftionof 1846thevictoriouspartyorderedthedemolitionofpensionbridgeshangoverthesiteofthefortifications.Undertheoldrepublicthegatesofthetownwereclosedat night, andnotopenedforanyoneonwhateverplea.JeanJacquesRousseau, whowassonofa watchmakerof Geneva, returningtothetownoneevening, inhissixteenthyear, sawthedrawbridgefallwhenbuta dozenpacesfromit, andnotdaringtoshowhimselfto theharshmasterto whomhewasapprenticed, tookto flight. HewasreceivedbytheCureof Confignon, whor*commendedhimto Madamede Warrensof Annecy, andthiscirc*mstancedeterminedthefuturecourseofhislife. TheapproachesofthefortificationsA AND LAKE LEMAN. 119 GENhave been convertereeable promenad The Cathedral, or twelfth centu town; its th w of Gene715enpertumor of the archite after "hei foi th Jed beforeservatory possesses numerous of the celebrated Haller. Thenade, and in summer a placeday to the public.open Sundays, Tuesdays,omic opera. The prices 4 francs; premières,condes, 1 franc 25 the theatre is onlynd side of the churc ,the memorial in black marble ofette, the work of le of a line to' eagues: the' height of et. The that ofeveryr-3oigné, an ancestor of Madame de Mainte officer of Henry IV. In the ancient chapel of theVirgin is the tomb of Duke Henri de Rohan, leader of the Protestants under Louis XIII., one of the best warriors of his age, slain at the siege of Rheinfeld in Germany, in 1638. The stalls of the cathedral are good illustrations of Floren tine sculpture in the moyen âge. The painted windows of the choir date from the fifteenth century, and represent five Apostles and Mary Magdalene. The coloured glass in the two great roses of the north and south, as well as in the lower side-windows, was placed there in 1835, on the occa- sion of the Reformation Jubilee. The choir has lately been restored at the charge of the municipality. The transept supports three towers, of which the tallest is 136 feet in height. In the north tower there is a belvidere, from which a magnificent view is gained . The clock called Clémence (after the name of Clement VII. , the antipope ) , a gift of Bishop William de Lornay, is shown here. The old chapel of the Maccabees, founded by Jean de Boigny about 1404,flanks the cathedral on the right.The oldest church in Geneva is that of La Madeleine,built in the tenth century, and recently restored. Thechurchyard of St. Gervais contains the remains of the seventeen heroes of the escalade of 1602 .104 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.country opens, and presents a picture of neatness and industry; the rich enclosure of pasture-land and the well- cultivated fields having a somewhat English appearance.NEUENECK ( inn, Hirsch, good) , a village situated on the Seuse, is remarkable as the scene of a defeat which a body of French sustained at the hands of some Swiss militia, in1798. The Swiss were only 2000 strong, but managed to kill or wound 1500 of the enemy, and take 18 pieces of cannon.They drove the French up the hill at the point of the bay- onet, and chased them from every position. No prisoners were made. The Swiss loss was 173 killed, and a great number wounded. It was on the same day that the Swissrepulsed the French at Laupen and Gümminen, but, after all,were compelled to surrender Berne. The Seuse here is aboutmidway between Freiburg and Berne, and marks the separa- tion of these two cantons.From this point a change in the dress, agriculture, reli- gion, and inns is remarkable; the latter, at any rate, being for the worse. The language of the people, too, becomes divided, one half speaking French and the other German, and neither party being able to comprehend a single word uttered by the other.About four miles to the right main road is Laupen, situ- ated at the confluence of the Seuse and the Saane. Herethe Bernese achieved their first military victory shortly after the foundation of their republic, and under Rodolph ofErlach defeated the mailed nobility of Burgundy, Alsace, Suabia,with the prince-bishops of Sion, and Lausanne, and Basle; in all 1200 knights, leading an army of 1500 infantry. On the 21st of June, 1339, Rodolph left Berne at the head of 4000 Bernese, 900 men of Uri, Schwytz, and Unterwalden, 300 men of Hasli, 300 from the Simmenthal, and 80 from Solothurn, and at midnight arrived at Bramberg, two miles from Laupen, which the enemy had been assailing. From this point, his rear protected by a forest, he could command theposition ofthe enemy. Before the battle, an interlocution took place in the Homeric fashion between the leaders of the two armies. The Avoyer of Freiburg, in the course ofthe dialogue,said that the Bernese had swelled their ranks with women indisguise. Rodolph replied, that they would soon prove on which side were the men. The foremost of the Bernese thenthrew themselves upon the enemy, and were repulsed . TheBERNE TO LAUSANNE , BY FREIBURG. 10566 ranksbehind thought that they fled , and were about themselves to give way. But Erlach exclaimed, cheerfully, Friends,the victory is ours! the cowardly among us are got rid of."He then advanced with the banner of Berne in his hand,and after an hour's terrific fighting the enemy took to flight.The ground from Oberwyl to Wyden was covered with the bodies of men, with horses, and with spoils. Eighty coronet- ted personages, all the chief people of Freiburg, 3000 foot soldiers, and 1500 horsem*n, were left on the field of battle.In the feudal relations of those times D'Erlach, the Bernese leader, found himself opposed on the field of battle to Ro- dolph, count of Nydau, his superior lord. A few days before the encounter, D'Erlach went to the count, according to feudal custom, to ask permission to take the field. Rodolph haughtily conceded the request, observing, that " he, who had 200 knights amongst his followers, could very well afford the loss of a The count was slain in battle,and such was the confidence reposed in D'Erlach, that the relatives of the deceased noble constituted him guardian of the young heir and administrator ofhis estate. At Neueneck the road becomes very hilly for some distance: from the height gained by this ascent the Alps may be seen for aconsiderable distance on a fine day. On nearing Freiburg a surprise awaits the traveller. The wood suddenly turnsman.""a point on the declivity of the hill near the town, and the valley of the Saane is disclosed. On the opposite height is Freiburg. The large new building seen on the top of the hill is the Jesuits' School. The old road by which alone Freiburg was formerly accessible from Berne led down intothe deep valley of the Saane, and only reached the town after many toilsome circuits and ascents. We now, however, cross the gorge by the long wire bridge, which is flung lightly across the valley like a thread.FREIBURG (inns, Zähringer Hof, very good; and Hôtel des Marchands, good) , the capital of the canton of the same name, has about 9000 inhabitants. It is built partly on theedge of the precipitous ravine ( 150 feet deep ) of the Saane,and partly in the ravine itself, so that the people in the upper town look over the chimneys of their neighbours below. Thelower town is occupied by the poorer German- speaking por- tion ofthe population. The upper town, on the hill side,where stands the Pensionat and the great Jesuit-house, is106 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.inhabited by the richer classes, who eschew German and German ways. Like all Catholic towns, Freiburg abounds in churches and monasteries . The tower of its cathedral is386 feet high, the highest in Switzerland , and is remarkable for the delicacy and elegance of its architecture.The Hôtel de Ville, a remarkable old building, stands ona site which was formerly that of the palace of the ancient dukes of Zähringen , the founders of Berne.The situation of the town, however, is more remarkable than any of its structures . The terrace ofthe ZähringenHof commands the whole ravine, with the dark, narrowstreets, and convents, in this singular hollow, and looks down upon the yellow Saane, winding beneath the suspen- sion bridge, and the ancient watch-tower perched upon therocks above, the old world and the new looking face to face.The view from the Porte de Bourguillon well repays the trouble ofthe ascent thither. One stands here on a narrowisthmus about 250 feet wide, and has a precipice of more than double that extent on either hand. The town is built for the most part on a projecting rock opposite to thisisthmus, and the walls on the north- east stand on the very verge of a precipice of 200 feet. Atthe foot of the precipiceswhich form the Porte de Bourguillon, and at the base of the rock upon which the town is built, the river rushes in awinding stream. A gate and a short rampart across the wall of the isthmus form the Porte de Bourguillon.The street called Court Chemin, leading from the river to the upper town, is built on the face of the rock, and is re- markable from the fact, that the roofs of its houses form the pavement of a street above.Two suspension bridges span the ravine of the Saane.The largest, above 900 feet long, was completed in 1834. It was constructed by a company under the superintendence of the French engineer Chaley, and brings him a good income;for his remuneration is a percentage on the returns.The second and smaller was finished in 1840, andstretches across the defile of Gotteren, through which theold road to Berne was carried. The gorge itself is about 80 feet wide, bordered on each side by sandstone rock, from 250 to 300 feet high, and closed by an antique wall, which is continued some distance at the top of the cliffs, and termi- nates in curious and antique towers.BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG. 107In the centre ofthe town stands a tree, which was plantedon the 28th June, 1476. Here, according to tradition, theyouth who, wounded and bleeding, ran from Morat with thenews of the victory gained there, fell exhausted and died.A branch of lime which he carried in his hand was at onceplanted, and flourished for centuries. The tree is stillhealthy, but reduced to the condition of a pollard.No stranger leaves Freiburg without visiting the cathedralto hear the new organ, the masterpiece of Aloys Moaser,who completed it in 1831. It has in all 64 stops, 7800 pipes, 12 pairs of bellows. One of the stops is the most perfect imitation of the human voice which has yet been achieved. The organist, a man of talent, gives a represent- ation for travellers morning and evening. A fee, of course,is charged. The best way is to make one of a party, for which the fee is 11 francs.Freiburg is the stronghold of the Catholic and Jesuit party in Switzerland. Besides the Jesuits , there are in the town seventeen convents; a chapter, and five other religious corporations; 200 monks and a great number of nuns, 300 secular clergy, and a multitude of brotherhoods.The extremities to which the Jesuits advised the people of the canton, especially the formation of the Sonderbund,a separate league formed with the other Catholic cantons in1845, led to the advance of Federal troops upon the town.On the 14th November, 1847, Freiburg, notwithstanding that the government and priests had sworn by saints and angels to stand by the cause, surrendered without a blow. All was dejection and despair. The Federal authorities could not maintain among the troops the discipline and forbearance which they had promised, and the soldiery committed various excesses . Private houses were plundered, valuable pictures were pierced with bayonets, and the organ was sadly injured.Beyond Freiburg the journey to Lausanne may be con- tinued by either of three routes. The prettiest, by Vevay, is also the most circuitous; the next, by Payerne, is only less indirect, and dull: the shortest, by Romont, is a very bad road.PAYERNE (inns, Bär, and Hôtel de Ville ) , a small town,is in the canton de Vaud. " Above all things, let no travellerbe induced to sleep at Payerne, the most uninteresting of108 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.all dull places; the only object they boast of being a side- saddle of Queen Bertha. The chief hôtel, named after her,Hôtel de la Bertha, is a bad inn, where the landlord has twosets of prices-one for English, another for natives, as we found out. I enclose bill. The charges are equal to thoseof the best hôtels in Switzerland. We were glad to getaway. We left soon after six the next morning, our object being to reach Lausanne in time for the steamboat to Geneva, which calls in the summer season at half-past two P.M."About eight miles to the north of Payerne is Avenches,(German, Wiflisburg, the Roman Aventicum, capital of Hel- vetia) , where vast quantities of antiquities have been found.Near them is Morat, where the Swiss signally defeated the Burgundians under Charles the Bold, in 1476.The road to Lausanne begins at Payerne to ascend the valley of the Broie to Moudon: German, Milden. Inn, Hôtel Victoria.The aspect of the country on the way is neat, but by no means peculiarly Swiss. Moudon is a place of some interest.The river Broie passes close to it, and there are two ancient and striking châteaux in its vicinity. In the Hôtel de Villethere is a Roman inscription, which formed part of an altar,discovered in 1732. The inscription states that QuintusÆlius, a priest of Augustus, raised the altar in honour ofJupiter Optimus Maximus, and of Juno Regina.The remnant of the journey to Lausanne, about twelve miles in length, lies over the Jorat, a range of minor moun- tains which begin to rise near Lausanne. These mountains,which inclose the basin of the Rhône on the north-east, lieacross the Pay de Vaud, and form a considerable part of its surface, connecting also the Alps with the Jura. The streams which fall on the northern side of this watershed flow to theocean by the Broie, the Aar, and the Rhine; those of thesouthern slope are carried to the Mediterranean by the Rhône." After passing Moudon, the road begins gradually to ascend, to surmount the Jorat, a long and steep hill of seven miles. At the summit, a most glorious view ofnearly the whole expanse of the Lake of Geneva can be seen at once, with the grand Alpine Chain, of which Mont Blanc forms the centre in the distance, and Lausanne lyingBERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG. 109at the foot: few prospects can equal it in beauty. A descent of five miles brought us to Lausanne."LAUSANNE.-Hôtels: H. Gibbon, Place St. François, one of the finest in Switzerland; H. du Fauçon, Rue St. Pierre,smaller, but very good; H. Bellevue, on the promenade of the Casino; H. de la Poste, Place St. François; H. du Grand Pont, at the entrance of the Grand Chêne and the Grand Pont; H. d'Angleterre, Rue St. Pierre; H. de France, Rue de St. Laurent.Strangers who desire to sojourn for some time in Lausanne,elsewhere than in an hôtel, should apply for a permission deséjour at the Bureau de Police, which is on the ground- floor of the Hôtel de Ville, Place de la Palud. It is open everymorning from eight till noon, and again from two to five,P.M.The Bureau des Passeports is at the Préfecture, at the extremity of the Place de la Palud, second floor. It is open every day from eight till twelve, and from two till seven.Lausanne, capital of the canton of Vaud, and, after Geneva,the most important in French Switzerland, contains about 12,000 inhabitants. It is easy to perceive that it has been built in detached portions, which have only been recently united, and have been allowed to extend in a most irregularform. The ground on which it stands is irregular and broken;hence it seems a confused labyrinth of streets , houses,churches, terraces, and gardens, distributed as it were by chance. The government, as well as private individuals,has made the most laudable efforts to improve and beautifythe town, and great ameliorations have been effected. Adeep valley runs through Lausanne, dividing it into the upperand lower towns; the latter lying parallel with the lake.The two are connected by a large bridge, which spans the ravine between the two hills. The Roman Lausoniumwas built at the base of the hills , where the undulations ofthe Jorat are lost in the plain of Vidi. The modern town was built after the ruin of the ancient city, and, like most middle-age cities, rose around a sacred spot, and under the protection of the church. The fine cathedral terrace,then covered with wood, was the site of its first edifice.The situation of Lausanne is more than sufficient to compensate for the defects of its construction. Its elevation above the lake makes it healthier than Geneva, and110 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.severe.places it in view of a very extensive range of delightful scenery. From the terrace of the cathedral, the mountains to the east and south present their most majestic aspect;their details are lost in distance, summits are grouped toge- ther, valleys disappear, and the slopes of the mountains form a zone of various colours, which are reflected in the lake.To the west, every object takes a softer tint, and a form lessThe horizon enlarges; the lake , less narrowly con- fined between its banks, extends like the surface of a mirrorsurrounded with verdant festoons. Villages without numbercover the lands, which everywhere display the riches of amost varied culture. The Jura encloses a great part of this landscape; only one feature is wanting in the panorama,which in a space of thirty leagues embraces almost every description of landscapes which are to be admired in Savoy and Switzerland-Mont Blanc is not visible from Lausanne,being concealed by the Alps of Chablais. About two miles above the town, however, near the culminating point of the Jorat, Mont Blanc, and the whole chain of the moun- tains of Taveigny, are seen.The amphitheatre formed by the slopes which descend from Lausanne to Lake Leman is covered with vineyards,lawns, pleasure- grounds, and gardens, which are studded with villas and elegant residences; some scattered freely over the space, others bordering the lake. Two roads which descend from the town, one towards Vidy, the other towards Pully, trace an arc around the space thus occupied, the chord of which is the sinous line of the north shore, or the road which follows its length. On the bank, or small pro- montory, is the site of Ouchy, the port of Vaud; a little place which is not a village, and yet more than a hamlet, for it has shops, merchants ' offices, and a custom-house; it serves for the port of Lausanne and the canton of Vaud. Ajetty, constructed in masonry on the west of the promontory,makes Ouchy a very good harbour. Its high tower, which is seen at a considerable distance, once was part of a strong castle, built in the thirteenth century by the bishops of Lau- sanne to protect the port from the incursions of pirates. In the Hôtel de l'Ancre, which now has an English landlady,Byron wrote in two days his " Prisoner of Chillon. " The farms and country-houses scattered to the west of Ouchy,above the bay formed by the little promontories of OuchyBERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG. 111and the Maladière, are called the Cours. One ofthese houses,situated on a little hill , surrounded by some old trees, isMontrined, sometime the dwelling of Voltaire.From Ouchy to Lausanne the road is steep; the chapelby the wayside is used for English worship. Among the villas which are seen to the left is that of St. Luce, the property ofMadame Larochejacquelin; that of Beauséjour, which commands the road, was in 1802 the retreat of the Helvetic government, driven from Berne, and pursued by insurgent Federalists. Two years before, Bonaparte, about to cross the St. Bernard, lodged here. Among the houses of Lausanne which are seen from the Ouchy road, is that in whichGibbon composed the later volumes of his " Decline and Fall." It was in the " garden of four acres, laid out byM. Deyverdun," in front of this residence, that the historian experienced that tender melancholy of a liberal mind,which he so affectingly confesses in his autobiography:-" It was on the day, or rather night of the 27th of June,1787, between the hours of eleven and twelve, that I wrotethe last lines of the last page in a summer- house in my garden. After laying down my pen, I took several turns in a berceau, or covered walk of acacias , which commands aprospect of the country, the lake, and the mountains. The air was temperate, the sky was serene, the silver orb of the moon was reflected from the waters, and all nature was silent. I will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on therecovery of my freedom, and perhaps the establishment ofmy fame. But my pride was soon humbled, and a sober melancholy was spread over my mind by the idea, that Ihad taken an everlasting leave of an old and agreeable companion, and that whatever might be the future fate of my history, the life of the historian must be short and precarious."The house in which the two friends resided still bearsthe name of the Grotto, but the garden has been sadly in- vaded to give space to the Hôtel Gibbon. The berceau ofacacias is gone, sacrificed to the demands of comfort-lovingEnglishmen.The Faubourg du Chêne leads from the Hôtel Gibbon tothe long, grassy, and planted esplanade of Montbenon. Alittle belvidere, which rises at the entrance of the esplanade,112 BERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG.commands a view of the entire basin of the lake. Montbenon is military exercise-ground, as well as the promenade of Lausanne. On one side the ground, covered with farmsand villas, slopes in gentle undulations down to the lake;and on the other, by a deeper declivity, to the verdant ravine of the Flon. At the extremity of Montbenon a road leadsto the Cours by the Petit Languedoc, while the Genevan road, after traversing the promenade, descends from hill to hill down to the Pont de la Maladière, and the plain ofVidy. Beyond the Maladière, near the shore, and in the place which tradition assigns to the ancient Lausonium, the patriot Davel, whose memorial is seen in the cathedral, was executed, after having failed in his enterprise for securing the liberties of his countrymen.From the plain of Vidy we may ascend to Lausanne by keeping the right bank of the Flon, and afterwards taking either of the shady roads which wind along the sides of the hills one among the villas of the Bois de Vaud, Malley,Sebeillon, Violette, and Boston; the other along the Renensur Roches, Prelaz, and Valency. The two routes unite at the entrance of Lausanne, and enter the town by the Pont Pichard.The Great Causeway, or Pont Pichard, is 1800 mètres in length. The viaduct is carried by two superposed rows of arches, five being in the lower and nineteen in the upper tier. Owing to the openness of the arches, the structure has a light and agreeable appearance. The cost of the under- taking was 500,000 French francs, including the purchase of ground and indemnities. A marble tablet bearing an inscription is seen on one of the pillars in the middle of the bridge; it is a memorial of Adrien Pichard, the engineerof the causeway. The bridge leads to the Place de St. François, in front of the Post-Office, and in the midst of several hôtels, among them the Hôtel Gibbon. The building with blackened walls seen here is the Temple or Church:it was built in 1442.The hilly streets of Bourg and St. Pierre are the prolongation ofthe Place St. François, inhabited formerly by the noblesse of Vaud and the merchants of Lausanne; they form still the best portion of the town. The houses have terracesand gardens richly cultivated, and command an admirableBERNE TO LAUSANNE, BY FREIBURG. 113view in the direction ofthe Leman. A new road, constructedin order to avoid by a détour the steep hill of the street, is carried under the terraces, and below the road the beautifulpromenade of Derrière Bourg is prolonged. The Rue St. Pierre terminates at the Hôtel du Fauçon, and ramifies into two faubourgs , those of Etraz and Martheray, one on the road to Berne, the other on that to Vevay.The road to Vevay is commanded by the rich campagnes of Villamont, Monrepos, Montalegre, and Bellevue. Thehouse of Monrepos, is no longer that where Voltaire, as the "bon homme Lusignan," drew tears from Swiss eyes; where tragedy was played " by beautiful women and handsome men, better than at Paris;" where Voltaire was one day so enchanted with the acting of M. and Mme. D'Hermenches,that, drawing up his chair unconsciously, and by degrees, he found himself at last fairly on the stage between Zaïre and Orosmane, so as to prevent the poignard- stroke, and stop the action of the play. The villa, then the property of the Marquis de Langalerie, has been entirely rebuilt by its pre- sent proprietor, M. Perdonnet. On the Vevay road are seen the Rosière, the residence of Louis Buonaparte, king of Holland in 1813. At Beausite, further on, Kemble died, in 1828. The shady valley of Chamblande is prolonged in this direction as far as Pully.The Cathedral of Lausanne is its principal public building;it is large, and, architecturally, the finest Gothic edifice in Switzerland: the want of coloured windows, pictures, or altar gives it a cold appearance. It contains the remains of St. Bernard, founder of the celebrated Hospice which bears his name.Steamers.-The Leman, 80, Helvetia, 120, and Aigle, 80-horse power low- pressure iron steamers, make the passagefrom Geneva to Villeneuve in 4 hours, touching at Ouchy,and calling also at Vevay, Morges, Rolle, Nyon, and Cappet.Omnibuses, which call at the principal hôtels, convey passengers to and from the steamer for half a franc, or withluggage, one franc. There are in summer two departuresa- day, both from Ouchy to Geneva and Ouchy to Villeneuve.In spring and summer there is but one departure in eachdirection, and in winter the service is suspended. Tablesindicating the hours of arrival and departure of the steamers are found at all the hôtels. Omnibuses for Aigle, Bex, and I114 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.the baths of Levey await the arrival of the steamer at Ville- neuve.

Omnibuses. For Vevay at seven and eleven A.M., from No. 2 Rue de Bourg; and at three and five P.M., from the Lion d'Or, Rue de Bourg. For Morges: at ten A.M. and one and five P.M., from the Hôtel de Soleil, Place St. François.

For Yverdon at six A.M. ( at hours corresponding with the steam-boat on the Lake of Neuchâtel, when the boat is run- ning on that lake ) , and at three P.M., from No. 1 Rue des Terreaux. For Orbe: at three P.M., from the Grand ChêneNo. 23. For Moudon: at three P.M., from No. 6 Rue St.Pierre. For Payerne: at three P.M., from No. 18 Rue St. François. When the steamer does not run on Lake Leman,one omnibus leaves Lausanne for Geneva daily, from No. 22 Rue de Bourg.Diligences.-For Paris, by Pontarber, every day at midnight. For Italy daily, at midnight. St. Maurice, in summer,a quarter past four; in winter, at three o'clock P.M. Berneat Freiburg daily, at seven P.M. (Messagerie ) , in summer,ten; in winter, eight A.M. Geneva daily, at midnight; asecond departure in summer, at four; in winter, at two P.M. Neuchâtel and Yverdon, in summer, at a quarter to ten A.M. (coinciding with the service for St. Croix and the Val deTravers ); in winter, eleven A.M.; a second departure every evening at seven.GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.GENEVA.-Hôtels: H. des Bergues, Quai des Bergues;views over the bridge, Rousseau's Isle, the Quai du Rhône,the lake, and the Alps; table d'hôte at ten, one, and five o'clock; restaurant à la carte. H. de la Couronne, at theend of the Quai du Rhône: a good house and cuisine; viewof the lake and both its banks; table d'hôte at one, five, andeight P.M. H. de l'Ecu de Geneva, Place du Rhône; wellkept; view of the lake; table d'hôte at five, 4 francs. H. dela Balance, Rue du Rhône 57; was formerly the mostfashionable in the town, and is still a good house; table d'hôte at one, five, and eight P.M., at 3 francs; rooms, 1 to 3francs. H. du Grand Aigle, Rhône 91 , opposite the landingplace of the steam-boat; table d'hôte at five P.M.; quiet and comfortable. H. du Rhône, Rhône 181; rooms, from 1 toGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 1153 francs; persons may be served à la carte, or live en pension by the month. H. du Lion d'Or, Rhône 87, newly furnished; table d'hôte at noon, 2 fr. 50c.; at five P.M. 3 fr.;chambers, 1 and 2 fr. H. du Lac, Rhône 169; view of thelake and the Alps. H. de l'Europe, Place de la Grenette;table d'hôte at half-past twelve and at five o'clock. H. des Etrangères aux Paquis, half a mile outside the town; very good; baths; horses and carriages; boats for a row on the lake.Strangers who purpose to make any considerable stay,and wish to avoid unnecessary expense, will do well toplace themselves en pension . They should on their arrivalapply for a permission de séjour, at the Département de Police et Justice ( Hôtel de Ville, 29) , stating the house in which they propose to reside. The permits, available for three, six, or twelve months, cost from 2 to 3 francs per quarter. Changes of habitation must be registered, but for this no charge is made. The law renders the aubergistes and householders responsible for the observance of these regulations.Travellers are not subject to any custom-house visitations ,nor do their effects pay any duty. On entering the town they are required to place their passports in the hands of the police ( Bureau de Police, Hôtel de Ville, No. 28) . This measure is rendered necessary by the peculiar position of Geneva on the frontier of three states. The papers thusdeposited may be withdrawn at any time on application, the traveller stating the place of his destination. The visé ofthe police of Geneva is gratuitous. Persons going to Savoy and Chamonix have to procure the visé of the Sardinian Consul, for which they are charged 4 francs. The Geneva Bureau des Passeports ( Hôtel de Ville, No. 28 ) is open every day (not a holiday) from 9 A.M. till 4 in the afternoon;on Sundays from 9 to 10 in the morning, and every day from 9 to 10 in the evening .Geneva, though the canton of which it is the capital is ,with one exception ( Zug) , the smallest of the Confederation,is the largest town in Switzerland, containing, with its suburbs, 36,000 inhabitants. The town occupies the de- clivities of two hills, in the centre of a basin formed by theapproach of the Jura to a secondary chain of the Alps , at the place where Lake Leman terminates in an elongated point ,116 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.and the Rhône, emerging from it, resumes its course. Thetown is built chiefly on the left, or southern bank of the river; that portion on the opposite side is called Quartier St. Gervais. On approaching Geneva the stranger encounters a certain air of ease and prosperity by no means usual in Switzerland, the houses are well built, the roads wide andwell kept, and all bespeaks an active and earnest people.Bythe road from Chambery the houses of the Rue Beau- regard, the Rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, and the Rue des Granges,have a grandiose appearance; but the side of the lake is that on which Geneva is seen to most advantage, the quayof the Rhône being bordered with a fine row of new houses of considerable size and regularity. The outline of Geneva may be compared to that of an egg, of which the smallestend would be formed by the quartiers of St. Gervais and des Bergues, with the Rhône flowing through, and obliquely intersecting the whole. A narrow isle divides the river into five arms for a length of about 240 yards. Enclosed from the epochs of the Reformation until 1850, in the narrow enceinte of its walls, Geneva was fortified, at the commencement of the last century, on the system of Vauban—a circum- stance which has evidently contributed to the elevation ofthe houses, which, like those of the old town of Edinburgh, rise to a considerable height. Although the place was not in a condition to withstand a regular siege, its fortifications saved it several times from a coup-de-main, especially in 1792, 1814, and 1815. This consideration was of greatweight with a number of the citizens; but after the revolution of 1846 the victorious party ordered the demolition of the works, and their destruction began in the month of December, 1849. Geneva is now an open town: two sus- pension bridges hang over the site of the fortifications .Under the old republic the gates of the town were closedat night, and not opened for any one on whatever plea.Jean Jacques Rousseau, who was son of a watchmaker of Geneva, returning to the town one evening, in his six- teenth year, saw the drawbridge fall when but a dozen paces from it, and not daring to show himself to the harsh master to whom he was apprenticed, took to flight. He was received bythe Curé of Confignon, who recommended him to Madame de Warrens of Annecy, and this circ*mstance determined the future course of his life. The approaches of the fortificationsGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 117have been converted, in almost their entire length, into agreeable promenades.The Cathedral, or St. Peter's Church, is a Gothic building of the twelfth century, and stands on the most elevated spot in the town; its three towers form a prominent feature in every view of Geneva, and are visible at a great distance.The exterior of the edifice is only remarkable for a peristyleof Grecian architecture, executed in 1749. This flagrant anachronism, after all, does not want a certain grandeur ofappearance. The interior of the church is well proportioned ,but naked. The form is that of a Latin cross elongated from west to east. Its length is 202, and breadth 67 feet. Thetransept has a length of 121 feet. On the pavement of the nave may be seen the epitaphs of several canons of the cathedral, who died before the Reformation. In the wall, on the right-hand side of the church, not far from the great door, is the memorial in black marble of Theodore Agrippa d'Aubigné, an ancestor of Madame de Maintenon, and an officer of Henry IV. In the ancient chapel of the Holy Virgin is the tomb of Duke Henri de Rohan, leader of the Protestants under Louis XIII. , one of the best warriors of his age, slain at the siege of Rheinfeld in Germany, in 1638.The stalls of the cathedral are good illustrations of Floren- tine sculpture in the moyen âge. The painted windows of the choir date from the fifteenth century, and represent fiveApostles and Mary Magdalene. The coloured glass in the two great roses of the north and south, as well as in the lower side-windows, was placed there in 1835, on the occa- sion ofthe Reformation Jubilee. The choir has lately been restored at the charge of the municipality. The transept supports three towers, of which the tallest is 136 feet inheight. In the north tower there is a belvidere, from which a magnificent view is gained. The clock called Clémence(after the name of Clement VII. , the antipope ) , a gift of Bishop William de Lornay, is shown here. The old chapel of the Maccabees, founded by Jean de Boigny about 1404,flanks the cathedral on the right.The oldest church in Geneva is that of La Madeleine,built in the tenth century, and recently restored . The churchyard of St. Gervais contains the remains of the seventeen heroes of the escalade of 1602.118 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.The Hôtel de Ville, a specimen of Florentine architec- ture, has a paved staircase ascent, by which the highest story may be reached on horseback, or even in a small car- riage. Near the summit is placed the reservoir of the hydraulic machine. It was before this edifice that the" Emile" of Rousseau was burnt by the hands of the com- mon hangman in 1762, in compliance with an order of the Petit Conseil of Geneva.The Arsenal in front of the Hôtel de Ville contains a collection of ancient armour, including a number of cuirasses abandoned by the Savoyards at the escalade in 1602, and also a scaling - ladder, and a loaded petard which still remains undischarged.The Public Library in the College building, entered bythe Rue Verdaine, 281, was founded by Bonivard, the " Pri- soner of Chillon," who presented to it all his books. It contains 40,000 volumes, and about 300 manuscripts. As might be expected, it is particularly rich in old theological works, and possesses a collection of autograph letters by Calvin, his successor Theodore Beza, Farrel, Viret, and others, relating to the Reformation. There is also in the collection a copy of Augustine's homilies, written on papyrus in the sixth century; a translation of Quintus Curtius,found among the baggage of Charles the Bold after the battle of Grandson; a beautiful manuscript of the four Evangelists; a fragment of the household book of Philip the Fair, and other curiosities. It is open daily ( Thursdaysexcepted ) , from 1 to 2 for the exchange of books, and from 11 till 4 for readers and visitors .The Musée Rath, which originated in the munificence of General Rath, is near the Porte Neuve. As a collection it is very inferior. There are, however, two landscapes by Salvator Rosa (99 and 100); a " Smoker," by Teniers,(117 ); and the " Entombment," by Paul Verronese ( 125 ) .The other pictures are chiefly by native artists.The Botanic Garden, formed in 1816 by the celebrated De Candolle, is well kept, and contains about 5000 species of plants. The façade of the orangery displays the busts ofthe most distinguished naturalists of Geneva. The bronze bustof De Candolle by Pradier was set up in 1845, in front of the orangery unfortunately, it bears little resemblance to theGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 119great botanist. The conservatory possesses numerous herbaries, among them that of the celebrated Haller. TheBotanic Garden is a fine promenade, and in summer a placeof great resort. It is open every day to the public. The Theatre, Place Neuve, is open Sundays, Tuesdays,and Thursdays, for vaudeville and comic opera. The prices are-parterre, 1 franc 50 cents; stalls , 4 francs; premières,3 francs; loges grillées , 2 francs; secondes, 1 franc 25 cents; troisièmes, 80 cents. As a rule, the theatre is only open in winter.The Relief of Mont Blanc, Place de Grenette, the work of M. Sene, is executed in lime- wood, on the scale of a line to 45 feet. It represents an extent of 243 square leagues: the peak of Mont Blanc in this model has a natural height of 31 inches. The Mer de Glace has a length of 3 feet. The number of trees planted in the model is 400,000, and that of houses 5000. The Relief may be viewed in summer every day from 1 till 5; on Thursdays, gratuitously.In a descriptive tour of the town we may take our depar- ture from the suspension bridge called the Pont des Bergues, in front of the hôtel of the same name on the right bank of the Rhône. This bridge, which is 244 feet in length, was constructed in 1832. From alittle platform at its summit another bridge leads to the Ile des Barques, or Rousseau's Isle; an irregular pentagon, which recently formed a part of the fortifications of Geneva. A pretty walk has been made here, in the middle of which rises astatue ofJean Jacques cast in bronze, and placed on a pedes- tal of polished Alpine granite. After passing over the second part of the bridge we gain the Grand Quai. This quay, com- pleted in 1833 , is bordered with a range of good and lofty houses, the lower portions of which are used as warehouses,shops, and cafés, and extends as far as the Port du Com- merce. The erection of these houses has totally changedthe aspect of Geneva from the Rhône, which was a fewyears ago disfigured by a row of ugly wooden buildings. The Port du Commerce is small, badly sheltered, and only fit to accommodate the barques which navigate the lake on dis- charging their cargoes. At the extremity of the quay, aGothic-looking pillar contains a limnimètre, or apparatus formeasuring the height of the waters of the lake.From the end of the Grand Quay, turning to the right,120 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.and proceeding along the Place de Longemalle, the Rue de Rive, the Place du Vieux Collège, and the rampart of St.Antoine, we gain the promenade of St. Antoine. The ter- race, which terminates it on the north, commands the best view which is anywhere to be gained of the town; and the lower part of the Lake Leman, or the little lake, is seen in its entire extent. At our feet is the Penitentiary, and onour right the populous faubourg of Eaux Vives. The entire space occupied by the fortifications, comprised between the extremity of the quay and the faubourg of Eaux Vives, was levelled in 1849-50, and a new quarter is rapidly rising there.Passing down the promenade, in front of the Observatory constructed in the bastion of St. Antoine, we arrive by a little bridge at the Promenade du Bastion du Pier. From theheight ofthe esplanade at the tête of the suspension bridge the view embraces almost all the opposite side of the basin.The mountain of Salève, with its grey and bald flanks , limits the view in the east; the Vuache is seen in the south, and the Jura in the west. The plain which extends between themountains is undulating, and well cultivated: we distinguish there St. Julien, the frontier of Savoy, much nearer the little town of Carouge, and lastly, the suburban houses of Plain Palais, with the elegant spire of the Protestant Church above them; and to the right, the cliffs of the Rhône and the heights of St. Jean.We descend into the bastion Bourgeois, a sombre prome- nade, shaded with some good trees. An iron gate separates it from the little park, in which stands the residence of M. Eynard, the philhellenist, from the Botanic Garden. We now reach the Place Neuve; the building on our right is the theatre, built towards the close of the last century; on the left, the Porte Neuve; in front of us is the Musée Rath,or Museum of the Fine Arts, a cramped-looking edifice of Grecian architecture. Ascending the hill on our right we reach the promenade of La Treille, a favourite resort of invalids on account of its southern aspect. It extends as far as the Hôtel de Ville, the entrance of which, however, is on the opposite side. We are not now two minutes' walk from the Cathedral, the Casino, the Maison de Détention,the Hospital, and the Public Library.The upper portion of the town is more especially in- habited by the aristocratic and financial notabilities, whenceGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 121these are called gens du haute, in opposition to the bourgeoisie and poorer classes who inhabit the lower quartiers. Descending from the Treille we re- enter the Place Neuve, andpass down the Rue de la Corraterie. The southern side of the street is formed of a line of fine houses, built on anuniform plan in 1828. It is terminated by an edifice of verysingular architecture, erected on foundations originally in- tended for a covered market. At present it accommodatesthe post- office, the gendarmerie, and some schools. Thelittle quay which borders it leads to the suspension bridge of la Coulonverrière. The Place de Bel-Air, at which we arenow arrived, was cleared in 1670 by a terrible fire. Crossing one of the bridges, we are at the Quartier de l'Ile . The construction of the tower under which we pass is popularlyattributed to Julius Cæsar; it was, however, built at thecommencement of the thirteenth century, possibly onRoman foundations. It formed part of the Château del'Ile, which the Counts and Dukes of Savoy held as a fief of the bishop for more than three centuries. Under its wallsthe patriot Berthelier was beheaded in 1519. The Quartierde l'Ile communicates with other parts of the town by fourwooden bridges, two on the left and two on the right arm of the river.Having passed one of the last, we arrive at the place St. Gervais, below the Rue de Coutance . On our right theQuay des Bergues, finished in 1843, and bordered with fine new houses, commences. About the middle of itslength the Place de Chevela opens, ornamented with afountain. In front is a bridge for pedestrians. This bridgepasses in front of the hydraulic machine, which we see above the isle on the right arm of the river. A hundredsteps further on is the bridge des Bergues, whence we started. All that portion of the town which borders theriver is most pleasant in its aspect; and yet, twenty years ago, the Quartier des Bergues was but a marshy garden .The streets behind, however, are still exceedingly narrow and ill-built.We have only to take a glance of that part of the town which lies between the crest of the hill and the Quai du Rhône. We first traverse the rue du Rhône, where most of the hôtels are situated, and parallel with the quay. TheRues Basses are a succession of large and busy streets,122 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.where the market is held, and in which the trading popu- lation is concentrated. From the place Bel-Air the Hôtel de Ville may be reached, by ascending the Rue de la Cité and the Grand Rue. The Rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, the Bourg de Four, and the Rue de la Chaudronniers, lead almost in astraight line to the promenade of St. Antoine.The re- maining streets between these and the Rues Basses are crooked, narrow, and dirty, and merit no attention.The entire town is lighted with gas by night, aud nume- rous fountains play in squares and other public places. Arecent law has united to the commune of Geneva a portion of the suburban commune of Petit- Sacconnex.The rides and walks which offer themselves in the immediate vicinity of Geneva are very numerous. The following are some of the principal:-The Tranchées, between the Portes Neuve and Rive. The view from the north Tranchée is very fine, and more extensive than that of St. Antoine.The plain of Plainpalais, a large swarded space, surrounded with a double row of trees, and bordered with houses and gardens, serves as the parade-ground of the militia. TheProtestant Cemetery, at the northern extremity of Plain .palais, is laid out as a garden or shrubbery; it contains the tombs of Sir Humphry Davy and De Candolle. The CatholicCemetery is close to it. Behind them are the gardens,which supply the town with vegetables, covering the tongue of land which separates the Arve from the Rhône. A little path is carried round the border of this stripe by the side of the streams.The Bois de la Batie is an elevated plateau, commanding a view of the confluence of the Rhône and Arve. Its finetimber trees were cut down by the Austrians in 1814.CAROUGE ( Inns, Eau de Savoie and Olivier de Provence) ,is about a mile from the town on the Arve, and has a population of 5000. It was raised to the rank of a town in 1786by the King of Sardinia, who wished to make of it a rival of Geneva. The stone bridge, erected in 1811 under theFrench rule, is a handsome structure. The town is well built, and contains several manufactories. Omnibuses runhourly on the road, which at night is lighted with gas.Les Eaux Vives is a populous faubourg ontheleft shore of the lake going out by the Rue de Rive, on the quay. At the end of the Rue de Rive the road of Hermance leads toGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 123Cologny (Colonia Allobrogum) , a pretty village, less than two miles from Geneva. The view from this road is delightful. Formerly Cologny had an important printing-office. It was successively the residence of Milton and Byron. The latter inhabited the Campagne Diodati ( 1816 ) , and there wrote " Manfred" and the third canto of " Childe Harold."The Diodati villa is now the locale of an orthopaedic and therapeutic institution. Hermance is the frontier of thecanton, and formerly had the rank of a town.Ferney, the celebrated residence of Voltaire, is distant about five miles from Geneva, on the French territory. An omnibus runs thither hourly in summer, by the road to Gex,passing over a height which commands one of the bestviews of Mont Blanc. It was in 1759 that Voltaire quitted his country-house " Les Délices, " and acquired the fiefs of Tournay and Ferney. When he came to reside there in 1759, he found only a few wretched hovels, but from that date, whether owing to the activity which he displayed or the numerous society which was attracted there by his renown,Ferney increased rapidly; so that in 1777, when he left forParis, where he was shortly to end his career, it counted 1200 inhabitants. The château built under his directionis situated on a height to the left of the high road . The façade, which fronts the road instead of looking out towards the best view, is long, without depth, and has no archi- tectural pretensions. The saloon and sleeping- chamber of Voltaire, which, until 1845, had been permitted to remain in the state in which he had left them, were then appropriated to a new destination. A mausoleum in terra cotta, set up by the Marquise de Villette, and intended to contain the heartof the poet, is shown. This singular monument was defaced by the Austrians in 1815. The following sentences are in- scribed on it: " Mes mânes sont consoles puisque moncœur est au milieu de vous;" and " Son esprit est partout et son cœur est ici." The study and library are also shown.The poet had had a terrace raised to the level of the former room, in which he was in the habit of stepping out and walk- ing very fast when deeply engaged in composition. In the garden is shown the berceau under which he used to dictatehis letters to his secretary. The theatre, formerly on the left side ofthe court, has been pulled down; as likewise has the church, which bore the inscription, " Deo erexit Vol-124 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.taire," and in which the Encyclopédist officiated in person.In the grove near the house is an elm planted by Voltaire:it was struck by lightning in 1842. An old gardener who had known Voltaire, and who died in 1845, used to exhibit tostrangers a morsel of the poet's robe, his stick, a cap of greysilk brocaded with gold and silver, and a collection of theseals of Voltaire's principal correspondents: his son now possesses these curiosities. The château of Ferney is theproperty of M. David Septmoncel.The origin of Geneva is unknown; the first author who makes mention of it is Julius Cæsar. He tells us, that inorder to oppose the passage of the Helvetians he destroyed the bridge ofthe Rhône, and raised an entrenchment along the left bank of the river. Geneva was at that time thefrontier town ofthe Allobroges, a people subject to the Roman rule. Numerous inscriptions and medals found in and on the spot attest the length of the sojourn made here by the conquerors of the world. During and after the invasion ofthe northern tribes the town was successively occupied bythe Burgundians, who made it their capital, the Ostrogoths,and the Franks. Sacked and burned several times, it only occupied the narrow summit of the hill, whose surface itnow entirely occupies. In the fifth century Geneva re- ceived Christianity. It formed part of the second Burgundian kingdom, and was incorporated with the greatGermanic empire. Conrad the Salic was crowned there by the Archbishop of Milan. Powerful lords of the neighbourhood sought to seize the sovereignty, to the prejudice of the rights of the Emperors; on which account, probably, the latter confided the temporal power to the bishops, at first simple pastors, guaranteeing large rights, franchises, andmunicipal liberties to the citizens. The Counts of Savoy had designs on Geneva, and the citizens for a long time profited by the rivalry of their powerful neighbours to increase their heritage of freedom. The house of Savoy having augmented its possessions in Geneva by large pur- chases, acquired at last an ascendancy with the aristocracy of Geneva, which, without the greatest watchfulness and de votion of the citizens, had been mortal to the liberties of Geneva. It contrived to get its own cadets or creatures no- minated bishops, and these excited the hatred of the citizens by their despotism and baseness. A number of resolute andGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 125courageous men united, in 1518, openly to resist the tyranny of the Bishop Jean- Louis, and contracted an alliance with Freiburg. Sustained by the Duke of Savoy, who entered the town at the head of an army, the prelate succeeded for atime in suppressing this resistance, and breaking up the league with Freiburg. Berthelier, among others, paid his head as the penalty of his temerity. Pierre de Baume after- wards occupied the episcopal chair. This feeble and versa- tile prelate appeared for a time to have espoused the inte- rests of the citizens, who concluded another treaty with Frei- burg, and acquired some new rights; but he soon fell under the influence of the house of Savoy. For a long time this house raised pretensions to the sovereignty of the town, and disputed the right of the Genevese to make alliances. It found a powerful party among the clergy and the noblesse.The differences of the Genevese with the house of Savoy were brought before the Swiss Diets, but while the affair was dragging its length through these assemblies the Duke was sorely harassing the citizens. Meanwhile the Reforma- tion, which had announced itself in Germany, penetrated this country, and, preached with ardour by Farel, Froment, and Viret d'Orbe, soon numbered many adherents among the citizens. The principles of the reformed religion wereadopted without great perturbations; the bishop, who fled,was declared to be deposed; and the citizens, who were harassed incessantly by the incursions of a number of plun- dering gentlemen of the neighbourhood, boldly demolished the faubourgs, which formed one- half of Geneva, the better to protect the rest. Calvin being invited hither, settled in the town in 1556 , and during a residence of twenty- eight years consolidated, not without some tyranny and persecution, and a proportionate amount of resistance, the new social edifice.Genevawas the Protestant Rome, the capital of the reformed religion. In 1584 the town concluded a treaty of perpetual alliance with Zürich and Berne, and long afterwards was an asylum of the Protestant refugees from France, Italy,and England. But the house of Savoy, although humiliated for the moment, had not renounced its designs upon Ge- neva, and Charles Emmanuel, having ascended the grand ducal throne, prepared an army to take the city. As this prince was in league with the Pope and Spain against France, the latter encouraged the Genevese to defend them-126 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.selves; and these uniting with the Bernese, carried on for several years a war which covered their state with glory and desolation. At length, the Genevese, isolated through theselfishness of their allies, were to all appearance ruined, and had nought wherewith to make head against their enemies,save their heroic courage and their confidence in God.Peace was concluded between France and Savoy, and Henry IV. had formally declared that Geneva should be numbered with the thirteen allies of the Swiss cantons included in the treaty. But Charles Emmanuel had not renouncedhis designs. He prepared a secret expedition, which, long meditated, seemed to promise an assured success. Inthe night of December 12, 1602, he advanced under thewalls of the city, with a force composed of about 3000 of the choicest soldiers of his army, under the orders of D'Albigny. It was three in the morning; all was dark; no one had so much as thought of an hostile expedition. Already scaling- ladders had been placed insilence against the wall, and 200 men had cleared the outer enclosure, when a sentinel sounded the alarm. Thecitizens ran to arms, and after a desperate struggle the enemy was repulsed. The Duke's army withdrew, leaving200 Savoyards on the field . The anniversary of this signal victory, which shattered the projects of the Dukes of Savoy,is to this day celebrated in the Fête de l'Escalade. For the remainder of the century Geneva was safe, prosperous, and united. The first years of the eighteenth century were passed in internal discord. The aristocracy, which untilthen had governed the people under the rigorous and ex- clusive, although national, system established by Calvin, had lost its former prestige and energy, and, like that ofBerne, was reduced to take its stand on the memory of its former services.The bourgeoisie, on the contrary, favoured by the peace, had acquired a social importance and acquaintance with affairs which made it natural that they should pretend to a share in the public administration . Thenceforward complaint andcollision were inevitable, -the spirit of party envenomed all.The conduct of the aristocracy in soliciting the intervention of their allies finished the work of division and discord, andthe history of Geneva in the eighteenth century is filled with the narrations of internal and often sanguinary wars, onlysuspended by the appearance ofthe enemy. The bourgeoisieGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 127maintained the plenitude of the old sovereign rights of the general council, while the aristocrats quoted the prescrip- tions of the constitution, which gave them the exclusive right to initiate changes, as theirjustification in opposing all reform. The material prosperity of the town was, happily,not destroyed by these incessant quarrels. Tranquillity was at length beginning to return, when, in April 1798, a French division invaded Geneva, and annexed it to la Grande Nation,whose fate it followed, as capital ofthe department ofLeman,until 1813. While Buonaparte was resisting the allies under the walls of Paris, an Austrian division, under Count von Bubna, arrived under the walls of Geneva. The French prefect retired on his approach, and the garrison followed his example. The Genevese had managed to retain in their hands the direction of their national church, and of the esta- blishments of beneficence and education . The memory andlove oftheir old liberties still lingered in their hearts. Afew citizens, magistrates of the old republic, having concerted their measures in secret, constituted themselves a provisionalgovernment, and proclaimed the independence ofthe republic,December 31 , 1813. The events of Paris and Waterloo confirmed them in the enjoyment of peace. The independence of Geneva was recognised in the Congress of Vienna, and itssmall territory was aggrandised by the addition of twenty- two communes detached from France and Savoy. On the 12th of September, 1814, the Swiss Diet voted the aggregation of the republic as the 22d canton. Some days before,the Genevese had chosen a constitution which, being emi- nently aristocratic, underwent considerable modification afterthe French revolution of 1830. Thanks to a spirit of wisdom and moderation, Geneva passed through the periods of 1830- 1840, so stormy in most of the Swiss cantons , without commotion; but in 1841 , by the impolitic refusal of the repre- sentative council to grant a municipal organisation to the town of Geneva, democratic demonstrations were made andrepeated, the movement grew in strength, and the council was obliged to give way. An assembly was charged with theduty ofdrawing up a new constitution, which was sanctionedalmost unanimously, June 7, 1842. In spite of this achieve- ment, the democratic party did not succeed in gaining the di- rection of affairs; and in 1843 a new attempt was made to over- throwthe Conservative Government. During the excitement130 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.Courrier de Turin, in thirty- six Omnibuses for Lausanne, everyopposite the Ecu de Genève;Neuchâtel diligence, 31 Rue desfare, 2fr. 25c. and 2fr. 50c.hours, daily, at eight P.M. morning in summer, from fare, 30 batz, or 4fr. 30c.Etuves." Clear, placid Leman! thy contrasted lake,With the wide world I dwelt in, is a thing Which warns me, with its stillness, to forsake Earth's troubled waters for a purer spring;This quiet sail is as a noiseless wing To waft me from distraction: once I loved Torn ocean's roar, but thy soft murmuring Sounds sweet as ifa sister's voice reproved,That I with stern delights should e'er have been so moved.It is the hush of night, and all between Thy margin and the mountains dusk, yet clear,Mellowed and mingling, yet distinctly seen,Save darkened Jura, whose cap heights appear Precipitously steep and drawing near,There breathes a living fragrance from the shore,Of flowers, yet fresh with childhood, on the ear Drops the light drip of the suspended oar,Or chirps the grasshopper one good- night carol more.He is an evening reveller, who makes His life an infancy, and sings his fill;At intervals, some bird from out the brakes Starts into voice a moment, then is still;There seems a floating whisper on the hill,But that is fancy, for the starlight dews All silently their tears oflove instil,Weeping themselves away, till they infuse Deep into Nature's breast the spirit of her hues.

The sky is changed!-and such a change! Oh night,And storm, and darkness, ye are wondrous strong,Yet lovely in your strength, as is the light Of a dark eye in woman! Far along,From peak to peak, the rattling crags among Leaps the live thunder; not from one lone cloud,But every mountain now hath found a tongue,And Jura answers through her misty shroud,Back to the joyous Alps, who call to her aloud!And this is in the night: -Most glorious night!Thou wert not sent for slumber! let me be A sharer in thy fierce and far delight, -A portion of the tempest and ofthee!GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 131How the lit lake shines, a phosphoric sea,And the big rain comes dancing to the earth!And now again ' tis black-and now, the glee Of the loud hills shakes with its mountain- mirth,As if they did rejoice o'er a young earthquake's birth.Now, where the swift Rhône cleaves his way between Heights which appear as lovers who have parted In hate, whose mining depths so intervene,That they can meet no more, though broken- hearted;Though in their souls, which thus each other thwarted;Love was the very root of the fond rage Which blighted their life's bloom, and then departed:Itself expired, but leaving them an age Of years all winters, -war within themselves to wage.Now, where the quick Rhône thus hath cleft his way,The mightiest of the storms hath ta'en his stand:For here, not one, but many make their play,And fling their thunderbolts from hand to hand,Flashing and cast around: of all the band The brightest through these parted hills hath forked His lightnings, as if he did understand,-That in such gaps as desolation worked,There the hot shaft should blast whatever therein lurked.Sky, mountains, river, winds, lake, lightnings! ye!With night, and clouds, and thunder, and a soul To make these felt and feeling, well may be Things that have made mewatchful; the far roll Of your departing voices, is the knoll Of what in me is sleepless, -if I rest,But where of ye, oh tempests! is the goal?Are ye like those within the human breast?Or do ye find, at length, like eagles, some high nest?"The Lake ofGeneva is equally known by the name of Lake Leman. Cæsar in his " Commentaries," and various otherancient authors, have mentioned it by this designation, which the Romans found established in this country, when, for thefirst time, they carried hither their arms. Fallen almostinto desuetude in following ages, this name has recentlyregained favour, being adopted into the language of modernpolitical geography. We have heard, in the last half century, of a République Lémanique, a Swiss canton of Leman,and a French department of the same name, which extended along the southern shore of the lake from Geneva to theentrance of the Valais, near the embouchure of the Rhône.The Lake of Geneva is situated almost in the midst of alarge valley, which separates the Alps from the Jura chain .132 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.The Rhône, leaving the Valais, in which it has its source,enters this valley to pass through it. It there finds a great na- tural basin, which being filled with its waters , thus forms Lake Leman. Here the Rhône rests for a while, and deposits themud and débris which it has taken up in its turbulent and rapid course. From this vast reservoir it afterwards issues,brilliant and pure, and with its rapid and azure waters traverses the town of Geneva. It is , indeed, within thetown itself, that the lower extremity of the lake terminates.The river once more contained in a narrow bed, resumes its course, and the name which it had lost, in discharging itswaters into the upper extremity of the lake, or, to speak more justly, in extending them over a surface of thirty square leagues. It follows from the foregoing, that the waters of the Rhône and of the lake are perfectly commingled, and that the opinion long accredited amongst the nonenquiring,that the Rhône preserves a distinct and continuous current through the lake, is as little founded in fact as it is contrary to the most elementary notions of physics. There exist, it is true, currents which undergo various alternations of ra- pidity and height, concerning which little more is knownthan that they are perfectly independent of the Rhône, and certain momentary undulations of the lake's surface may have deceived, in this respect, some inattentive spectators,but they are as variable as the winds and the aspects of the sun which produce these appearances.Besides the Rhône, about forty streams and rivulets dis- charge their waters into the Lake of Geneva. Each of these various affluents carries down a certain quantity of mud, &c.which is deposited in the lake, and is continually accumu- lating. The limpid condition of the water of the lake andthe Rhône at Geneva proves that the sediment remains almost entirely in the lake, the basin of which it is tending imperceptibly to fill . It is even possible to determine ap- proximatively the epoch, happily very remote, when the lake will be entirely filled up by successive deposits. Gladly abandoning these sinister researches to the geologists, we content ourselves here with noticing as an incontestablefact the gradual diminution of the capacity of the lake.This phenomenon is especially perceptible at the embouchure of the Rhône, where the shore receives each year a con- siderable accumulation of fine débris, which the river disGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 133charges upon losing with its velocity the power to trans- port further its burdens . According to the latest and most exact measurements, the elevation of the lake above the sea level is 1205 feet.The lake exhibits two kinds of flux and reflux; one ofthese is pretty general and regular: the waters begin toincrease from the month of May, rising commonly to the height of six feet, but rarely passing that limit. From the end of August to December they subside to their former level, without being subject to sensible variation during the ensuing three months. This periodical increase coincides with the melting of the snows on the most elevated regions of the Alps, a process which is only carried on during the hottest months. The other kind of tide is altogether irre- gular, whether in period or intensity. In stormy weather,and in August rather than in any other months, the lake is seen to rise suddenly to the height of three, four, or even five feet, falling again with equal rapidity; and this alter- nation is carried on for several hours. These oscillations,which are locally called seiches, are more particularly ob- servable in that part of the lake which is nearest to Geneva.For above a century they have been the subject of scientific discussions, which have hitherto led to no satisfactory ex- planation of the facts.It will be easily conceived that if the winter is much pro- longed, or more severe than usual, the periodic fall of the lake leaves the waters below their average height. At such atime a cold wind sweeping the surface of the lake in the direction of its length may detach the ice which forms on the margin, and carry it into the gulf which terminates at Geneva, and thus a crust of ice may be formed on that part of the lake, which will disappear only with the return of amilder temperature. Thus, in the memorable winter of1829-30, the lake was passable on foot, and without danger,near the port of Geneva. However, this phenomenon is ex- ceedingly rare, and the great depth of the lake , as well as the degree of agitation which is habitual to its surface, mustprevent the extension of this congelation to any consider- able distance from the shore.To give a general idea of the form of the Lake of Geneva we may compare it to a very open crescent, with its con- vexity to the north, and with a slight obliquity to the west.134 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.Rounded at its upper extremity it is prolonged to a point at Geneva, and there forms a kind of second basin; hence thedistinction between the petit lac and the grand lac, whose separation is conceived by an imaginary line drawn from apromontory called Pointe d'Yvoise to the opposite town of Nyon. The curvature of the lake at this point is so much the more sensible, inasmuch as a little further on the bankturns brusquely to the south to form the gulf near Thonon.From the environs of Geneva only the petit lac is visible,and at Geneva itself the horizon is bounded by heights which still further narrow the view. The total length of the lake, taking Geneva and Villeneuve for the extreme points ,and following the mean curve described by the Swiss shore,is 55 miles; while the same distance between the samepoints, measured in a right line, carried through Chablais,is only 35 miles. The greatest breadth of the lake,taken between Thonon and Rolle, is about six miles. The greatest depth of soundings have been obtained at the superior extremity of the lake to the east of a line drawn from Evian to the hamlet of Vidy below Lausanne. The depthhere was 900 feet. Lake Leman, according to the measurements given above, surpasses in superficial extent all the lakes in Switzerland, among which that of Constance alone can dispute with it the pre- eminence in virtue of its greater depth and larger volume of water.At about a mile from Geneva a great sand- bank, called Le Travers, runs out as far as the port of the town, and extends its ramifications to about three miles to the north of Geneva,where the lake becomes much deeper. Although covered with water for a considerable portion of the year, its presencerequires considerable caution of navigators in the winter months. In different parts of the lake, and at short distances from the shore, rugged rocks exist, which sometimes rise above, but are often concealed by the waters. These,which are of granite, or some other primitive rocks, are generally regarded by geologists as detached fragments of the central chain of the Alps anterior to the historic period, and products of the great revolutions to which thisportion of the globe has been subjected. Two of such granitic rocks are seen near the entrance of the port of Geneva. The larger of the two bears the name of Niton, orNeptune's Stone; it having, according to popular tradition,GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 135once been consecrated to the worship of that deity. The lake is navigable at all seasons, and in its entire extent. It is less subject than other Swiss lakes to irregular gusts ofwind, and those unexpected squalls which render navigation dangerous. Its shores, moreover, offer almost at all points a commodious landing- place. The southern shore itself,formerly feared on account of its steep and rugged form, has become accessible on all points since the abrupt rocks of Meillerie have been broken, under the direction of Frenchengineers, to form the fine chaussée which follows the quay along that bank. Until these few years the navigation of Lake Leman was much less than that of other Swiss lakes.The introduction of steam-boats, however, has effected atotal revolution in this respect. The first steamer made itsappearance here in 1823, and the principal communications between the various towns of the Swiss bank is now carried on by steam-boats.The lake is not so well supplied with fish as some of its rivals, owing to its depth and the purity of its waters, to- gether with the difficulty of exercising any control over thefisheries. After trout, and a species resembling trout, called the ombre-chevalier, the fish most in esteem are the perch,the fero, and the lote. Pike exist in great numbers. The quality of the produce of these waters compensates some- what for the defect in quantity; the trout are particularly excellent.Two routes, almost equally pleasant and convenient, nowextend along the banks of the lake and of the superior Rhine, from Geneva to the town of St. Maurice in theValais, where they meet, and in the south-east terminatewhat, upon the principles of physical geography, may be called the Valley of the Leman. The excursionist may athis pleasure commence the tour of the lake by either of these routes. That which presents itself on the right,taking Geneva as a starting- point, follows, with some devia- tion at first, the eastern and southern shore of the lake,through Chablais, enters the Valais near the embouchureof the Rhône, and then turning, follows the course of that river as far as the defile of St. Maurice, where it emerges into the high road of the Valais, which passes longitudinallythrough the canton as far as to the entrance of the pass ofthe Simplon. The route which presents itself on the left ,136 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.at Geneva, longer by several miles, because it forms asegment of a circle, of which the preceding is the chord,enters the canton of Vaud about seven miles above Geneva,and only leaves it to rejoin the right- hand route at the bridge of St. Maurice over the Rhône.Having to choose between these two ways of making the tour of the lake, for the purposes of description, we take the road along the Swiss shore, or, as we shall call it, the right bank of the lake, it being so in relation to the course of the Rhône, ofwhich the lake is but a continuation. Our route willthus be better adapted than in the contrary case to the con- venience of travellers making the tour by water, the steam- boats having always found it advantageous to make their journey in this direction. Those who make the journey by land, and also prefer to commence with Savoy, will have less difficulty in inverting the order of this itinerary while travelling than the voyager carried from one end of the lake to the other with a rapidity which scarcely leaves leisure to familiarise himself with the spots indicated. For the convenience of both parties we insert a table of dis- tances, as well by land as by water. The numbers represent Swiss leagues ( equal to 3 English miles, 1 furlong, 215 yards ) , this being the standard best known in the environs of the lake, and that which is marked on all the milliary stones placed along the right bank.Distances by Land.-Sécheron, 3-8 of league; La Pier- rière, 3-8; Genthod, 5-8; Pont de Versoix, 3-8; Versoiz-laVille, 1-4; Vaudoise Frontier, 1-4; Coppet, 1-2; Celigny, 3-4;Crans, 1-8; Nyon, 1-2; Prangins, 1-8; Dullit, 1 1. 1-4;Bursinel, 1-4; Rolle, 1-2; Perroy, 1-4; Allaman, 5-8; Saint- Prex, 3-4; Morges, 11.; Préverenges, 3-8; Saint- Sulpice, 1-2;Vidy, 1-2; Lausanne, 1 1. ( 11 1. 1-4 from Geneva); Pully, 3-8;Lutry, 1-2; Cully, 5-8; Glérolles, 1 1.; Saint- Saphorin, 1-4;Vevey, 3-4; (3 1. 1-2 from Lausanne, 14 1. 3-4 from Geneva);La Tour de Peilz, 1-8; Clarens, 5-8; Montreux, 3-8; Chil- lon, 5-8; Villeneuve, 1-4 ( 5 1. 1-2 from Lausanne, 16 1. 3-4 from Geneva) .Distances by Water.-From the port of Geneva to Cop- pet, 2 1. 2-5; Nyon, 1 1. 8-5; Pointe de Promenthoux, 1-2;Rolle, 11. 7-10 ( 6 1. 1-5 from Geneva); Pointe d'Alla- man, 11.; St.- Prex, 4-5; Morges, 4-5; Ouchy sous Lau- sanne, 1 1. 4-5 ( 10 1. 3-5 from Geneva; and by the shortestGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 137line, 9 1. 7-10); Vevey, 3 1. 3-10; Villeneuve, 1 1. 7-10 ( 15 1.3-5 from the port of Geneva).From Geneva to Genthod the road, almost constantly parallel to the lake, has a cheerful aspect. Without passing through any village, unless we give the name to such ham- lets as Sécheron, La Pierrière, Pregsny Dessous, Chambery,it presents a succession of pretty dwellings, pleasure- gar- dens, and grounds in every variety of taste and construction,and forming a pleasing picture of mingled rural and sub- urban beauty. This spectacle is reproduced in constantlychanging forms until, gaining a height at a certain distance from Geneva, all its proportions are enlarged, the view ex- tends, and the multiplicity and imposing grandeur of the remotest objects which now make their appearance give anew character to the scene. From Geneva to Sécheron theglaciers of Savoy, partially hidden from Geneva by the first line of the Alps, are progressively disclosed to view. Mont Blanc, and the snowy peaks which surround the monarch,are now seen in all their majesty, bordered to the south byMont Salève, and on the north by the verdant mountain of Voirons. The Mole, the Brezon, Monts Vergy, and other picturesque mountains, already strongly tinged with bluethrough their distance, and most ofthem imperfectly visible from Geneva, appear successively at the base of the Hautes Alpes, in the interval between the Voirons and the Salève.During a great portion of the year, and when the clouds conceal Mont Blanc and the other summits of the centralchain from sight, these lower mountains, themselves very much elevated above the horizon, and sillonnées here and there with snow, which even in summer the sun cannot entirely dissolve, offer some image of the Hautes Alpes, with which they seem to be confounded when winter has com- pletely whitened their summits.La Pierrière, formerly a hamlet composed of isolated houses, has recently increased considerably in the direction of the main road. The limit of the ancient banlieue ofGeneva was placed between Sécheron and La Pierrière. The territory intermediate between this limit and the frontier ofthe canton of Vaud, near Coppet, belonged to France, with the exception of the commune of Genthod, which thus earlyformed part of the Genevese territory.The parochial village of Genthod is for the most part138 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.situated on a height at some distance to the left of the road.A house is shown there which was for many years the summer residence of the metaphysician Charles Bonnet, a vir- tuous and religious man, who knew no other passion than that of science, and dared to be a Christian in a sceptical age.About two miles above Genthod we cross the little streamof La Versoix, which falls into the lake at a distance ofabout two hundred paces from the road, and we enter imme- diately the commune of Versoix, the largest of the six com- munes detached in 1815 from the French Pays de Gex, to be united to the Geneyan territory. The place called Ver- soix-le- Village is a kind of market- town, with a post of gendarmerie, and a bureau of federal customs for foreign merchandise introduced by way of Ferney. The soil in this commune is almost everywhere arid, and the habit of smug- gling contracted when a French custom-house existed here has had an influence, from which the morals of the people still suffer. What is still called in derision Versoix- la- Villeis about ten minutes' walk from this point. This projected town has a pretty good port, which is all that remains of itsephemeral existence under the minister Choiseul. Voltaire said, -"A Versoix nous avons des rues,Mais nous n'avons pas des maisons. "A large square, and a system of streets traced on the soil ,might have been seen a few years ago at Versoix; but neither the advances made by the French government, nor the encouragements of all kinds promised to manufactures and merchants who should settle at Versoix, nor yet the troubleswhich the French brought upon Geneva, could induce colo- nists to settle in a locality adapted by nature neither for manufactures nor commerce. The territory of Versoix- leVille has now been given up to agriculture, and the plough to-day passes over the site of the Rue Choiseul, the AvenueRichelieu, and the Place Royale de Versoix, as the herdsman of the Campagna of Rome crowds with his cattle the soil of the ancient Forum." Another age shall see the golden ear Embrown the slope and nod on the parterre;Deep harvests bury all that pride has plann'd,And laughing Ceres reassume the land.'GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 139The frontier of the canton of Vaud is about half- a- mileabove Versoix- la - Ville. A few minutes' walk beyond the first Vaudoise milestone marks the distance of two leagues from Geneva and nine from Lausanne. The first of these estimations is decidedly half- a- mile too short. At half- a- league from the frontier is Coppet, a little town of five hundred in- habitants, built on the margin of the lake, on which it has aport. The greater portion of the population is devoted torural occupations, or engaged in fishing and the transport of merchandise by water. The château, doubly remarkable forits beauty and the souvenirs which it calls up, is on a height which commands the town; from which it is separated by aterrace. It is a large building of wooden architecture, erected on the site of a feudal castle, which in 1536 sustained a siege against the Bernese, and was in part destroyed by fire . Thelearned Bayle lived here many years, as a tutor in the family of Count Dolina. The minister Necker also passed here,in honourable retirement, the latter years of his life. His daughter, Madame De Staël, who long inhabited it, is buried atthis place in a monumental tomb with her father, her mother,and the eldest of her sons. The château has a pretty park,through which a small river meanders in its way to the lake.There is at Coppet a Customs' bureau, where passports, as well as merchandise imported into the Pays de Vaud by this route, are inspected. It is the first relay of posts from Geneva to Lausanne, and the first station at which thesteamer calls on its way from Geneva to Villeneuve.From Coppet to Nyon the distance is about a league and a half by land. The highway leaves successively on the left the village of Celigny and Crans, placed at a small distance apart on the heights which border the road. The first isthe chief place of a Genevese commune isolated and enclosed within the canton of Vaud, through which we are passing.The second is distinguished from a good distance by its château, a large and elegant building, overlooking the lake from a raised plateau to the north of the village.NYON (inn, Couronne) , a town of 3000 inhabitants, about four leagues from Geneva, and seven leagues from Lausanne, is built partly along the bank of the lake, and partly on a terraced hill . Its origin is traceable to the epoch of the conquest of Helvetia by the Romans. Julius Cæsar foundedit, and established a military colony there. At first it bore140 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.the name of Colonia Julia Equestris, which subsequently changed for that of Novidunum, or Nevidunum, in which it is easy to recognise the etymology of its present appellation.The remains of ancient walls are discernible in the town,and date-in part, at least-from the time of the Roman domi- nation. The soil in the immediate environs of Nyon, particularly towards the lake, is of a disagreeable aridity, which,however, disappears as soon as we pass the sandy hills which here border the Leman. A verdant and fertile plainrises by insensible gradations from the reverse of these hills to the foot of the mountains behind. Numerous villages ,partly concealed by collections of large timber trees, embel- lish the landscape. The Jura, distant only a league and ahalf from the band of the lake, bounds the horizon with its thickly-wooded slopes. Prangins , Trelex, Gingins, Crassier,Duillier, and Beaumont, placed on the confines of the mountains and the plain, are remarked by their numerous streams, their thick woods, and verdant meadows. Nyon belongs to the basin of the petit lac, which terminates on this shore at the point of Promenthoux, situated half aleague from this town opposite the point of Yvoire. The larger lake is seen from Nyon throughout its length,although in a profile which is by no means calculated to give the spectator a correct idea of its extent; but scarcely have we quitted Nyon than the view of the basin enlarges,the Savoy shore becomes visible, and a new amphitheatre ofmountains is developed around the gulf. In the remote and vapory distance is seen across the lake the old town ofThonon, the ancient capital of Chablais, whose whitened walls contrast with the sombre verdure of the surroundinghills. The Chartreuse of Ripaille marks the eastern ex- tremity ofthe gulf, terminated at the west by the villages of Yvoire and Coudre. The petit lac which we leave behind us nowdwindles to the proportions of a mere channel, at the ex- tremity of which the town of Geneva shines like a luminous point when the sun darts forth his rays on the pinnacles of its towers and steeples, and on its high houses, covered with plates of tin, or announces itself by a sombre aureola of smoke when the sky is veiled in clouds.From Nyon to Rolle the distance is about 24 leagues. Abroad and straight road joins the two towns, but presents little to detain our notice. About three- quarters of a leagueGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 141from Nyon we pass the forest of Prangins, which covers the greater part of the peninsula of Promenthoux, between our route and the margin of the lake. The château of Prangins,much nearer Nyon, is situated near the village of the same name, on an eminence to the left of the high road. Thecelebrated vineyard of Côte commences in the neighbour- hood of Nyon, and terminates at three leagues to the north- west of the town, on the right bank of the little river of Aubonne.ROLLE ( inn, Tête Noire ) , 6 leagues from Geneva, is alittle town of agreeable aspect, built on the borders of the lake, towards a bay which faces the gulf of Thonon. It was built in the first half of the thirteenth century, and has now a population of 1500. Its little port has lately been enlarged and improved. The small island which guards the entrance is called La Harpe. It is a terrace in form, almost oval;planted with trees, which overhang a monument raised to General Harpe, a native of Rolle. It has been remarked above, that Lake Leman has its maximum breadth between Rolle and Thonon. To the eye of an observer, placed at anequal distance from the two shores, the lake has the aspect of a disc. To a spectator at Rolle, the curvature of the surface of the lake affords some idea of its breadth, beingso great as to obscure the objects on the opposite shore, the coast of the Chablais. From Rolle, Geneva may still be distinguished in serene weather; but as we proceed, the promontories of the left bank soon exclude it from the view.In exchange, the banks of the greater lake and the high mountains, whose base it washes, now take sharper outlines in the landscape. The Mont des Alinges, the Rocs d'Enfer,the mountains of Bogeve, Bellvaux Biot, and Abondance,form round the gulf of Thonon a verdant belt, deepened here and there with dense forests. Further on, the group of Dents d'Oche rises above the left bank like an abruptwall, and projects its grey peaks obliquely into the azure sky. A mass of mountains, whose forms the eye cannot yet distinctly trace, terminates the horizon on the Swiss shore near Villeneuve, and marks the oriental extremity of Lake Leman.An ascending road, which leaves on our left, and at some distance above us, the village of Perroy, conducts us, by about an hour's walking, to Allaman, a pretty village, re-142 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.markable for its picturesque semifeudal château, partly con- cealed from the road by trees. Allaman occupies an elevated position above the lake, and at least half a mile from its banks, notwithstanding the natural inductions from theLatin etymology of its name ( Ad Lemanum ) . The cape orpromontory which the bank forms above the village, marks,with that of Promenthoux, the entrance to the bay of Rolle.The hamlet of Buchillan, which occupies the point, is the last spot on this route from which it is possible to catch aglimpse of Geneva without leaving the shores of Leman.The way from Rolle to Allaman is bordered almost without interruption with vines, and presents scarcely any other ob- jects worthy of notice. If, however, we leave this road, and ascend to the crest of the hill on which these vines areplanted, we shall gain a charming prospect from heights ver- dant with grass and flowers, or thickly shaded with wood.The place called Signal de Bougy, above and at some dis- tance from the village of that name, between Rolle andAubonne, offers an admirable panorama of the Leman and the Alps of Savoy, which rise by successive stages above the magnificent basin at the spectator's feet. Mont Blanc appears in the background of the picture sometimes pale and silvered during that portion of the day that the sun leaves in its shadow that side ofthe mountain which is turned towardsus, and, again, gilded by the fires of that orb, and standing grandly out from the pyramids of snow which surround it.On leaving the village of Allaman , and proceeding towards Lausanne, we traverse the river Aubonne at the bottom ofanagreeably wooded ravine, where, having just passed the town of the same name, it falls into the lake. The vines now be- gin to retire from the view; meadows and fields reappear;the hills which border our road are crowned with woods of beech, oak, and fir. Mont Jorat sinks as we advance, andpermits the eye to range as far as to the foot ofthe Jura,whose thick forests and green pastures give a sylvan cha- racter to the landscape.The bridge of the Aubonne at Allaman is a very bad one,and the part of the road which leads through the ravine toil- some, but beyond this point it is again good. It runs nearly parallel to the shore of the lake, but almost always preserves a moderate remoteness , and does not follow its sinuosities .At three-quarters of a league from Allaman we leave on ourGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 143right, at a few minutes' distance, the village of Saint- Prex,placed at the extremity of a promontory visible from afar,and to the east of which the gulf or bay of Morges opens.This village, once a considerable burgh, has nothing remark- able now but its river and wall, and its isolated temple nearthe high road. The point of Saint-Prex, situated at almost equal distance by water from Geneva and the embouchure of the Rhône, near Villeneuve, is regarded by navigators as the middle point of the right bank of the Leman. From thechurch of St.- Prex to Morges is about a league. Farms and habitations of all kinds multiply on the road as we approach this town. Most of the country residences which we nowmeet are of good size, elegant, and surrounded by pleasant parks . From the Geneva side, Morges is entered by a large avenue planted with fine trees, and by a plain laid out as apromenade between the lake, the road, and the enceinte of the château.MORGES (inn, La Couronne) , one ofthe principal and most agreeable towns of the canton of Vaud, contains within its enceinte scarcely 2500 inhabitants. On the side by whichwe enter the approaches have the aspect of the faubourgs ofalarge town. Its streets are large, regular, well paved, andits houses are for the most part well built. Its church, amodern edifice, rises in the midst of a square at the eastern extremity ofthe town. Its campanile, rounded in the formof a dome, and terminated with a lantern , is visible at a good distance. Morges has a good port, inclosed on two sides by jetties of masonry, and large enough to contain fifty loaded barges. Its château, built A.D. 1230, serves to- day as an ar- senal for the canton. The town of Morges has no veryancient origin, having been built in the tenth century. It increased in succeeding years under the fostering care of the Dukes of Zähringen. These great imperial vassals endowed it with numerous municipal franchises, and surrounded it with walls, in the security of which it attained to a greatprosperity. Under the princes of the House of Savoy,Morges was one of the quatre bonnes villes, or privileged cities, ofthe Pays de Vaud. The Bernese took it in 1675, in the course of that sanguinary Burgundian war which saved the independence of Switzerland, but of which nearly all the acts bear the imprint ofthe barbarism ofthe age. In prospectsof a certain class, Morges may contend to advantage with any144 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.point between Geneva and Lausanne. From the south.west to the north- east an immense girdle of mountains con- tains the horizon, and is rounded in the form of an arc fromYvoire to Villeneuve. Mont Blanc rises towering behind and above the Alps of Chablais, and a glacis of verdure slopes from the base of these mountains to the verge of the lake.Evian, Tourronde, and further to the east Meillerie, are seen on the level shore of Savoy; and a practised eye may already discover the town of St. Gingolph, which rises over the sur- face of the lake like a wall of white marble, at the base ofthe first mountains ofValais .At some distance above Morges, on a plateau which com- mands the town on the north-west, an antique monument is visible, and forms one ofthe most salient objects on the right bank of the Leman. This is the château of Vuflers, whichfigures in all the epochs of Helvetian history. The principal portion of this large building is an immense square donjon,170 feet in height, built with brick, and of Roman construc- tion, surrounded with a wall to which time has paid unusual respect. Near it is a more modern château, the Gothic towersof which bear the impress of the architectural taste of the middle stages. It is believed to have been built in the tenthcentury by the celebrated Queen Bertha, wife of Rodolph II.of Burgundy. This picturesque group of buildings has not the effect of a river, for its well-patched walls announce the solicitude with which its preservation has been cared for: it is rather a beautiful ornament, such as an ingenious taste might have conceived to give a more imposing character to the landscape.Morges is the fourth postal relay on the route from Geneva to Lausanne, the two preceding being Nyon and Rolle. From Nyon to Morges there is a second route, which passes through the upper portion of the vineyard of Côte. Itis longer than that which follows the border of the lake, be- cause it encloses it from one end to the other. For this reasonit is less frequented, although good and well maintained. Itforms part of the road of Etraz, passes through several good villages, leads to the foot ofthe Signal de Bougy, and thence to the little town of Aubonne, and presents a greater varietyof good prospects than the direct road passing through Rolle, Allaman, and Saint- Prex.On leaving Morges in the direction of Lausanne, the road,GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 145which is at first level and very near to the lake, soon rises rapidly and turns towards the left as far as the village of Préverenges, about a mile from Morges. From this point we begin to perceive the town of Lausanne, situated midway between the banks ofthe lake and the escarpments ofthe Jorat.At present, however, it is only seen as a confused mass of houses without determinate form. This town, so picturesquewhen seen from the heights which command it on the northand east, has but a very mediocre appearance in the land- scape, as seen fromthe road by which we travel, until we arriveat the fine terrace which serves for its approach on the Ge- neva side, when it suddenly appears in its entirety to the spectator.At some distance beyond Préverenges we cross, by an excellent bridge, the Vevage, one of the most considerable afflu- ents which Lake Leman receives from the canton of Vaud.The Jorat, whose direction and form we could with difficulty have discovered since we quitted the vineyard of Côte, near Allaman, now becomes more distinct on the left bank of theVevage. It is no longer a succession of hills scattered without order, but becomes once again a true mountain, whoseslopes gently inclined towards the lake as far as to a leaguebeyond Lausanne, rise further on, and as far as from Lutry to Vevay, a long line of escarpment enclosing the bank ofthelake. From the bridge of the Vevage to Vidy, a league from Lausanne, the road is level for nearly the entire distance, and keeps a mean distance of half a mile from the lake. On theright of the road we leave the little village of Saint- Sulpice,built on a promontory which on this side terminatesthe bay of Morges. It is the only considerable group ofhabitations which animates the scenery on this part ofour route. Vidy, where we speedily arrive after havinggained Saint- Sulpice, is neither a village nor a hamlet; it is a large bare plain, almost uninhabited, washed by the lake,which has only lately ceased to submerge the soil. Here,according to tradition, stood the old Lausorium; whose existence is now only attested by history, and the name of the modern town which has been built near its site . AtVidy we quit the district of Morges, and enter that of Lau- sanne. The plain is continued for some little distance, butthe road soon rises, and for the last half league before entering Lausanne is carried over a succession of hills , which L146 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.gradually recede from the lake. This part of the journey is fatiguing for man and beast, but it is shaded by fir- trees, and passes through a pleasing country; for few localities are com- parable to the environs of Lausanne for the graceful undu- lations of the terrain, the beauty of the woods, the freshness of the meadows, the abundance of water, and the purity of the air, almost constantly refreshed during the summer by a gentle breeze. Habitations are scattered throughout the environs of the town; sometimes removed from the road;sometimes grouped in hamlets; here isolated on the crest of a hill; there half- concealed in the luxuriant verdure of ameadow, or behind the curtain of a wood. This spectacle is reproduced at every step as we approach Lausanne, until attaining the plain which crowns the summit of the last hill we discover the beautiful valley, from the middle of which Lausanne rises on both sides like an amphitheatre, projecting into the air as embattled towers, angular roofs , obelisk- like spires, and, above all, the imposing mass of its antique cathedral, isolated as a platform, which commands the rest of the town.The town of Lausanne having been described in another page ( see Route, Berne to Lausanne, by Freiburg, p. 103 ) we pass on, having accomplished the distance of 11 leagues from Geneva, to make the remaining 54 leagues which are to bring us to the extremity of the lake at Villeneuve. A route recently tortuous, narrow, and steep, but now tolerably pass- able, conducts us from Lausanne to Pully, a village situated partly on the banks of the lake, on the confines of the districts of Lausanne and La Vaux. Although it is scarcely half a league from Lausanne to Pully, the aspect of the country is already changed. The slope of the hills is steeper, mea- dows and fields gradually give place to the vine, which soon takes place of all other kinds of cultivation. The country begins to lose its sylvan aspect, and has lost it entirely as we arrive at Lutry, a little town on the bank of the lake, about aleague from Lausanne. It is a little on this side Lutry that commences the district of Vaux, and the noble vineyard of the same name, a chef d'œuvre of agricultural industry,which occupies a space of about three leagues along Lake Leman, and terminates at the gates of Vevay. It rises to aconsiderable height on the southern slope of the Jorat, preSenting, in some places, more than forty terraces, in slopes,GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 147rising one above another. At a first glance there is something striking in the coup d'œil, but the monotony soon becomes fatiguing; for nothing breaks the tame uniformity of the scene, and the culture, productive as it may be, has an aridity which saddens its aspect. A crowd of villages and populous hamlets hang on the slope of La Vaux, but the soil is so precious that the houses are squeezed close toge- ther, and there is not room for a single tree, not to mention meadows. With the exception of the last summits of theJorat, or some ravines which have escaped from culture through their depth, the eye can discern scarcely any trace of natural vegetation . All is art, all bears the impress of human industry; the soil itself is in great part conveyedfrom the plain, and the cultivator of La Vaux, realising the fable of Sisyphus, is continually engaged in carrying up the:hill the soil, which incessantly makes its way towards the bottom. The vineyard of Vaux is alike remarkable for the quantity and quality of its produce. The price of land there is exceedingly high, perhaps more than in any other part of Switzerland, or the neighbouring countries; and those vil- lages which have generally the least beauty, are inhabited by the most opulent cultivators. Lutry is composed of a single street; it contains from 1500 to 2000 inhabitants, who arefor the most part either proprietors of vineyards or working vine-dressers.Cully, an old burgh, a good half-league from Lutry, and half- way between Lausanne and Vevay, is built close to the lake, behind a little gulf. It is almost the centre of the vine- yard of Vaux. The most renowned vines are found in itsneighbourhood. A Roman inscription on the pedestal of asmall bronze statue found here, shows that the vine has been cultivated in this part ofthe country from a very remoteantiquity. A league from Cully, and a little distance on this side Saint- Saphorin, the road passes under the moss-grown walls of the old château of Glérolles, built on an esplanade of rocks which advance into the lake, and form a promontory. A few steps further on, to the left of the road, is acascade, broken into several successive falls, the sight of which is very refreshing when its waters have been swelledby recent rains or melting snows. It is formed by the torrent of the Forestay, which carries down the waters overflowing from the little lake of Bret into the lake. Travellers who148 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.do not feel too fatigued may do well to ascend to the plateau, from which the eye takes in a very extended horizon. It is crowned by the ruins of the Tour deGourze, the remains of an old fortress of the tenth cen- tury. It is reached by several paths, which it is easy toascertain at Lutry, Cully, or any of the villages on the road.In descending, the traveller may take the path by the lake of Bret, and the village of Cherbres, from which a good road leads into the highway between Saint- Saphorin and Vevay.SAINT-SAPHORIN, through which we pass at a short mile beyond the château of Glérolles, is an old town, or rather large village, somewhat elevated above the lake. It is reached on both sides by a steep hill. The red wine purchased in its environs passes for the best in the canton of Vaud. Plantations of myrtles and other pretty shrubs cover the terraces between the houses of the village and the lake. This culture would be a strange anomaly on a soil so much in demandfor the vine if its only object were to afford an agreeable aspect, but it furnishes an article of considerable traffic withthe inhabitants of the canton of Freiburg, who willingly pay a remunerative price for the cuttings of shrubs wherewith they decorate their churches. It is asserted that the olivewas formerly cultivated with success in the neighbourhood of Saint- Saphorin, and that the culture was abandoned in con- sequence of the rigorous winter of 1709, which did not spare even the olives of Provence.The road from Lausanne to Vevay, and, indeed, as far astwo leagues beyond this town, has been lately improved; it still , however, contrasts badly with the generally prosperous aspect and good roads of the rest of the canton. The mostdisagreeable portion of the route of La Vaux is that betweenLutry and Saint- Saphorin. It is so narrow in places as not topermit the passage of two carriages, and winds up and downhill between two continuous walls, without the least shadeto relieve the eye or protect the traveller from the heat- rays of the sun, which are reflected from the vine-terracesthat rise on the steep side of the mountain as high as the eye can reach. The uniform culture, the apparentaridity, and the verdigris tint which constantly colours thecountry as far as Saint- Saphorin, contribute to render theroute still more displeasing, but are in part compensated by an oasis of verdure here and there; such as is the charmingGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 149promontory of Glérolles, with its tufts of lote- trees, its bushes of sweet-brier, its walls clothed with the wild vineand ivy, and its orchards gently inclined to the lake. The point of Glérolles is the first spot on this route from which the town of Vevay is distinctly visible, distinguished by the high square tower of its principal church. The pedestrian may rest here a few moments and look round upon the fine basin of the lake, mark the various mountains which formits enclosures or rise beyond it to the east and south along the valley of the Rhône; trace with the eye the rest of his journey, and note on both banks the places which he has yet to visit.A little beyond Saint- Saphorin the slope of the mountain becomes more gentle, the valley enlarges, and is rounded to the north, and the landscape loses its monotonous aspect.The vine still clothes for some distance the hills on the rightbank, but the pastures and woods reappear on the heights:even in the plain, and up to the edge ofthe road, the country is embellished with trees, and presents a considerable variety of culture. The change is complete when we have passed the village of Corseaux, about a mile this side Vevay. From hence, as far as to the town, the road is wide, bordered withnumerous country- residences, groups of trees, orchards, and gardens. Just before entering Vevay we traverse the Veveyse, a little river, which has its rise about twelve miles above the town at the foot of the Moleson, in the canton ofFreiburg. It occupies the bottom of a very picturesque valley, which extends from Vevay to Bulle and the country of Gruyère, and separates Mont Jorat on the west from the mountains on the eastern side of the valley, which belong to the Alpine system, while the Jorat is but a detached off- shoot from the Jura. Embedded in the superior portion ofits course in a ravine deeply cut in the flanks of the moun- tains, the stream rushes rapidly into the plain, and oftenravages the neighbourhood of Vevay despite of the efforts which have hitherto been made to contain it.VEVAY (Fr. Vevey; Ger. Vivis. -Inn, Trois Couronnes,very good) , is the prettiest and best-built town in the cantonof Vaud, and in extent ranking after Lausanne. It is distant from the latter 3 leagues by land, and almost the same from the port of Ouchy by water. It is built upon a toler-150 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.ably regular plan, its form being a triangle, having its base supported on the bank of the Leman. It has a population of 5000, which is augmenting every day. Its port, one of the worst on the lake, is nevertheless much frequented. The position of the town rendering it the natural entrepôt of the various indigenous commodities, and the centre of the com- merce between the cantons of Vaud, Freiburg, Berne,Geneva, and the province of Chablais, calls its population to activity, industry, and riches. Its streets are convenient and well paved; the houses, in general somewhat low, have a newness which pleases the eye. We might almost take it for a little Dutch town which has been transported to the foot ofthe Alps. Vevay has some public edifices in pretty good taste. The church of Sainte- Claire is a modern build- ing, simple and elegant in style: there are also an hôtel de ville, a hospital, a château, a public fountain in black marble,and a bridge over the Veveyse in the same material. There is also a square, 600 feet in length and 400 feet broad, open- ing on the lake. The principal church, that of St. Martin,is isolated at the extremity of a faubourg, on an esplanade raised above the town. It is a Gothic edifice, not without beauty; but, like most of the Swiss Protestant churches, it has been disfigured by mutilations, which have deprived it of a great portion of its primitive elegance. It bears date 1498, and appears still older, judging by the few architec- tural data which have been respected in the restoration of the monument, where the full- centred Byzantine is allied with the arabesque-ogive. In this church are the tombs of Ludlow and Broughton, who sought in this country an asylum when the restoration of Charles II. placed them in danger on account of their share in the execution of Charles I. The house in which Ludlow resided is stillshown on the road to La Tour de Peilz. The pretty plat- form , shaded by chestnut-trees, in front of the portal of St. Martin's, commands a good panoramic view of Vevay and its environs. It is the only promenade in the interior ofthe town, unless we compliment with this name the quay planted with a double line of trees between the embouchure of the Veveyse and the port. Vevay was a fortified town a very remote date. There is every reason to believe that identical with the Vibiscum or Viviscus of the Romans.GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 151Under the domination of the Counts, afterwards Dukes ofSavoy, it formed part of Chablais . In the course of the war which the Swiss sustained against Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy, it was taken and sacked by a Bernese army.In the conquest of the Pays de Vaud it was taken by theBernese, and has since continued to participate in the fortunes of the canton of Vaud. Every fifth year, about the middle of Christmas, a festival, called the Fête desVignerons, is celebrated at Vevay, and presents an odd commixture of Pagan ceremonies and rites borrowed from Catholicism . It lasts several days, during which the inhabitants give themselves up to singing, dancing, games,and banquets. At such seasons Vevay is crowded withvisitors from the surrounding country, and beds are at an enormous premium.THE TOUR DE PEILZ, half-a-mile to the east of Vevay, ap- pears at a distance to be a continuation of that town. Ithas a port, the ruins of a fosse, and ancient walls, with achâteau, built in 1239 by Amedée IV. count of Savoy. Alarge and fine avenue, bordered with poplars, leads thither from Vevay. On leaving Tour we re- enter the district ofthe Vive, not quitting it again before reaching the village of Montreux. The road lies between two enclosing walls, almost as near together as those between Lausanne and Vevay, butin the midst of an open country, diversified by the aspect of wooded mountains, which lift their crests above the vineyard .Through a forest of vine- props we discover on the banks of the lake, about two miles beyond Vevay, the celebrated vil- lage of Clarens, whose name will live as long as the Frenchlanguage, in association with the impassioned scenes ofthe "Nouvelle Héloïse. " The traveller, however, who expects to find in the romance a more or less faithful description of theplace, will be lamentably disappointed . The ideal Clarens,the abode of Julie and Saint -Prieux, is a true Elysium; but the Clarens of fact, the hamlet of the commune of Cha- telard, is nothing but a poor village of vine- dressers andfishermen, without a single pleasure-garden, or bosquet, or villa, to help one to the least idea of the barony of Etanges.It is difficult to conceive the motive of Rousseau in placing the scene of his romance in so unpoetic a locality, when he had abundance of beautiful sites between Lausanne andVevay to choose among.142 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.markable for its picturesque semifeudal château, partly con- cealed from the road by trees. Allaman occupies an elevated position above the lake, and at least half a mile from its banks, notwithstanding the natural inductions from theLatin etymology of its name ( Ad Lemanum) . The cape or promontory which the bank forms above the village, marks,with that of Promenthoux, the entrance to the bay of Rolle.The hamlet of Buchillan, which occupies the point, is the last spot on this route from which it is possible to catch aglimpse of Geneva without leaving the shores of Leman.The way from Rolle to Allaman is bordered almost withoutinterruption with vines, and presents scarcely any other ob- jects worthy of notice. If, however, we leave this road, and ascend to the crest of the hill on which these vines areplanted, we shall gain a charming prospect from heights ver- dant with grass and flowers, or thickly shaded with wood.The place called Signal de Bougy, above and at some dis- tance from the village of that name, between Rolle and Aubonne, offers an admirable panorama of the Leman and the Alps of Savoy, which rise by successive stages above the magnificent basin at the spectator's feet.Mont Blanc appears in the background of the picture sometimes pale andsilvered during that portion of the day that the sun leaves in its shadow that side of the mountain which is turned towardsus, and, again, gilded by the fires of that orb, and standing grandly out from the pyramids of snow which surround it.On leaving the village of Allaman, and proceeding towards Lausanne, we traverse the river Aubonne at the bottom ofanagreeably wooded ravine, where, having just passed the town of the same name, it falls into the lake. The vines now begin to retire from the view; meadows and fields reappear;the hills which border our road are crowned with woods of beech, oak, and fir. Mont Jorat sinks as we advance, andpermits the eye to range as far as to the foot of the Jura,whose thick forests and green pastures give a sylvan cha- racter to the landscape.The bridge of the Aubonne at Allaman is a very bad one,and the part of the road which leads through the ravine toil- some, but beyond this point it is again good . It runs nearly parallel to the shore of the lake, but almost always preserves a moderate remoteness , and does not follow its sinuosities .At three-quarters of a league from Allaman we leave on ourMAN. 153semigt,atafew placedat the extremityasThisvillage, meer allenowin itsfi the highnul. Their equal distanceby thePhone,nerViller middlepoint of the church ofSt-Pres habitations ofallkinds it this tow. Most d meet are ofgoal s parks.From theGen avenueplantelwife promenadebetween the the chatean. MonousTimLeCom agreeabletous ofthe enceintesanely 3000 ma weentertheapproacheshe large town. Its stress its houses arefor the mos modemedifice,fee extremity ofthetown. ofadome,andterminste distance. Morges hasap jeties ofmasonry,and barges.Its thatean, but senalfor the canton. ancientorigin,higher increasedinsucceeding Dukes ofZabringen. itwithnumerous withwalls,in thesty prosperity.Under the Morgeswas e cides,ofthePays deToul TheT thecourse of t theindependenceofSite actsbeartheimprint ofthe of a certainclass,Mergesinbound,lone,sound,ere the Rhône have rear'd a throne."the road traverses the de Clarens. For thelittle stream, but in n impetuous torrent,arge, expands overaet at its base, whiehn recovered with sand ee from Clarens, sur- château of Blonay is miles from the lake.point at which the highway and to Vevay e, with its terraces,on the hill sides, its thy decoration of the ight occupied by the to the east, is one of urhood. The buildingphysiognomy so com- at the entrance of aes rapidly above the Col du Jaman.ontinuing closely to enter the pretty and of several villagesouta league, by the ys one of the most n the shores of the , the richness of the rature be considered.ountains which sur- 1 by numerous small es of the sun, gently Montreux owes tothe industry of itst favoured countriestnuts, almonds, and152 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN." Clarens! sweet Clarens, birth-place of deep Love,Thine air is the young breath of passionate thought:Thy trees take root in Love: the snows above The very glaciers have his colours caught,And sunset into rose hues sees them wrought By rays which sleep there lovingly; the rocks,The permanent crags tell here of Love, who sought In them a refuge from the worldly shocks,Which stir and sting the soul with hope that woos, then mocks.Clarens! by heavenly feet thy paths are trod, —Undying Love's, who here ascends a throne To which the steps are mountains; where the god Is a pervading life and light, -so shown Not on those summits solely, nor alone In the still cave and forest o'er the flower His eye is sparkling, and his breath has blown,His soft and summer breath, whose tender power Passes the strength of storms in their most desolate hour.All things are here of HIM: from the black pines,Which are his shade on high, and the loud roar Of torrents, where he listeneth, to the vines Which slope his green path downward to the shore,Where the bowed waters meet him, and adore,Kissing his feet with murmurs: and the wood,The covert of old trees with trunks all hoar,But light leaves, young as joy, stands where it stood,Offering to him, and his, a populous solitude.A populous solitude of bees and birds,And fairy-form'd and many-coloured things,Who worship him with notes more sweet than words,And innocently open their glad wings,Fearless and full of life the gush of springs,And fall of lofty fountains , and the bend Of stirring branches, and the bud which brings The swiftest thought of beauty, here extend,Mingling and made by Love, unto one mighty end.He who hath loved not, here would learn that lore,And make his heart a spirit: he who knows That tender mystery, will love the more:For this is Love's recess, where vain men's woes,And the world's waste, have driven him far from those,For, ' tis his nature to advance or die;He stands not still, but or decays or grows Into a boundless blessing, which may vie With the immortal lights, in its eternity!'Twas not for fiction chose Rousseau this spot Peopling it with affections; but he found It was the scene which passion must allot Tothe mind's purified beings; ' twas the groundGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 153Where early Love his Psyche's zone unbound,And hallowed it with loveliness; ' tis lone,And wonderful, and deep, and hath a sound,And sense, and sight of sweetness; here the Rhône Hath spread himself a couch, the Alps have rear'd a throne. "A little distance on this side Clarens the road traverses therivulet called in the locality the Baie de Clarens. For the greater part of the year it is only a little stream, but in rains or after violent storms it is an impetuous torrent,which, for want of a bed sufficiently large, expands over atriangular plain five or six hundred feet at its base, whieh the inundations have laid bare, and then recovered with sand and flint. Above, and at some distance from Clarens , surrounded with verdure and foliage, the château of Blonay is seen on the top of a hill, about two miles from the lake.It marks with tolerable accuracy the point at which the Vaudoise Alps commence. Nearerthe highway and to Vevay is the modern château of Hauteville, with its terraces,adorned with exotic trees, drawn out on the hill sides, itskiosks, and its elegant façade-a worthy decoration of the abode of opulence and taste. The height occupied by the château of Châtelard, some distance to the east, is one ofthe finest points of viewin this neighbourhood . The building has not lost its antique form and feudal physiognomy so com- pletely as that of Blonay; it is placed at the entrance of anarrow and tortuous valley, which rises rapidly above the village of Châtelard, and leads to the Col du Jaman.Leaving Clarens behind us, and continuing closely to follow the bank of the lake, we soon enter the pretty andrich parish of Montreux, composed of several villages scattered on the slope of a hill, for about a league, by the roadside. This favoured district enjoys one of the most delightful exposures to be met with on the shores of theLeman, whether the beauty of the views, the richness ofthevegetation, or the softness of the temperature be considered.Sheltered from the cold winds by the mountains which sur- round it on the north and east, watered by numerous small streams, open to the beneficent influences of the sun, gently inclined towards the basin of the lake, Montreux owes tothese natural advantages, as well as to the industry of its inhabitants, a fertility of which the most favoured countriesof Switzerland offer few examples. Chestnuts, almonds, and154 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.pomegranates flourish by the side of fields of maize andvines; and here and there, even on the borders of the wood,are little bosquets of laurel, the only specimens which exist in Switzerland on this side the Alps.Vernex, a pretty hamlet with a port, at some distance be- yond Clarens, is so advantageously situated, that the pome- granate is matured in the open air. The pretty village of Planches, chief place of the parish of Montreux, of which Vernex is a dependence, is about a mile from this place, and lies a few hundred paces off the road, on the banks of a torrent called the Baie de Montreux. The church, which stands isolated on a high terrace, is visible from a considerable dis- tance. The view from this esplanade is very fine, and is worth leaving the road to visit. Montreux, or, to speak more cor- rectly, the village of Planches, has some good auberges (Couronne) and numerous and well-regulated pensions ,which are the residence not only of invalids, for whom the soft and pure air of the valley is prescribed , but of nume- rous visitors attracted hither by the natural beauties of thespot. The rivulet of Montreux occupies the bottom of adeep ravine, which opens on the lake, and is crossed by the road. Its embouchure is three- eighths of a league from Clarens, and a league and a half from Vevay. From this point to Villeneuve, in the distance, is less than a league.Veyteaux, the last dependency of Montreux, is a large hamlet contained in an angle, which is formed by a ravine,the foot of the mountain, and the shore. The road itself is commanded at this part by a succession of heights, which slope rapidly down to the lake, leaving here and there but a very narrow passage, closed at the extremity by the castle of Chillon. Seated on the right of a defile, on an isolated rock in the midst of the waters, this fortress of the middleages is one of the most striking features in the scenery of Lake Leman, of which it marks the eastern limit. At thedistance of seven leagues it is visible to navigators as awhite spot in the horizon, and from Lausanne to Vevay is never out of sight, except where the nature of the road ex- cludes the oriental shore of the lake altogether from theview. Amedée IV. count of Savoy, master of Chablais and the bouches du Rhône, built the castle of Chillon in 1238.It was at once the boulevard and the defence of his state,an arsenal, and point d'appui from which to undertake newGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 155conquests. After two centuries and a half, when the fortune of war had subjected the Pays de Vaud to the Bernese domination, the castle of Chillon long served as the resi- dence of the baillis of Vevay. In 1733 it was converted into a state prison, and retained this character till the Revolutionof 1778. It is now a dépôt of arms and munitions, and oc- casionally serves for a military guard- house.It was in a dark dungeon of this castle that Bonnivard,the heroic defender of Genevan liberty, languished sixyears, being chained to a pillar. The ring of iron to which he was fastened is still shown here, and the pillar is wornwith the grating of his chain. There are other cells, darker and deeper still, where prisoners were consigned to a living death, and with no other communication, even with theirkeepers, than through a hole pierced in the vaulting of their prison. No staircase leads down to these recesses, but the guide conducts the curious to the top of a narrow couloir,from which the eye plunges with difficulty to the bottom of this terrestrial Erebus."Chillon! thy prison is a holy place,And thy sad floor an altar; for ' t was trod Until his very steps have left a trace Worn, as ifthe cold pavement were a sod,By Bonnivard! May none those marks efface,For they appeal from tyranny to God.

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In Chillon's dungeon, deep and old,There are seven columns, massy and grey,Dim with a dull imprisoned ray,A sunbeam that hath lost its way.And through the crevice and the cleft Of the thick wall is fallen and left,Creeping o'er the floor so damp,Like a marsh's meteor lamp." -BYRON.The castle presents, at a little distance, the aspect of anirregular mass of buildings, over which a large square central tower keeps guard. Two gendarmes stationed at the entrance, a concièrge and his family, are usually its soleinhabitants. The gate is shut and the drawbridge raisedevery evening, with as much formality as if it were still animportant fortress. One of the gendarmes on duty will show156 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.the interior of the castle to strangers, expecting a slightgratification.At this point the lake attains suddenly a great depth, as might be inferred from the angle of inclination which the banks form with the surface of the water. At the base of thecastle ofChillon the depth is as much as three hundred feet;it diminishes as we approach Villeneuve. This town is only separated from Chillon by an interval of a quarter of aleague. The valley enlarges on the left soon after the castle is passed; the road still narrow, shaded and even, keeps the borders of the lake, and is only raised just above its strand.Before arriving at the walls of Villeneuve, and quitting the banks of Leman for the melancholy solitudes of the Rhône,the traveller may cast one parting glance at the large and brilliant tableau which we must shortly leave behind us.Lake Leman is seen from here, it is true, only in profile, but its width is still considerable; its length, seen in a right line, is more than twelve leagues. When the air is calm itis like a sheet of glass, in which the two shores are reflected,and in which a second earth and sky seem to be reproduced.But when a tempestuous wind agitates the water, this tran- quil lake puts on the aspect of a raging sea. The sharp and severe aspect of the mountains which surround it, the depth of its waters, the escarpment of its banks, the amplitude of its basin, the solitary air of its environs, all combine to add to the effect of this imposing spectacle.A low and level plain, here cultivated with care, thereabandoned, a prey to the ravages of the water; orchards and marshes, vines and roses, lines of walnut- trees and fields ofwheat in close neighbourhood with submerged meadows;such is the aspect which the country around Villeneuve pre- sents, and which is continued up to the very gates of thetown, whose walls are laved by the lake. A ceinture ofhigh hills rises like a wall at the end of the plain, about astone's throw from the town. The steep declivities repel .all culture, and that uniform verdure of the holly, brush- wood, and firs , which clothes them from base to summit,supplies all that is wanting to give a sad and wearisomecharacter to the landscape. Villeneuve itself (inns, AigleNoir and Croix Blanche) has nothing about it calculated todispel this impression . It is a little old town, notwithnding the name which it preserves, surrounded with aGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 157wall which is falling to ruin, ill built, ill paved, and only redeemed from an appearance of utter desolation by its port,which is tolerably well frequented. It has a population of only 800, and its air, as may be conceived from its low site and marshy environage, is insalubrious. As a slight compen- sation for its many disadvantages, the trout and carp taken here are very superior; the latter are not to be met with in any other part of the lake.About a mile from Villeneuve, and in front of its port, is seen a little island, almost level with the water, on which some poplars have been planted; besides that in front of Rolle, this is the only island in the lake. It is mentioned by Byron in his " Prisoner of Chillon:-" And then there was a little isle Which in my very face did smile,The only one in view;A small green isle, it seemed no more,Scarce broader than my dungeon floor;But in it there were three tall trees,And o'er it blew the mountain breeze,And by it there were waters flowing,And on it there were young flowers growing,Ofgentle breath and hue."In the season when the steamers perform a regular service from one extremity of the lake to the other, an omnibus waits at Villeneuve, as well as at Vevay, to convey passengers to Bex, at hours which are adjusted to the arrival of the boats. The port, or rather roadstead of Villeneuve,is more convenient for landing than that of Vevay. Itis a league and seven-tenths from this place to Vevay bywater, and five leagues in a direct line to Ouchy, the port of Lausanne.We have now completed the first and most interesting portion of our route. In commencing the second, of which amore rapid account may suffice, the following summary of distances will be useful:-Rennaz, 3-8 of league; Roche, 3-8; Yvorne, 5-8; Aigle,3-8; Bex, 1 1. 1-2; Saint- Maurice, 3-4 ( 4 1. from Villeneuve,201. 3-4 from Geneva; Massongy, 1-2; Monthey, 3-4; PetitColombey, 1-2; Muraz, 1-2; Vionnaz, 3-4; Vauvrier, 5-8;Porte-du- Sex, 1-4; Les Yvettes, 3-8; Port-Valais, 1-4; LeBoveret, 1-2 (5 1. from Saint-Maurice, 9 1. from Villeneuve )158 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.The country which opens before us on leaving Villeneuveis a low valley, with a level bottom, extending to a length of four or five leagues, and of a breadth varying from half aleague to a league and three-quarters from the embouchure of the Rhône to the defile of Saint- Maurice. The Rhônedivides the valley into two portions, the right of which be- longs to the canton of Vaud, and the other to the Valais.It is enclosed by high mountains throughout its entire ex- tent; two of these, the Dents du Midi and the Morcle, formvery prominent objects in the scenery, elevating their peaks,or rather groups of peaks, into the region of perpetual snows. They occupy the extremity of the valley, where their bases approach each other so closely as to leave but a very narrow passage for the waters of the Rhône. This basin,which physical geography assigns entirely to the Bas Valais,of which it is the natural prolongation, is dotted in general from one end to the other with a vegetation of great rich- ness, and has a soil susceptible of every variety of culture.The invasions of the Rhône, however, have converted a portion of this ground into marshes and swampy meadows,which render the air habitually humid and unhealthy.These inconveniences, which must diminish with the increasing cultivation of the country and the embanking ofthe river, are redeemed by the beauty of the views and an inex- haustible variety of sites , by turns grand and riant. The recent construction of a road along the left bank of theRhône has given to this side a certain animation which,without degrading its Alpine aspect, does away with that appearance of solitude, torpor, and misery which, to so greatan extent, characterises the Valais. Houses, enclosures, and new clearings multiply from day to day on the line of road from St.-Gingolph to St.- Maurice. The Government of the Valais continues to obey the impulse given to it by the French administration, by proceeding to the completion of the road in the yet unfinished portions, and in watching over the maintenance of the whole. The right bank, imprinted with an older civilisation, offers on every hand the proofs of an intelligent agriculture and a numerous population, rich in the products of its industry, and a soil long since fertilized.On leaving Villeneuve, on the side of the Rhône valley, we cross the torrent of Eau Froide; the road then turns to theleft, following the direction of the mountains which connectGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 159the basin of the Leman with that of the Rhône. For somedistance it scarcely rises above the level of a marshy plain,on which, one hundred and seven years before the Christian era, Divicon, chief of the Helvetians, defeated a Roman army under the Consul Lucius Cassius, who lost his life in the combat. The village of Rennaz, about a mile to the south of Villeneuve, in a drier and more airy site, marks with preci- sion the confines of the valleys of the Leman and Rhône.Mont Arvel, one of the inferior gradines of the Tour d'Ai, amountain which commands Villeneuve, here commences the chain of mountains of the right bank of the Rhône; while the Dent de la Cornette, on the left bank, is the first link inthe chain which borders the high road of the Valais on the confines of Switzerland and Savoy. On the side which wenow travel, however, the change in the direction of themountains is so gentle, that the traveller is liable to fancy that he is coasting the lake some time after he has been following the course of the Rhône. From Rennaz to thevillage of Roche the valley narrows, and the mountains advance to meet each other. Passing through Roche, apicturesque village, we come to Aigle. The valley widens considerably here to the left of the road, and is enclosed by an amphitheatre of hills which rise gently from a plain.AIGLE ( inn, La Croix Blanche) is a pretty town of 1800 inhabitants, and has made some figure in the history ofthis portion of Switzerland . There is a good view of the surrounding country from a height on which the quartier called La Cloître is built. At some distance from Aigle theroad ascends, and passes between enclosing hills for about two miles, when it opens on a plain, which it does not leave until we arrive atBEX. Inns, Dürr and L'Union. -This town, with about3000 inhabitants, is built in a pretty situation at the foot of a mountain of a sugar-loaf form. Its streets are tolerably regular, and some of the houses exhibit a degree of ele- gance. There is an agreeable promenade along the banks of the Avenson, on which the Bex is built. The salt- minesand the works connected with them give employment to aconsiderable proportion of the population, and an aspect of activity to the town. Its soft and healthy air, with some medicinal springs, attract hither every summer a number of valetudinarians and others, for whose accommodation there160 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.exist some good pensions. The salt-works of Bex, until arecent date the only establishment of the kind in Switzer- land, are situated to the north- east of the town, in the interior of the secondary mountains, at the foot of the lofty chain which terminates at Morcle. Although the salt- springs near Bex were discovered as early as 1554, they were not worked with intelligence and success before 1613,when they came into the hands of the Government of Berne,since which date the production of salt has been carried onwith activity and perseverance. A visit to the salt- works may be made either by the road which leads to Bevieux or that of Devens; two hamlets , or rather groups of houses,near the summit and the two sides ofthe Montet, the last echelon of a high mountain, which commands the plain of Bex on the east. Bevieux is reached from Bex by half an hour's walking. At this place are the buildings containing the boilers and other apparatus for the extraction of salt,and a building in which the salt water, which has been ledthither by an aqueduct from the interior of the mines, is purified and filtrated . From here a path leads throughmeadows and woods to Devens, where a collection of ap- paratus like those of Bevieux is found. From Devens an ascending path leads to a place called La Bouillet, at whichis the entrance of a subterranean gallery, leading to the interior of the mines. We may enter the latter either by the gallery of Bouillet, or by that of the Invalides or the Fondement, situated half a league higher up, and communi- cating with the preceding. From Bouillet to the Fondement a steep and tortuous path leads along the ravine of the Grionne, where a guide and a miner's cape, with lamps, &c. ,may be procured. The gallery is pierced in the rock for alength of about 4000 feet; it is about 3 feet wide and 6high, and is provided with a revêtement of carpentry to prevent accidents from the falling in of portions of the water and roof. This avenue is bordered on each side withlittle channels , cut for the purpose of carrying off the water,which comes down abundantly from the mountain: that on the right is sulphureous; that on the left, briny. Afreshwater stream, which serves to put in motion the machinery of the works, is carried along a trench cut in the middle of the pathway of the gallery, and covered over with roughly-joined planks. About eight minutes' walking brings us into a placeGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 161called the Rencontre, where the miners at work in the upper portion of the mountain meet those who work in the gallery.Another two-minutes' walk brings us to a point at which aflight of stairs is cut in the rock, by which the workmen in the upper portion of the mountain can communicate withthis souterrain. About five minutes further on, keeping the main gallery, and to the right of this, is the great reservoir of brine. Having entered by a narrow opening, we ascend half- a- dozen wooden steps, always moist and slippery, and then redescend by as many steps on the other side to themargin of the briny lake, contained in a square cavity, each of whose sides measures about 100 feet, and 9 feet in depth.The echo over this cavern is very remarkable. On leaving the chamber, and passing along an ascending gallery for about seven minutes, we come to a vertical wheel about36 feet in diameter, which is set in motion by a stream ofwater falling from the upper portion of the mountain, and works the pumps that draw up the briny and sulphureous waters from the deep wells in which they are allowed to accumulate, and raise them to the level ofthe channels inthe sides of the gallery by which we entered. There is ashaft above the wheel for the ventilation of the mine,through which the sky may be seen in clear weather. These apparatus and arrangements are repeated in successive por- tions of the mines, which the stranger may visit or pass overat pleasure. The salt water thus obtained is first purified and concentrated by evaporation, and afterwards boiled in salt-pans. On leaving Bouillet we arrive, by a descent of a few minutes, at Devens, from which the distance to Bex is about three miles.A pretty road of about three miles brings us now to St.-Maurice. On reaching this town, the fortificationserected in 1831 to defend its defile are seen crowning theheights, which inclose the course of the Rhône on both banks. The bridge of St.- Maurice is the property of the canton of Valais. A customs- office and toll- house havebeen erected on it, and a gendarme of Valais is stationed there to inspect passports. The bridge terminates at the foot of the castle of St.- Maurice, in front of a high squaretower, visible from a great distance, and a very eligible post of observation in time of war. A gate placed at this part ofthe road formerly closed every evening the pass of the Bas M162 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.Valais, for on the two sides of this defile the interior of the country can only be penetrated by mountain paths, so nar- row and dangerous that the most intrepid would fear to venture there in the dark, and the boldest swimmer would hesitate to breast here the current ofthe Rhône. Afew paces beyond the bridge and castle we begin to discover the first houses ofST.-MAURICE ( inn , L'Union) , a town of 1300 inhabitants,21 leagues from Geneva by the route of the canton of Vaud,and 17 leagues by that of the Chablais. The principalstreet, parallel with the Rhône, is regularly laid out, and some of the houses are tolerably well built. Its mostremarkable edifice is the abbey, with its church, rebuilt after the great fire in 1693. St. - Maurice, which appears to have existed in the age when the Nantuates , the ancient in- habitants of the country, passed under the Roman domina- tion, is designated by the Latin authors who wrote before the fifth century by the name of Tarnaïas, or Tarnoda. It was afterwards known as Agaunus, or Agaunum, which name it exchanged in the ninth century for that of St.- Maurice. The plain to the south of the town is celebrated in the fastes of the Catholic church as having been, in 302,the theatre of the martyrdom of the Theban legion, mas- sacred with Maurice, its chief, by order of Maximilian- Hercules. St. - Maurice, having long been possessed by the house of Savoy, was conquered in 1475, as well as a great portion of the Bas Valais, by the inhabitants of the Haute Valais, who were allies of the Swiss in the Burgundian war.The castle at the entrance of the defile was built a few yearsafterwards, to assure this conquest. The people of the district are still Savoyards by their language, which is nearly identical with that of Chablais; but their costume, physiog- nomy, and manner of life, as well as the construction oftheir habitations, have a Valaisian aspect. The women have in general an agreeable expression of countenance, to which their pretty national chapeau may constitute something, but the rest of their apparel cannot conceal an unpleasing daformity, from which very few are exempt. Goître already shows itself in repulsive forms; crétinism , another endemicinfirmity, is not altogether unknown at St. -Maurice, al- though less common than in the upper valley of the Rhône.Just outside St.-Maurice, on the road to Martigny, we see,GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 163on the right, the Hermitage of Nôtre Dame du Sex, built on a height amongst the rocks, which here forms the base of theDents du Midi. This singular retreat, which from afar might be taken rather for an eagle's nest than the abode of man,being situated 600 feet above the bank of the Rhône, of course commands an extensive prospect. A little further on we see the chapel of Veroliez, raised to the memory ofthe Theban legion; the lugubrious aspect of the plain disposes the mind to believe implicitly in the fact of this martyrdom,but the chapel and its bad frescoes need not detain us one minute, especially as we are only a league and three- quarters from one of the most admired cascades of Switzerland. Thisfall, whose ignoble and bizarre name of the Pisse- Vaché good taste bids us exchange for the more ancient de- signation of the Waterfall of the Sallenche, is seen the flank of one of the mountains on the left bank ofthe Rhône, a short distance from the road, near the ham- let of Miville. A stream, which at certain times assumes the proportions of a small river, escapes from a deep ravine between two rocks crowned with trees, and falls almost vertically from a height of 280 feet. When its waters are scanty they spread themselves over the polished surface of the rock,but when abundant they are precipitated with great noise,and form a large cloud of spray. The best time for seeing the fall ofthe Sallenche is in the morning, when the sun's rays produce a rainbow.onIn quitting this cascade, the chief object of our excursion into a mountainous and savage valley, we have not the option of varying our route, for the right bank only presents here narrow paths traced on the edges of fearful precipices.A ravine cut by the water in the steep slopes of the Morcle,opposite the fall of the Sallenche, separates the Vaudois and Valaisian territories on this bank. The inhabitants of theborder hamlets communicate with each other by a zigzagpath on the margin of slippery rocks, rising in places to the height of several hundred feet perpendicularly above the Rhône. This path, the sight of which is almost enough to make one giddy, is called the Pass of la Grotte.We at length leave St. - Maurice by the left bank of the Rhône, and travel by a good road to Massongy, opposite Bex. From this village to Monthy the route deviates to the west, following the direction of the mountains of the west164 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.bank. Monthy is a busy little town at the débouche ofthe Val de Lie. Although only in size a village, it has its grand square, its market-hall, church, and hospital, and acovered bridge over the Viege. We now pass rapidly on, not without many backward glances at the fine mountain scenery behind us, to Vionnaz, opposite Aigle. On our right we have for some distance the canal of Stockalper, excavated acentury ago by a rich resident of that name, to drain the marshes of the neighbouring valley. From this point we proceed through Vauvrier to the defile of the Port of Sex,guarded by an old castle. Two miles farther on is Port- Valais, but no longer, as its name would indicate, washed by the waters of the Leman, which, however, is now once more visible from the road. Another two miles brings us to Boveret, on the borders of the lake. Just beforearriving thither we perceive the ruins of an old castle, under the walls of which a body of Bernese troops was defeated by Amedée, first Count of Savoy.Having gained the starting- place of the last and briefest section of our tour of Lake Leman, our third distance-tablewill here find its place.Saint- Gingolph, 3-4 league; Trélou, 3-8; Bret, 1-8; Meillerie, 7-8; La Tour Ronde, 1; Maxilly, 1-2; La Grande Rive,faubourg d'Evian , 1-2; Evian, 1-8; Amphion, 3-4; Pont de la Dranse, 1-2; Thonon, 5-8 ( 6 1. 1-8 from Boveret); Marclaz,5-8; Jussy- en- Chablais , 3-4; Bonatraix, 1-4; Sciez, 1-8;Massongier, 7-8; Douvaine, 1-2; Genevese frontier, 1; Corsier, 1-4; Vésenaz, 5-8; Cologny, 1-2; Geneva, 5-8 ( 61. 1-8 from Thonon; 121. 1-4 from Boveret; 17 1. 1-4 from SaintMaurice).We now find ourselves on the confines of the Valais andSavoy. From the road on this side of the lake the more beautiful shores opposite are seen to great advantage.The eye can scan the highest terrace, La Vaux, and count the vine - covered gradines which rise, without in- terruption, from the Vaudois bank to the crest of theJorat. Following the contour of the lake, we see in suc- cession Vevay, with its long alleys of poplars; the valley of the Vevayese; Clarens, which, seen at a distance embosomed in a magnificent landscape, puts on that ideal charm which the imagination loves to attach to it; the opulent village of Montreux , placed on a slope, shaded withGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 165every variety of culture; Chillon , isolated like a rock in thelake, with its Gothic towers and keep; Villeneuve, sitting in sadness on the strand at the entrance of the swamps of theRhône; and, lastly, the river, pouring, by a double em- bouchure, its muddy waters into the basin where theyare to be purified. If now we lift our eyes above the margin of the lake we see to the east of Vevay, where theJorat terminates, a chain of high mountains, enclosing thespace which we have just surveyed . At first gently inclined and traversed by smiling vales, they gradually put on thewildest forms as they approach the Rhône and embrownthe landscape by their wooded sides. Less happily placed to observe the ranges and forms of the mountains on thisside of the lake, we are able, however, to discover, at an immense height above our heads, some of the rugged peaks which form the group of the Dents d'Oche, the bases ofwhich descend in abrupt gradations to the road which we travel. Numerous streams flow down their sides, here distilling in silver threads over moss- covered rocks, there rushing in brawling torrents, and making their way to the basin,whose waters take up and reflect back the mingled beauties of this landscape.Midway between Boveret and St.- Gingolph is a grassy eminence, shaded with young trees, forming a pretty pro- montory by the roadside. This esplanade forms an agree- able resting-place for the pedestrian, and is a spot much sought out by landscape- painters.ST.-GINGOLPH ( inn, Poste ) , a large and pretty village,almost concealed by the sinuosities of the road, is atlength discovered, surrounded on three sides with gardensand meadows, which slope down to the edge of the lake.The upper portion of the village belongs to Valais; thelower, separated from it by a ravine, to Savoy. There isin the Savoyard village a customs-office and a station of gendarmes. Travellers coming from the Valais must submittheir passports and luggage to inspection . The port of St.-Gingolph is exactly opposite to that of Vevay.The road from St.- Gingolph to the Tour Ronde is of modern construction, and not very long ago the inhabitants of the villages on the lake, mostly fishers and woodmen, could only communicate with each other by water. The terracedroadwhichnow exists was constructed by Napoleon's engineers,F2- CODE IIBSIL. ITI12I

XIIMIS KOPs alorsar tri üst-Fran BeScez 1:my TheMoon: 11Hambre.THINE. 75142 SamaTeorini usares a the mizes † de Tlis ad Se de qui a is se ff the lake the more Sex X tage.was de din 2018 14 Tm eimes ad me, withers inFloris de maner ff de Mar, we seewice Tarp 3 Ls of pories; the ruler of the Temple: Clarens I see & a1stance en- libisare pas a da ideal We the main fire kid to it: thegauta kuage &Montreux placed on a slope, shaded with1GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 165every variety of culture; Chillon, isolated like a rock in the lake, with its Gothic towers and keep; Villeneuve, sitting in sadness on the strand at the entrance of the swamps of the Rhône; and, lastly, the river, pouring, by a double em- bouchure, its muddy waters into the basin where they are to be purified . If now we lift our eyes above the margin of the lake we see to the east of Vevay, where the Jorat terminates, a chain of high mountains, enclosing the space which we have just surveyed. At first gently inclined and traversed by smiling vales, they gradually put on the wildest forms as they approach the Rhône and embrown the landscape by their wooded sides . Less happily placed to observe the ranges and forms of the mountains on this side of the lake, we are able, however, to discover, at an im- mense height above our heads, some of the rugged peaks which form the group of the Dents d'Oche, the bases of which descend in abrupt gradations to the road which we travel. Numerous streams flow down their sides , here dis- tilling in silver threads over moss- covered rocks, there rush- ing in brawling torrents, and making their way to the basin,whose waters take up and reflect back the mingled beauties of this landscape.Midway between Boveret and St.- Gingolph is a grassy eminence, shaded with young trees, forming a pretty pro- montory by the roadside. This esplanade forms an agree- able resting- place for the pedestrian, and is a spot much sought out by landscape- painters.ST.-GINGOLPH ( inn, Poste) , a large and pretty village,almost concealed by the sinuosities of the road, is atlength discovered, surrounded on three sides with gardensand meadows, which slope down to the edge of the lake.The upper portion of the village belongs to Valais; thelower, separated from it by a ravine, to Savoy. There isin the Savoyard village a customs- office and a station ofgendarmes. Travellers coming from the Valais must submittheir passports and luggage to inspection . The port ofSt.-Gingolph is exactly opposite to that of Vevay.The road from St. - Gingolph to the Tour Ronde is of modern construction, and not very long ago the inhabitants of the villages on the lake, mostly fishers and woodmen, could only communicate with each other by water. The terracedroad which nowexists was constructed by Napoleon's engineers ,164 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.bank. Monthy is a busy little town at the débouche ofthe Val de Lie. Although only in size a village, it has its grand square, its market- hall, church, and hospital, and acovered bridge over the Viege. We now pass rapidly on, not without many backward glances at the fine mountain scenerybehind us, to Vionnaz, opposite Aigle. On our right wehave for some distance the canal of Stockalper, excavated acentury ago by a rich resident of that name, to drain themarshes of the neighbouring valley. From this point we proceed through Vauvrier to the defile of the Port of Sex,guarded by an old castle. Two miles farther on is PortValais, but no longer, as its name would indicate, washedby the waters of the Leman, which, however, is now once more visible from the road. Another two miles brings us to Boveret, on the borders of the lake. Just beforearriving thither we perceive the ruins of an old castle, underthe walls of which a body of Bernese troops was defeated by Amedée, first Count of Savoy.Having gained the starting - place of the last and briefest section of our tour of Lake Leman, our third distance-table will here find its place.Saint- Gingolph, 3-4 league; Trélou , 3-8; Bret, 1-8; Meil- lerie, 7-8; La Tour Ronde, 1; Maxilly, 1-2; La Grande Rive,faubourg d'Evian, 1-2; Evian, 1-8; Amphion, 3-4; Pont de la Dranse, 1-2; Thonon, 5-8 ( 6 1. 1-8 from Boveret ); Marclaz,5-8; Jussy-en- Chablais, 3-4; Bonatraix, 1-4; Sciez, 1-8;Massongier, 7-8; Douvaine, 1-2; Genevese frontier, 1; Cor- sier, 1-4; Vésenaz, 5-8; Cologny, 1-2; Geneva, 5-8 ( 61. 1-8 from Thonon; 12 1. 1-4 from Boveret; 17 1. 1-4 from SaintMaurice).We now find ourselves on the confines of the Valais andSavoy. From the road on this side of the lake the more beautiful shores opposite are seen to great advantage.The eye can scan the highest terrace, La Vaux, andcount the vine - covered gradines which rise, without in- terruption, from the Vaudois bank to the crest of the Jorat. Following the contour of the lake, we see in suc- cession Vevay, with its long alleys of poplars; the valley of the Vevayese; Clarens, which, seen at a distance em- bosomed in a magnificent landscape, puts on that ideal charm which the imagination loves to attach to it; the opulent village of Montreux, placed on a slope, shaded withGENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN. 165every variety of culture; Chillon, isolated like a rock in thelake, with its Gothic towers and keep; Villeneuve, sitting in sadness on the strand at the entrance of the swamps of theRhône; and, lastly, the river, pouring, by a double em- bouchure, its muddy waters into the basin where they are to be purified. If now we lift our eyes above the margin of the lake we see to the east of Vevay, where the Jorat terminates, a chain of high mountains, enclosing the space which we have just surveyed. At first gently inclinedand traversed by smiling vales, they gradually put on the wildest forms as they approach the Rhône and embrownthe landscape by their wooded sides . Less happily placed to observe the ranges and forms of the mountains on this side of the lake, we are able, however, to discover, at an im- mense height above our heads, some of the rugged peakswhich form the group of the Dents d'Oche, the bases of which descend in abrupt gradations to the road which we travel. Numerous streams flow down their sides, here distilling in silver threads over moss- covered rocks, there rushing in brawling torrents, and making their way to the basin,whose waters take up and reflect back the mingled beauties of this landscape.Midway between Boveret and St.- Gingolph is a grassyeminence, shaded with young trees, forming a pretty promontory by the roadside. This esplanade forms an agreeable resting- place for the pedestrian, and is a spot muchsought out by landscape- painters.ST.- GINGOLPH ( inn, Poste) , a large and pretty village,almost concealed by the sinuosities of the road, is at length discovered, surrounded on three sides with gardens and meadows, which slope down to the edge of the lake.The upper portion of the village belongs to Valais; the lower, separated from it by a ravine, to Savoy. There is in the Savoyard village a customs-office and station ofgendarmes. Travellers coming from the Valais must submittheir passports and luggage to inspection . The port of St. - Gingolph is exactly opposite to that of Vevay.The road from St. - Gingolph to the Tour Ronde is ofmodern construction , and not very long ago the inhabitants ofthe villages on the lake, mostly fishers and woodmen, could only communicate with each other by water. The terracedroad whichnowexists was constructed by Napoleon's engineers,166 GENEVA AND LAKE LEMAN.who blasted the enormous rocky masses which bordered the lake onthe south- east for about three leagues. Meillerie, for- merly a miserable village, has considerably increased since the formation of the new route. Byron was once nearly lost off this shore in a storm. At Tour Ronde the mountains,in which the road has been cut, gradually decline, and the road passes through a district rich in vegetation, and in sections beautifully shaded. The remains of dense oldforests are seen at intervals perpetually recurring, and al- ternating with modern clearings.EVIAN ( inns, Hôtel du Nord and Poste) is the second village of the Chablais, and has about 1600 inhabitants. Itsport has a semicircular jetty, with its convexity towards Lausanne. Its pretty situation, and the reputation of its mineral spring, attract a number of visitors, who reside here for certain periods in the summer. Amphion is a verypleasing village, abouttwo miles from Evian, with a chalybeate spring. The road afterwards lies through the valley of the Dranse, over its wooden bridge, through the village of Repaille, and thence to the old town of Thonon, the capital of Chablais (inn, Les Balances ) . The town is built on the eastern side of the bay of Thonon, and rises boldly in alittle amphitheatre from the river. The ville basse, in whichis the port, is inhabited by a very poor population; the haute ville is much larger, and has, beside its church, a college, hospital, and hôtel de ville: the latter not unworthy alarge town. At the eastern extremity ofthe town is a goodesplanade, which commands the port and the lake. It occu- pies the site of a stronghold demolished in the sixteenth century, after a siege, when Chablais was conquered by the Bernese and Valaisians. Thonon has about 4000 inhabitants;it was the birthplace of General Desaix .Two roads lead from Thonon to Geneva: one direct,which is traversed by public conveyances, passing by Dou- vaine, and reaching the Genevan territory a league beyond that village; the other, deviating much more from the lake than the first, and being longer by a league and a half, passes along the base of the mountain of Lower Chablais, and not rejoining the highway until attaining the gates of Geneva.This latter has been oflate so improved as to be really a good highway, and has some very pretty sites. For the sake of com- pleteness we should mention, but not to recommend, a thirdGENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 167way, which follows the banks of the lake, and rejoins the high road about six miles on this side of Geneva. The direct road, by which ninety-nine out of a hundred travellers jour- ney, is almost rectilinear. It leaves the lake about two leagues from Thonon, returning to it as it approaches Geneva. It is very hilly and dusty, and although passing through a well-wooded district, entirely devoid of shade,it is not to be travelled with any comfort on foot in the summer season. At Douvaine we pass the Sardinian customs-office, and enter the Genevan territory, on the dry andgravelly soil of which we shall no more meet with those majestic chestnuts and walnuts, and other fine trees, which have hitherto gratefully relieved the eye. The lake is entirely concealed from the road here by a thickly- wooded plain. At Vésenaz the lake is again seen, and Mont Blanc and the glaciers of Faucigny, which were lost sight of on the other side of the lake, and have on this shore been concealed by the mountains of Voiron, again become visible. At Bessinges, the culminating point of this plateau, we obtain a splendid view, which embraces at once the lake and thehigh Alps. Onthe north and west the horizon is bounded by the Jura, the Salève, the Mont de Sion, and the Vouache,the last ramifications of the Alps of Savoy which bend to- ward the Jura, and with it close the valley. This enclosure of mountains is interrupted bythe narrow passage which theRhône has worn for itself between the two chains. A pleas- ing amphitheatre of hills rises around the town of Geneva.The two shores of the Leman advance towards each other toform its port, the gulf is covered with boats, and all wearsthe aspect of life and animation. At length we return to our starting-point, having accomplished a distance of thirty- eight leagues around the lake on both sides of the first valley of the Rhône.GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.Before leaving for Chamonix, passports must be vised by the Sardinian Consul (fee, four francs ) , unless the traveller has taken the wise precaution of getting the Sardinian Am- bassador's visé in London, which is given gratis.The distance from Geneva to Chamonix is nearly fiftyEnglish miles, and the journey is easily made in the day, by168 GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.taking the diligence which leaves for Sallanches every morn- ing at seven, arriving at Chamonix about six P.M. Thosewho prefer a private conveyance will, unless they set out very early, be obliged to sleep on the road, at Sallanchesor St. Martin. A writer who, having lived many years in the neighbourhood, gave his information to the public of Geneva,affords us ample particulars of this part of Savoy.TheItOn quitting Geneva (he says ) we pass through the town of Chêne, at the extremity of which a small brook divides the Genevese from the Sardinian territory.great and little Salève are at some distance to the right.is impossible not to be struck by the instantaneous change which occurs on entering Savoy, in the appearance of the people and country. While up to the extreme limit of thecanton of Geneva everything bears an appearance of clean- liness, order, and comfort; on entering Savoy, a sad differ- ence strikes the eye-a dissolute population in rags , miserable wooden huts on each side, and every token of poverty, vice,and want. Such are the effects of the douane, which causesthe population of the frontier to prefer the idle existenceand exciting hazard of a livelihood gained by smuggling to one of steady industry; and such is the natural consequence of a frontier position, which affords a ready escape for badcharacters from the jurisdiction of one country into that of another.The first village, after the frontier of Savoy, is Anne- masse, an hour and a quarter distant from Geneva: here thebaggage is inspected at the Custom-house , and passports examined by the carabiniers royaux. Every civility con- sistent with the execution of their duty will be experienced at the hands of these employés.The little Salève continues on our right; at its foot we observe the small château of Morney; on the left are themountains of the Voiron. In front, the hill of Monthoux,scene of the battle of 1330, between Hugh of Geneva andthe Baron of Fauçigny against Aymon, count of Savoy;and of a second engagement in 1591 , between the troops of the Duke of Savoy and those of Geneva assisted by France,when the old castle which crowned this height was rased.After quitting Annemasse the new road turns to theright, through large vineyards, above the banks of the Arve,until its junction with the Menoge; whence it winds underGENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 169Atthe hill above the ravines of the latter, until the torrent is crossed on a new stone bridge erected lately, at a consider- able expense, upon the structure of an ancient one.about three- quarters of a league above the opposite bank is the village of Nangis, after which are the ruins of an old castle on the right of the road. The Voirons continue on our left; on the opposite side are a succession of well-woodedhills, called the Bornes. We then arrive at a cross-road,one branch of which descends towards the old castle ofBellecombe, and traverses the Arve by a wooden bridge, the other passes through the small town of St. Jeoire towards the valleys of Samoëns and Sixt.The next village is Contamines, whence we follow a suc- cession of hills and descents along the base of the Môle,bordered on one side by vineyards, on the other by a fine view of the Arve, whose course is here divided into numerousbranches, and intersected by low woody islands. Beyond this are the valley and town of La Roche, with a variety of hills, terminated by the forests and rocks near Thorens and the Bornands. To the left, a short way beyond Contamines,are the ruins of the castle of Fauçigny, and the hill called Mount Calvary, covered with a number of glittering crosses placed there as offerings of devotion. Few travellers aremet on the road; an occasional beggar asks for alms, or awaggon- load ofcalves passes us on the wayto Geneva for sale.We then descend into the small plain of Bonneville,having three remarkable mountains before us; on the rightthe Brezon, opposite it the Môle, beyond which the point of Machilli commands the valley of Samoëns or Taninge.Bonneville, capital of the province of Fauçigny, and distant six leagues from Geneva, is a small town of about 1800 inhabitants on the banks of the Arve. There are twogood hôtels, the Couronne, and Balances. It is regularly built, and the main street contains a handsome alley of lime- trees. It contains no manufactory of any kind, and ischiefly peopled by employés of the governor and persons connected with the legal tribunal, the latter of which, as there is scarcely a person in Savoy who cannot boast of having one or two law- suits on hand, gives lucrative occupation to a variety of limbs of the law. In Savoy a lawsuit is transmitted from generation to generation, as a sort of heir-loom.170 GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.Two roads diverge from the middle of the town: that on the right bank of the Arve leads through the picturesquevillage of Marigny, over the hill of Chatillon to the valleys of Samoëns and Sixt; the other, which leads to Chamonix,crosses the Arve on a stone bridge by the side of a column erected in honour of Charles Felix, king of Sardinia, who had rendered a great service to the inhabitants of Fauçigny,by making embankments against the ravages of the Arve.We follow an easterly direction, through a fertile plain,shaded by a great quantity of walnut and fruit-trees, at the foot of the Brezon and Mont Saxonnet. On the oppositeside, the base of the Môle is covered with vineyards; farther on is the peak of Machilli; and between them we observe the river Giffre, which rises at Sixt and falls into the Arvenear Marigny. The view is terminated towards the east by the range of hills at the foot of Mont Buet, whose oblong summit, covered with eternal snow, rises 10,133 feet above the sea, and commands the other heights above the valley.Scionzier is the only village of consequence on this road. It is at the foot of a well-wooded mountain, crownedbythe immense forests of the Reposoir, where, in the depthsof a solitary valley, the order of the Chartreux have a convent.The rest of the way is very agreeable. We traverse asmall plain bordered with fine oaks and fruit-trees. On the left, the ruins of the old castle of Mussel appear on an isolated eminence among the thick foliage of a small forest.On a height in the distance are the church and remaining walls of the castle of Chatillon.We enter Cluses by a new stone bridge over the Arve.The town contains about 1200 inhabitants, and consists of one street newly built. The old bourg was in a narrow gorgebetween the Arve and the rocks which terminate the valley,and was entirely consumed by fire in 1843. This place, with the neighbouring villages of Scionzier and Arraches, is cele- brated as a manufactory of the works of musical boxes and watch wheels for Geneva and the Chaux des Fonds; abranch of industry which is the chief resource of the inhabitants, and procures a livelihood for the deserving young people of both sexes.Leaving Cluses, the road enters the valley of Sallanches by a narrow and picturesque gorge, between the Arve andoverhanging cliffs. It follows a southerly direction, whereGENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 171the windings of the river from time to time scarcely leave room for the road. The scenery is most varied, sometimes offering us the prospect of green groves, small cascades, and sloping lawns, and at others a succession of bare crags and frowning rocks.At about a league from Cluses we arrive at the foot of the path which leads to the Grotte de Balme. A woodenbuilding on the roadside is fitted up for the reception of travellers, and guides are always in attendance. These ca- verns, which bear some resemblance to those of Derbyshire,are well worthy a visit. A zigzag ascending path leads to the principal entry, which is at about 700 feet above the Arve. The opening is almost semicircular, ten feet high and near twenty wide. The length of the interior is about1000 feet, its height varies; sometimes the gallery is wide,lofty, and well proportioned; at others there is hardly room to pass; and farther on we meet with lofty vaulted chambers covered with stalactites . A thick crust forms itself underfoot, and lies on the bottom upon the surface of the stagnant water, which has oozed through the sides of the gallery.The stalactites are of a great thickness , extremely white, and of a dazzling brilliancy.About the middle of the cavern is a deep pit, of which many curious histories are related, for in ancient times itwas supposed to contain an immense treasure guarded by adragon. After numerous failures to explore it, twelve liege men and true, stout burgesses of the town of Cluses, armedwith swords, pistols, holy water, relics, and wax tapers, thus dreading no fleshly or ghostly enemy, determined on an in- vasion of the domains of the evil one. Having screwed uptheir courage, six of them were let down by ropes, and de- scended with the holy weapons to the bottom of the pit; while their comrades mounted guard, sword in hand, ready todespatch the enemy on his attempting to escape above.When arrived at the bottom they found some chamois bones,two copper bracelets, a quantity of gravel, and stones. Asmall opening led them into a chamber, one half of which was under water, but without trace of the treasure. They pretended to have seen on one of the sides of this place abas relief of an instrument like a violin, sculptured on the rock, and done over in colours. The upshot was, that they returned extremely mortified by the ill success of the excur-172 GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.sion, and still more so by the jeers and scoffs of all their townspeople, who had come to meet them and aid in carry- ing home the spoils.The extremity of the gallery beyond this pit does not break off abruptly, but becomes so low as to be no longer passable. The people say, that it extends two leagues far- ther. There are two lateral branches left and right, whichlead to semicircular openings over precipices .On returning to the valley, we remark near the roadside, atabout a quarter of a league beyond the grotto, several powerful springs of very pure water, which, after forming a rapid stream, fall into the Arve. There is every reason to believethat these sources proceed from a mountain lake at about 5000 feet elevation , called the Lac de Flène, since it isabove the spot, and its waters have no other issue. The road is still hemmed in between lofty rocks and the Arve.Before arriving at the village of Maglan it is advisable not to loiter, as large fragments of rock are frequently detached,and traversing the road in their descent destroy everything before them.Maglan is nearly half way between Cluses and Sallanches .On quitting it the valley becomes larger, and at about aleague's distance is a splendid cascade on the left, called theNant d'Arpenaz, the fall of which, resembling in transpa- rence a veil of gauze, or a shower of pearls, is not less than800 feet high, and contains at times a great volume of water.The structure of some rocks near this point is very remarkable. Two or three in particular present a variety ofcircular, spiral, horizontal, and vertical stratifications, of mixed brown and white on the same surface. On the rightthe banks of the Arve are covered, almost up to the summitof the mountains, with an immensity of verdant beech and fir-woods.The remainder of the road passes through orchards and meadows to St. Martin, where the Hôtel du Mont Blanc is the chief inn on the road to Chamonix.To reach Sallanches is a ten-minutes' walk across theArve, by an old stone bridge. The position of the newtown,built on the site of the old one, destroyed by fire in 1840, ismost picturesque. It is a very pretty thriving place of about 3500 inhabitants, built with much regularity and cleanliness.There are two good hôtels, the Bellevue and the Leman.GENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 173Opposite to the town, on the north, is the Aiguille de Varens, 8328 feet high. In front, for the first time, we have aclear and uninterrupted view of Mont Blanc, whose unmasked dimensions astonish the observer. In misty weather, whenits lower regions are hidden from view, it is almost impossible to believe that the summit, which towers so far above the clouds, is a terrestrial object. To a casual observer it ap- pears to be a white cloud, and it is only when the wind has swept away the wreaths of mist from its sides that the eye can be undeceived, and measure the immense space which unites its solid base to its lofty summit.On the heights behind the town are the fertile parishes of Combloux and St. Rocs, under the mountains of the Forz.As the road from hence to Chamonix becomes narrowand difficult, a regulation exists by which public conveyances can go no farther. Light two-horse cars, guided by experienced drivers, are provided, and will be found best adapted for the mountain passes. They convey four passengerseach, at four francs and a-half per place.The distance from St. Martin to Servoz is about threeleagues. The road follows the banks of the Arve in a south- easterly direction , and is bordered on both sides by conti- nual orchards of a variety of plum- trees, the chief product of this spot. On the left, at some distance above, we see va- rious dispersed cottages and farm-houses, of the village of Passy; and farther on its church appears through an open- ing in the surrounding trees. On the right is a cheerless prospect, for a great extent of the valley below is lost to cul- tivation and rendered useless by the frequent overflowingsand meanderings of the Arve. This is much to be regretted,considering the value of land in these populous and circum- scribed valleys.On the church porch at Passy are two Latin inscriptions,or ex-votos; one from a priest charged with the care of atreasure, who renders thanks to Mars; the other from a go- vernor, who expresses his gratitude to the same god for the preservation of his son.In front are the heights of St. Gervais and glaciers of the Miage and Bionassay; on the right, the Mont Joly; on the left, the Aiguille de Varens.About a league and a half beyond St. Martin we cross the stream which issues from the cascade of Chède, and174 GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.arrive at the foot of the hill of that name. The ascent isvery long; it leads through the village, and is agreeably bor- dered by vineyards interspersed with spreading walnut- trees.On arriving near the last turn , opposite some vines on the top of the hill, is an admirable view of the curious cascade among some low rocks on the left. It consists of three falls:the first, of about one hundred feet, is precipitated into ahollow of the rock; rebounding from this basin, the water is divided into two distinct cascades, of almost semicircular form,whose arches descend in face of each other without mingling their waters, and make a second fall of about the same height. On the summit of the hill we traverse a rivulet,formerly supplied by the beautiful little lake of Chède, so celebrated as the mirror in which Mont Blanc was reflected .This charming object no longer exists, having been entirely choked up in 1837 by an immense avalanche of earth and gravel, washed down in a thunder- storm from the mountain above.It is reported that below the village of Chède, in the plain which we have just left, the Romans had a station or town called Dionysium; but no remains of it exist. Near the summit of these rocks, on the left, which are called the Chain du Fiz, was a mountain named the Dérochoir. In1751 its cliffs fell in ruins: the constant crashes of falling rock were so awful, and occasioned so thick a column ofblack dust, that the inhabitants of the country believed avolcano had burst forth; and, mistaking the clouds of dustfor smoke, by a stretch of the imagination fancied they saw flames issuing out of a crater. The King of Sardinia, in order to verify the fact, sent an eminent naturalist, who visited the spot before the rocks had ceased falling, and drew up a scientific account of the accident and its causes.The picturesque views on each side of the road, where verdant woods have grown among the débris of the fallen mountains, form a great contrast to the colossal masses of rock in the background.A short way farther is the Nant Charbon, or Nant Noir, atorrent which often occasions great ravages, and at times cuts off the communication with Chamonix. The series of moun- tains which border the road on the left consist of an extremelydecomposed kind of slaty earth. Large hollows and gullies exist near the summits, where quantities of water accumu-GENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 175late during the sudden Alpine storms, which rage with fury on these heights. When the basins are filled, and their sides can no longer support the weight and force of the water, every obstacle is broken through, and a raging ava- lanche of mixed liquid, mud, water, and immense stones,rushes down the ravines of the mountain sides, uprooting trees, burying large spaces of cultivated land, and sweeping away every object in its resistless course. These accidentsoften interrupt the passage between St. Martin and Servoz;when the country people see the approach of the eruption,which is called the Nant Sauvage, they give warning of itspresence by loud cries; and all who can, endeavour to escape until it has gone by.Belowthis spot the bed of the Arve is much narrowed in,and forms a series of cataracts, which break in foam over the masses of fallen rock in the midst of its bed. This place is at several hundred feet from the road, and is called the Chutes de l'Arve.In front is the Montagne de Fer, behind it the Brévent and Mont Blanc. On the right, the Mont Joly, the Vaudagne,and behind it the Forclaz. On the left , the Rochers du Fiz,the points of the mountains of Salles, with the Tête à l'Ane,the chain of Anterne, and the Pormenaz.After quitting the Nant Noir the road continues through a forest of fir-trees, at the extremity of which a gradual descent leads through a small plain of corn-fields to the vil- lage of Servoz, and thence to Bouchet; where the travellermay repose a while at the inn of Michel Deschamps and visit the cabinet of natural history, in which may be seen astuffed specimen of the bouquetin.From this place a road leads to Sixt over the Col d'An- terne. It is perfectly practicable for pedestrians, and with a trifling expense might be improved so as to allow of passing on horseback. The distance is a nine-hours' walk, and it offers no danger or difficulty.The mountains of Servoz are extremely rich in mineral productions. Large copper and lead works existed here atthe period of the first French Revolution , but were abandoned from political causes on the entry of the allies in 1814.Their ruins are at five- minutes' distance from the village, bythe side of the road, after passing the first bridge towards Chamonix. Large beds of anthracite coal exist in the im-176 GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.mediate vicinity, as well as veins of some extremely rich and curious copper and lead ores , of which fine specimens can be obtained at the mineralogist's shop. There is a bed of auriferous pyrites and a slate-quarry near the village. The copper ore of Pont Pellicier, and the crystallised lead of the galleries at the Sourde in the mountain of Pormenaz, are worthy attention. Near the old château is an open lead mine, worked before the use of powder was known; and at the same place are found, on the schistous rock, many vege- table impressions of the fern.When in activity these works were very extensive and profitable, their abandonment arose from circ*mstances en- tirely foreign to the merits of the undertaking . A bed of alum exists near the Arve; and many lead ores, especiallythat of Le Lac, which is found in a vein of quartz, contain silver. In point of water-power, quantity of combustible,and variety of mineral productions, this spot is very remark- able, and worthy the attention of the geologist or mineral surveyor. One Gilliet, who lives near the inn, can give much information on this subject, and show the mines.The distance to Chamonix is about three hours. Onquitting the villages of Servoz we pass a small wooden bridge thrown over the Dioza, near the monument erected to the memory of Mr. Escher, a native of Denmark, who lost hislife in 1801 , in a crevice of the glaciers of Mont Buet, throughneglect of the advice of his guides. The road passes by the ruins of the old copper works, along a small plain between the river Dioza and a range of schistous rocks. On an emi- nence to the right are the remains of the castle of St.Michael, which commanded a small lake formerly existing at its foot, and near which are several open workings in alead mine, attributed to the Romans, or rather the Moors,who possessed this country for some years. This buildingwas the residence of a châtelain, or governor of the district,under the chapter of monks of Chamonix. At the southern extremity of the plain we pass the Arve, on a wooden bridge called Pont Pellicier, and begin the steep ascent of the Mon- tets. The road traverses a forest of fir-trees, where thebotanist begins to enjoy the sight of some really Alpine flowers . The Arve, closely shut in by the primitive rocks ofthe base of the Mountain de Fer, follows its rapid course at the bottom of the ravine below, while we observe the foamGENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 177of its waters curling up among the summits of the fir- trees.The silver bark of the beech forms an agreeable contrast to the dark green pine, and on the face of the black rocks intermixed with them we observe the frequent efflorescence of red, yellow, and verdigris, indicative of metallic deposits.On leaving this narrow and savage pass we enter the valley of Chamonix, through a succession of corn and small pasture-fields. The road takes a north- easterly directionunder the base of Mont Blanc, and in the distance we seethe glaciers, which descend into the very plain. The most remarkable is that of the Bossons, whose icebergs tower far above the fir-trees of the valley. Beyond is the immense Mer de Glace, or Glacier des Bois, which descends towardsChamonix, accompanied by a chain of yellow rocks among its obelisks and pyramids of ice.The pure air of this elevated valley, so different from theclose atmosphere of the lower ones, exhilarates the nerves.In fine weather the tourist enjoys at the same time a sight of Nature in her most picturesque garb, and of the fantastichorrors of the Arctic regions. From time to time crashes like distant thunder, caused by the fall of rocks or detachedmasses ofice, attract the attention, and give an idea of theheight and immensity of these solitary districts.At about an hour and a quarter's distance from Servoz we cross a ravine formed by the Nant de Nayin. A short way beyond is the village des Ouches, after which the torrent ofthe Gria, rising from the glacier of the same name, forms asecond ravine. Half an hour farther on is the torrent ofthe glacier du Taconay, and, a few minutes after, we pass awooden bridge over a considerable stream issuing from the glacier des Bossons over a bed of white sand, formed fromthe fragments of granite crushed by its passage.We repass the Arve on a wooden bridge, and from thenceto the Priory of Chamonix, as the chief place is generally called the road follows the other side of the river. Theaspect of this stream becomes far from picturesque, few trees, except stunted alders and straggling willows, exist onits desolate banks, and its frequent inundations of thebottom of the valley cause a melancholy appearance ofnudity, which in general fatigues the eye.From the bridge to Chamonix is about half- an-hour'swalk. The village is situated at the foot of Mont Brévent,N178 CHAMONIX.in face of Mont Blanc. It is well built, contains a handsome church, in which the altar piece is well worth seeing,and consists chiefly of hôtels and cabinets of natural his- tory. In point of accommodation no capital in Europe can afford better.CHAMONIX.Hotels. The first on entering Chamonix is the Royal Union, lately built by Ferdinand Eisenkraemer, well ap- pointed, and including a chapel for the rites of the Church of England.The proprietor speaks English fluently, and has himself made a successful ascent of Mont Blane. A powerful spring of chalybeate water belongs to this establishment.The Hôtel de Londres, kept by the Brothers Tairraz, is on the right of the preceding. It is an old-establishedhouse, has a good table d'hôte, clean bed-rooms, but no separate sitting apartment for ladies. The landlord, Tairraz,has also ascended Mont Blanc.The Crown hotel is kept by the widow of Florentin Tairraz. This comfortable house possesses a belvidere, and is conducted under the superintendence of an obliging hostess.There are also fair accommodations at the Hôtel duMont Blanc, and at several auberges.Among the natural-history cabinets the best are those of Venance Payot, at the sign of the Three Kingdoms of Na- ture, of Louis Payot, of Auguste Balmat and Co., and of Eugène Savioz, entomologist. Alpine curiosities of allkinds, collections of minerals, insects, mountain flowerseeds and plants, may be purchased there. Opposite the Crown hotel is a plan in relief of Mont Blanc and its en- virons, made by Marie Carrier, native of Chamonix, an intel- ligent mineralogist, who, under a plain exterior, possesses adegree of perseverance and general information hardly to be expected from a native of this retired district. .It is impossible not to be struck with the beauty of the wild plants of these elevated valleys. Above all we remark the Rhododendron ferrugineum, whose green branches are loaded with clusters of purple flowers. The Auricula alpestris, which, by its transplantation into our flower-gardens ,has gained in colours what it loses of its native perfume.CHAMONIX. 179The position of the valley of Chamonix is extremely iso- lated, lofty mountains surround it on every side, and the road towards Martigny is only practicable during five or six months of the year. The plain is about five leagues in length, and traversed by the Arve from beginning to end,from the Col de Balme to the Montets. Its north-westernextremity is bounded by the Mont Lechat, the Prarion , the Forclaz, and the Vaudagne. On the north are the Mont Brévent and the Aiguilles Rouges; on the east, the Col de Balme; in front, Mont Blanc, from whose sides five large glaciers, the Taconnay, the Bossons, the Glacier des Bois,d'Argentière, and the Tour, descend into the plain.So little in former times was known of this place or its inhabitants, that the Mont Blanc and its neighbourhood were called the "Monts Maudits " " the Accursed Mountains,"and the eternal snows were currently believed to be the punishment of heaven for the crimes of its inhabitants .The first travellers who ventured on this unexploredregion were both Englishmen, Messrs. Poco*ck and Wyndham, in 1744. So fully persuaded were they of the dangersofthe excursion, that they set out armed cap- à- pié, accompanied by a formidable retinue; and, without daring to enterany house, pitched their tents in the valley, where they keptfires lighted and sentinels posted every night.On the first visit of De Saussure in 1760, many peasantsrecollected these travellers and their numerous precautions.During the next twenty-five years few persons undertook the excursion. The rare arrivals were chiefly English, and lodged at the parsonage in the absence of inns. Since thenthe influx of strangers and money has much changed the aspect of things and the manners of the inhabitants.The Priory is the chief place of the valley; Argentière,Valorsine, and les Ouches, are small adjacent parishes.There are numerous other hamlets and villages attached tothem, and the population of the whole district comprises about 2500 persons.As no fewer than from 7000 to 8000 visitors arrive annually, and make a more or less prolonged stay, the inhabit- ants are all directly or indirectly benefited by the outlay.The consequence is , that some families possess a degree of rustic affluence, and nearly all have some small property,sufficient for the necessaries of life . The language of the178 CHAMONIX.in face of Mont Blanc. It is well built, esome church, in which the altar piece is and consists chiefly of hôtels and cab tory. In point of accommodation no afford better.CHAMOCHAMONIX.isn about five leagues10practicable during five six orrroundit on every side, andtevalley ofChamonixisextremely 10inbeginningto end,the Prarin. thearethe MontHôtels. The first on entUnion, lately built by Fepointed, and including of England.The proprietor spe made a successful aof chalybeate wate The Hôtel deon the right house, has separate si༄་།leak amany hongs*intbs'has also "The Tairr con/50ante This he e contents of tithought of verifying;sufferers of his honesty, and so Virtue among them.Nearly all the men are employed in summer as guides,Thosescourges of the Alps, the goître and crétinism, do notThatin this valley as in the lower ones of Bonneville, Ma- rigny, Cluses, and Sallanches. In the environs of the latterfigured, and stunted in form, often deaf or dumb, and pos- place we see many specimens of the unhappy crétin, dissessing far less intelligence than an animal. When it was entirely consumed by fire on Easter Sunday in 1840, andabove a hundredpersons perished, it was observed that not oneof these unfortunate beings was among the number.as the flames broke out, on a sign communicated to eachother they all instinctively ran off in a body to the heights above Passy. This complaint, as well as the goître, iscaused by swampy damp situations in the lower valleys,where the atmosphere is heavy and replete with foggy emanations, or its circulation prevented by surrounding rocks; in dry plains or elevated open valleys not an in- etore is seen.Near the work in the fields falls mostly on the women.As soonTahabitants of Chamonix have a custom of assem-CHAMONIX. 183 blingeilléeankin179xtremelyisoandtheJumeraries and 97 aspirants, who all served in vidual was admitted into the corps unless his from reproach, and his strength, activity,he mountain passes undoubted. Being in good society, they were, and will companions, far superior to other formation; since many of themmineralogy, and entomology.CHAMONIXwhich,showearsthis byuseful very ismethod Thisscarcely has corn theofreturn and thawand ,time usualthesummerip &the andmoun butter, Chan rests. The agricultuxTairraz, Ambroise Simond, andat, have a tolerable acquaintIn long courses of several diem, and 6 francs for which they had to keep sion about the valleyBlanc, the Col du from motives ofthe salary was 9's of the corpopart of eachnuated, as+,catoes, a little wheat, flax, ahemp; but the chief and most interes.valley is its honey, which, when carefully unequalled whiteness and purity.. The flavour is quides:vhose testkcate, and it exhales a perfume, arising from the Alpineflowers and manna of the larch fir, which the bees feedon.That ofthe neighbouring valleys is of a very inferior quality.It is sold in small wooden cases for convenience oftransport, and will be found an excellent remedy for colds and attacks ofthe lungs-a quality proceeding from medicinal properties contained in many of the flowers it is made from.As the Priory is at a height of 3150 feet above the level of the sea, and in the immediate vicinity of the glaciers, the winter is very long and severe.about the 1st of October, and remains till the middle of The snow begins to fallApril. In the month of January there are often three or four feet in the lower part of the valley, and as much as twelve feet at La Tour.During that season nothing but sledges can circulate, and, when the surface of the snow is well beaten, it is as easy and expeditious a mode of travel- ling as any other, for the motion is very agreeable and all inequalities of surface are levelled.As soon as the sun begins to have some force it is usual170 GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.Two roads diverge from the middle of the town: that on the right bank of the Arve leads through the picturesquevillage of Marigny, over the hill of Chatillon to the valleys of Samoëns and Sixt; the other, which leads to Chamonix,crosses the Arve on a stone bridge by the side of a column erected in honour of Charles Felix, king of Sardinia, whohad rendered a great service to the inhabitants of Faucigny,by making embankments against the ravages of the Arve.We follow an easterly direction, through a fertile plain,shaded by a great quantity of walnut and fruit-trees, at the foot of the Brezon and Mont Saxonnet. On the oppositeside, the base of the Môle is covered with vineyards , farther on is the peak of Machilli; and between them we observe the river Giffre, which rises at Sixt and falls into the Arvenear Marigny. The view is terminated towards the east bythe range of hills at the foot of Mont Buet, whose oblong summit, covered with eternal snow, rises 10,133 feet above the sea, and commands the other heights above the valley.Scionzier is the only village of consequence on this road. It is at the foot of a well- wooded mountain, crownedbythe immense forests of the Reposoir, where, in the depths of a solitary valley, the order of the Chartreux have a convent.The rest of the way is very agreeable. We traverse asmall plain bordered with fine oaks and fruit-trees. On the left, the ruins of the old castle of Mussel appear on an iso- lated eminence among the thick foliage of a small forest.On a height in the distance are the church and remaining walls of the castle of Chatillon.We enter Cluses by a new stone bridge over the Arve.The town contains about 1200 inhabitants, and consists of one street newly built. The old bourg was in a narrowgorgebetween the Arve and the rocks which terminate the valley,and was entirely consumed by fire in 1843. This place, with the neighbouring villages of Scionzier and Arraches, is cele- brated as a manufactory of the works of musical boxesand watch wheels for Geneva and the Chaux des Fonds; abranch of industry which is the chief resource of the inha- bitants, and procures a livelihood for the deserving young people of both sexes.Leaving Cluses, the road enters the valley of Sallanches by a narrow and picturesque gorge, between the Arve and overhanging cliffs . It follows a southerly direction, whereGENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 171the windings of the river from time to time scarcely leave room for the road. The scenery is most varied, sometimes offering us the prospect of green groves, small cascades, and sloping lawns, and at others a succession of bare crags and frowning rocks.At about a league from Cluses we arrive at the foot ofthe path which leads to the Grotte de Balme. A wooden building on the roadside is fitted up for the reception of travellers, and guides are always in attendance. These ca- verns, which bear some resemblance to those of Derbyshire,are well worthy a visit. A zigzag ascending path leads tothe principal entry, which is at about 700 feet above the Arve. The opening is almost semicircular, ten feet high and near twenty wide. The length of the interior is about1000 feet, its height varies; sometimes the gallery is wide,lofty, and well proportioned; at others there is hardly room to pass; and farther on we meet with lofty vaulted chambers covered with stalactites. A thick crust forms itself underfoot, and lies on the bottom upon the surface of the stagnant water, which has oozed through the sides of the gallery.The stalactites are of a great thickness, extremely white, and of a dazzling brilliancy.About the middle of the cavern is a deep pit, of which many curious histories are related, for in ancient times it was supposed to contain an immense treasure guarded by adragon. After numerous failures to explore it, twelve liege men and true, stout burgesses of the town of Cluses, armedwith swords, pistols, holy water, relics, and wax tapers, thus dreading no fleshly or ghostly enemy, determined on an in- vasion of the domains of the evil one. Having screwed uptheir courage, six of them were let down by ropes, and de- scended with the holy weapons to the bottom of the pit; while their comrades mounted guard, sword in hand, ready todespatch the enemy on his attempting to escape above.When arrived at the bottom they found some chamois bones,two copper bracelets, a quantity of gravel, and stones .small opening led them into a chamber, one half of which was under water, but without trace of the treasure. They pretended to have seen on one of the sides of this place abas relief of an instrument like a violin, sculptured on therock, and done over in colours. The upshot was, that they returned extremely mortified by the ill success of the excurA172 GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.sion, and still more so by the jeers and scoffs of all their townspeople, who had come to meet them and aid in carry- ing home the spoils.The extremity of the gallery beyond this pit does not break off abruptly, but becomes so low as to be no longer passable. The people say, that it extends two leagues far- ther. There are two lateral branches left and right, which lead to semicircular openings over precipices.On returning to the valley, we remark near the roadside, at about a quarter of a league beyond the grotto, several powerful springs of very pure water, which, after forming a rapid stream, fall into the Arve. There is every reason to believethat these sources proceed from a mountain lake at about 5000 feet elevation, called the Lac de Flène, since it isabove the spot, and its waters have no other issue. The road is still hemmed in between lofty rocks and the Arve.Before arriving at the village of Maglan it is advisable notto loiter, as large fragments of rock are frequently detached,and traversing the road in their descent destroy everything before them.Maglan is nearly half way between Cluses and Sallanches.On quitting it the valley becomes larger, and at about aleague's distance is a splendid cascade on the left, called theNant d'Arpenaz, the fall of which, resembling in transpa- rence a veil of gauze, or a shower of pearls, is not less than800 feet high, and contains at times a great volume of water.The structure of some rocks near this point is very remarkable. Two or three in particular present a variety ofcircular, spiral, horizontal, and vertical stratifications, of mixed brown and white on the same surface. On the rightthe banks of the Arve are covered, almost up to the summitof the mountains, with an immensity of verdant beech and fir- woods.The remainder of the road passes through orchards and meadows to St. Martin, where the Hôtel du Mont Blanc is the chief inn on the road to Chamonix.To reach Sallanches is a ten-minutes' walk across theArve, by an old stone bridge. The position of the newtown,built on the site of the old one, destroyed by fire in 1840, ismost picturesque. It is a very pretty thriving place of about 3500 inhabitants, built with much regularity and cleanliness.There are two good hôtels, the Bellevue and the Leman.GENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 173Opposite to the town, on the north, is the Aiguille de Varens, 8328 feet high. In front, for the first time, we have aclear and uninterrupted view of Mont Blanc, whose unmasked dimensions astonish the observer. In misty weather, whenits lower regions are hidden from view, it is almost impossible to believe that the summit, which towers so far above the clouds, is a terrestrial object. To a casual observer it ap- pears to be a white cloud, and it is only when the wind hasswept away the wreaths of mist from its sides that the eyecan be undeceived, and measure the immense space which unites its solid base to its lofty summit.On the heights behind the town are the fertile parishes of Combloux and St. Rocs, under the mountains of the Forz.As the road from hence to Chamonix becomes narrowand difficult, a regulation exists by which public conveyancescan go no farther. Light two-horse cars, guided by expe- rienced drivers, are provided, and will be found best adapted for the mountain passes. They convey four passengerseach, at four francs and a-half per place.The distance from St. Martin to Servoz is about threeleagues. The road follows the banks of the Arve in a southeasterly direction, and is bordered on both sides by continual orchards of a variety of plum-trees, the chief product of this spot. On the left, at some distance above, we see va- rious dispersed cottages and farm-houses, of the village of Passy; and farther on its church appears through an open- ing in the surrounding trees. On the right is a cheerless prospect, for a great extent of the valley below is lost to cultivation and rendered useless by the frequent overflowings and meanderings of the Arve. This is much to be regretted ,considering the value of land in these populous and circum- scribed valleys.On the church porch at Passy are two Latin inscriptions,or ex-votos; one from a priest charged with the care of atreasure, who renders thanks to Mars; the other from a go- vernor, who expresses his gratitude to the same god for the preservation of his son.In front are the heights of St. Gervais and glaciers of the Miage and Bionassay; on the right, the Mont Joly; on the left, the Aiguille de Varens .About a league and a half beyond St. Martin we cross the stream which issues from the cascade of Chède, and174 GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.arrive at the foot of the hill of that name. The ascent isvery long; it leads through the village, and is agreeably bor- dered by vineyards interspersed with spreading walnut- trees.On arriving near the last turn , opposite some vines on the top of the hill, is an admirable view of the curious cascade among some low rocks on the left. It consists of three falls:the first, of about one hundred feet, is precipitated into ahollow of the rock; rebounding from this basin , the water is divided into two distinct cascades, of almost semicircular form,whose arches descend in face of each other without mingling their waters, and make a second fall of about the same height. On the summit of the hill we traverse a rivulet,formerly supplied by the beautiful little lake of Chède, so celebrated as the mirror in which Mont Blanc was reflected.This charming object no longer exists, having been entirely choked up in 1837 by an immense avalanche of earth and gravel, washed down in a thunder- storm from the mountain above.It is reported that below the village of Chède, in the plain which we have just left, the Romans had a station or town called Dionysium; but no remains of it exist. Near the summit of these rocks, on the left, which are called the Chain du Fiz, was a mountain named the Dérochoir. In 1751 its cliffs fell in ruins: the constant crashes of falling rock were so awful, and occasioned so thick a column of black dust, that the inhabitants of the country believed avolcano had burst forth; and, mistaking the clouds of dust for smoke, by a stretch of the imagination fancied they saw flames issuing out of a crater. The King of Sardinia, inorder to verify the fact, sent an eminent naturalist, who visited the spot before the rocks had ceased falling, and drew up a scientific account of the accident and its causes.The picturesque views on each side of the road, where verdant woods have grown among the débris of the fallen mountains, form a great contrast to the colossal masses of rock in the background.A short way farther is the Nant Charbon, or Nant Noir, atorrent which often occasions great ravages , and at times cuts off the communication with Chamonix. The series of mountains which border the road on the left consist of an extremelydecomposed kind of slaty earth. Large hollows and gullies exist near the summits, where quantities of water accumu-GENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 175late during the sudden Alpine storms, which rage with furyon these heights. When the basins are filled, and theirsides can no longer support the weight and force of thewater, every obstacle is broken through, and a raging avalanche of mixed liquid, mud, water, and immense stones,rushes down the ravines of the mountain sides, uprootingtrees, burying large spaces of cultivated land, and sweeping away every object in its resistless course. These accidentsoften interrupt the passage between St. Martin and Servoz;when the country people see the approach of the eruption,which is called the Nant Sauvage, they give warning of itspresence by loud cries; and all who can, endeavour to escape until it has gone by.Belowthis spot the bed of the Arve is much narrowed in,and forms a series of cataracts, which break in foam overthe masses of fallen rock in the midst of its bed. This place is at several hundred feet from the road, and is called the Chutes de l'Arve.In front is the Montagne de Fer, behind it the Brévent and Mont Blanc. On the right, the Mont Joly, the Vaudagne,and behind it the Forclaz. On the left, the Rochers du Fiz,the points of the mountains of Salles, with the Tête à l'Ane,the chain ofAnterne, and the Pormenaz.After quitting the Nant Noir the road continues through a forest of fir- trees, at the extremity of which a gradual descent leads through a small plain of corn-fields to the vil- lage of Servoz, and thence to Bouchet; where the travellermay repose a while at the inn of Michel Deschamps and visit the cabinet of natural history, in which may be seen astuffed specimen of the bouquetin.From this place a road leads to Sixt over the Col d'An- terne. It is perfectly practicable for pedestrians, and with a trifling expense might be improved so as to allow of passing on horseback. The distance is a nine-hours' walk, and it offers no danger or difficulty.The mountains of Servoz are extremely rich in mineral productions. Large copper and lead works existed here at the period of the first French Revolution , but were abandoned from political causes on the entry of the allies in 1814.Their ruins are at five- minutes' distance from the village, by the side of the road, after passing the first bridge towards Chamonix. Large beds of anthracite coal exist in the im-176 GENEVA TO CHAMONIX.mediate vicinity, as well as veins of some extremely rich and curious copper and lead ores, of which fine specimens can be obtained at the mineralogist's shop . There is a bed of auriferous pyrites and a slate-quarry near the village. The copper ore of Pont Pellicier, and the crystallised lead of thegalleries at the Sourde in the mountain of Pormenaz, are worthy attention . Near the old château is an open lead mine, worked before the use of powder was known; and at the same place are found, on the schistous rock, many vege- table impressions of the fern.When in activity these works were very extensive and profitable, their abandonment arose from circ*mstances en- tirely foreign to the merits of the undertaking. A bed of alum exists near the Arve; and many lead ores, especiallythat of Le Lac, which is found in a vein of quartz, contain silver. In point of water- power, quantity of combustible,and variety of mineral productions, this spot is very remark- able, and worthy the attention of the geologist or mineral surveyor. One Gilliet , who lives near the inn, can give much information on this subject, and show the mines.The distance to Chamonix is about three hours. Onquitting the villages of Servoz we pass a small wooden bridge thrown over the Dioza, near the monument erected to the memory of Mr. Escher, a native of Denmark, who lost hislife in 1801 , in a crevice of the glaciers of Mont Buet, throughneglect of the advice of his guides . The road passes by the ruins of the old copper works, along a small plain between the river Dioza and a range of schistous rocks. On an emi- nence to the right are the remains of the castle of St.Michael, which commanded a small lake formerly existing at its foot, and near which are several open workings in alead mine, attributed to the Romans, or rather the Moors,who possessed this country for some years. This building was the residence of a châtelain, or governor of the district,under the chapter of monks of Chamonix. At the southernextremity of the plain we pass the Arve, on a wooden bridge called Pont Pellicier, and begin the steep ascent of the Mon- tets. The road traverses a forest of fir-trees, where thebotanist begins to enjoy the sight of some really Alpine flowers. The Arve, closely shut in by the primitive rocks ofthe base of the Mountain de Fer, follows its rapid course at the bottom of the ravine below, while we observe the foamGENEVA TO CHAMONIX. 177of its waters curling up among the summits of the fir-trees.The silver bark of the beech forms an agreeable contrast to the dark green pine, and on the face of the black rocks intermixed with them we observe the frequent efflorescence ofred, yellow, and verdigris, indicative of metallic deposits.On leaving this narrow and savage pass we enter the valley of Chamonix, through a succession of corn and small pasture-fields . The road takes a north- easterly direction under the base of Mont Blanc, and in the distance we seethe glaciers, which descend into the very plain. The most remarkable is that of the Bossons, whose icebergs tower farabove the fir- trees of the valley. Beyond is the immense Mer de Glace, or Glacier des Bois, which descends towardsChamonix, accompanied by a chain of yellow rocks among its obelisks and pyramids of ice.The pure air of this elevated valley, so different from the close atmosphere of the lower ones, exhilarates the nerves.In fine weather the tourist enjoys at the same time a sight of Nature in her most picturesque garb, and of the fantastic horrors of the Arctic regions. From time to time crashes like distant thunder, caused by the fall of rocks or detached masses of ice, attract the attention, and give an idea of theheight and immensity of these solitary districts.At about an hour and a quarter's distance from Servoz we cross a ravine formed by the Nant de Nayin. A short way beyond is the village des Ouches, after which the torrent of the Gria, rising from the glacier of the same name, forms asecond ravine. Half an hour farther on is the torrent ofthe glacier du Taconay, and, a few minutes after, we pass awooden bridge over a considerable stream issuing from the glacier des Bossons over a bed of white sand, formed from the fragments of granite crushed by its passage.We repass the Arve on a wooden bridge, and from thence to the Priory of Chamonix, as the chief place is generally called the road follows the other side of the river. Theaspect of this stream becomes far from picturesque, few trees, except stunted alders and straggling willows, exist on its desolate banks, and its frequent inundations of the bottom of the valley cause a melancholy appearance ofnudity, which in general fatigues the eye.From the bridge to Chamonix is about half- an-hour's walk. The village is situated at the foot of Mont Brévent,N178 CHAMONIX.in face of Mont Blanc. It is well built, contains a handsome church, in which the altar piece is well worth seeing,and consists chiefly of hôtels and cabinets of natural his- tory. In point of accommodation no capital in Europe can afford better.-CHAMONIX.Hôtels. The first on entering Chamonix is the Royal Union, lately built by Ferdinand Eisenkraemer, well ap- pointed, and including a chapel for the rites of the Churchof England.The proprietor speaks English fluently, and has himself made a successful ascent of Mont Blane. A powerful spring of chalybeate water belongs to this establishment.The Hôtel de Londres, kept by the Brothers Tairraz, is on the right of the preceding. It is an old- establishedhouse, has a good table d'hôte, clean bed-rooms, but noseparate sitting apartment for ladies. The landlord, Tairraz,has also ascended Mont Blanc.The Crown hotel is kept by the widow of Florentin Tairraz. This comfortable house possesses a belvidere, and is conducted under the superintendence of an obliging hostess.There are also fair accommodations at the Hôtel duMont Blanc, and at several auberges.Among the natural-history cabinets the best are those of Venance Payot, at the sign of the Three Kingdoms of Na- ture, of Louis Payot, of Auguste Balmat and Co., and of Eugène Savioz, entomologist. Alpine curiosities of all kinds, collections of minerals, insects, mountain flowerseeds and plants, may be purchased there. Opposite the Crown hotel is a plan in relief of Mont Blanc and its en- virons, made by Marie Carrier, native of Chamonix, an intel- ligent mineralogist, who, under a plain exterior, possesses adegree of perseverance and general information hardly to be expected from a native of this retired district.It is impossible not to be struck with the beauty of the wild plants of these elevated valleys. Above all we remark the Rhododendron ferrugineum, whose green branches are loaded with clusters of purple flowers. The Auricula alpestris, which, by its transplantation into our flower- gardens,has gained in colours what it loses of its native perfume.CHAMONIX. 179The position of the valley of Chamonix is extremely iso- lated, lofty mountains surround it on every side, and theroad towards Martigny is only practicable during five or six months of the year. The plain is about five leagues in length, and traversed by the Arve from beginning to end,from the Col de Balme to the Montets. Its north-westernextremity is bounded by the Mont Lechat, the Prarion, the Forclaz, and the Vaudagne. On the north are the Mont Brévent and the Aiguilles Rouges; on the east, the Col deBalme; in front, Mont Blanc, from whose sides five large glaciers, the Taconnay, the Bossons, the Glacier des Bois ,d'Argentière, and the Tour, descend into the plain.So little in former times was known of this place or its inhabitants, that the Mont Blanc and its neighbourhood were called the "Monts Maudits " " the Accursed Mountains,"and the eternal snows were currently believed to be the punishment of heaven for the crimes of its inhabitants.The first travellers who ventured on this unexploredregion were both Englishmen, Messrs. Poco*ck and Wyndham, in 1744. So fully persuaded were they of the dangersof the excursion, that they set out armed cap- à- pié, accompanied by a formidable retinue; and, without daring to enterany house, pitched their tents in the valley, where they kept fires lighted and sentinels posted every night.On the first visit of De Saussure in 1760 , many peasantsrecollected these travellers and their numerous precautions.During the next twenty- five years few persons undertook the excursion. The rare arrivals were chiefly English , and lodged at the parsonage in the absence of inns . Since then the influx of strangers and money has much changed the aspect of things and the manners of the inhabitants.The Priory is the chief place of the valley; Argentière,Valorsine, and les Ouches, are small adjacent parishes.There are numerous other hamlets and villages attached tothem, and the population of the whole district comprises about 2500 persons.As no fewer than from 7000 to 8000 visitors arrive annually, and make a more or less prolonged stay, the inhabit- ants are all directly or indirectly benefited by the outlay.The consequence is, that some families possess a degree of rustic affluence, and nearly all have some small property,sufficient for the necessaries of life . The language of the180 CHAMONIX.country is French, but amongst themselves they speak apatois, the foundation of which is the old Gallic with many terminations Italianised, and some Celtic words, amongst which it is surprising to observe terms purely English.The character of the Chamoniard is lively and intelli- gent, with a keen perception of the ridiculous; the most implicit reliance may be placed on his honesty. These people have a perfect confidence in each other's integrity, which speaks well for the general character. In the spring of1847, an avalanche descending from below the Aiguilles Rouges destroyed a small hamlet on the banks of the Arve,at twenty minutes' distance from Chamonix, by the side of the road to Argentière. Several persons were buried in the ruins, and the survivors reduced to great want. A boxwas placed near the spot to receive the alms of passers-by,and entrusted to the uncontrolled care of one MichelSimond, consisting of a large sum in uncounted gold, silver,and copper coins of various countries. This he kept in abag, and every day added to it the contents of the box,which no one would ever have thought of verifying; so assured were the other sufferers of his honesty, and so common is this virtue among them.Nearly all the men are employed in summer as guides,so that the work in the fields falls mostly on the women.Those scourges of the Alps, the goître and crétinism , do notexist in this valley as in the lower ones of Bonneville, Ma- rigny, Cluses, and Sallanches . In the environs of the latter place we see many specimens of the unhappy crétin, dis- figured, and stunted in form, often deaf or dumb, and pos- sessing far less intelligence than an animal. When it was entirely consumed by fire on Easter Sunday in 1840, and above a hundred persons perished, it was observed that not one of these unfortunate beings was among the number. As soon as the flames broke out, on a sign communicated to eachother they all instinctively ran off in a body to the heights above Passy. This complaint, as well as the goître, iscaused by swampy damp situations in the lower valleys,where the atmosphere is heavy and replete with foggy emanations, or its circulation prevented by surroundingrocks; in dry plains or elevated open valleys not an in- stance is seen.The inhabitants of Chamonix have a custom of assem-CHAMONIX. 181bling in each others' houses, to pass what they call the veillée, during the long winter evenings, in a room heated by an iron stove. The women spin or pick flax, the men sing songs, relate stories , or make wooden utensils: on breaking up the party to go home they leave this intense heat for the snow and piercing cold outside, which naturally must be a great trial to the lungs .In autumn, when the affluence of visitors has ceased, theyoung men or aspirant guides, conducted by some experi- enced hand, visit the different mountain passes, and make long excursions, so as to be able to take their turns in the following season. It is to be regretted that during winterthe men have little or no occupation, and many of them destroy their health, or waste their time, by spending in the café and auberge what they have earned in the summer with so much hardship and peril .Besides its mountain pasturages, which furnish much cheese and butter, Chamonix possesses extensive larch and pine forests. The agricultural products are oats, rye, barley,potatoes, a little wheat, flax, and a great deal of excellenthemp; but the chief and most interesting commodity of this valley is its honey, which, when carefully prepared, is of unequalled whiteness and purity.. The flavour is very deli- cate, and it exhales a perfume, arising from the Alpine flowers and manna of the larch fir, which the bees feed on.That of the neighbouring valleys is of a very inferior quality.It is sold in small wooden cases for convenience of transport, and will be found an excellent remedy for colds and attacks ofthe lungs -a quality proceeding from medicinal properties contained in many of the flowers it is made from.As the Priory is at a height of 3150 feet above the levelof the sea, and in the immediate vicinity of the glaciers, the winter is very long and severe. The snow begins to fallabout the 1st of October, and remains till the middle ofApril. In the month of January there are often three orfour feet in the lower part of the valley, and as much as twelve feet at La Tour. During that season nothing but sledges can circulate, and, when the surface of the snow iswell beaten, it is as easy and expeditious a mode of travelling as any other, for the motion is very agreeable and allinequalities of surface are levelled.As soon as the sun begins to have some force it is usual182 CHAMONIX.to sow charcoal dust, sand, or earth over the surface of the snow, which disappears by this means a month before itsusual time, and leaves the ground ready for cultivation.This method is very useful, for in some parts of the valley the corn has scarcely time to ripen between the general thaw and return of the snow,The transition from winter to summer is very rapid,and the spring hardly distinguishable. During the short summer the nights are always cool, and sometimes the hoarfrost appears even in the month of June. The consequence is that no fruit-trees, except wild cherries, plums, and crab- apples , prosper at Chamonix. The oak, the chestnut, and the walnut-tree cannot resist the climate. The forests areof larch, pine, some birch, and beech-trees. The wild straw- berry, the raspberry, whortle, and cranberry, grow in a wild state in great profusion, even on the highest mountains, and are of a delicate flavour, unknown in the plains below.The autumn is usually of some duration; its calm, clear,sunny days, free from heat and storms, render it the most delightful season of the year. Towards the middle of October fogs set in and cover the lower part of the valley, while the mountains above enjoy uninterrupted warnith and sun- shine; but as soon as the veil begins to move and rises up into the sky, the first snow falls, so that winter again re- sumes its dreary reign.The organisation of the corps of guides at Chamonix no longer exists. In 1848 a great number of young men, who had quitted their native country to seek occupation at Paris,were thrown upon their own resources by the Revolution, andcompelled to return home. Having little employment, they felt some jealousy of the privilege, by which the exclusive right of conducting travellers was reserved to the established corps of guides and apprentices. Their complaints, and some acts of insubordination, resulted in the dissolution of the ancient body, and extended the privilege to any inhabit- ant who chose to exercise the calling of a guide.The rules of their body were admirable, and subjected them to a kind of military organisation. They were go- verned by a syndic, or chief guide, who made every man take his turn of service, and decided all questions between them.On complaint of inattention, incivility, or extortion, an offender was effaced from the list. Their number was 61,CHAMONIX. 183with 6 supernumeraries and 97 aspirants, who all served in turn. No individual was admitted into the corps unless hischaracter was free from reproach, and his strength, activity,and knowledge of the mountain passes undoubted. Being accustomed to travel in good society, they were, and will still be found, intelligent companions, far superior to other peasants in point of information; since many of them possess a knowledge of botany, mineralogy, and entomology.Three of the number, Victor Tairraz, Ambroise Simond, andJean, son of Jean Michel Cachat, have a tolerable acquaint- ance with the English language. In long courses of several days, their salary was 6 francs per diem, and 6 francs for each mule to go and return; out of which they had to keep themselves. The price of each excursion about the valley was fixed, except for those of the Mont Blanc, the Col du Géant, and the Mont Buet. If a traveller, from motives ofpreference, took any guide out of his turn, the salary was 9francs per day, the 3 extra being for the funds of the corpo- ration. Provision was made, by retaining a part of each man's daily pay, for the sick, infirm, and superannuated, as in our benefit societies.The following is an alphabetical list of the best guides:nearly all have been on the Mont Blanc, but those whose names are printed in Italics are recommended as the fittestto conduct an ascent. Several of the number can speak English.66 Balmat, Auguste; Balmat, François; Balmat, Gedeon;Balmat, Jean; Balmat, Joachim; Bellin, Jean; Blondaz,Prosper, of Servoz; Bossonay, Alexandre; Bossonay, Jean;Bossonay, Siméon; Cachat, Jean Michel; Cachat, Jean;Cachat, François; Carrier, Edouard; Carrier, Pierre, natu- ralist; Carrier, Célestin; Charlet, David; Charlet, Matthieu; Claret- Tournier, Jean, naturalist; Couttet, Joseph Marie, mineralogist; Couttet, Julien; Couttet, MichelIrenée; Desailloud , Auguste and Joseph, brothers; Desail- loud, Henri; Desailloud, Michel; Devouassoux, Alexandre ,Auguste, Jean, Michel, and Alphonse, brothers, of the Balance inn; Favret, Michel, chief guide; Favret, Pierre François and Louis Venance, brothers; Frasserand, Au- guste; Frasserand, Matthieu; Frasserand, Michel Ambroise; Payot, Florentin; Payot, Pierre Marie; Payot,Venance, naturalist; Semblanet, François; Simond, Am-184 EXCURSIONS FROM CHAMONIX.broise; Simond, Matthieu, of Les Praz; Simond, Joseph;Simond, Michel; Tairraz, Alexandre; Tairraz, Jean andVictor, brothers; Tairraz, Michel Alphonse; Tairraz, Jean Michel; Tairraz, Joseph, of Les Praz; Tairraz, Joseph, of the Priory; Tairraz, Tobie; Tairraz, Jean, naturalist."EXCURSIONS FROM CHAMONIX.THE SOURCE OF THE ARVEIRON. - The Arveiron is arapid torrent, which issues from a vault of ice under the extremity of the Glacier des Bois. The distance is an easy hour's walk from the Priory, and the road is practicable for carriages nearly to the spot. It passes up the valley, near where the avalanche of 1847 made such ravages, across abridge over the Arve, through the hamlets of La Praz andLes Bois, a succession of cultivated fields, and a fine fir forest.This remarkable source is one of the finest sights ofChamonix; it proceeds from an immense cavern of ice at least one hundred feet high, and wide in proportion. Anatural arch exists in the front of an immense rampart ofsolid ice, and displays in the interior a variety of colours,varying from the purest white to blue and emerald green.From within rushes forth an impetuous and foaming torrent,rolling in its course immense flakes of snow and detachedblocks of ice. Above is the glacier, crowned by its turrets and fantastic pyramids, from the midst of which the hardy Aiguille de Dru, 11,776 feet high, elevates its peak to the clouds. On the borders of this scene the green forests of Montanvert and the Bochard accompany the glacier in itsupward direction , as far as the eye can follow. The spot occupied by the traveller, whilst admiring this spectacle, pre- sents a singularly wild aspect: on the banks of the stream there exists not the least verdure; heaps of granitic sand, and detached fragments ofrock rounded byfriction, are strewed on every side. The position of the arch often changes in 1818,the glacier extended to the first forest below, which we traverse on the road, and its borders were fringed by a profusion of the most beautiful Alpine flowers. The curious may withsome small difficulty enter into the cavern at low water; but it is an unwise venture, for, apart from the danger of encoun- tering the icy exhalations, while excited by the previousTHE SOURCE OF THE ARVEIRON. 185walk, it is of very frequent occurrence to see large portions of ice detach themselves from the vault with a crash likethunder, and a force sufficient to overwhelm and bury anyimprudent visitor. When this happens, the course of the stream is blocked up for a while; until the waters, accumu- lated in the bottom ofthe cavern, have force enough to carry away the obstacle before them, to dash the blocks of ice to atoms against the rocks in the bed of the river, and with thebroken pieces flood the place where the traveller stood a few minutes before on dry land. It is reported that two Englishmen ventured into the interior some years back, and there fired off a pistol. The concussion ofthe air detached a large body of ice: the life of one paid for his temerity, and the other was seriously hurt.The existence of this remarkable cavern arises from the following causes. Above the source of the Arveiron the exterior walls of the glacier rise almost perpendicularly. On the approach of winter the stream diminishes greatly; whatever moisture has been produced during the day by rain, fog,the steam of the water, or momentary sunshine, congeals during the nights. The ice swells gradually under the influence offrost, little by little; as the severe cold arrives and the glacier advances slowly, the borders of the stream freeze,until in winter the vault is entirely blocked up. Onthe re- turn of spring the increasing warmth swells the torrent and disunites the icicles . The sides of the frozen wall whichblocks up the vault are sapped by the stream. Its upper part or covering has no longer a support; undermined by the current from below, and weakened by the rays ofthe sun above, a part of its front becomes disunited from the mainbody, and falls with an awful crash into the stream, thus leaving the cavern entirely open. Smaller pieces of ice are detached daily, until naturally the vault takes its usual form,and supports itself. If the stream were less rapid and powerful, or the glacier on descending to the plain diminishedgradually, the form of the arch would not be so bold nor its effect so striking.About the middle ofJune, in 1850, some obstacle occurred in the Glacier des Bois and diverted the course ofthe torrent, which, instead of continuing to issue at the bottom,descended down the face of a rock several hundred feet up the side of the glacier. For several weeks this caused a186 GLACIER DES BOSSONS .superb fall , called the " Cascade des Beautés," which proved agreat attraction to visitors. In the interim the vault of the Arveiron closed up, but at the end of July it appears that the obstacle to the former course of the stream had worn away;for the cascade suddenly ceased and the torrent reassumed its original course, so that in a few days from this time thevault will probably become as remarkable as ever.It was discovered in 1828, that the sands of the Arveiron contained gold, and many persons gained a temporary living by washing out the auriferous particles. Since the produce has diminished, this pursuit has been abandoned. The deposit proceeded from some transient cause; probably the movement of the glacier may have worn away a portion of granitic rock containing gold, or laid bare some bed of auri- ferous pyrites under its long windings from the summit of Mont Blanc, and thus the precious metal may have been washed down with the sands of the torrent.GLACIER DES BOSSONS..-This glacier is scarcely an hourand a half distant from the Priory. Its access is so easy,that those who have not much time at their disposal canvisit it, instead of going to the Montanvert to see the Mer de Glace. After repassing the bridge over the Arveon the road to Geneva, a charming path, bordered by alder- bushes, commences at the village des Bossons, and leads to the eastward, along the side of a brook, which issues from the foot of the glacier. To this succeed afew corn-fields and a fir-wood, whence a somewhat steep ascent conducts us to the border of the glacier. Immense pyramids and obelisk- shaped blocks distinguish the commencement of this extraordinary field of ice. Its ex- terior is of a smooth and brilliant appearance, entirely freefrom earth or gravel, owing to the liquefaction of its surface under the rays of the sun. In some places it reflectsa dazzling white colour; in others, especially where any clefts or fissures occur, the interior is of a beautiful blue orsea-green. These pinnacles of alabaster, as seen throughthe fir-trees, whose tops they far surpass in height, and contrasted with the rural aspect of the corn-fields flourish- ing at the very foot of the Arctic scene, produce a remark.. able effect. The snows of the summit of Mont Blanc arethe source of this glacier, which descends from thence to the borders of the Arve, where a milder climate terminates its66 CASCADE DES PÉLERINS: THE PILGRIM'S CASCADE ." 187progress. Although much narrower than the Glacier des Bois, it presents the same undulating appearance on a minor scale. In other respects it differs from the latter; its white and blue colours are more pure and brilliant; while the Glacier des Bois and Mer de Glace resemble the congealed waves of a sea or large river, the course of the Glacier des Bossons may be compared to a frozen torrent or cataract.After passing over the immense moraine by which it is bordered, a path leads on the ice and traverses it in severaldirections, without presenting the least danger. The gully- holes or " moulins " into which the brooks, formed by the ice water, descend like small cascades, are very remarkable .The road back to the Priory may be varied by returning over the glacier through a fir-forest; when, after crossing the Nant du Praz, a torrential stream whose rapidity and violence often cause great devastations, we arrive on the meadow of the Cascade des Pélerins.CASCADE DES PÉLERINS: "THE PILGRIM'S CASCADE. "-This short excursion, though not so much frequented as many others, requires but an hour's walk, and is one of theeasiest and most agreeable in point of picturesque attrac- tion. The scenery at Chamonix is in general of a grand and impressive character; whereas this, and the road towards it, have a degree of rural beauty, and passing through a series of small hamlets, verdant woods, and corn- fieldsin a good state of cultivation, present nature in a more simple garb. Two paths lead to the spot; for personson horseback it is preferable to follow the high road down the valley for a few hundred yards, and then passing over the Arve, by a little wooden bridge ascend in an easterly direction to the village of the Pélerins. In front of the Royal Hotel a second and shorter road, near the left bank of the Arve, traverses the plain, through a succession of flax- fields and gardens attached to the hamlets of Praconduit,the Barraz, and Favrans. After passing these we cross astream, which issues from the Grepon, and enter on a grove of mixed alder and fir-trees. To the right we have a fine view of the Brévent and chain of the Aiguilles Rouges. Neara small opening in the wood is the village of the Pélerins .Turning towards the east at the junction of the two roads,we enter a forest of stately fir- trees; their shade and mossy carpet under foot accompany us to a meadow, up which a188 THE FLEGERE.somewhat steep path leads to a wooden house in front of the cascade.The fall is extremely remarkable; its source is the small glacier of the Pélerins . The column of water, after descend- ing in great volume from a height of about 150 feet intoa cavity of the rock, rebounds with such force as to form asecond cascade of about 60 feet. This rushes forth with sostrong a bound as to describe an arch, between which andthe rock it is easy to pass at the risk of a slight wetting.The rays of the sun glittering through the foam and de- scending spray give to this arch the pleasing appearance of aperpetually moving rainbow of the most brilliant hues.THE FLEGERE. - This excursion, which requires abouttwo hours and a half, is one of the most frequented at Cha- monix, and can be made entirely on horseback. The roadleads up the valley for nearly three- quarters of an hour,passing through the village des Praz, and arrives at the foot ofthe mountain, which may be termed an advanced platform in front of the peaks of Floriaz and Charlanoz, belonging tothe chain of the Aiguilles Rouges. A zigzag path ascends along a continual forest of larch and fir, and affords a fineview of the opposite glaciers. Nearly half-way up is a small meadow, called the Praz de la Violaz, on the side of amountain torrent. A châlet has been built by the roadsideon this charming site, which forms an opening in the forest.Thence we follow the path under the shade of the fir-trees,which continue almost to the summit of the Flegère. This mountain pasturage is covered with perpetual verdure, and watered by several copious springs. An iron cross, at an elevation of 6540 feet, marks its highest point: a short dis- tance above it is a small hospice for the reception of tra- vellers and sale of refreshments, kept by the owner of one ofthe neighbouring châlets.This point commands one of the most magnificent viewsof the whole valley. No fewer than fourteen glaciers are exposed before the observer; the five large ones of la Tour,Argentière, des Bois, les Bossons, and Taconnay, with nine smaller, the chief of which are the Gria, the Pélerins, the Blaitière, the Nant Blanc, and the Ognon.In front, from the source of the Arveiron to the foot ofthe Tacul, is an uninterrupted view of the Mer de Glace and of the rocks which border the banks of its frozen stream.THE CHAPEAU. 189The summit of Mont Blanc on the right towers far above the neighbouring points . The Aiguille Verte, at an elevation of 12,072 feet, is not, as from the Montanvert, masked by the Aiguille de Dru, but stands forth proudly on the east side of the Mer de Glace; having at a short distance be- hind it the Aiguille Blanche and the Aiguille d'Argentière,centre of a group of other rocks, whose nomenclature issomewhat inexact. The vault which terminates the glacier of Argentière, and whence a branch of the Arve issues, as the Arveiron from the Glacier des Bois, is distinctly visible.There is also a very clear prospect of the Col de Balme, with the winding path to its summit, the hospice, and the dif- ferent streams which unite to form the first rivulet of the Arve.THE CHAPEAU. This excursion is at about two hours'distance from the Priory, and is neither difficult nor fa- tiguing, especially for those who go on horseback.The road leads up the valley, crosses the Arve near the hamlet des Praz, and then, leaving the path towards the Arveiron on the right, traverses the plain amidst alter- nate fields and alder- woods. Leaving the Glacier des Bois on the right, we pass through the hamlet of Lavanchier before arriving at the foot of the hill called the Tines. Theroad then follows a southerly direction, and ascends gra- dually, until, after crossing a portion ofthe moraine, or sand and stones deposited by the glacier in 1820, we pass atorrent, and arrive at the foot of the hillock called the Chapeau. This spot, although extremely easy of access, israrely visited by tourists, unless at seasons when snow renders the approach of the Montanvert too difficult. Thetwo have some resemblance; the Chapeau commands the Glacier des Bois, or lower portion of the Mer de Glace, while the upper is seen from the Montanvert. Beyond it the pre- cipices of the Aiguille du Bochard actually meet the glacier,and seem to forbid further passage; nevertheless, there is apracticable road along the east bank of the glacier under the rock. The goatherds pass often along rude steps cut inthe soft steatite, and there is nothing to daunt any tolerable cragsman. When we begin to command the view of theglacier on approaching the Chapeau, we are struck by the size of the blocks of stone on the projections of the cliff above the ice. The view of the Aiguille de Dru and of the190 COUPEAU- THE BREVENT.pinnacles of the Mer de Glace is very majestic. On the precipitous side of the Chapeau a cavern offers some shelter,with a view not only of the glacier, but of the valley of Chamonix, which it commands, and on an evening the effect is extremely beautiful.COUPEAU. For the mineralogist the short excursion from Chamonix to the anthracite galleries of Coupeau, andthe copper mines of St. Marie, offers an agreeable two-hours'walk. We follow the road towards the lower end of the valley as far as the village des Ouches. A path leads from thence down to the Arve, which is crossed on a small woodenbridge. Arriving on the other side we ascend the base of the Brévent, and after a twenty-minutes' walk along anuneven path, bordered by a few fir-trees, arrive on a plat- form of stones and schistous matter in front of the prin- cipal gallery. The anthracite is found between sandstone and schist. The size and course of the vein are very irregular; at times it forms chambers of twenty or thirty feet in height and thickness, after which it diminishes suddenly,and an almost imperceptible ramification leads to a part where it increases to seven or eight feet, or forms a secondchamber. This coal has no sulphureous smell, and is em- ployed in stoves, grates, or for general smelting purposes.In the neighbourhood are several galleries, driven in the copper and lead mines by the company who worked the mineral grants of Servoz.Having returned to the other side the Arve, we follow its left bank for some hundred yards' distance, until we arrive at the ruined smelting and wash-houses of the mines of St. Marie. These buildings are in a ruinous state, but enough of them remains to indicate their former destination .Hard by is the mine of St. Marie. This vein was in fullworking when the company was broken up in 1814. It has three branches, one of which is a trisulphate of zinc, copper,and antimony; the others, a mixture of lead, copper, and silver ore, from three to four feet in thickness.In a fir- forest beyond this , on the same side the Arve,will be found two or three extensive workings of veins ofcopper, intermixed with quartz and auriferous pyrites.Having visited these interesting objects, we reascend towards the road, near the village of the Ouches.THE BREVENT.- From the Priory to the summit of theTHE BREVENT. 191Brévent, the highest point of the chain of the Aiguilles Rouges, is a somewhat difficult excursion of about five hours.The road presents no dangerous pass, and the trouble is recompensed by one of the grandest views of the neighbour- hood. For about the first quarter of an hour we pass up thevalley; thence a horse-road on the left leads through the hamlet of the Nants. Ascending in a zigzag direction along a ravine covered with fragments of rock, detached by the passage of avalanches, we arrive in about two hours at thechâlets of the Parsaz. To this uneven road succeeds a steep ascent, covered with short tufts of herbage of various kinds,which leads to the châlet of Evioz , three- quarters of an hour farther. In ten minutes more we arrive at the châlet ofPlianpraz, situate in the middle of the gentle slope of amountain pasture, which forms a platform at the foot of the Brévent. Here it is advisable to make a halt, and admire at leisure the fine front view of Mont Blanc, the Dôme duGouté, the Mer de Glace, and its tributary rivers of ice. On the north are the lofty peaks of granite, which continue the chain of the Aiguilles Rouges. The elevation of this spot is about 6365 feet. The remaining part of the ascent must be made on foot, along a path which turns to the left among alternate patches of short slippery herbage and detachedstones, affording an insecure footing, until, having gradually surmounted several rocky terraces, we arrive in about an hour more at the foot of a perpendicular precipice . Good walkers may scale this barrier, by ascending a steep fissureor chimney of some fifty feet high, profiting by all the aspe- rities and inequalities of the rock, which afford a hold to the feet or hands. Another and much easier path turns the dif- ficulty, by following a north- easterly direction round the rock, and causes a loss of only a quarter of an hour's time.From thence to the summit is half- an- hour's walk, and the remainder of the excursion is far from offering the steepnessor difficulty of the outset.The summit of the Brévent is 7836 feet high, and is covered with huge blocks and fragments of red- coloured granite, which appear to have been the result of the fallof a lofty peak it may have once possessed. It commands one of the finest and most majestic views of the wholevalley. Mont Blanc, with its range of secondary heights on each side, and all its glaciers , is developed from the base to192 COL DE FORCLAZ.the summit in front of the observer; while the Aiguille du Gouté and its dome of snow appear to form part of, and be confounded with, the mass. In the distance , at the left extremity of the valley, is the Col de Balme, which commands a view of the present scenes in profile.It is well after visiting it to make an excursion to thispoint, where a totally different point of observation of the same objects exists. The other side of Mont Brévent com- mands an entirely distinct view. Below us are a succession of small valleys, or mountain pasturages, which extend from the Arve to the foot of Mont Buet. The long chain of mu- tilated rocks, which, commencing with the Aiguille de Varens,embrace the Rochers des Fiz, and end with the majestic Tête à l'Ane and Points of Salles, give to the general aspectan air of desolation and melancholy grandeur.The descent may be varied, by following a somewhat longer road in a westerly direction near the lake of the Brévent, and the hamlet of Chaillod, whence a walk of an hour and a half down the slope of a fir- forest leads to the anthracite galleries and small village of Coupeau; thence to the Ouches on the high road of the valley of Chamonix.This variation occupies about an hour and a half more than the ascent.COL DE FORCLAZ. -- This pass is the shorter of the twowhich lead from the valley of Chamonix into that of St. Ger- vais or Mont Joye, and may be effected on foot or horseback in about six hours. Having descended along the valley,about twenty minutes' distance beyond the village des Ouches, we quit the high road and follow a track, which leads through an alder- wood, to the hamlet of Chavannes.The ascent continues in an oblique direction for the next half hour, as far as the platform of the châlets of the same name. Thence a steep stony path traverses a fine fir- forest,until about three- quarters of an hour afterwards the summit of the pass is attained. Here the traveller loses sight of the valley of Chamonix, and a new horizon lies open to his view.To enjoy the entire prospect it is better to ascend towards the left, a short distance on the mountain of the Prarion, aheight of 6270 feet. On the south are Mont Blanc and its different peaks; on the north, the valleys of Servoz and Sal- lanches, the orchards of Passy, and the green pasturages of Megève. The valley of Mont Joye, from the Mont Joly toCOL DE VOZA. 193the Col de Bonhomme, is unfolded to the view. The descent commences through a fir-forest, to which succeeds a steep path amidst a variety of cultivated fields and cottages, until we arrive at the orchards and woods which surround thecharming village of St. Gervais.COL DE VOZA. -This road, like the preceding one, con- nects the two valleys of Chamonix and St. Gervais. Though somewhat the longer of the two, as it requires about seven hours, it is equally easy of access, and superior in point of scenery. After leaving the village des Ouches, an ascend- ing path conducts the traveller in about an hour to the châlets of Lavouet; thence to the châlets of Belpas is about as much farther. Near the summit of the mountain the road turns towards the left, in the direction of the Mont Lechat. Three quarters of an hour after leaving the last- named châlets, a gentle ascent over large pasture-grounds leads to the rising point near the Col de Voza, on which the pavilion of Bellevue has been constructed for the reception of visitors, at a height of near 6000 feet. From this isolated position is a remarkably fine view of the valley of Chamonix from end to end. On our right the five great glaciers are distinctly seen in profile; the nearest, that of Taconnay, is almost under the Mont Lechat, but its ice ( owing to a coat- ing of earth and fragments of broken rock) has not that purity of colour which distinguishes the pyramids of the Bossons . The peak and Dôme de Goûté, with the Aiguille de Midi, produce a striking effect through the medium ofthe transparent atmosphere. The bare and jagged ledges of achain of rocks , called the Pierre Ronde, surround the small glacier of the Griaz, and separate the Mont Lechat from the Aiguille de Goûté. On our left are the Aiguilles Rouges,and in front the Col de Balme. Turning towards the west,on the other side the mountain, we observe the vast glacier of Bionassay, which descends from its source under the Aiguille of that name into the small valley of the Vorassez .Beyond this is the Aiguille du Miage, remarkable for its re- semblance to the summit of Mont Blanc; and in the same direction are the Peaks of Trélatête and the Rousselette,which bound the valley on the side next the Col de Bon- homme. The Mont Joly limits the opposite view, and on the right the Prarion intercepts a sight of the valleys of Servoz and Sallanches.0194 TÊTE NOIRE.On quitting this scene we return to the Col de Voza, and follow a winding path in a westerly direction along stunted pasturages, succeeded by small patches of oats and barley,which surround the hamlet of Bionassay, a distance of nearly an hour from the summit. To the left of this road is thelower extremity of the glacier. From thence another hour's abrupt descent along a kind of stepping-path leads , through a fir- forest, to the village of Bionnay. Between the openings of the trees is a constant view of Mont Joly and the numer- ous picturesque villages with which its base is dotted over.St. Nicolas de Veroce with its church occupies a very conspicuous position on an elevated platform in front, and forms a charming landscape surrounded by its varied woods andcorn-fields. From Bionnay to the village of St. Gervais is ashort hour's walk along a tolerably smooth road, through the hamlets of the Praz and the Vernier.- TÊTE NOIRE. The passage of the Tête Noire is easy. It comprehends the excursions to the Treléchant and Cascade of Barberine, and is therefore preferred by many persons,as the most interesting path to Martigny. The whole dis- tance is about nine hours and a half, of which five hours anda half are occupied in reaching the Tête Noire. The road is perfectly practicable on foot or horseback.On leaving the Priory we follow the upper part of the valley along the road to the Arveiron and Chapeau, until,after an hour's walk, the small picturesque chapel of the Tines becomes visible . Here the aspect changes entirely,the road begins to ascend through a narrow gorge, shut in on each side by rocks , among a forest of larch and fir, whichtake root in the scanty earth amidst fragments of granite .On the left and under foot the Arve has worn its way throughthe opposing rocks, and a succession of small picturesque cataracts break the smoothness of its surface, falling in foam wherever any large immoveable piece of rock interrupts its progress . After about half an hour the valley becomeslarger, and occasionally pasturages refresh the view: among them we observe a small hamlet called the Isles.Near this we repass the Arve at the village of Argen- tière, where a stream from the foot of the glacier takes its source in a cavern of ice, resembling, on a somewhat minor scale, the source of the Arveiron.The road now turns to the left, under the foot of theTÊTE NOIRE.195Aiguilles Rouges, where it forms two branches. Following a north- westerly direction we enter, by a steep stony ascent,on the wild and lonely gorge called the Montets. Thesummit of this passage beyond the little hamlet of Trelé- chant is at three quarters of an hour's distance from Argen- tière, and presents a remarkably fine view. From this point the mountain torrents take different courses: those on the north side descend towards the Rhône and the Valais, those on the south towards the Arve and Chamonix. The summitof Mont Buet is visible, through an opening formed by alittle valley on the left. The upper part of this gorge presents no tree, or mark of cultivation; it is a waste coveredwith blocks of granite precipitated from the heights on the right and left, but at its foot the country begins to assumea more smiling aspect. We pass along the banks of a torrent,bordered on one side by a larch forest, on the other by ver- dant pasture-lands; while the little wooden houses of theinhabitants on the banks are surrounded by corn-fields in good cultivation . Valorsine is the chief place of this valley,about two hours distant from Argentière. It contains asmall indifferent inn, and the outworks formed around thechurch to preserve it from the danger of avalanches prove the precarious nature of existence in these narrow valleys.The surrounding mountains are much celebrated for their cheese. A rich mine of lead and silver has lately been dis- covered not far from hence, in the Mount Oreb. On the left side of the road, at about a quarter of an hour's distancefrom the village, is the magnificent cascade of the Barbe- rine, formed by a stream which descends from beneath the Tanneverges . An uneven path leads to the borders of adeep basin, into which the torrent descends from a perpen- dicular height of nearly 300 feet, and shortly after unites its waters with those of the Eau Noire.On returning to the road, we pass along the banks of this torrent, which is traversed three times on small wooden bridges. At about two hours' distance is the Tête Noire, a pass formed bythe angle where the valleys of Valorsine and Trient meet: its height is nearly 4800 feet. Ten minutes before arriving at the auberge we pass through agallery in the rock, of about 60 feet long, called the Roche Percée. The path from thence to the village of Trient istraced along a schistous rock, and is now perfectly good; it196 COL DE BALME.6was formerly called the Maupas, Mauvais pas,' from the difficulty it offered. A road in a south -easterly direction conducts the tourist in about half an hour to this place ,where we find a fair inn, and the road unites itself to thatwhich descends from the Col de Balme to Martigny.COL DE BALME.-The passage of the Col de Balme is the other ofthe two roads which lead to Martigny, and is some- times preferred on account ofthe fine prospect whichthe view embraces, comprising the whole chain of Mont Blanc in pro- file, with the valley of Chamonix, and other objects. It is an excursion of about five hours, and at four hours' distance from Martigny. The road is perfectly practicable for eques- trians, and is the same as that of the Tête Noire up to the foot of the Aiguilles Rouges; where one branch takes anorth-westerly direction towards Valorsine, the other con- tinues to the Col de Balme. Here the path becomes steep;the ascent is bordered by a ravine on one side, on the other by a scanty fringe of trees, which become gradually more and more stunted. At length the village of La Tour, 4272 feet high, becomes visible on the right. This small hamlet is situated in a cheerless position at the bottom of a glen,surrounded on each side by scanty mountain pasturages,over which the stormy blasts sweep with such fury as to prevent the growth of trees. Behind it is the glacier, which gives a name to the village. Its summit is singularly ele- vated, and resembles the keep of an ancient castle; the ice is free from the presence of earth or stones, and descends very low towards the pasturages. During the winter season all communication between the few inhabitants of this vil- lage and the rest of the world is cut off. The depth of the snow is frequently as much as twelve feet, but the hardy mountaineers, having made all their necessary provisions during the summer, see its arrival without fear. The vici- nity of the hamlet produces a few vegetables; in good sea- sons a moderate crop of barley or oats, some flax, and abundance of potatoes. The mountains in summer afford pasturage for the cows and goats. The stock of hay and litter is carefully housed under the same roof, where the family with their cattle pass the long winter. After each fall of snow, all the inhabitants of the village unite to cut aroad through it to the neighbouring fountain, which happily never freezes, and where they drive the cattle to water twiceCOL DE BALME. 197a- day. The squabbles of the law ( a great pest in Savoy) are unknown in this remote district. Every dispute is , with per- fect respect for patriarchal authority, left to the arbitration of the elders of the village. When spring approaches, in order to accelerate the action ofthe sun, they sprinkle earth or sootover the surface of the snow, and by this means its depar- ture is hastened at least three weeks; no unimportant matterin a country where the summer is so short, and every day's sunshine so valuable.Before arriving at the village we pass the Buisme, a torrent which takes its source in the glacier. After leaving LaTour, the châlets of Charamillan are on the right, and the road leads over a gradually ascending tract of moorish pasture-land; until, on the pass or neck of the mountain, wearrive at the châlet of the Col de Balme, built at a height of7086 feet for the reception of travellers . Here tolerablelodging and accommodation are to be met with. To enjoy the prospect in perfection, the tourist must visit an elevationa few minutes' walk further, on the limits which separate thecanton of Valais from Savoy, at about 7800 feet above the level of the sea.From this point all its satellites are in the same line with Mont Blanc, and appear to form part of one gigantic body, while the immense Dôme du Goûté is perfectly iso- lated. The valley of Chamonix appears at an enormousdepth under their feet, and blocked in completely by the sur- rounding mountains. The Aiguille Verte and the Aiguille du Dru seem almost to touch each other. Part of the valley of Valorsine and the Col de Berard attract the attention on theother side. It is easy to follow with the eye the usual road of ascent over the snow to the summit of Mont Buet in front ofthe observer.Under foot, on the side of the canton of Valais, is theLake of Catogne; in the distance, the summit of the Gemmi,the Grimsel, and other snow- clad peaks, which separate the Valais from the canton of Berne.From the Col de Balme to Martigny is scarcely four hours' walk. The descent leads by the châlets of the Herbagères, along a spiral and precipitous path, through a fir forest called the Bois Magnin, to the bottom of a valley,in which is the village of Trient. Hence we reascend, leav- ing the village on the right, and the Glacier du Trient on the198 MONT BUET.left, to the pass or Col de Forclaz, at an elevation of 4500 feet. From this spot a fine view of the valley of the Rhône gratifies the eye. A winding-path of about two hours' descent then leads through forests of fir, beech, chestnut, and walnut trees, to the town of Martigny; where the traveller will find excellent accommodation at the hôtels . The return from the Col de Balme to Chamonix takes about three hours and a half.This country is an extremely rich field for the botanist.MONT BUET. -The ascent of Mont Buet claims the nextplace after that of Mont Blanc; to which alone, as an iso- lated mountain, it is inferior. The journey is easy and with- out danger; one- half of it can be effected on horseback. Itis most practicable during the months of July, August, and September, but should not be attempted when a recent fall of snow may have covered the crevices of the ice.For this, as for all other long up-hill excursions, a word of advice may not be amiss. Admirable progress is made by a slow, easy, measured pace, without intermission . Themind ceases to measure the flight of time, and is so agreeably distracted by the scenery of surrounding objects, that the fatigue of moderate efforts passes unnoticed. Those who set out rashly at a fast pace and leave the guides behind them at the outset, will stumble before the end, and arriveat the summit so exhausted, as to be incapable of deriving enjoyment from the object of their exertions.As far as the descent of the Montets the traveller follows the road of the Tête Noire or Valorsine, which is then left on the right. As the ascent requires eleven hours from the Priory, the better plan is to sleep at Argentière, where are two tolerable auberges, and take provisions for the day.Nearly all the guides of Chamonix can be relied on for the excursion; their pay is 15 francs. Setting out soon after day- break we reach the hamlet of the Poya, three quarters of aleague to the west of the Montets, in two hours. On leavingthis place the road follows the side of a torrent, called the Eau Noire. Its course is in several places interrupted by greatblocks of fallen granite, and presents one very fine cascade.A narrow winding valley is then entered, between the Aigu- illes Rouges on the south, and the Mont de Loguiaz on the north; it leads to the Col de Berard, and is the usual mountain path from Valorsine to Sixt or Passy. Half an hourMONT BUET. 199above the cascade is a small crazy wooden bridge over the Eau Noire; having traversed it we climb a steep ascent amidst broken crags, which appear to have been formed by the fall of some mountain. Thence, following the side of the torrent, is a small oval plain, to which succeeds a larch forest on the side of the ravines. On leaving this, to theright, is a steep ascent, covered in places with short tufts ofgrass, where it is impracticable to pass on horseback. Tothe right ofthis is Mount Oreb; to the left, the small glaciers of the Aiguilles Rouges. Farther on is a very steep decli- vity, often covered in places with snow, which it is prudent to traverse on foot; from the upper part of it the observer discovers on his right the summit of Mont Buet, apparentlyclose at hand, owing to the transparency of the mountain air. At the end of a two- hours' fatiguing walk from thePoya is the Pierre de Berard, a large flat rock, under which is a rude kind of stable. In the time of De Saussure it wasemployed as a châlet for about twenty cows, which fed on theAlpine pasturages, and for the persons employed to take charge of them, or make the cheese during the summer season. There it is usual to leave the mules, and make the rest of the ascent on foot.The road continues by a gradual rise between small granite rocks, intermixed with patches of grass and tufts of Alpine flowers; until, after a continuous ascent of about two hours, the base of a rock called the Chanter's Table offers anatural seat. Hence to the summit is a distance of aboutthree-hours' gently rising walk along ledges of friable calca- reous rock, the intervals of which are filled with snow. It isnot so difficult as might be imagined to traverse these plains ofsnow, when the surface is just sufficiently soft to receive the impression of the foot and afford a firm stepping- place; but when it offers no resistance, or the outer coating is renderedslippery by the sharp morning air, the passage becomes tedious and wearisome. On the summit of Mont Buet noinconvenience is experienced from rarefaction of the atmo- sphere; on the contrary, its purity causes a buoyant feeling of exhilaration, which, combined with the excitement of the view, removes all sense of fatigue. About 300 feet below the summit, on a ledge of broken rocks, is a small hut calledthe Château Pictet, built of flat stones, where Andrew Rannaud of Sixt and another (the only persons who ever slept200 THE MER DE GLACE.on this height) passed the night of the 21st of June, 1840, to see the sun set and rise. The elevation of the Buet is about9600 feet, the snow on the summit about 200 feet thick.An immense horizon of the highest mountains in Europehere bursts on the view. The first object which strikes theeye is Mont Blanc; the whole of its gigantic formation andstructure is visible in every detail; the tourist, after looking down to its base, is struck with awe as he gradually measuresits astonishing height. On the east are the Aiguille du Midiand the other pyramids , which overlook the valley of Chamonix, the lofty summit of the Glacier of Argentière, and thepoint of the Glacier de la Tour. The interstices of theseelevated regions are filled with magnificent fields of ice,which, after taking their source in the sterile solitudes ofthe highest rocks , descend into the valleys and lose them- selves among forests or pasture fields. On a fine day thesight of these immense glaciers, these eternal mountains,varied by the effects of light and shade, presents throughthe transparent air the most grand of all possible views.On the east of the mountains of Savoy are the Alps of the Valais. The valley of the Rhône divided by the broad stream, which winds along its verdant borders, reposes theeye-sight on a pastoral landscape after the terrible beauty of the rocks and ice of Mont Blanc. On the north are the Dent du Midi and the Dent d'Oche. On the west, the azure.lake with the town of Geneva, the summit of the Môle the valley of Cluses, through which the Arve pursues itscourse like a silver thread. All this part of the horizon is bounded by the Jura, which appears in the distance like along blue rampart. On the south- west are the heights in the environs of Annecy, Chambery, and the Lake of Bourget;while afar off we perceive the mountains of Dauphiné, and even the vicinity of Lyons, until the view is lost in the dis- tance.THE MER DE GLACE.-The Montanvert is , properly speaking, a mountain pasturage at an elevation of 5724 feet above the level ofthe sea. It is at the foot of the point of Charmoz ,and precisely above the valley of ice, whose lower extremity is called the Glacier des Bois. Of all the excursions in theneighbourhood of Chamonix, this is the most frequented,because it affords from an elevation a magnificent view ofthe sea of ice and its surrounding mountains. It is easy toTHE MER DE GLACE. 201descend from thence on the glacier and view the various singular sights which it affords.The path which leads from the Priory to the Montan- vert is steep in some parts, but not the least in the worlddifficult. It is perfectly practicable for mules, and the as- cent is an easy walk or ride of about three hours. On quitting the Priory, the road, after passing the bridge over the Arve in front of the Royal Hotel, crosses the valley through a succession of small meadows and corn-fields; thencethrough a forest of mixed birch, larch, and fir- trees.A gradual ascent, bordered on each hand by masses of rock detached from the mountain sides, leads to the fountain of Claudine of Chamonix, where in the opera of " Linda"she is supposed to have first seen her lover. This is the ordinary halt or half- way house, and a better position cannot be chosen than the shade of these thick branching fir- trees ,from beneath whose roots the tiny fountain issues, and where De Saussure commenced his admirable history of theAlps. On the summit of a small meadow, which we reach on leaving the wood, is the pavilion of Montanvert, a stone building, where travellers meet with every refreshment at exorbitant prices.During the ascent we have, through the open spaces inthe forest, an almost uninterrupted view of the valley of Chamonix with its different villages, surrounded by trees andcorn-fields on the banks of the Arve; but on arriving at Montanvert the scene changes entirely. Instead of a fertile plainwe find ourselves on the brink of a precipice hanging over ascene worthy of the Arctic regions, a large valley of eternal ice and snow. It seems as if the waves of the ocean had,during a tempest, been seized by the giant hand of Winter,and fixed indelibly in the fantastic positions they had assumed.Around extends a rampart of colossal rocks, whose crumbling summits attest the influence of many thousand seasons, andwhose sterile grandeur has an imposing effect on the mind.This frozen stream descends into the bottom of the valley of Chamonix, where it is termed the Glacier des Bois. Atthe upper extremity it forms two branches, the eastern oneis called the Glacier de Léchaud, the other takes a south- westerly direction, and, uniting itself to the continuationof ice which descends from the summit of Mont Blanc,takes the name of the Tacul or Géant. The separation202 THE JARDIN.is formed by a mountain called the Tacul. The immenseheight of the rocks, by rendering adjacent objects insignifi- cant, deceives the eye as to the extent of the glacier be- neath, for it is at least five miles long and a mile wide.The total length of the Mer de Glace, including all its sin- uosities, from the source of the Arveiron to the first icefield of Mont Blanc, is about fifty-four miles .The most remarkable of the mountains around is theAiguille du Dru, a peak of 11,676 feet high; behind it is the Aiguille Verte, 12,072 feet; on the right, the Aiguille du Moine; and on the left, the Aiguille du Bochard. On thesouth of Montanvert is the point of Charmoz, 10,380 feet;in front are the Grandes Jorasses, and the Periades; in the distance, on the left, the Petites Jorasses; on the right, the Aiguille du Géant, 13,056 feet, is faintly seen. The smallglacier opposite the hospice is the Nant Blanc, and its chief cascade bears the same name.Those who wish to descend on the glacier should be careful not to do so until the heat and fatigue of the ascent have gone by, for several fatal accidents have resulted from an exposure of the lungs, when in a heated state of body, tothe icy vapours which emanate from the crevices of the gla- cier. After having reposed some time on the meadow, andenjoyed the view of the magnificent scenery of the Mer de Glace and its surrounding precipices, we follow a path which leads through a variety of rhododendrons, mountain- ashes, and larch- firs, to the brink of the glacier. At the end of the descent is that border of sand, stones, and brokenrocks, which accompanies the limits of the ice after having been crushed and carried along by its perpetual movement.Until really on the glacier, it is impossible for any one to form an idea of the height of its projecting icebergs orwaves, and of the width of the valleys intervening between each. The trouble of the excursion will be amply recompensed by the admiration of the fantastic points, the deep crevices of a dazzling blue in the interior, the wide caverns and the little lakes of snow water, surrounded by their trans- parent walls of ice.of the longest of the most in- For this journeyTHE JARDIN. · The Jardin, though oneand most difficult, is at the same time one teresting excursions which can be taken.the guides receive ten francs, as it occupies about a day andTHE JARDIN. 203a half. It is usual to set off from the Priory in the after- noon, and sleep at the Pavilion on the Montanvert. The reception, of course, is not equal to that which is met withat the hôtels. We set out at day-break, and follow an un- even path to the right on the south side of the glacier, and below the points of Charmoz.After a quarter of an hour's walk the passage of thePonts present itself-an inclined rock, along the ledge ofwhich some precaution is requisite. From a natural cavern,near which the path winds, a small fountain distils its limpidwaters, and refreshes numerous tufts of the Ranunculus glacialis, which grows on every interstice of the rock and in the interior of the cavern. From thence the road enters by asouth east direction on the glacier, at a point called theAngle, traversing the heaps of broken rock and sand bywhich its border is always accompanied. From time totime there occur some large crevices in the ice, and the surface is often extremely uneven, especially where the detritusof earth, sand, and rock, have preserved some parts of it from the action of the sun; there the ice is often fromtwenty to twenty-five feet thicker, or rather higher, than where the action of the heat and air have full scope.the road are many of those little brooks of snow-water,which hollow themselves out a bed on the glacier, and under the sun's rays glitter as if of liquid opal or emerald. Oftenwe see several of these unite their tiny resources, until theyform little rivers, which precipitate themselves in form of cascades into gulfs of ice called Moulins. At three hours'distance from Montanvert, the glacier is divided into twobranches; the one on the right comes from Mont Blancand the Col du Géant; on the left, is the Glacier de Léchaud,which continues to the foot of the Jorasses . We follow theleft branch, and arrive at the extremity, where it joins the lower part of the Glacier du Talèfre.OnThe view of the Talèfre is majestic in the extreme.Being on a very steep inclination, its icebergs, suspended and crowding on each other, assume the forms of pyramids and turrets, which threaten to overwhelm the solitary passersby. As it is necessary to arrive by the least steep ascent, we follow a passage called the Egralets, which forms part of arock on the left side named the Couvercle; its summit isthe Aiguille du Moine. The Couvercle is a sort of slope,204 THE JARDIN.covered in some places with scanty herbage and wild flowers ,in others with gigantic blocks of granite detached from the peak of which it is the base. To arrive at this point occupies about one hour and a quarter from the Mer de Glace.The verdure, and vicinity of several small streams, which issue from under the snow, render it an agreeable halt for half- an-hour's repose. It is impossible to depict the awfulmajesty of the desert scene, nor is its beauty of a kind which can be compared to any ordinary prospect. Those vastfields of ice, surrounded and crowned by the eternal moun- tains; the contrast of the dazzling whiteness of the snow,with the lurid colours of the craggy rocks; the purity of the air; the silence, interrupted only by the occasional twitter ofthe snow - bunting, the scream of the eagle whirling over- head, or the shrill whistle of the distant marmot, alone ani- mate the scene; except when, with a crash like the peal ofthunder, some fragment of rock falls from a lofty peak, its echo ten thousand times repeated in these solitudes, where no verdure, no living being exist. These impressions for amoment transport the mind beyond the limits of the earth ,and we imagine ourselves placed on the borders of some un- finished and primitive creation.Beneath are three glaciers , the Tacul, the Léchaud, and the Mer de Glace, besides a number of tributary arteries.After reposing a while, we enter the glacier of the Talèfre, and in about an hour arrive at a bank of moraine, which is the highest point of the excursion . On the south the view isthe same as that of the Couvercle, while on the oppositeside the glacier of the Talèfre presents a most singular as- pect. It rises by gradations to the foot of a semicircularbarrier, formed by a variety of granitic peaks of all forms and shapes , which terminate it on the north. Their inter- stices are filled with glaciers which come to join the Talèfre,and are crowned with festoons of snow. The summit ofthis majestic amphitheatre appears to touch the sky, whosedeep dark blue colour, peculiar to these elevated regions, is strongly contrasted with the brilliant whiteness of the snow.The most singular part of this striking picture is a plain or oasis , situated like an island of verdure in the midst of an Arctic ocean. Its form is triangular, and contains a space ofnear five acres, which seems to have been respected bythe frosts and rigorous climate of this desolate region. This isTHE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 205covered in the month of August with a carpet of the mostverdant turf, and refreshes the eye, fatigued by so long asight of majestic horrors. Here and there arise tufts of thechoicest Alpine flowers, to which its name is due. Thatnothing may be wanted to complete its resemblance to agarden, Nature has surrounded it with an enclosure of gravel and fragments of stone. Curious and choice specimens of crystal are found close at hand, beneath a group of rocks called the Courtes; so that to the mineralogist or botanist this excursion affords an interesting field.The view from the Jardin, although not quite so exten- sive as that from the Couvercle, is nevertheless as majestic.On the south is the Aiguille de Léchaud, on the west the Aiguilles des Blaitières, the Aiguille du Midi, and the Mont Blanc. On the south-west we see the Grandes Jorasses, and in front the Periades. The view is bounded by the Aiguille du Moine. The height of this spot is about 8484 feet above the level of the sea. From the Montanvert the distance isabout five hours' walk; the descent occupies four, and the traveller arrives at the Priory early in the evening. This excursion is particularly adapted to put to the test the walking powers and nerve of aspirants to the ascent of Mont Blanc.THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. -The ascent of Mont Blanchas been made eminently popular by Albert Smith, to whose graphic powers thousands are indebted for their knowledge on this subject. From his published account of his ascent we give the following highly-interesting particulars . The earlier attempts made by different persons to climb to the summit of this mountain are described by Saussure. He himself only succeeded in the ascent after repeated failures.The first mountaineers, who had advanced to a greatheight in the chase of the chamois, entered in 1775 into avalley of ice closely shut in by high snow-banks, and havinga narrow passage open at the further extremity. The rare- faction of the air at this great height, added to the reflexion of the sun on the snow, and the absence of circulation of theatmosphere in the narrow valley, caused so suffocating aheat, that on observing the black colour of the sky ( a phenomenon usual at great elevations ) through the opening atthe end of the valley, they were seized by a panic fear, and206 THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC.turned back to Chamonix. They imagined they had seenthe entrance of some awful gulf, or of the infernal regions.On the 8th of June, 1786, two separate parties of guides had resolved on exploring these solitudes: one, Jacques Balmat, presented himself without invitation, and followed aparty against their will . The expeditions did not succeed,and as a storm of hail and snow had set in, those who composed them set out on their return home. Jacques Balmat being on unfriendly terms with the others, kept aloof, and finally quitted them to search for crystals under a rock at some distance. On attempting to rejoin them he lost their trace, and the storm having come on, resolved to spend the night alone in the midst of the desert, rather than expose himself to the dangers of a solitary descent in the darkness.He waited patiently under the rock, in spite of his suffering from the cold and hail: at sunrise the weather cleared up,and he resolved to devote the day to the exploration ofthese vast and unknown solitudes. His perseverance was rewarded, for, by dint of research, he arrived alone on the sum- mit of Mont Blanc by a road which all succeeding travellers have followed, and which is certainly the only practicable one. Upon his return to Chamonix he made no mention of his success , but having heard that the Doctor Paccard wasabout to make an attempt, he communicated the secret, and offered to guide him to the summit. In consequence, he and Paccard arrived there in August 1786. De Saussure, who resided at Geneva, was informed of this on the morrow, andset out immediately for the spot, but a succession of badweather during all the autumn prevented his ascent.On the 3d of August, 1787, accompanied by eighteen guides, he accomplished his wish of arriving on the long- desired summit. Owing to the celebrity of the courage ofthis celebrated traveller, his important observations, and the fact that the success of the first parties was due to the en- couragements held out by him, he merits the distinction ofbeing considered the first who really subdued the difficulties of the undertaking. Thirty-three subsequent successful at- tempts are on record, more than half of which were carried out by Englishmen. That which has excited most attentionin England is the last, which had for its hero Mr. Albert Smith, who reached the summit August 13, 1851, accom-THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 207panied by Mr. Sackville West, Mr. C. G. Floyd, Mr. F. Philips, and Mr. N. Vansittart. Mr. Albert Smith says, in his account of the ascent:-"We met at seven o'clock on the morning of Tuesday the 12th of August, to breakfast: not a cloud was to be seen inthe sky. Nothing could exceed the bustle of the inn-yard;everybody had collected to see the start: the men were di- viding and portioning the fowls, and bottles of wine, and rugs, and wrappers ."About half-past seven we started; and as we left the inn,and traversed the narrow ill- paved streets of Chamouni to- wards the bridge, I believe we formed the largest caravan that had ever gone off together. Each of us had fourguides, making twenty in all; and the porters and volun- teers I may reckon at another score; besides which, there was a rabble rout of friends, and relations, and sweethearts,and boys, some of whom came a considerable distance withus. I had a mule waiting for me at the bridle- road that runsthrough the fields towards the dirty little village of Les Pélerins-for I wished to keep myself as fresh as I could for the real work. I do not think I gained anything by this, forthe brute was exceedingly troublesome to manage up the rude steep path and amongst the trees." The first two hours of the ascent presented no remark- able features, either of difficulty or prospect. We kept on in single file, winding backwards and forwards amongst the trees, until we came to the last habitation up the mountain,which is called the Châlet de la Para; and here I was gladto quit my mule, and proceed with the rest on foot. From this point the vegetation gradually became more scanty; and at last even the fir-trees no longer grew about us. The hill- side was bare and arid, covered with the débris of the spring avalanches -amongst which tufts of Alpine rhododendron were blowing, and some goats were trying very hard to pick up a living. Our caravan was now spread about far andwide; but at half- past nine we came to an enormous block of granite called the Pierre Pointue, and here we reunited our forces and rested awhile. Hitherto we had been on theridge of one of the mighty buttresses of Mont Blanc, which hem in the glaciers between them: we had now to cling along its side to gain the ice. This part of the journey re- quires a strong head: here, and towards the termination of208 THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC.the ascent, dizziness would be fatal. Along the side of the mountain, which is all but perpendicular, the goats have worn a rude track scarcely a foot broad. On your left your shoulder rubs the rock; and on your right there is a fright- ful precipice, at the bottom of which, hundreds of feet belowyou, is that confusion of ice, granite blocks, stones, and dirty roaring water, which forms in its ensemble the boundary of a glacier. The view is superb, but you dare not look at it . It is only when the loose ground crumbles away beneath your right foot, and you nearly slide away over the preci- pice—you would do so if the guide did not seize you by the arm with the sudden grip of a vice-that you give up staring about you, and do nothing but carefully watch the footsteps of the man who is going on before. The path goes up and down-its gradual tendency, however, is to descend; and in about twenty minutes we had arrived at the bottom ofthe ravine. Here we had another half-hour's troublesome scramble over loose bowlders, which threw and twisted our ankles about in every direction, until at last we gained the second station, if it may so be called, of our journey-another huge rock, called the Pierre à l'Echelle, under shelter of which a ladder is left from one year to the other, and is car- ried on by the guides, to assist them in passing the crevices on the glacier."We were now four thousand feet above Chamouni, and the wonders of the glacier world were breaking upon us.The edge of the ice was still half- an- hour's walk beyond this rock, but it appeared close at hand-literally within a stone's throw. So vast is everything that surrounds the travellerthere is such an utter absence of any comprehensible stan- dard of comparison -his actual presence is so insignificant —a mere unheeded, all but invisible speck on this mountain world-that every idea of proportionate size or distance is lost. And this impossibility of calculation is still further aided bythe bright clear air, seen through which the granite outlines miles away are as sharply defined as those of the rocks you have quitted but half an hour ago." The first portion of the journey across the Glacier des Bossons is easy enough, provided always that the outer crust of the snow lying upon it is tolerably hard. We marched on in single file, the guides taking it by turns to lead ( as the first man had, of course, the heaviest work) , amidst cliffs andTHE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 209billocks, and across sloping fields and uplands, all of dazzling whiteness . I here observed, for the first time, the intensedark- blue colour which the sky apparently assumes. This is only by comparison with the unsubdued glare from the snow on all sides-since, on making a kind of lorgnette with my two hands, and looking up, as I might have done at apicture, there was nothing unusual in the tint. Our veilsand glasses now proved great comforts, for the sun was scorching, and the blinding light from the glaciers actually distressing. By degrees our road became less practicably easy. We had to make zigzag paths up very steep pitches,and go out of our line to circumvent threatening ice-blocks or suspected crevices . All this time we had been steadily ascending; and at last the glacier was so broken, and the crevices so frequent and hugely gaping, that the guides tied us and themselves together with cords, leaving a space ofabout eight feet between each two men, and prepared for serious work." The traveller who has only seen the Mer de Glace canform no idea of the terrific beauty of the upper part of the Glacier des Bossons. He remembers the lower portions of the latter, which appears to rise from the very corn- fields and orchards of Chamouni, with its towers and ruins of thepurest ice, like a long fragment of quartz inconceivably mag- nified; and a few steps from the edge of Montanvert will show him the icy chasms of the Mer. But they have little in common with the wild and awful tract we were now pre- paring to traverse. The Glacier des Bossons, splitting awayfrom that of Tacconay, is rent and torn and tossed about by convulsions scarcely to be comprehended; and the alternateaction of the nightly frost and the afternoon sun on this .scene of splendid desolation and horror produces the most extraordinary effects. Huge bergs rise up of a lovely pale sea-green colour, perforated by arches decorated every day with fresh icicles many feet in length; and through these arches one sees other fantastic masses, some thrown likebridges across yawning gulfs, and others planted like old castles on jutting rocks commanding valleys and gorges , all of ice . There is here no plain surface to walk upon; your only standing room is the top of the barrier that divides twocrevices; and as this is broad or narrow, terminating in an P210 THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC.other frightful gulf, or continuous with another treacherous ice- wall, so can you be slow or rapid. The breadth of thecrevice varies with each one you arrive at, and these indi- vidually vary constantly, so that the most experienced guide can have no fixed plan of route. The fissure you can leap across to- day, becomes by to- morrow a yawning gulf." At a great many points the snow made bridges, which we crossed easily enough. Only one was permitted to go over at a time, so that, if it gave way, he might remain suspended by the rope attached to the main body. Some- times we had to make long détours to get to the end of acrevice, too wide to cross anyway; at others, we would find ourselves all wedged together, not daring to move, on a neck of ice that at first I could scarcely have thought adequate tohave afforded footing to a goat. When we were thus fixed,somebody cut notches in the ice, and climbed up or down as the case required; then the knapsacks were pulled up or lowered; then we followed, and, finally, the rest got up as they could. One scramble we had to make was ratherfrightful. The reader must imagine a valley of ice, very narrow, but of unknown depth. Along the middle of thisthere ran a cliff, also of ice, very narrow at the top, and ending suddenly, the surface of which might have been fifteen feet lower than the top of this valley on either side, and on it we could not stand two abreast. A rough notion of asection of this position may be gained from the letter W,depressing the centre angle, and imagining that the cliff on which we were standing. The feet of our ladders were set firm on the neck of the cliff, and then it was allowed to lean over the crevice until its other end touched the wall, so tospeak, ofthe valley. Its top round was, even then, seven or eight feet below where we wanted to get. One of theyoung guides went first with his axe, and contrived, by some extraordinary succession of gymnastic feats , to get safely to the top, although we all trembled for him, and, indeed, for ourselves; for, tied as we all were and on such a treacherousstanding, had he tumbled he would have pulled the next after him, and so on, one following the other, until we should all have gone hopelesly to perdition . Once safe, he soon helped his fellows, and, one after the other, we were drawn up, holding to the cord for our lives.THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 211" Our porters would go no further; about four o'clock inthe afternoon we got to the station at which we were to re- main until midnight." The Grands Mulets are two or three conical rocks, whichrise like island peaks from the snow and ice at the head of the Glacier des Bossons, and were they loftier, would pro- bably be termed aiguilles. On the right hand, and in front,you can scramble up to them pretty well and gain your resting-place, which is about thirty feet from the summit,either by climbing the rock from the base, which is very steep and fatiguing, or by proceeding farther up along the snow, and then returning a little way, when you find your- self nearly on a level with your shelf-for such it is. Afamiliar example of what I mean is given in a house built on a steep hill, where the back-door may be on the third story." The ascent of this rock was the hardest work we had yetexperienced; it was like climbing up an immense number offlag-stones of different heights set on their edges. Contraryto all my expectation, the heat we here experienced was most sultry, and even distressing. Those who have notedhow long the granite posts and walls of the Italian citiesretain the heat after the sun has gone down, will understandthat this rock upon which we were was quite warm wherever the rays fell upon it, although in every nook of shade the snow still remained unthawed."There was now great activity in the camp. Some of theguides ranged the wine-bottles side by side in the snow;others unpacked the refreshment knapsacks; others, again,made a rude fireplace, and filled a stewpan with snow to melt. All this time it was so hot, and the sun was sobright, that I began to think the guide who told De Saussure he should take a parasol up with him did not deserve to have been laughed at." As soon as our wild bivouac assumed a little appearanceof order, two of the guides were sent up the glacier to go agreat way ahead, and then return and report upon the stateof the snow on the plateaux. When they had started, weperched ourselves about on the comparatively level spaces of the rock, and with knife and fingers began our dinner."We kept high festival that afternoon on the Grands Mulets. One stage of our journey -and that one by no212 THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC.means the easiest-had been achieved without the slightest hurt or harm." It got somewhat chilly as the sun left the Mulets, but never so cold as to be uncomfortable. With my back against the rock, and a common railway rug over my feet and legs, Ineeded nothing else . My knapsack was handy at my elbow to lean upon, and so I had altogether the finest couch upon which a weary traveller ever rested." The Grands Mulets are chosen for a halting- place, notless from their convenient station on the route than fromtheir situation out of the way of the avalanches . From thewestern face of the peak on which we were situated we couldnot see Chamouni, except by climbing up to the top of the rock-rather a hazardous thing to do-and peeping over it,when the whole extent of the valley could be very well madeout; the villages looking like atoms of white grit upon thechequered ground. Below us, and rising against our posi- tion, was the mighty field of the glacier-a huge prairie, if Imany term it so, of snow and ice , with vast irregular undulations, which gradually merged into an apparently smoothunbroken tract, as their distance increased. Towering infront of us, several thousand feet higher, and two or threemiles away, yet still having the strange appearance of proximity that I have before alluded to, was the huge Dôme duGoûté-the mighty cupola usually mistaken by the valley travellers for the summit of Mont Blanc. Up the glacier,on my left, was an enormous and ascending valley of ice,which might have been a couple of miles across; and in itscourse were two or three steep banks of snow, hundreds offeet in height, giant steps by which the level landing- place of the Grand Plateau was to be reached." The sun at length went down behind the Aiguille du Goûté, and then, for two hours, a scene of such wild and wondrous beauty -of such inconceivable and unearthlysplendour -burst upon me, that, spell- bound and almost trembling with the emotion its magnificence called forth- with every sense, and feeling, and thought absorbed by its brilliancy, I saw far more than the realisation of the most gorgeous visions that opium or hasheesh could evoke, accom- plished. At first, everything about us - above, around, below-the sky, the mountain, and the lower peaks -appearedTHE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 213one uniform creation of burnished gold, so brightly dazzlingthat, now our veils were removed, the eye could scarcely bear the splendour. As the twilight gradually crept overthe lower world, the glow became still more vivid; and presently, as the blue mists rose in the valleys , the tops of thehigher mountains looked like islands rising from a filmyocean-an archipelago of gold. By degrees this metallic lustre was softened into tints, -first orange, and then bright,transparent crimson, along the horizon, rising through thedifferent hues, with prismatic regularity, until, immediatelyabove us, the sky was a deep, pure blue, merging towardsthe east into glowing violet. The snow took its colour fromthese changes; and every portion on which the light fell was soon tinged with pale carmine, of a shade similar to thatwhich snow at times assumes, from some imperfectly ex- plained cause, at high elevations-such, indeed, as I had seen, in early summer, upon the Furka and Faulhorn. Thesebeautiful hues grew brighter as the twilight below increasedin depth; and it now came marching up the valley of the glaciers until it reached our resting- place. Higher andhigher still, it drove the lovely glory of the sunlight beforeit, until at last the vast Dôme du Goûté and the summitit*elf stood out, icelike and grim , in the cold evening air,although the horizon still gleamed with a belt of rosy light."It was twenty minutes to twelve when the note of pre- paration for our second start was sounded. The moon was still low-that is to say, the light on the mountain had not come farther down than the top of the Aiguille du Goûté, so that we were in comparative darkness. Three or four lan- terns were fitted up with candles; and Jean Tairraz had afine affair like a Chinese balloon, or, more truly, the roundlampions used in French illuminations, only larger; and this he tied behind him to light me as I followed. In single file we left the Grands Mulets-not by the scrambling route of our arrival, but by the upper portions of the rocks, where we descended at once, in a few feet, to the snow."The snowy side of Mont Blanc, between the GrandsMulets and the Rochers Rouges near the summit, is formed by three gigantic steps, if they may so be called, one abovethe other, each of which is many hundred feet high. Between each is a comparatively level platform of glacier; andthe topmost of these, which is two or three miles across , is214 THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC.called the Grand Plateau. Up these slopes our road now lay; and for more than two hours we followed one anotherin silence. Very little talking went on, for we knew that we should soon need all our breath." The march from the Mulets to the foot of the Grand Plateau was one continuous, steadily-ascending tramp ofthree hours and a half-now and then retracing our foot- marks with a little grumbling, when it was found, on gaining the neck of a ridge of snow, that there was an impracticable crevice on the other side; but the general work was not much more than that of ascending the Mer de Glace, on your route to the Jardin. Whenever we came to a standstill, our feet directly got very cold; and the remedy for this was to drive them well into the snow. The guides wereanxious that we should constantly keep in motion; and, in- deed, they were never still themselves during these halts."We had nearly gained the edge of the Grand Plateau when our caravan was suddenly brought to a stop by the announcement from our leading guide of a huge crevice ahead, to which he could not see any termination; and it was far too wide to cross by any means. It appeared thatthe guides had looked forward, all along, to some difficulty .here and they were now really anxious; for Tairraz said,that if we could not reach the other side our game was up,and we must return. Auguste Devouassoud went ahead and called for a lantern. We had now only one left alight: two had burnt out, and the other had been lost, shooting awaylike a meteor down the glacier until it disappeared in a gulf.The remaining light was handed forward, and we watched its course with extreme anxiety, hovering along the edge of the abyss -anon disappearing, and then showing again far- ther off until at last Auguste shouted out that he had found a pass, and that we could proceed again. We toiled up a very steep cliff of ice, and then edged the crevice whichyawned upon our left in a frightful manner, -more terrible in its semi- obscurity than it is possible to convey an im- pression of-until the danger was over, and we all stood safely upon the Grand Plateau about half-past three in the morning."We had now two or three miles of level walking before us; indeed our road, from one end of the plateau to the other, was on a slight descent. Before we started we tookTHE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 215some wine; a leathern cup of St. George put a little life and warmth into us, for we were chilled with the delay, and it was now intensely cold. We also saw the other lanterns approaching, and we now formed, as it were, one long cara- van. Still in single file we set off again, and the effect ofour silent march was now unearthly and solemn, to a degree that was almost painfully impressive.66 Although physically the easiest, this was the most trea- cherous part of the entire ascent. Aflake of snow or a chipof ice, whirled by the wind from the summit, and increasing as it rolled down the top of the mountain, might at lengththunder on to our path, and sweep everything before it into the crevice. Everybody was aware of this; and for threequarters of an hour we kept trudging hurriedly forward,scarcely daring to speak, and every now and then looking up with mistrust at the calotte, as the summit is termed,that rose above us in such cold and deceitful tranquillity." At last we got under the shelter of the Rochers Rouges,and then we were in comparative safety; since, were anavalanche to fall, they would turn its course on to the plateauwe had just quitted." It was now fearfully cold; and every now and then asharp north-east wind nearly cut us into pieces, bringing with it a storm of spicule of ice, which were really verypainful, as they blew against and past our faces and ears:so we took to our veils again, which all night long had been twisted round our hats." From the foot of the Rochers Rouges there runs a hugeand slanting buttress of ice, round which we had to climb from the north- east to the east. Its surface was at an angleof about sixty degrees. Above us it terminated in a mighty cliff, entirely covered with icicles of marvellous length and beauty; below, it was impossible to see where it went, for it finished suddenly in an edge, which was believed to be the border of a great crevice. Along this we now had to go;and the journey was as hazardous a one as a man might make along a steeply-pitched roof with snow on it. Jean Car- rier went first , with his axe, and very cautiously cut every step in which we were to place our feet in the ice. It is difficult at times to walk along ice on a level; but when that ice is tilted up more than halfway towards the perpendicular,with a fathomless termination below, and no more foot and216 THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC.hand-hold afforded than can be chipped out, it becomes anervous affair enough. The cords came into requisition again; and we went along, leaning very much over to our right, and, I must say, paying little attention to our guides,who were continually pointing out spots for us to admire- the Jardin, Monte Rosa, and the Col du Géant-as they became visible. It took us nearly half-an-hour to creep round this hazardous slope, and then we came once more upon a vast undulating field of ice, looking straight down the Glacier du Tacul, towards the upper part of the Mer deGlace the reverse of the view the visitor enjoys from the Jardin.-" The Mur de la Côte is some hundred feet high, and isan all - but - perpendicular iceberg. At one point you can reach it from the snow, but immediately after you begin toascend it, obliquely, there is nothing below but a chasm, in the ice more frightful than anything yet passed . Should the foot slip , or the bâton give way, there is no chance for life -you would glide like lightning from one frozen crag to another, and finally be dashed to pieces, hundreds and hun- dreds of feet below, in the horrible depths of the glacier." Of course, every footstep had to be cut with the adzes;and mybloodran colder still , as I saw the first guides creeping like flies upon its smooth glistening surface. The twoTairraz were in front of me, with the fore part of the rope,and François Cachat, I think, behind. I scarcely know whatour relative positions were, for we had not spoken muchto one another for the last hour; every word was an exer- tion , and our attention was solely confined to our own progress. We kept progressing , very slowly indeed, but stillgoing on-and up so steep a path, that I had to wait untilthe guide before me removed his foot, before I could put my hand into the notch. I looked down below two or threetimes, but was not at all giddy, although the depth lost itself in a blue haze." For upwards of half an hour we kept on slowly mounting this iceberg, until we reached the foot of the last ascent- the calotte, as it is called-the ' cap ' of Mont Blanc. The danger was now over, but not the labour, for this dome ofice was difficult to mount. The axe was again in requisi- tion; and everybody was so blown,' in common parlance,that we had to stop every three or four minutes. My young6THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 217companions kept bravely on, like fine fellows as they were,getting ahead even of some of the guides; but I was per- fectly done up. Honest Tairraz had no sinecure to pull me after him, for I was stumbling about as though completely intoxicated. I could not keep my eyes open, and plantedmy feet anywhere but in the right place. I know I was exceedingly cross. I have even a recollection of havingscolded my team,' because they did not go quicker; and Iwas excessively indignant when one of them dared to call my attention to Monte Rosa. At last, one or two went in front, and thus somewhat quickened our progress. Gradually our speed increased, until I was scrambling almost on my hands and knees; and then, as I found myself on a level,it suddenly stopped. I looked round, and saw there was nothing higher. The bâtons were stuck in the snow, and the guides were grouped about, some lying down, and others standing in little parties. I was on the top of Mont Blanc!"We had heard the guns firing at Chamouni ever since we left the Pélerins; but as we entered the village we weregreeted with a tremendous round of Alpine artillery from the roof of the new Hôtel Royal, and the garden and courtyard of the Hôtel de Londres. The whole population was in the streets, and on the bridge; the ladies at the hôtels waving their handkerchiefs , and the men cheering; and a harpistand a violin-player now joined the cortège. When we got into the court of our hôtel, M. Edouard Tairraz had dressed a lit- tle table with some beautiful bouquets and wax candles, until it looked uncommonly like an altar, but for the half- dozen ofchampagne that formed a portion ofits ornaments; and here we were invited to drink with him, and be gazed at, and have our hands shaken by everybody. One or two enthusiastic tourists expected me there and then to tell them all about it; but the crowd was now so great, and the guns so noisy,and the heat and dust so oppressive, coupled with the state of excitement in which we all were, that I was not sorry to get away and hide in a comfortable warm bathwhich our worthy host had prepared already. This, with an entire change of clothes and a quiet comfortable dinner,put me all right again; and at night, when I was standing in the balcony of my chamber window, I could hardly persuade myself that the whole affair had not been awonderful dream."218 COL DU GÉANT: THE GIANT'S PASS.COL DU GÉANT: THE GIANT'S PASS.-This passage offers the shortest road from Chamonix to the valley of Cormayeur and Aoste. Next to that of Mont Blanc it is the most diffi- cult excursions of these mountains. It should not be attempted without three or four guides, who receive 50 francs each, and then only by persons who have already proved their strength in long walks over the glaciers; for it is agreat undertaking, hardly repaid by the immense prospect it affords. This spot was rendered memorable by De Saus- sure's extraordinary residence and admirable course of obser- vations in July 1788, and has since been illustrated by Pro- fessor Forbes, on whose shoulders the mantle of the historian of the Alps has descended. While the ascent of Mont Blanc has always been considered De Saussure's most bril- liant source of reputation , his residence on the Col du Géant is by true lovers of science recognised as his most useful achievement. It was discovered in 1780 by one Jean Michel Cachat, thence called the Géant. The distance to the Col isabout nine hours from the Montanvert, thence to Cormayeur about five.As the excursion is long and toilsome, there are but two ways of effecting it, either by sleeping the night before at the Hospice of Montanvert, or at the foot of the Tacul à la belle étoile.Up to the spot where the Mer de Glace is divided intotwo branches, the glacier is tolerably level and compact along the road to the Jardin . From this point we enter the part where the great iceflows descending from Mont Blanc and the Géant form the right artery. We now attack the latter field, which is properly called the Glacier du Tacul, or Géant. A dazzling mass of ice, on whose surface we must walk for near seven hours, occupies a basin intermixed with craggy pinnacles, which here and there connect themselves with the rocks on either hand, or stand forth imposingly among the snow white wastes. The crevices become wider,as several broad ice-streams uniting from different quarters crowd on each other. Their waves are thrust on high, or leave deep fissures, which render the passage extremely diffi- cult. The view in ascending the Glacier du Géant is admi- rable; above the Tacul the Aiguille Noire on the north, and the Aiguilles de Blaitière and Grepon on the south, are its limits. The picturesque mass of the Aiguilles du MoineVALLEY OF SAMOËNS. 219and Dru, terminating in the enormous elevation of the Aiguille Verte, forms a group, whose majesty can be so well appreciated from no other point. The basin of the Glacierdu Talèfre is likewise exposed, and the triangular form of the Jardin stands forth in very apparent dimensions.The height of the Col above the sea is 11,146 feet; some remains of woodwork belonging to the temporary habitation of De Saussure are still to be seen under a rock near thesummit. Range over range of the Alps here rises before us with a perfect definition, up to the extreme limit which theactual horizon permits us to see. To the east is the obelisk shape of Mont Cervin; close to it, on the left, the Dent d'Erin. A little to the right, with every detail delicately subdued by the blue of immense distance, is Mont Rosa, the many-headed rival of Mont Blanc. Towards the middle isthe chain of Cogne, containing numerous mountains of 11,000 or 12,000 feet high. The snowy wastes of the Ruitotare on the right, and behind is the vast mass of Mont Iseran. To the west are the mountains which separateSavoy from France, and slope down towards Grenoble inDauphiné. The summit of Mont Blanc appears close at hand; the vertical structure of the strata of its enormousgranitic mass is from no other post so distinctly visible, and its elevation, though 4600 feet above, loses so much of its grandeur from its proximity. The Aiguille du Géant showsits tooth-like shape on the opposite side. The Allée Blanche with its glaciers, lake, and torrents, the Val Ferret, Cor- mayeur, and the pastures of St. Didier, are at our feet, andappear like emeralds girt round with precipices.From hence to Cormayeur is a descent of about five hours; no plants can exist on this elevated site except acurious variety of mosses, and the Aretica Helvetica, whose white and purple flowers grow in the sheltered nooks and crevices of the rocks.P VALLEY OF SAMOENS. Two roads lead towards thisvalley and Sixt, which, though possessing none of the ma- jestic scenery distinctive of Chamonix, equal it in minorpicturesque attractions. At about a quarter of an hour's distance beyond Nangis, between Geneva and Bonneville,where a cross - road descends on the right towards the bridge of Bellecombe, the branch on the left passes over a toler- ably level country through the small town of St. Jeoire; a220 VALLEY OF SAMOENS.charming position, at about two hours' distance from Nangis,and surrounded by well-wooded eminences. From thence an extremely steep and uneven road, along heights above the Giffre, passes through the village of Mieussy at an hour and a half's distance, half way between St. Jeoire and Ta- ninges.The second of these roads begins at Bonneville, whencea public conveyance or courrier, thus termed a non cur- rendo, leaves for Samoëns at mid-day every Monday, Wed- nesday, and Friday, arriving at about 6 PM. On quittingBonneville, we follow the right bank of the Arve by a tedious rectilineal causeway of about three miles' length, leaving on the left the heights and vineyards of Ayze under the Môle;on the opposite side are the Mont Brezon, and forests of the Reposoir. A very remarkable object is the church of Mont Sacconex, on the front of a mountain nearly 3000 feet abovethe valley. The road then takes a turn towards the north- east, near the confluence of the Arve and Giffre, along the banks of the latter of which it passes through the prettyvillage of Marigny, renowned for its vines, its orchards, and,unfortunately, for the goîtres of its inhabitants. We pass the Giffre by a stone bridge, near which is another roadthrough Miêussy to Taninge, and traversing the plain amidst orchards and corn-fields, in an easterly direction,arrive, about three hours after leaving Bonneville, at the auberge of Thiez near the foot of the hill of Chatillon.Here the traveller, whether pedestrian or equestrian, must take breath, for a tedious eminence is before him. Itsascent occupies nearly three quarters of an hour, and com- mands afine view of the town of Cluses, and the whole valley of the Arve as far as Bonneville. Near the road on thesummit are the village and ruins of the old castle of Cha- tillon . Ten minutes farther we arrive at the other side,which overlooks the valley of Samoëns.The point of Machilly with the town of Taninge are in front; beneath us is the large convent formerly occupied bythe Jesuits, but now converted into a college for general education; on each side are hills covered by a variety of beech and fir-woods, from among which numerous orchardsand cottages peep out on every side; at the eastern extremity are the mountains of Sixt.The length of the valley is about 12 miles, its breadth 1 ,VALLEY OF SAMOENS. 221or 1. The Giffre winds along the bottom, divided into nu- merous branches by small green islands, and bordered by alder and fir- trees. On descending, we pass it over a narrow ancient bridge; a by-road on the right leads through the villages of La Rivière and Morillon to Samoëns; in ten minutes more we arrive at the small dirty town of Taninges,passing the church, a large modern building on the right.Here the road from St. Jeoire joins us, and after leavingthe town we follow an easterly direction along the bottom of the valley. The woods and green corn-fields above La Rivière and Morillon form an agreeable prospect on theother side. An hour before entering Samoëns we go througha fir forest, where the mountain torrents, especially that ofthe Valentine, frequently occasion great devastations; on theleft, above us, is the village of Verchey, remarkable for the quantity and excellent produce of its orchards.Two hours beyond Taninges we arrive at thepretty little market- town of Samoëns. After passing the public place,and admiring its venerable lime- trees and church, the tra- veller reaches the hôtel ofthe White Cross, kept by François Pellet.As Samoëns is within easy reach of all the excursions at Sixt, and the latter place contains very indifferent inns, it is as well to establish head- quarters at the former. The sur- rounding country is of an extremely rural and picturesque appearance. Its delightful walks have solitude and very pure air to recommend them. Behind the hôtel is the finecascade of Nant Dent, whose volume diminishes greatly after the end of June; in front is the point of Mont Crioud,with the fantastic rocks of the Chaumettaz and Follit. Avery easy and practicable horse-road leads from hence over the Col du Couz into the canton of Valais, passing byChampery (where Théodore Avanthay has fitted up an inn for the reception of tourists) , along the Val de Lys, towards the towns of Monthez, St. Maurice, and the upper extremity of Geneva.Mineralogy.-At Mieussy, Matringe, and Taninges, as well as in the brook called the Clavieux behind the bourg of Samoëns, are breakings - out of anthracite coal. An iron.work existed until two centuries back at the spot called theMoulins, and was much celebrated for its scythes ( ' fauces ' ) ,which, in the opinion of many persons, gave the name of222VALLEYOF ST. GERVAIS, OR MONTJOYE.Faucigny to this province. A cavern of 300 feet long, sup- posed to have been one ofthe galleries whence the ore was extracted, is on the right of the road to the mountain of Follit, after passing the Grand Bois under the Chaumettaz.At the Sages is a mine of iron. In the mountains above Vallon are several kinds of fossil shells.VALLEY OF ST. GERVAIS, OR MONT JOYE. -The distance from Sallanches to St. Gervais is about a league and a half,along a tolerably good road, which follows the left side of the Arve, through a very picturesque country. Themost conspicuous objects on the opposite side are the well- cultivated hills of Passy, surmounted by a chain of cal- careous rocks and the Aiguille de Varens. After passing by the village ofDomancy we arrive, through a country abound- ing in orchards , at the Fayet, where we cross the Bonnant, be- low the cascade of St. Gervais. Aturn on the right leads through a wood of alder and fir-trees to the entrance of asmall deep valley, in which is the establishment ofthe baths.A more charming site cannot be imagined: the valley is in form of an amphitheatre, surrounded by rocks and foliage;at its extremity is the hôtel, and behind it descends the cas- cade. Thick clusters of forest trees and orcharding slopedown on every side to the borders of a large flower- garden,which, with the buildings, occupies the small plain, and is traversed by the limpid stream of the Bonnant. The bathing establishment contains a large hôtel, as well as the mineral sources, which are of great heat, and much fre- quented. A zigzag bridge across the stream leads to thecascade, where, from a terrace surrounded with palisades in face of the fall, the observer can in perfect security see the torrent descend from a height of about 350 feet into the basin, which it has hollowed out at the foot of the rock.From the bottom of this gulfthe waters again rush forth in an immense volume of mist and spray. The peculiar position of this magnificent cascade, at the extremity of a duskyvalley, renders it one of the most remarkable in the Alps.Among the rocks and woods above the hôtel are several very charming walks; the jasper quarries, and wooden bridge over the Arve, called the Pont de Chèvres, are well worthy avisit.The village of St. Gervais is at the height of several hun- dred feet, or about half- an-hour's walk above the Baths.VALLEY OF ST. GERVAIS , OR MONT JOYE. 223Persons on horseback, or carriages, must return to the bridge at the Fayet, and follow a long steep road, which as- cends on the right through a small fir forest. In the plain above, and before reaching the village, is the Hôtel du Mont Joly, a very neat, comfortable house, kept by Mr. Rosset,where the tourist may pass a few pleasant days in enjoymentof the rural beauties of this sequestered position. Besides the excursions to Chamonix by the Forclaz and Col de Voza,the little village of the Plagnes above St. Gervais is worthy avisit, on account ofits fine view of Mont Joly; and at a short distance are the curiously- cemented sandstone hillocks ,called the Pyramides des Fées.The valley of St. Gervais, or Mont Joye, winds along the base ofMont Blanc. On quitting the hôtel, we followthe road in a southerly direction through the village, and pass in front ofthe parish church. On the left are a range of heights which border the foot of the Vaudagne, and on the right the Mont Joly. The road, bordered on each side by green inclosures,passes under the shade of overspreading walnut- trees,through the hamlets of the Vernier and the Praz. An hour after quitting St. Gervais we arrive at the village of Bionnay,situate in the bottom of a valley, through which the Bonnant continues its course.On leaving Bionnay a stone bridge traverses the torrent of the glacier of Bionassay, which can be observed through the chasm worn by the stream in the mountain side. TheBonnant passes along the valley on our right, at the foot of the lower range of Mont Joly. The village of St. Nicolas de Veroce, with its ancient church on an eminence opposite, pro- duces a very picturesque effect, as seen among surrounding woods and corn- fields.An hour and a quarter farther is the large village of Contamines, whence a narrow road leads to the extremity of the valley. It is impossible not to be struck by the magni- ficent and primitive scenery of this excursion. Large fir forests cover the rocks at the base of Mont Blanc, withoutintercepting a continual view of the glaciers of Bionassay, the Miage, and the Frasse, whose torrents descend into the plain.Nôtre Dame de la Gorge is a small hamlet about half an hour farther on, at the end of the valley. In the month ofSeptember, numerous devotees flock here to pray before the several small chapels on the right of the road. Miraculous224 VALLEY OF ST. GERVAIS, OR MONT JOYE.cures of goître and diseases of the neck have been placed to the account of the patroness, and have caused this custom of pilgrimage. A legend commemorative of the origin of this devotion exists in the writing of the great historian, De Sismondi, on the travellers' book at the Hôtel du Mont Joly.The appearance of this spot is sublime; abrupt ravines, andprecipitous cliffs covered with black forests, terminate the narrow valley. A road on the left leads towards the châletsof Nant Borant, from thence by the Col du Bonhomme andthe Allée Blanche to Cormayeur, a distance of about a day and a half from St. Gervais.From Bionnay a path traverses the plain to the foot of aforest, above which is the village of St. Nicolas de Veroce.This excursion requires about two hours, and can be made on foot or on horseback. The road through the woods is very steep, and conducts us to the village church, which issituated at full 2000 feet above the plain. The tourist isamply compensated for his trouble by the magnificent spec- tacle which he enjoys. In front is the Mont Blanc, with the Aiguille and lofty Dôme du Goûté. From its flanks descend the immense icefields of Bionassay, the Griewa, the Miage,the Frasse, and Trélatête. The excursion to this point islittle frequented, but is as well worthy a visit as anything in the valley of Chamonix.The summit of Mont Joly is only five hours distant from St. Gervais. It is an isolated mountain of easy access, andcommands a very fine view. Four-fifths of the ascent can be made on horseback, and ladies may visit it with perfect confidence and safety. Its elevation is about 8208 feet; the peak is surmounted by a cross. This belvidere commandsan immense panorama of the whole chain of Mont Blanc from north to south, the mountains of Dauphiné and plainsof Savoy, the Jura and Alps of the Valais , with a great variety of other summits. A finer view, attainable with so little fatigue, does not exist in these parts.This valley is extremely abundant in mineral pro- ductions, and offers an interesting field to the amateur.Near the Pont des Chèvres, at the entrance gate, and behind the Baths , are outbreaks of iron ore. At St. Nicolas deVeroce are three galleries in the mine close by the church.At the Griewa, at Contamines, and Nôtre Dame de la Gorge,are workings in mines of rich lead and copper ore, inter-VALLEY OF SIXT. 225mixed with silver. Near the Baths are outbreaks of anthra- cite coal. It is certain, that in former ages these mineswere extensively worked by the Romans or Moors, for below St. Nicolas de Veroce are large heaps of refuse mine, near the entrance of galleries now choked up, but into which aminer accidentally penetrated some years back. Again, be- low this spot is a pit driven in by the side of the Bonnant.Some hundred and twenty years back a foundry existed near Nôtre Dame de la Gorge. An old miner, named Martin Pintz, lives at St. Nicolas de Veroce, and can give much in- formation on these subjects.VISIT TO THE VALLEY OF SIXT.Mr. W. Rayer, a resident at Sixt, gives the best account of this valley. He says:Sixt, a parish containing several villages, is distant apleasant summer-day's drive of about thirty English miles from Geneva: there are two public roads, the one passing by St. Jeoire, the other by Bonneville; the former is the most agreeable, yet the latter is generally selected on account of the convenience offered to travellers by the Cha- monix diligence as far as Bonneville. Here one and two- horse carriages may be procured, in order to continue the journey to Sixt. The price varies from ten to fifteen francs,according to the number of persons.If it be found preferable to follow the direction of St. Jeoire, a carriage should be procured at Geneva to con- vey the travellers the whole distance: this would likewisebe the most desirable plan to adopt in passing throughBonneville. The price for a one- horse char is 12 francs per day; for a carriage and pair, from 20 to 25 francs: ineither case a strict bargain should be made with the pro- prietor of the vehicle, in order to avoid any annoyance or unpleasantness, either on the road or on arriving at Sixt.The journey is easily performed in ten hours, allowing sufficient time on the road to refresh the cattle. As far asBonneville the road is identical with that described in the route " Geneva to Chamonix."On quitting Bonneville, the road lies to the east, along the banks of the Arve, nearly as far as Marigny, where the river Gifre, which derives the principal body of its waters .226 VALLEY OF SIXT.from the cascades and springs issuing from the mountainsof Sixt, makes its junction with the former. The vineyards of Aïse, stretching along the low hills at the base of theimposing mountain of the Môle, offer a pleasing coup- d'œil,especially in autumn; it is in this neighbourhood that the most celebrated white wine of the duchy is grown. Onpassing the bridge of Marigny the road becomes more en- gaging, from the numerous plants of fruit and other treessheltering it on either side, and is quite level as far as the Nan- Thiéz, a village situated at the foot of the hill of Châ- tillon. Here is an inn, where horses are let to aid in mounting the ascent; the price is two francs per horse. On arriving at the summit, a little on the right, are the ruins of an ancient château, said to have been one of the residences of the ancient Dukes of Savoy, from whom the present royalfamily derives its origin; they are certainly very ancient,and delightfully placed in a commanding position. In the valley beneath is situated Cluses, the strait, as its name imports, by which the Arve, in its descent from Chamonix,enters the fertile plains of Cluses and Bonneville. Passing through the rather dirty village of Châtillon, the descent onthe opposite side leads to a very ancient stone bridge thrown across the Gifre and into the level road of the plain of Taninge, a bourg lying directly in front. On the right is discovered, at some little distance from the road to Melan, alarge mass of buildings, till very lately one of the mostflourishing Jesuitical establishments in Europe: it was dis- solved by a royal and rather abrupt mandate in 1848 , onaccount of the political and intriguing tendencies of its occupants, and is now converted into a college conducted principally by priests. In the time of its late proprietors the concern was a real curiosity, and the Père or principal ofthe institution was one of the most polished and literate men of the country.Taninge boasts of little worth seeing. The church is themost prominent object; indeed, in every town, bourg, and village throughout Savoy, this may be said to be the case.Its inns are of a very indifferent character: there are several,differing little in superiority; the one offering as good areception as any of them is kept by Avril, and styled Aux bons Amis at least, here the civility met with in somemanner compensates for the rude appearance of the esta-VALLEY OF SIXT. 227blishment. The town is the capital of a district of a justice of peace, and the road which, leaving that of Bonnevillebetween Nangy and Contamines, passes through St. Jeoire and Meuci, again rejoins it at this point. Families visiting Sixt should ascend by Bonneville and return by St. Jeoire;the varying the road cannot but be agreeable.The road from Taninge to Samoëns is nearly levelthroughout, the valley becoming more picturesque as the latter bourg is approached. The intermixture of different kinds of forest trees renders their foliage very pleasing tothe observer, especially in spring and autumn.Several villages are seen from the road: on the rightLa Rivière, a parish lying close against Gifre; subsequently Morillon, on the bank nearer Samoëns; onthe left, Verchaz,quaintly built on a promontory, with isolated farm - houses,cottages, and châlets. Nothing further occurs to attract attention till we enter Samoëns, which is also the chef lieu of a judge's district. The town itself is about of the sameimportance and appearance as Taninge; its covered market- house is the chief feature; the open space adjoining is veryagreeably overshadowed in summer by several ancient and venerable lime-trees-a favourite lounge with the lazy anduseless employés and other hangers-on of the Govern- ment. Near the church, and in a line with it, is the Château Latour, converted at present into a court-house; the former possessors of this building were the most influential persons of the neighbourhood. The inns here are somewhat su- perior to those of Taninge; the first on entering the town is the Ville de Lyons, kept by Biord: attention, civility,and moderate prices, must ensure to this house a fair share of business. There are several others, of which, as I amunacquainted, it would be useless to speak.From Samoëns to Sixt is about an hour's drive, passingthrough the two villages of Vallon, rich in the ample pro- vision of wood, with which each house is in a manner fortified and supported. Between the two villages should beobserved the pretty cascade called Nandent; it descends from the mountains on the right, named Vasconans, a low rangeconnecting the mountains of Gers with those of Maglan:in rainy seasons it presents itself most admirably to the beholder from the adjacent plain of Vallon. The scenerynow becomes much more savage and engaging; on the right are the craggy and precipitous mountains of Gers, clad228 VALLEY OF SIXT.to their very summits in the sable dress of fir and other hardy trees. Songeay is the first hamlet on entering the commune of Sixt; the wooden bridge thrown across Gifre leads to another, ' des Fées; ' a little further on is seen, on the opposite bank of the river, a chapel dedicated to NôtreDame de Grâce. It has lately been rebuilt and enlarged:the present edifice cannot be compared with the old onefor taste and proportion. Another small but rather pretty plain, Balme, leads to the foot of the Tines; on the left,in a commanding position , lies the hamlet Des Monts,scarcely discernible from the road. The Tines, execratedby coachmen, equestrians , and pedestrians, are not in reality so formidable as represented; at all events, there is no danger either in ascending or descending towards Sixt, of which they are the natural fortress.There is an ancient tradition , accredited by numbers of the inhabitants of the parish, that on the discovery of the com- mune by St. Ponce, the plain between the two rivers was alake having no visible egress for its waters, until the holy abbot drew his ring across the obstructing mass of rocks,whenthe cliff was immediately rent asunder, and the whole sheet of water extending over the present plain (la Glière)was reduced to the two channels; which, uniting their streams a few paces above the mouth of the Tines, fall together into this same miraculous canal of the magic monk.On arriving at the end of the platform, before descending the hill towards Sixt, a few stones thrown down the rentproduce a fine echo, and at the same time afford some ideaof the depth of the channel; great care should be taken not to risk too near an approach to the sides, as they are excessively precipitous and deceptive.The road now becomes delightful from the openingscenery on each side; on the right, to the south, is seen the mountain of Sales, of Anterne, and the towering points ofDes Plages and Des Marmotets, fixed sentinels to the ex.tensive range of the Gers district: in front, to the southeast, are the craggy heights Les Folies, adjoining the huge Grenier de Commune; eastward is the Grenairon, followedby the Prâria and several other heights, connecting Taneverge with the Grenier de Commune; on the left, to the north, the Plans; at the foot of which the road, bordering on the river, in a few minutes conducts the traveller to the Abbaye de Sixt, the chef lieu of the commune.VALLEY OF SIXT. 229The Convent at Sixt is capable of receiving from twenty to thirty persons; and though the luxury and elegance of the hôtels of Geneva may be wanting, still decency, cleanli- ness, and a good table, may be relied on. Until a recentperiod, there existed no establishment capable of receivingvisitors; the few that frequented it were compelled to makeSamoëns their head- quarters: at present, the inns of Samoëns are inferior to the accommodation offered by the establishment of the convent, and visitors are at once introduced to the various beauties that constitute the charm ofthe retired and wild regions of the valley of Sixt.Visitors may board and lodge by the month or week, at moderate prices; the valley abounds in trout, which are of excellent quality, and a good stock of poultry is kept on the place.Persons dreading the fatigue of the mountains may be conveyed in chars to Sallanches and Chamonix.The place does not certainly possess a very striking orengaging exterior; the proudest feature of it is the vener- able lime- tree on the Place, commanding the entrance to theconvent, the chef- d'œuvre of the Bienheureux St. Ponce.The convent, as it is generally termed, but, more properly speaking, the abbey, existed as a religious establishment in1100; the present building was erected by St. Ponce, in that or the following century, and was destined to receive twelvecanons, governed by an abbot, as the inscriptions on thebeams of the ancient refectory testify. The community wasentirely dispersed, and their property confiscated and sold,in the French Revolution of 1792; the contents of thelibrary, containing valuable books and ancient documentsof great worth, were publicly burnt on the Place-a matter of extreme regret to the world of letters . The revenue ofthe Society was about 3600 francs per month, a large sumfor the period in which these dignitaries flourished. Itwould be difficult to discover any great general benefit conferred on the community bythis fraternity; still, some of the oldest inhabitants affirm that their abolition was a severeloss to the neighbourhood. The abbey was in some manner dependent on the more considerable institution of the GrandSt. Bernard. St. Ponce is still held in high esteem, and itis said that the water of the fountain, situated at a little distance from the convent, and bearing his name, is the" sovereign'st thing on earth " for almost every complaint.230 VALLEY OF SIXT.There is also a story here prevalent that his Holiness was in the habit of visiting this spring daily. On a certain occa- sion, instead of finding it supplied with its usual liquid ,wine had replaced the limpid extract of the mountain,-a manifest injunction, said he, that Providence intended him to relinquish the use of water as a beverage, and adopt the liquor thus miraculously offered: the village chroniclers add,that his visits to the spring were even now more frequent than heretofore. His venerable pate is facetiously carvedin stone, and forms the base of a small oratoire affixed tothe wall over the fountain , promising indulgences ad libitum to his devotees.A night's repose in the convent renders the tourist freshand eager to explore the different lions of the valley; theprincipal is that called the Fond de la Comb, the road to which lies to the east. On quitting the Abbaye, scarcelyanything worthy of notice occurs till the village of Nambrideis approached. Passing through the Curtets, the first hamlet on the road, and leaving two other villages, theCroc and the Cerney, to the left, another, called les Briarets,is descried on the opposite side of the river. Above thislatter falls the Dart, one ofthe finest cascades in the valley;its fall is calculated to exceed 900 feet perpendicularly. Înthe months of May, June, and July its waters form a beautiful and gay relief to the gloomy forest with which it is sur- rounded; indeed, the whole of the cascades in the valley are more inviting during the three months above mentioned thanat any other period of the year, consequent on the melting ofthe snow on the higher mountains. On the left, to the north,a fine stream pours down from Salvadon and the Vaudru,which, passing the height termed les Miches, makes severalvery fantastical leaps in its downward progress, but is partially lost to the observer from the density of the beech forestand the projecting contours of the surrounding rocks.whole of the mountain passages are safely practicable to- wards the end of June. The rocks which surround the Dartare a very favourite resort of the chamois. The hills on thewestern side are named les Moliettes; those to the east,Commune: the latter formerly belonged to the convent.The fir plantations on their sides contain the large black co*ck, some of which weigh more than four pounds; in fact,they are found in greater or less quantity in every fir forest,where the whortleberry, bilberry, cranberry, and juniperTheVALLEY OF SIXT. 231abound, as these shrubs furnish their principal food duringa great part of the year.Half- an- hour's walk from the wooden bridge of the Briaret conducts to the village of Lower Nambride. Here formerly existed a blast furnace, moved by the stream Fontany, which intersects the road; its remains are still extant. Upper Nambride is distant about a quarter of an hour from the former of the same name; midway betweenthe two, ascending the heights to the northward, is one of the most superb and pleasing cascades in the whole range of the Alps; to its beauty it also adds an originality unshared by any other in the valley. The greater number of the other cascades are partly or wholly supplied by snow-water,and are more or less attractive as the season and state ofthe weather vary; but the Cascade de la Gouille is furnished from a spring, which issues forth from the rock at some little distance above its fall into the basin of its ownsculpture, from which the great body of its waters, reduced by their violent action against the bottom into almost amist, collects again and forms the stream, which, passing the road near to the village, empties itself into the Gifre.This spring is said to derive its supply from the lake of the Vozal, a mountain three leagues distant from the cascade;the assertion is supported by the fact of a cow's bell being discovered in the basin, identified as having been the oneattached to an animal accidentally drowned in the above lake. The inhabitants of the village recount the incident in the firm conviction of its truth. Subterraneous passagesof the same nature exist in other mountains, especially in the vicinity of Maglan and the mountains of Balme. At alittle distance from the village of Upper Nambride the river is crossed by a wooden bridge ( Pont d'Eau rouge) . The road is enclosed on each side for some distance with a woodof alder trees; on the left is the high point of Sambet, oneof the choicest spots for chamois in the parish. The river in this part is well furnished with trout; though small, theyare of excellent quality, and afford good sport to the fly- fisher: the black gnat is the favourite fly in all seasons of the year.Near to the bank of the river, midway between the bridge and the cross ( Croix de Pelis ) , is a spring of ferruginous water; it is said to be very efficacious in certain disorders,and has been sent in bottles to Lyons, Marseilles, Geneya,232 VALLEY OF SIXT.and many other towns: it seems to increase in reputation in proportion as its virtues become more known and appre- ciated. The inhabitants drink of it for every complaint, andappear to put great reliance in its medicinal powers.Returning to the main road and passing the cross, the spot a few paces in advance attests the disaster, of which the oratoire on the side of the path records the date. It is supposed by some to have been caused by the separation of ahuge mass, forming part of the Tête Noire to the southwest; others think it to have arisen from a disrupted frag- ment of Taneverge to the east: to a careful observer itwould appear that a part of the whole range of mountains which form the Fer à Cheval had contributed to this destructive overthrow. A whole village, the most populous at that period in the commune, consisting of more than three hundred souls, was buried beneath the invading mass. Not a soul escaped; all were taken.It was to relieve the sufferings and difficulties of the friends and relatives of those who perished on this fatal oc- casion that St. François de Sales, the present patron saint of Savoy, after inspecting the scene of this extraordinary calamity, undertook the journey from Sixt to Chambery on foot, in the rigorous winter of 1602, and by a strong and eloquent appeal to the senate of that city obtained anexemption from all kinds of taxes, during several years, for those whose interests were so seriously injured by this lamentable visitation of nature. The inequality of theground on this site would of itself attest the veracity ofthe accident, were other proofs wanting to corroborate it.The present inhabitants of the surrounding villages are capable of furnishing more than sufficient to establish thecorrectness of the story. In a quarter of an hour from the wooden bridge we reach an open ground, from whence is discovered one of the most magnificent panoramas of savage scenery; on the left, to the east, is the sugar-loaf mountainof Taneverge, an unequal mass of craggy and projecting rocks, here and there diversified with green spots, favourite retreats of the chamois, which, as it were, from their fortresses, discover the approach of their enemies, from what quarter soever they advance. In front, to the south, is the range of Tête Noire, extending from the bulky Grenier de Commune to the south- eastern side of Taneverge; in the background is the Grenairon, with the mountains of PrârionVALLEY OF SIXT. 233adjoining it. The road from Sixt to Salvent and Martigny,twelve hours distant, passes by the former, and offers to those capable of supporting mountain fatigue a very pleasant and picturesque trip. There is an inn at Salvent, where clean beds may be procured, if it should be found convenientto divide the journey into two days.This demi- lunar range of rocks, or, as it is called in thecountry, the Horse- shoe ( Fer à Cheval) , is agreeably en- livened by several charming cascades, which in the months of May, June, and July are certainly well worth a visit .There are seven which deserve to have their names recorded. The first on the right, to the south, in the direction ofthe mountains of Commune, is supplied by the glacier of the Grenairon, and bears the name of la Combe de Saute- relle; the second, called la Citerne, is somewhat to the eastward of the former, butis furnished by the same glacier:the beauty of both is regulated in a great degree by the heat of the weather, and the same cause which would diminish the bulk of those dependent on springs, would extend to those descending from the glaciers a much greaterforce and body of water. The third fall is that of the Joiton,said to have derived its name from a person who was acci- dentally drowned in it; but of this there is no certain proof:it draws its waters from the glacier Du Prârion, and is con- siderably eastward of the other two. The fourth is laContrainte; the word would of itself sufficiently indicate its nature: it is bounded on each side by a rock, through which at some very remote period it seems to have forced its way.The fifth, the Grand Nant, different to the others beforementioned, is supplied by a spring of great power, and is a very pleasing and attractive object during the greater part of the year. From the Abbaye it may be easily distin- guished, as it makes its varied leaps over the opposing ine- qualities of the rocky promontories of Taneverge. The sixth is the Pierette, which descends from the very highest point of Taneverge. The seventh is the Pisette, issuing forth from a cleft in the north-western side of the same moun- tain both the latter are to the left of the Grand Nant.Having reposed a few minutes to survey the different beauties of the Fer à Cheval, we again put forward for the Fond de la Combe. On the left is the mountain of Sambet;on the right, Taneverge, with its dislocated chimney; on its234 VALLEY OF SIXT.northern flank, a green spot is viewed. From hence com- mences the passage of Taneverge; to the intrepid it is avery delightful track, and much more interesting than thatof the Téte Noire, in order to reach Salvent and Martigny.The source of the Grand Nant lies directly in the path by which the mountain is traversed; and in front, south-west- ward, the whole of the valley, with the mountains of Gers, isseen to the greatest advantage. Pursuing the journey, the scenery on each side of the road becomes more and more wild and striking; the fall of the different minor cascades,and the echo from the stream of the river Gifre, as it overleaps the huge fragments of rock which impede its course,cause a continual and undulating murmur, which, re- echoed by the surrounding heights , embarrass the most attentive listener in discovering from whence the sound proceeds.The mountain of the Boré now appears on the left, fromwhich was extracted the ore that supplied the foundry at the Abbaye; the excavations are still to be seen. Visitors to theCombe usually ascend the staircase ( Pas de Boré) in orderto obtain a complete view of this part of the valley: theascent well repays the trouble. On the platform is the usual halt for lunch. The Boré is the key to the passage of the Sage-roux, distant about an hour from the mountain of theVozal, where the passage from Sixt by the Miches and Sal- vadon unites with the former. The whole distance fromthe Boré to the Sage- roux is performed in a little less thanthree hours. The separation of the canton of Valais fromSavoy is marked by a limit- stone at this point, from whence the descent to Chambery and the Val d'Iliers is made in alittle more than two hours, and with comparative ease, in the latter part of the summer. The inhabitants of Sixt are constantly in the habit of making the journey, in order to lay intheir winter's provision of salt and tobacco.Again, from the passage of the Sage-roux the ascent of the Dent du Midi is made in three hours (the guides ofChambery are compelled to make a circuit and fall in with the mountain plain of Entlegenfe bordering on the Sage- roux); from the Abbaye de Sixt to the Sage-roux is a good walk of four hours and a half. The Chalets of Sallanches,two hours distant from the summit, offer a retreat for the night, and St. Maurice can be reached in about the same time in the morning; thus avoiding Chambery, an unne-VALLEY OF SIXT. 235cessary deviation from the road, to those who are desirous of reaching Martigny. The Dent du Midi is said to be alittle higher than the Buet, but in fact there is so little dif ference, that it is almost impossible to decide.Regaining the road in the valley, the Combe soon presents itself, the " Ultima Thule" of Savoy; if savage anduncivilised nature were expelled, all other abodes here certainly would be its retreat: the very air scents of desolation,and the uninterrupted stillness of the spot, save where now and then a huge block of ice, or a crumbling piece of rockin its downward course, varies for the moment the continualcalm, would stamp it as Desertion's own home.There are two principal cascades, which in certain seasons are very beautiful: the first is, la Cascade de la Scie, the original source of the river Gifre: in the months of June and July are very frequently seen large pieces of ice de- tached from the glacier Montruant above, falling into the basin beneath with a loud crash. The above glacier is nearlytwo leagues in extent; at its eastern extremity is the moun tain Barberine, between which and Taneverge is a sea of ice.The Pisse-Vaché, which falls into the Rhône between St.Maurice and Martigny, is furnished by the glaciers and springs of these same mountains; and persons of high cou- rage and vigorous constitutions may pass this way, and fall directly either on St. Maurice or Salvent: as yet the passagehas seldom been made. The scenery of this wild region is quite equal to anything of the same kind at Chamonix,though to gain a full view of this almost unfrequented tract requires a rather tedious and difficult ascent.The other, la Cascade du Prasjean, makes two superb bounds; an abundant spring of water administers a continual supply throughout the year: it falls into a basin of its own formation, and is about a mile distant from La Scie. Themountain Prasjean is the only pasturage allotted to sheep in this part of the commune, and this privilege would not be extended to them, but that the cows and other cattle are incapable of frequenting it; the flesh of the animals fed onthe perfumed herbage of this rocky district is of very excel- lent quality, quite equal to Welsh mutton.Retracing our steps, beneath the Boré is discovered apleasing fall, la Gouille du Boré; its basin is very capacious, and generally contains trout of good size and quality.236 VALLEY OF SIXT.A few courageous persons have converted the basin into abath-a practice not to be recommended, even in the very warmest months of summer.About three hours distant from the châlets in Salvadonis the mountain Vaudru, a very elevated, though perfectlyaccessible one; ladies even may venture the ascent without any risk. It requires a walk of about two hours and a half from Sixt to reach the châlets in Salvadon, where, in summerand autumn, milk, cream, and butter may be obtained for atrifle . Except the Buet, there is no point in Savoy north- ward of Mont Blanc which offers such a delightful and extensive prospect. The Lake of Geneva; the canton of the Valais, with all its mountains, towns, and streams; the wholecountry extending round Annecy, a great part of the Dau- phiné, the different heights in the Bernese country, and the canton of Vaud, with many other places, may be distinctly The latter part of July and the beginning of Augustare the most propitious seasons for visiting it; on a fine day the prospect is so charming, that it is with extreme reluctance the visitor is persuaded to quit it.seen.This mountain, with the adjacent ones, viz. Boston, Beda Vozal, Chassa, &c . , are rich in fossil remains; on most of them are found crystals, curious stones, and other eccen- tricities of nature. One of the patriarchs of the villageCerney, states that in his youth he discovered, not far from the châlets of Salvadon, a perfect human form petrified: he judged it to be that of a child seven or eight years old; every feature and form of limb were perfectly discernible-even the strings which attached the sandals, as well as the sandals themselves, were exactly portrayed. Ignorant of its value, he broke it in pieces to see what it contained, and left the fragments to the mercy of the avalanches and rolling pieces of rock, which had the following season, onhis returning to the same spot, entirely caused to disappear every trace of this singular phenomenon. The old man's story may be readily credited, as not long since was disco- vered, in the direction of the Vaudru, the form of a humanhand, with the nails, joints, and even the veins easily dis- tinguishable.The whole commune, and more especially its northern and southern parts, would afford a pleasing ramble to the mineralogist, geologist, and botanist.VALLEY OF SIXT. 237The western and south-western parts of the commune are bounded by the mountains of Gers, those of Arraches ,and the Vasconans. Passing across the plain (la Glière ) ,the first small hamlet on the left is d'Haute Rive, the nextle Fay; leaving both on the left, and crossing the wooden bridge thrown over the little Gifre, the ascent is immediately begun. In front is la Giéta, forming a very fine relief to the beech-forest beneath; on the left, to the south, is the Pointede Sales, the very arm and burgonet ' of the valley. The two pics whichflank the Gers mountains are called , the onenearest,the Pointe des Plages, the other the Pointe des Marmotets; on their summits the moorco*ck ( Tetrao tetrax) is found, and the chamois often selects them as a place of refuge and repose.6The straggling village which lies in the road is called Englêne; a very pleasant spot in summer, and well protected from the overpowering heat of the sun by numerous trees,walnut and others. Before winding the sierra, the direct road into Gers, a few minutes' walk from the village across the sloping fields leads to one of the finest waterfalls (Saut-Bodet) in this part of the valley. The stream Pieuré,descending from the rocks of the adjoining mountains,makes here an astounding leap; in the basin below are caught trout of the best quality in the whole commune.Recovering the zigzag path of the sierra, and following its varied sinuosities, we meet with a small wooden bridge con- ducting across the Pieuré; the path now lies in the direction of the forest of the Envers, which overhang the stream in its descent from Gers. ' In half-an-hour the châlets of Sal- lanches are reached . There is also a path on the right side of the stream, diverging from the direct road at a little distance before reaching the bridge or the saw- mills; in summer it is generally chosen by pedestrians as the more agreeable passage. The proximity of the stream, with its eccentric leaps and gurgling murmurs, renders this one of the most pleasing rambles in the commune. Following its course with very little deviation, the châlets above mentioned are soon reached; a little above them is a trifling cascade termed the Saut du Petit Tinet, scarcely worth remark,except after a very heavy fall of rain; on the right, to the north-west, is the Giéta, the summit of which affords a fine view of the valley of Taninge, and of the road by which the traveller arrives at Sixt.238 VALLEY OF SIXT.A rather rugged road through a fir-forest to the south- west is soon agreeably changed for the soft turf of the plain of Gers, enclosed on each side by mountains and wooded heights. The lake is soon visible, and although not a grand sheet of water, is still an interesting object, and extremely serviceable to the mountaineers for their cattle and sheep in summer and autumn.Following the course of the valley and ascending the heights at its termination, an elevated spot is gained from which the view is very extensive: the points Griffon and Pelousa to the south-west, the mountain of Sales to the south, with the Buet in the background to the south-east,stand out in bold relief.Reverting to the lake in Gers, not far from its southern bank, is a path easy to trace, which conducts to the Châletsdes Foges: this is the direction generally taken in order to reach the points Griffon and Pelousa. There is no danger attending the excursion over even the most exalted tracts of this part of the commune. Pelousa is about an hour's distance from the Griffon, the latter about an hour and a half's stroll from the lake in Gers.From the Foges a towering eminence, called by some the Pointe du Perfiat, by others the Tête des Fenliés, is attained;the view from which is delightful; from no other direction can the Buet be seen to greater advantage: its platform,glaciers, and, in fact, every striking feature of its peculiar form, are clearly visible. To the north are seen the moun- tains of Valais, overtopping the low mountains which separate it from Savoy; the rocky precipices of the mountain of Sales lie directly in front, and gratify the observer by theirvery quaint and gigantic proportions. In this latter moun- tain is made, perhaps, the finest butter in the duchy, it is certainly very superior to any other for some leagues around;during the season the cows, goats, and sheep, are on the mountains, the monotony and stillness of the district arevery much enlivened by their presence; the rustic chants and wild airs of the milk-maids, with the continual sound of the bells attached to the cattle, have a very agreeable effect:the cows, too, are extremely useful, as the rambler may al- ways for five or six sous procure a refreshing draught of excellent milk, which in the warm days of autumn is themost salutary beverage, both allaying thirst and hunger.VALLEY OF SIXT. 239The different eminences above mentioned are safely acces- sible even to ladies, and afford a fine tableau to the sketcher and painter. Very bright specimens of crystal are found in this direction, and in the autumn the botanist may make asplendid collection of flowering and other plants.From the point Pelousa the descent to Sallanches is made, in passing down a ravine on the western side of the Porteta; and from the heights called les Vents de Gers , situ- ated at the south- western extremity of the valley leading from the lake in Gers, there is a direct passage to the lakeof Flaîne, thence to Arraches, and subsequently to Maglan,midway between Cluses and Sallanches. Sixt, indeed, fre quently receives visitors who have passed in this direction.From the Point du Perfiat there is a track, sufficientlytraced in summer and autumn by the cattle and their pro- prietors, leading directly to the châlets of Sales; those who are not desirous of prolonging the tour as far as the Griffon and Point Pelousa will find it convenient.These wooden houses are the most considerable andnumerous in the whole commune, and their proprietors are at all times exceedingly attentive to the calls of those who may be tempted by what they contain. On quitting them, arising ground as far as the large Prât exposes to view a lofty mountain on the right, in which is a cavern, the asylum of the chamois, when too closely pursued by their indefatigable enemies this cavern is as yet unexplored, and offers anenterprising speculation to amateurs of this description of pleasure. Ascending still an acclivity, les Verdets, the Dé- rochoir to the south appears; two hours from the châlets in Sales are required in order to arrive at the edge of the rock,from which is discovered the whole valley of the river Arve as far as Sallanches, and nearly to Chamonix. The Mont Blanc appears in almost the whole of its grandeur. Opposite are the baths of St. Gervais, and in the background all the different eminences, as far as the platform of Mégève. There is a ravine, by which the descent is made to Servoz; the passage was formed by the fall of a part of the mountain in1751. It cannot be very strongly recommended to tourists,on account of the stones which are occasionally detached from the rotten rocks in the parts where the separation tookplace; it is nevertheless frequented, and, as yet, no accident of a serious kind has ever occurred.240 VALLEY OF SIXT.Passing over the Lochées to the west, the mountain ofthe Porteta is reached, on which are found very bright crystals with their two points complete. The Dent du Midi to the north- east, above St. Maurice in the Valais; the mountains of the Chablais, encircling the lake of Geneva, are clearly seen from its summit. Eastward of the Dérochoir isthe platform of the Chalamanes, the summer pasture for the horses of Sixt. From the Porteta the descent is made toPassy, a commune bordering on that of Sallanches; to thesouth- east is seen the proud eminence of Tête à l'Ane, the highest point in the range of the Rochers des Fiz which encircle the plateau de Sales in its whole circumference, except on the side of the Porteta and the Châlets de Sales.Returning to the Châlets of Sales, and following the road leading to Sixt, a small chapel is seen on the right hand, where mass is performed once a-year ' to bless thecattle.' His reverence is abundantly paid for his pains, as the whole of the butter made on this day is conveyed to the curé of Sixt three men are scarcely able to transport the bootyto its destination. Furthermore, a good sum in money is contributed from the meagre purses of the natives.

The road below the chapel becomes tolerably good; alittle in advance appears a cross, and almost immediately afterwards the cascade Trainon issuing forth from the rock.This is the original source of the celebrated Roger. Several other minor falls attract the attention in descending: two first, les Dovrées, which, springing from the middle of therock, before reaching the ground are dispersed in mist; the next is that of Cenoni, another of the principal supplementary streams of the Roger. In this part of the descent is a rather steep and rugged kind of staircase (le Pas de Sales); at its base is a platform termed le Clos: the stream is soon after- wards passed by a wooden bridge; a cross appears imme- diately, to which is attached a certain importance. On the right, to the south- east, is the Point of Sales, near which isseen a rock in the shape of a chimney; an aperture in its summit permits the sky on the opposite side to be clearly distinguished: it is said to be the property of his satanicmajesty. A rumbling of stones and other strange sounds are heard every day, and although the spot may excite a little dread in those unaccustomed to these wild scenes, no one asyet has ever suffered any injury in this locality; this cross isVALLEY OF SIXT. 241:supposed to be the protection of the peasant, and the coun- ter-influence to the designs of the arch enemy of man.On the left, to the west, are the precipitous rocks, which uphold the mountains of the Perfiat, and twenty minutes'walk lower down the stream is seen the Cascade le Clos,which in conjunction with another, named la Pleureuse,from its waters forming as it were a veil in resemblance of the graceful branches of the weeping-willow, augments the stream considerably. Bounding from rock to rock, the current, in a very rapid descent, and receiving sundry smallcontributions from the springs of the surrounding hills,becomes in the summer months almost a river: passing,finally, on the left of the Châlets de Lignon, with a majestic bound, it forms the fall of the Roger.In the months of May, June, and July, there are few waterfalls in Europe that surpass it in beauty; its position,body of water, and elevation ( nearly 400 feet fall ) , together with the surrounding scenery, render it an object of the greatest interest and attraction: before making its final leap into the basin by the side of the road leading to Servoz, its course is diversified by several minor bounds, which are seen to the best advantage from the road leading to the Fonds, in the direction of the Buet.Pedestrians who, leaving the Abbaye de Sixt, pass .through Salvagny and over the Pont de Sales, in order tovisit Roger, are apprised that their return may be varied bytaking the path through the forest les Marmotets, conductingto the cascade near Englêne, of which mention was made some few pages back: the homeward course in this direction is only adapted for gentlemen, as it is necessary topass through brushwood and over rather unlevel ground;the shade of the forest, however, and the delightful scenery,amply compensate for a few rough encounters in the road.It is not meant to assert that the tour through Gers,and the mountains subsequently spoken of, can be accom- plished in a single day; even to the v ry strongest persons it would be found too fatiguing: to obviate the inconvenience of descending before having completed the whole survey of this extensive range, one of the villagers is generally sent with sheets and other necessary linen as far as the Châlets of Sales, where such repose as the place affords is easily obtained. The people are accommodating, and feel pleasure R242 VALLEY OF SIXT.It in receiving these mountain visits: a frane or two to the girl who presides over the hut is a sufficient recompense.should be stated that ptarmigan are found in abundance;there are also grey and red partridges in certain places of the above mountains. Chamois in considerable numbers exist in every part of the commune, and afford excellentsport to those fond of the rifle exercise.The Buet, called also la Mortine, the lion of Sixt, theboast and glory of the guides, and the highest point of the Alps nearest to Geneva, is accessible to even very moderate pedestrians. There are two methods to adopt in visiting it:-first, by leaving Sixt as early as five A.M., the summit is attained by mid- day, and the tourist, allowing sufficient time for a careful survey of the surroundingbeauties, will be able to reach Sixt by seven P.M. at the latest.Second, by transporting sheets and other articles to theFonds, the distance is shortened by nearly three hours.There are several decent châlets in the beautiful opening of the Fonds belonging to the natives of Sixt; one lately built, entirely new, offers a very tolerable night's retreat.From the Fonds to the summit of the Col des Chauxthree hours are required; from hence, to the highest point ofthe Buet, about two hours more; making a total from the Abbaye de Sixt of between a seven and eight- hours' trip .The first hamlet on quitting the chef lieu, la Maison Nueve, is situated about half way between the Abbaye and Salvagny; the latter the most considerable village in thecommune, and although the most filthy and uninteresting,by far the richest both in cattle, specie, and land. The inhabitants are excessively avaricious, bigoted, and pilfering,and oppose every improvement in the road to Servos andChamonix; blind in this respect to their own interests, and selfish in the extreme with regard to those of the guidesand others who are interested in advancing civilisation by the introduction of persons of superior education, position,and manners.The torrent of the Nantsec intersects the road at a very little distance from the village, crossing which, the heights are gradually passed, and the road becomes tolerably level and sheltered fromthe heat by a forest (la Grande Joux); an opening in a place called Esperit, discloses on a sudden the cascade Roger: from no other point can it be viewed soVALLEY OF SIXT. 243interestingly, sufficiently near to calculate its sheet of water,and at an elevation affording a full display of its different leaps, before making its final fall into the basin on the side of the road leading to Servos.Threading the tortuous path of the forest, half- an- hour's stroll brings us to the Granges des Pelis de Soret . Fromthe opposite bank falls a pretty cascade, la Jouxbas, which derives its waters from the lake at the foot of the Cold'Anterne. In the month of June, when its usual stream is increased by the melting of the snow on the surroundinghills, it forms a delightful variation to the desolate air and awful calm of the sombre ravine of the Jouxbas.From hence, continuing the walk along the side of the hill, and through the forest of the Soret, the châlets of the Fonds soon appear. To the left, several cascades, whichform the source of the Petit Gifre, descend from the glaciers of the Buet. On the left of the stream- that is, beforepassing the wooden bridge-is a track, passing over the rocky heights, which form the eastern boundary to this very retired and verdant retreat, les Fonds. Chamois huntersand others have occasionally adopted this course as a passageto the Buet; the guides conduct those committed to their charge by the path in the direction of the south.Leaving the châlets, and passing through a small forest ,the torrent is crossed, and the ascent immediately begun.The road, if it may be so called , lies in a ravine for some distance, and then changes for a kind of turf imposed on aclay soil nothing worth recording occurs till the summit of the Col des Chaux is reached. On the right, to the south and west, is the forest Grasse Chèvre, a particularly favourite haunt of moorco*ck and chamois; on the opposite side of it,towards the Col d'Anterne, ptarmigan (Tetrao lagopus ) arefound, more numerous than in any other quarter of the commune. (The guides are compelled to send back the mules to the Fonds, on reaching the Col des Chaux. )From the summit of des Chaux, the view to the north- west,west, and south is very extensive, and pleasingly occupies the few minutes here generally devoted to repose. Nowcommences the real ascent of the Buet, every pause in which discovers some fresh object to attract the attention,till, gaining the extreme height, a burst of unfeigned ad- miration proves the transcendent beauty of the surrounding244 VALLEY OF SIXT.scenery. To the south, Mont Blanc, with its line of pointedsatellites, calls forth the warmest exclamations of delight;to the south- east, Mont Rosa, Mont Cervin, and the othermajestic eminences of the mountain range, which separatesthe canton of the Valais from Italy, arrest the attention bytheir great elevation and colossal forms; to the east, infine weather, are descried the Jungfrau, Finsteraarhorn,Schrekhorn, and Wetterhorn-in fact, all the towering prodigies of the Bernese canton; to the north, the Dentdu Midi, which rises to about the same elevation as the Buet; the Diablerets, separating the canton de Vaud fromthat of the Valais, are distinctly seen; to the west, Savoy,Dauphiné, and with a glass even Grenoble: the mountainsof the Jura and parts of France beyond them, the lake ofGeneva and adjoining towns, are visible to the north-west.There are two directions leading to Chamonix from theBuet; the one by Valorsine, the other by the Brévent.APassing by Valorsine, the descent is commenced over hard snow, which fills up the intervals between the rotten and craggy rocks; sometimes the path lies directly on them.The first halt is made on a rock named la Table au Chantre,which presents natural seats, inviting the traveller to repose.Passing between round primitive rocks, the interstices in which are covered with turf, the Pierre à Bérard is reached;a flat rock, under which a stable for twenty cows, beds forthe shepherds, and fittings for cheese and butter- making,have been constructed. Continuing the descent, smallglaciers issuing from the Aiguilles Rouges are seen.rather steep part, covered with snow, is now passed over, andsubsequently a green acclivity, leading to a larch forest, at the extremity of which is a small oval plain, from whence is a rapid descent to the bridge by which the Trient is traversed,and the narrow valley of the Col Bérard entered. A pretty cascade, issuing from between two ledges of rocks, is des- cried; and soon afterwards a small hamlet, named la Couteraie, appears subsequently the village la Poya, dependent on Valorsine, and distant about one hour from it. Theremaining part of the road does not require describing.Valorsine is distant about three hours and a half from Chamonix .Taking the route of the Brévent, a rather fatiguingdescent of more than an hour brings the traveller to theVALLEY OF SIXT. 245Col de Salenton, and hence to the Châlets de Villy, through a narrow valley; these châlets, distant about four hours fromthe summit of the Buet, are frequently made a retreat for the night by those visiting it from Chamonix. The next châlets, distant about a league from Villy, are those ofBarme;a valley, flanked by the Aiguilles Rouges, leads directly to them. Following a path at the foot of these pointed heights,the châlets ofArlevay or Relevé are attained in about an hour;hence the path, passing up a ravine of no very agreeable kind, reaches the Brévent in a place called the Chimney.The descent is subsequently made to the Prieuré of Cha- monix by the Col Pliampras, and the châlets of the same name.From the Châlets of Arlevay, if it be deemed preferable,the direction of Servos may be taken by crossing the Dioza,a stream descending from the base of the Buet, near theChâlets of Moëde, and thus rejoining the track leading from the Col d'Anterne. ( See the road from Sixt to Servos. )Another manner of reaching Chamonix is offered by passing between the Aiguilles Rouges, and thus falling on the Flė- gère. The guides of Sixt are perfectly acquainted with the various lines here sketched, and no traveller has the slightest reason to dread an accident when accompanied by them.From the Prairies de Soret, lying to the north of the Buet, two hours' walk across the hard snow leads to the mountain Nabochon; in two hours from thence the Fenestralis reached, and in about an hour from the latter the village of the Finhauds is gained; hence the road is direct to Trilient and Salvent, in the canton of the Valais: a hardytrip of from six to seven hours, presenting a fine view from beginning to end of the mountains of the Valais, Bernese, and Mont Blanc ranges. A sportsman would be almost certain of falling in with chamois, black co*ck, and other mountain game. Sixt and the adjacent villages boast ofsome of the hardiest and most courageous chamois huntersin the whole Alps. There are annually from seventy to ahundred killed in the commune: young ones may be pro.cured by addressing a line to Mr. W. Rayer, of the Convent of the Abbaye de Sixt, and every information with respect to the sporting can be forwarded from the convent.There reside at the Abbaye de Sixt, two of the most246 VALLEY OF SIXT.experienced and enterprising guides to be found in Savoy,André and Pierre Rannaud.The journey from Sixt to Servos requires between seven and eight hours; the road passing through Salvagny, overthe Pont de Sales, and under the fall of the Roger, leads to the Châlets of Lignon; one hour and a half from thence tothe cascade Du Clos and Pleureuse, is rather a rough walk of three-quarters of an hour; here the path branches off from the direct line into Sales , and turning to the south- east brings the tourist, after a sharp ascent of one hour, to the Col d'Anterne. The scene from this point is one of themost pleasing kind: the Buet directly in front, the valley of Sixt, and of the Fonds in a great part; and the mountains forming the northern boundary of the commune are fully exposed to view to the west the Pics of the Marmotets and Plages, supported in the background by the sturdy moun- tains of Gers, form a charming picture, and gratefully enter- tain the beholder during the quarter of an hour generallyallowed for repose. In no other locality are the rhododen- drons found of greater beauty and luxuriance, towards the latter part of June, than on this hill. From the Col theroad is tolerably well traced to the Châlets d'Anterne, which are reached in half an hour. In the summer months milkand cream may be had of the peasant- girls for a trifle; and a few minutes are here granted the mules for a feed of oats.To the west is seen the towering form of Tête à l'Ane, the highest point in the commune next to the Buet; it forms apart of the Rochers des Fiz. The whole line of rocks here displayed contains fossils and other curiosities in geology. The observer will remark, too, a continued line of a ferruginous substance towards the base of the mountain, extending from the rocks at the entrance into Sales as far as the Dérochoir.Resuming the onward course, a steep ascent of half an hour ,over rotten rocks, and ten minutes' descent, bring us to the lake of Anterne; a rather pretty sheet of water, escaping by a subterraneous passage in the direction of the Rochers desFiz; hence to the Col d'Anterne is a gentle rise of half an hour. The hills round the lake abound in ptarmigan, andoffer excellent sport in the month of October. The softturf, near to the cross, engages the tourist to make a shorthalt, and admire the grand view which is here suddenly dis-VALLEY OF SIXT. 247played. In front appears the majestic Mont Blanc, with the other pics of the same range; overtopping the Brévent, the Aiguilles Rouges, andthe mountain of Pormenas, which over- hangs Servos . Nothing can be more grand that the coup d'œil fromthe Col d'Anterne; on which side soever the eyeturns, it meets with some noble prodigy of nature. The wooded and celebrated commune of St. Gervais, and beyondit Mégève, the Col de Forclaz, and even as far as the Mont- joli, with several other mountains in the Savoyen and Ta- rentaise provinces, may be distinctly seen. Turning towards Sixt, the Dent du Midi raises its spiral head above all the other different heights; some few of the Bernese mountainsmay also be seen, the principal are masked by the huge Grenier de Commune.Descending an execrable slope of rotten slates , the direc tion of the south is taken; in the bottom are seen the Châlets of Moëde, which lie in the line to gain those of Arlevay,and so on to the summit of the Brévent: to the east,winding round the hill adjoining the Col, is the path leading to Villy drawing rather towards the Rochers des Fiz, and passing over a rugged tract interspersed with several acclivities, an hour from the Col brings the traveller in sight of the Châlets of Nayer, which are left considerably to the south-west. The Dérochoir is immediately above them, and in the background the mountain of Varens. Entering the fir forest directly to the south, the remaining part of the road, by following the tract frequented by the cattle, is not difficult to discover; the village below, called the Mont, is aquarter ofan hour distant from Servos, and two hours from the Col d'Anterne.From Sixt to Chambery, Monthey, and the Val d'Ilier, is a good mule- road throughout, descending to Samoëns; and passing the mills picturesquely situated under the PointChaumette, the road lies alittle to the east, or right, as far as the Allemands, two hours distant from Sixt. Hence thepath varies a trifle to the left, or north-west, as far as the scattered houses, or Hameau de la Croix, Leaning still to the left, a gentle rise of three- quarters of an hour gains the Col de Golèze: on the side of the path is a spring of sul- phurous water, of great strength, but of little volume; theodour arising from it sufficiently indicates its locality. The Col is distant one hour and a half from the Allemands, and248 VALLEY OF SIXT.consequently three and a half from Sixt. Descending into the Plain Sardonnières, and leaving the châlets of the same name to the left, the Fretrôle is traversed; on the left are the Châlets of Fretrôle; hence to the summit of theCol de Coux is an easy ascent: two hours from the Col de Golèze are required. The cross and stones implanted in the turf mark the limits of the canton of the Valais and ofSavoy.Passing down a narrow valley, with châlets on the right and left, and drawing somewhat to the west, the mountainBeroué is passed; the track from this point is visible through- out: two hours from the Col are necessary to reach the village of Chambery. It would not be advisable to make thedifferent excursions herein described without guides, nor can the road be shown on paper sufficiently clear to au- thorise any one in attempting the mountain passages with- out attendants.Keller's map, the best extant, is not correct with regard to the valley of Sixt and adjoining commune: for instance,he places the Col de Colèze close to the Fer à Cheval,whereas there intervene the Vaudru, Greyou, les Folies, theVozal, and Boré mountains; again, the line describing the ascent of the Buet is drawn on the wrong side of the mountain.Martigny is distant twelve hours from Sixt; the jour- ney can only be made by the most robust and expe- rienced tourists: one-fourth only of the road is practicable with mules. The hamlet of Passy, situated on the sloping hill to the south- east of the Abbaye, is left to the right;the path thence lies through beech, larch, and fir forests,with intervening openings. A fine and extensive tract of pasturage ground is now entered, enlivened in the summer and autumn months by herds of cows, goats, and sheep, and the presence of the girls who attend on them. In two hours the Châlets of Commune are reached; hence, to the cross on the summit of the hill at the foot of the Grenier de Commune, is a tedious rise of one hour and a half. The mules now return to Sixt, and the rest of the distance is performed on foot. Threading the tortuous track of the Tête Noire, the ascent of the Grenairon is soon begun;from the cross two hours and a half are requisite to reach he point over which the road passes. Having surveyed theVALLEY OF SIXT. 249grand and varied scenery presented from every direction,the descent on the opposite side leads us to the mountain of Nabochon, and subsequently to the forest of Fenestral, the most celebrated, perhaps, in the whole Alps for black co*ck and other game. The whole distance from hence to Salvent is an alternation of hill and vale of a fatiguing description,here and there interspersed with forest and châlets . In three hours from the forest of the Fenestral, or in five from the summit of the Grenairon, the uninteresting bourgof Salvent presents itself; hence to Martigny, about two hours distant from the former village, is a tolerable road.Sportsmen desirous of amusing themselves with chamoishunting should be provided with either a good rifle, or a double gun previously proved; as many guns, excellent for field sports, are not calculated for carrying a ball. A port d'armes and permis de chasse are requisite; they may be pro- cured either from Chambery or from Bonneville. Mr. Piclet,her Majesty's Consul at Geneva, is generally kind enough to arrange this affair for those unacquainted with the manner of procuring them.The manner of hunting is as follows: -Several chasseursare employed, part of whom, with the persons forming the party, are posted in certain passages where the chamois,from being surrounded, are forced to pass; the others, withthe aid of dogs, push them towards the different posts. It seldom happens but that one or other, and often several,succeed in firing . The flesh is of great delicacy towards the month of October, and the skin and horns are held inhigh estimation. The more numerous the party, the less need, in consequence of extra chasseurs to fill the vacantposts. The expense is from 30 to 40 francs per day, which,shared amongst four or five persons, cannot be considered very extravagant. Two of the best chasseurs and the most expe- rienced in the mountain passages of Sixt, and the adjoining country, are Jean Baud of Vallon, called the Intrepid; andFrançois Joseph Nambride, of the village Du Croc, calledthe Chasseur. Peter, rue du Perron, near the Magdalene, at Geneva, is gunsmith. Rifles and guns can be hired atGeneva for a very trifle.250 CHAMONIX TO MARTIGNY.CHAMONIX TO MARTIGNY.The journey from Chamonix to Martigny may be made either by the Tête Noir or the Col de Balme, in seven oreight hours' walking. Each road is well tracked, and noguide is necessary. The way as far as to either pass from Chamonix has been already described among the excursions in the preceding route.For Tête Noir the traveller ascends the vale of Chamonixby les Près, the Tines, across the Arve, to the left of Ar- gentière, and past its glacier. Beyond this point the road turns to the north, to the left of that leading to La Tour andCol de Balme, past the Moulets, and thus by a desolate ravine to the Val Orsine and the village of the same name.The valley narrows below this latter place, and assumes aravine-like character; more agreeable, however, than the lastthrough which we passed on the other side of the crest,abounding with pretty waterfalls and luxurious vegetation.The frontier of Savoy is in this gorge; the Orsine is crossed soon after reaching it, and the scenery becomes more open.The road to the Tête Noir is now led over the side of themountain by a series of cuttings, beyond which is the auberge called by the high- sounding title of Hôtel de la Couronne. We are now close to the Tête Noir, as the black wooded crest of the mountain is called, which weskirt in following the road where it turns sharply into the forest of Trent.A slight variation of this route from Val Orsine, by which a view of a fine waterfall is gained, is described in the fol- lowing passage: -" My guide carried me by a side-path to a scene of great beauty and grandeur, which travellers often miss seeing, because it is off the grand route and difficult to find, and many of the guides either do not know it , or do not wish to take the additional trouble of getting to it. This was the Cascade Barberina, one of the finest waterfalls in Switzerland. Thetorrent of water comes down from the glaciers of the Buet,and makes a sudden and most terrific plunge sheer over the precipice into a black jagged mountain gorge, with a mightyCHAMONIX TO MARTIGNY. 251roar and crash that is almost deafening. On this side youstand upon a green knoll, a little grassy mountain, of which the verdure is perpetually wetted by the spray, and holding on by your staff firmly thrust into the ground, or by a tree on the borders of the gorge, you may look down into the roaring depths, see the cataract strike, and admire the con- flict of the waters. The accompaniments are very grand:hanging masses of verdant forest on either side; but above,enormous, snow- covered mountains, out of which, from the mouth of a craggy gorge, bursts at once upon you the raging torrent. In a sunny day you would have rainbows arching the torn rocks glittering in the spray, and dancing over the impearled grass where you are standing. Coming to it, my guide carried me along the side of a mountain across the path of a tourmente, or mountain whirlwind, the marks of which, in themselves alone, are worth going far to see. Acircuitous belt of the largest trees amidst the pine and fir forest that clothes the mountain are stripped of branches,verdure, and sometimes bark, as if scathed by lightning,while others are broken and twisted, as you might twist awillow sapling. The fury of these tourmentes is inconceiv- able; a traveller overtaken by one ofthem would inevitably be lost; they would almost tear the crags themselves from the mountains. A similar scene is presented in the valley up which you pass from Chamouny to see the Cascade des Pélerines, marking in this case the passage of an avalanche,of which the wind produced by its swift flight has swept,torn, and broken a thousand trees in the same manner. Atfirst you can hardly credit it, but you are convinced that it was the wind, and not the waves of the avalanche, by seeing some trees broken short off, close beside other trees prostrated and stripped, and others still standing. From the Cascade Barberina we regained, by a romantic path, the grand route, which we could see far beneath us. I washungry and tired, and it was high time to be so. My guide carried me into a mountain châlet, incomparably ruder than his own, built in the conical shape of a tent, with a hole at the top, so that the smoke might escape without the troubleof a chimney. As I stood to dry my clothes at the verge of the circle of stones where the fire was kindled, the rain camedown upon me from the aperture above, demonstrating the comfort of the arrangements. The wigwam was inhabited252 CHAMONIX TO MARTIGNY.by a very large family, and they talked in their native patois,of which I could not understand a syllable. They set before me a bowl of boiled milk, with black bread so hard that one of its large round loaves might have served Achilles for anembossed shield, or Ajax to play at quoits with. Neither had it the property of sweetness any more than of softness,but it is wholesome, and would keep for ages."The road from the Tête Noir leads through the forest onthe crest of the pass for about a mile and a half, and enters the little valley of Trient. This has its hamlet, its glacier,and its torrent, all bearing the same name, and is shut in on all sides by mountain barriers. A little way beyond the hamlet the path ascends the well- wooded side of the Forclaz towards the pass of that name, amid picturesque scenery.The pinnacles of the Forclaz ( from one of which a young German lately fell and lost his life ) are before you, and thelittle valley, with its cultivated plain and hamlet, are at your feet. The journey from the auberge on the Tête Noire to the Forclaz pass is about two hours. From the summit ofthe pass one of the finest views in Switzerland is gained;this is the valley of the Rhône, shut in by two mighty mountain ranges: that to the north, the grand Bernese chains, to which the Jungfrau, the Monch, and the Eiger belong; that on the south, the Pennine Alps, with Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn. The descent from the Forclaz to Martigny takes about two hours. The walk is well shadedwith timber- trees, and towards the bottom by orchards.The route of the Col de Balme, which, as far as the summit, is described among the excursions from Chamonix, is celebrated for the magnificent view of Mont Blanc and his courtier- like attendants, and the glaciers which fill up the valleys at their base." It was five o'clock on an August morning, the clouds hadvanished, we could not tell where, and the glory of this the heart of Switzerland's Alpine grandeurs was disclosed; thesnowy Monarch of Mountains, the huge glaciers, the jagged granite peaks, needles, and rough enormous crags and ridges congregated and shooting up in every direction, with the long beautiful Vale of Chamouny visible from end to end,far beneath us, as still and shining as a picture! Just over the longitudinal ridge of mountains on one side was the moon in an infinite depth of ether; it seemed as if we could touchCHAMONIX TO MARTIGNY. 253it; and on the other the sun was exulting as a bridegroomcoming out of his chamber. The clouds still sweeping past us, now concealing, now partially veiling, and now revealing the view, added to its power by such sudden alternations." Far down the vale floated in mid air beneath us a fewfleeces of cloud, below and beyond which lay the valley, with its villages, meadows, and winding paths, and the river run- ning through it like a silver thread. Shortly the mists con- gregated away beyond this scene, rolling masses upon masses, penetrated and turned into fleecy silver by the sun- light, the whole body of them gradually retreating over the south-western end and barrier of the valley. In our position we now saw the different gorges in the chain of Mont Blanclengthwise, Charmontière, Du Bois, and the Glacier du Bosson protruding its whole énorme from the valley. The Grands Mulets, with the vast snow-depths and crevasses of Mont Blanc, were revealed. That sublime summit was now for the first time seen in its solitary superiority, at first appearing round and smooth, white and glittering with per- petual snow; but as the sun in his higher path cast shadows from summit to summit, and revealed ledges and chasms,we could see the smoothness broken. Mont Blanc is on theright of the valley, looking up from the Col de Balme; the left range being much lower, though the summit of the Buet is nearly 10,000 feet in height. Now on the Col de Balmewe are midway in these sublime views, on an elevation of7000 feet, without an intervening barrier of any kind to in- terrupt our sight."On the Col itself we are between two loftier heights,both of which we ascended; one of them being a ridge so sharp and steep, that though we got up without much dan- ger, yet on turning to look about us, and come down, it wasabsolutely frightful. A step either side would have sent us sheer down a thousand feet; and the crags by which we hadmounted upward appeared so loosely perched as if we could shake and tumble them from their places with our hands.The view in every direction seemed infinitely extended,chain behind chain, ridge after ridge, in almost endless suc- cession." But the hour of most intense splendour in this day of glory was the rising of the clouds in Chamouny, as we could discern them like stripes of amber floating over the succes-254 CHAMONIX TO MARTIGNY.sive glacier gorges of the mountain range on either hand.This extended through its whole length, and it was a mostsingular phenomenon; for through these ridges we could look, as through a telescope, down into the vale, and along to its farther end: but the intensity of the light flashing from the snows of the mountains, and reflecting in these fleecy radiances almost as so many secondary suns, hung in the clear atmosphere, was well nigh blinding."Beyond the Col the traveller descends to Herbagenes, and passes their pasturages and châlets to the Forclaz, nearer the head of the valley of Trient than by the way from the Tête Noire, the hamlet of Trient lying to his left. On the side of the ascent of the Forclaz the two routes join, and lead down to Martigny.MARTIGNY ( German, Martinach. Inns: Tour (best); bed1½ fr., dinner 3 fr. , breakfast1 ½ fr.; also the Poste) . Being situated at the point where the road ofthe Great St. Bernard,Aosta, and Turin, and the mule- path over the Col de Balmeor Tête Noir join the grand highway of the Simplon, Mar- tigny is much frequented by travellers inthe summer season.It is, however, a wretched town, unhealthy and povertystricken. The brown woollen clothing worn by the inha- bitants is peculiar to Martigny. There is a convent here,from which monks are draughted to supply vacancies at the Grand St. Bernard.The diligence for Milan over the Simplon passes through the town, and conveys travellers for Sion, Visp, and Brieg.The excursion to the Pisse-Vaché, or Fall of Sallanches, may be advantageously made from here, supposing that the tra- veller omitted to make it from St. Maurice. It is about four miles distant on the road to Geneva. At a considerable height a strong stream bursts from a cleft in the rock, falling downward into a basin over which the foam and spray is car- ried far and wide by the wind. In the morning, when the sun is not concealed by clouds, the spectator below, on whichever side he stands, has before him a rainbow. Goethe,in 1779, described a still more singular phenomenon.you go higher up, the airy foaming waves ofthe upper stream of water, as with their frothy vapour they come in contact with the angle of vision at which the rainbow is formed, assume a flame- like hue, without giving rise to the pendant form of the bow, so that at this point you have before you a con-" IfMARTIGNY TO AOSTA, ETC. 255stantly varying play of fire. We climbed all round, and, sit- ting down near it, wished we were able to spend whole days and many a good hour of our life on this spot."The traveller, arrived at Martigny by the route previously described, and standing so as to look up the valley of the Rhône, has on his left the route for Geneva and France, andon his right the pass of St. Bernard, being the road of Turin. Higher up the Rhône valley are several smallervalleys, one ofwhich, connecting the Rhône with the glaciers ofthe Pennine Alps by its stream , leads to Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn, with the pass of St. Theodule; while a finegorge on the opposite side leads to the Gemmi pass on the Bernese Alps, by which the journey may be continued to Thun. In the latter valley are the Baths of Leuk. Beyond the point of this deviation Napoleon's great road conducts to the Simplon and Milan.MARTIGNY TO AOSTA, OVER THE GREAT SAINT BERNARD.The distance is about sixteen hours' walking; namely- nine hours to the Hospice, and seven thence to Aosta. From Martigny to Liddes, and from St. Rémy to Aosta, there is acarriage road; the rest of the route is practicable only for pedestrians and mules. Chars, mules, porters, and guides,are to be found at Martigny, Orsières, and Liddes, and may be engaged at fixed prices; viz. from Martigny to Liddes,guide and mule, 7 ( French ) francs; char, with two seats,15 francs; with three seats, 20 francs; guide from Martigny to Hospice of St. Bernard, 10 francs; from Liddes to the Hospice, mule with guide, 4 francs; there and back, in one day, 6 francs; there, and back next day, 8 francs; from Liddes to St. Rémy, 10 francs. The best way, however, is to take a mule at Liddes for the Hospice for 4 francs, as guides are always found there returning to Rémy, and may be engaged for 3 or 4 francs.Setting out from Martigny we cross to the left bank ofthe Drance, leaving the village of La Croix about half a mile to our right, and ascend the course of the Drance bythe villages of Brocard and Valette to Bouvernier. Beyond this village the road again crosses the river, which streams out of a gorge which grows wilder as we advance. By about half- an-hour's256 MARTIGNY TO AOSTA,walking we arrive at the so-called Galerie de la Monnoye, away which, for about 200 feet, has been made by blasting the rock. At its outlet are seen the ruins of a Carthusian monastery, still overlaid with the soil and rubbish with which it was covered in 1818, by an irruption of the lake into the Valde Bagnes, which at this point opens upon our valley. The catastrophe caused great devastation in the valley of the Drance itself, traces of which are visible in several places.Bouvernier itself was only saved by the rock which projects before it. The way here again crosses to the left bank of the Drance, and at St. Branchier ( inn , Kreuz) , a dirty vil- lage, the two branches which form the Drance unite, one having come down from St. Bernard, and the other from the Val d'Entremont.ORSIÈRES ( inn, Krone) is a little village, at the point where the Val de Ferret opens into the Val d'Entremont. The stream of the Drance is scarcely visible in its deep- sunken bed. The most picturesque section of the Pass is just above.the village.LIDDES has an inn , the Union. St. Pierre ( inn, Kreuz )is a dirty village, with a church built in the eleventh century.A pillar is shown here which was originally set up on the crest of the St. Bernard's Pass to the memory of the younger Constantine. On the other side of St. Pierre the travellercrosses a deep hollow, in which the Drance, pouring hereout of the Orseythal, forms a pretty fall. The way formerly led through the forest, across rocks and the stumps of trees,so that when Buonaparte crossed the Grand St. Bernard(in May, 1800) with his army of 30,000 men, they had afearful march through the forest, and over the frightful pre- cipices of St. Pierre. They dismounted the cannon from their carriages, put them in the hollowtrunks of trees , and then one- half the battalions dragged them up the mountain, while the other half carried the arms and accoutrements of their comrades, with stores of provisions for five days. The road at this day scales the face of the deep ravine over the Drance,having been cut boldly out of the perpendicular rock, wide enough for a carriage; so that one passing now so easily can scarcely conceive the difficulties with which Napoleon had to contend in scaling the precipices. For some distance up from St. Pierre, the road lies through the fir forest, where Napoleon came so near losing his life by slipping from hisOVER THE GREAT ST. BERNARD. 257mule onthe verge of the precipice. He was only saved from falling over into the gulf by his guide, who caught him by the coat and thus preserved him. The guide was rewarded with 1000 franes, and it would not have been amiss if thetailor who made the consular coat had been pensioned like- wise, for if that had given way the French would never have had an Emperor. The mountains here on both sides are hung with verdure, but this speedily ceases-the larches and the pines become stunted, and at length disappear,leaving nothing but a covering of mosses and patches of grass, and at last the bare grey crags, declivities, and pinna- cles of rock, or mounts of snow. You pass through difficultrugged defiles , and across rich mountain pasturages, watered by streams from the glaciers, which shoot their steep icy masses down into contact with the verdure on the plains.Beyond the forest, and the defile of Cherrayre, we come to the pasturages and châlets of Prou, and in about three-quar- ters of an hour arrive at the plain of Prou. Mont Velan, atthis part of the journey, appears of enormous size, and threatens to close the way against us; its glaciers send forth streams into the pastures below, which are grazed by large herds of cattle. The road now ascends through another wild gorge, called the defile of Marengo, and half-an- hour's walking brings us to a small inn, where, in case of need, a bed may be obtained.I"A little beyond St. Pierre is the boundary of the Papalstates, and about two hours further you reach the cantine ,or auberge, the last habitable spot in a most desolate defile,utterly bare of trees and shrubs, gloomy and wild, just wherethe steep ascent of the Grand St. Bernard commences.had intended getting to the Hospice that night, but it wasaltogether too late, even if I had had a guide: without aguide it would have been rashness and folly to have attemptedit. They gave me, at this wild spot, a good supper, an ex- cellent bed, and a good breakfast, and were very moderate in their charges . "-G. B. C.The path from this point to the St. Bernard circles the precipices, and crosses the torrent, and scales the declivitiesin such a manner, that one may well imagine how dangerous must be the passage in winter, when deceitful masses of snow have covered the abysses. A few wooden poles are stuck up here and there, to mark the way, but at such inter- S258 MARTIGNY TO AOSTA,vals that if, in a misty day, or when the snow has covered the foot-path, you should undertake to follow them, you would certainly fall. Indeed, one does not see how there can be any passage at all in the winter, when the snow fallsto such a depth that around the building of the Hospice it is from twelve to twenty feet.There are some sinister- looking, little , low- browed stone huts, like ice-houses, planted here and there a little out of the path, the use of which a traveller would hardly conjecture in fair weather. The guides will tell him that these are refuges in extreme peril, or in cases of death are used as temporary vaults , in which the stiffened bodies of unfortunate travellers are deposited till they can be finally laid,with book and bell, and funeral hymns, and solemn chant- ings, in the strangers' morgue at the Hospice.About an hour and a half's good walking brings the tra- veller to the summit of the Great St. Bernard, a namewhich, like that of St. Gothard, serves to designate not asingle mountain, but rather a block of Alpine mosses.Nothing can be more beautiful than the flowers, which border the snow and ice, are sprinkled over the rocks, sown in the valleys, and spring up everywhere. Where the hardiest shrubs dare not grow, these grow. The fearlesslittle things dance over the precipices, and gem the grass like stars. It is astonishing that they and the grass withthem can thrive amidst such constant cold; for I pluckedan icicle hanging from a rock over which the green moss and grass were hanging also, and this in the month of August.The nights are cold, but the sun has great power. The cowsfind pasturage in summer quite up to the Hospice. "The Hospice of the Great St. Bernard comes suddenly onthe traveller from the Alpine side; its stone steps almosthanging down over deep precipitous gulfs, into which a storm might sweep one in an instant. The deep bark of the dogs,who have little occupation in the summer, is one of the firstsalatations which greet the traveller as he passes the crowd of mules generally congregated about the gate of the building.The dogs are somewhat lean and long, as if their station wasno sinecure, and not accompanied by quite so good quadrupedal fare as their labours are entitled to. Probably the cold,keen air, keeps them thin. They are tall, large- limbed, deep- mouthed, broad-chested, and looking like veteran campaigners.OVER THE GREAT ST. BERNARD. 259The breed is from Spain, and most extraordinary stories aretold of their sagacity of intellect and keenness of scent, yet not incredible to one who has watched the psychology of dogs,even of inferior breeds.The Hospice is on the very summit of the pass, 8200 feet above the level of the sea, built of stone -a large build- ing, capable of sheltering three hundred persons or more.Five or six hundred sometimes receive succour in one day.One of the houses near the Hospice was erected as a placeof refuge in case of fire in the main building. There are tremendous winter avalanches, in consequence of the accu- mulation of the snow in such enormous masses as can nolonger hold on to the mountains, but shoot down with asuddenness, swiftness, violence, and noise, compared by the monks to the discharge of a cannon. Sometimes the snowdrifts encircle the walls of the Hospice to the height of forty feet; but it is said that the severest cold ever recordedhere was only 29 degrees below zero of Fahrenheit: suffi- ciently cold, to be sure, but not quite so bad as when the mercury freezes. The greatest degree of heat recordedat the Hospice has been 68 degrees. The air always has apiercing sharpness , which makes a fire delightful and neces- sary even at noon-day in the month of August. The monks get their supply of wood for fuel from a forest in the Val de Ferret, about twelve miles distant, not a stick being found within two leagues of the convent. The monastery wasfounded, according to some, by St. Bernard of Meuthon;other traditions ascribe its origin to the piety of Charle- magne, or Louis the Pious. The duties of hospitality are discharged by ten or twelve Augustine monks, assisted by anumber of serving- brothers called Maronniers.The monks remain at the Hospice only for a limited term of service. In general the brotherhood consists of young recruits, whose vigorous constitutions can stand but a few years the constant cold and the keen air of these almost uninhabitable heights and solitudes. They enter on this life at the age of eighteen, with a vow of fifteen years' perseverance.Much of the time is occupied in the daily exercises of the chapel incense-wavings, and marchings to and fro, andkneelings, and chantings, and masses, and prayers.It is at no little sacrifice that the post is maintained, for the climate is injurious to health , and the dwellers here are260 MARTIGNY TO AOSTA,ness.cut off from human society during the greater part of theyear. It is true that the peopling of the Hospice with anorder of religieuses is now somewhat a work of supererogation,since a family, with a few hardy domestics, could keep up anauberge sufficient for travellers the year round, and at muchless expense; nevertheless the institution is one of greatbenevolence, and the monks are full of cordiality and kindA guest-chamber or hall is kept for travellers, apartfrom the refectory of the monks; only two or three of theelder and more distinguished among whom are accustomed to entertain strangers. " I sat down to dine with severalSisters of Charity from a village on the Alpine side, whenthere were two of the brotherhood presiding at the feast.It being Friday, there was no meat, but a variety of dishes,admirably dressed, and constituting a most excellent repast.The monks said grace and returned thanks with muchseriousness, and they were pleasant and communicative in conversation."They have a very nice chapel, adorned with paintings, and in it is a " tronc," or charity-box, where travellers who par- take of the hospitality of the kind monks ordinarily de- posit alms, not of less amount than they would be charged at an inn, though the shelter and Hospice are entirely without charge. The Hospice is spacious, and the bed- rooms for strangers are very neat and comfortable. A pleasant fire is always burning in the guest- hall for travellers; and it is almost always necessary, for the air is keen in August. Apiano decorates this room, the gift of some kind lady, withplenty of music, and some interesting books . The Register of the names ofvisitors abounds with interesting autographs- men of science and literature, men of the church and theworld, monarchs and nobles, as well as multitudes both of simple and uncouth nomenclature, unknown to fame.There is a museum in a hall adjoining the strangers'refectory, where one might spend a long time with profit and instruction. The collection of medals and antique coins isgood, and there are some portraits, paintings, and engravings.There is in the museum a spirited drawing, which was pre- sented to the monks-a sketch of the dogs and the monks rescuing a lost traveller from the snow. The Hospice is drawn as in full sight, and yet the dogs, monks, and tra- vellers, are plunging in the snow at the foot of an enormousOVER THE GREAT ST. BERNARD. 201pine-tree. However, there is not a tree of any kind to be seen or to be found within several miles of the Hospice.A scene of deep interest at the Hospice is the Morgue,or building where the dead bodies of lost travellers are deposited. Some of them are there just as when the breath of life departed, and frost and snow stiffened and embalmed them for ages. The floor is thick with name- less skulls and bones and human dust, heaped in confusion. But around the wall are groups of poor sufferers inthe very position in which they were found, as rigid asmarble, and in this air, by the preserving element of an eternal frost, almost as uncrumbling. Two years ago there were a mother and her child, a most affecting image of suffering and love. The face of the little one remainedpressed to the mother's bosom, only the back part of the skull being visible, the body enfolded in her careful arms- careful in vain, affectionate in vain, to shield her offspring from the elemental wrath of the tempest. The bodies were recognised the winter before last, by some ornaments on the mother's neck, and were taken down to the Val d'Aoste for interment. There is also a tall, strong man, standing alone,the face dried and black, but the white, unbroken teethfirmly set and closed, grinning from the fleshless jaws-it is a most awful spectacle. The face seems to look at you from the recesses of the sepulchre, as if it would tell you the story of a fearful death-struggle in the storm.It is some years since any persons have been lost in passing the mountain, though some additions to the se- pulchre are annually made. In December 1825, threedomestics of the convent, together with an unfortunatetraveller, of whom they had gone in search with their dogs,in a stormy time, were overwhelmed with an avalanche.Only one of the dogs escaped. These humane animals rejoice in their benevolent vocation as much as the monks do in theirs. They go out with the brethren in search of travellers, having some food or cordials slung around their necks; and being able on their four feet to cross dangerous snow-sheets, where men could not venture, they trace out the unfortunate storm-victims, and minister to their suffer- ings, if they find them alive, or come back to tell theirmasters where the dead are shrouded. These melancholy duties were formerly far more frequent.262 MARTIGNY TO AOSTA,It is a curious fact, that on account of the extreme rarity of the atmosphere at the great elevation of the Hospice, the water boils at about 187 degrees of Fahrenheit, in conse- quence of which it takes nearly as long again to cook meatas it would if the water boiled at the ordinary point of 212 degrees. The fire must be kept glowing, and the pot boiling five hours, to cook a piece of meat which it would have takenonly three hours to get ready for the table, if the water would have waited till 212. This costs fuel, so that their dish of bouilli makes the monks consume an inordinatequantity of wood in the kitchen.The deep little lake before the Hospice, though on the sunny Italian side, does not melt till July, and freezes again in September, and in some seasons is not free from ice atany time. The snow falls almost every day in the year,aud when it melts, it reveals to the waiting eyes of the inmates nothing but the bare ridgy backs and sharp granite needles, crags, and almost perpendicular slopes of the moun- tains. Not a tree is to be seen anywhere, nor a sign of vegetable life, nor a straggling shrub of any kind, but only patches of moss, and grass, and flowers.Travellers purposing to return hence to Martigny, need not journey by the same route; but may pass by the northern or Swiss Val de Ferrex, which runs parallel with the Val d'Entremont. On the other Italian side of the Hospice, which we cannot leave without regret, the view is very grand, though you see nothing but countless ridges of mountains. The snowy Velan is an object of great magnificence.Setting out for the Val d'Aoste we pass by the right shore of the little lake, the centre of which is the boundary line be- tween Savoy and the canton Valais, within which the Hospice stands . On the other side of the path is the plain of Jupiter, on which once a temple to the chief deity of the mountaineer, called Jupiter Poeninus. ( Deyck, in the " Jahrbücher des Vereins von Alterthums- freunden. " Bonn, 1847. )After travelling partly by a narrow path, for about three- quarters of an hour from the Hospice, we reach the basin of the Vacherie, with the châlet ofthe same name. One of the chief of the mountains which surround this basin is the Pain de Sucre, so called from its imaginary resemblance to asugarloaf. A rapid winding descent brings us from the un- disputed domain of ice and granite, first to the mosses, thenOVER THE GREAT ST. BERNARD. 263the scant grass, then the mountain-shrubs, to St. Rémy,where we regain a wood practicable for vehicles. Chars returning to Aoste may be generally found here; a bargain should be made with the voiturier, who will ask 50 or 20, and take 10 francs for the distance . The Sardinian Customhouse is at this village, and at St. Oyen is a passport- office.These documents are again examined at Etroubles, where the road passes the Buttier. The fir-forests, and , at last, the luxuriant vineyards and chestnut verdure of the Val d'Aoste,come in sight. It were endless to enumerate the wild andbeautiful windings of the route, the openings from it, the valleys of picturesque beauty which run off among the mountains, and the grandeur of the view of Mont Blanc,when you again encounter it. The retrospective view upon the great snow- covered peaks of the mountains which inclosethe Val de Cogne belongs to the fairest of Alpine sights.AOSTA, or Osten (inns: Post or Krone, and Ecu du Valais;both good) , the Civitas Augusti of the Romans, is most beautiful in its position, close to the junction of the rivers Buttier and Doire, in the centre of a luxurious valley, from many points of which you can see both the Mont Blanc and the snowy ranges of the Grand St. Bernard. Magnificent mountains, girdled with beautiful verdure far up towards their rocky summits, enclose the valley, and rich vineyards cover their beautiful slopes below. It has a population of 6000, including numerous crétins. Sardinian antiquarians assert for it an antiquity of 3000 years, and identify it with Cordele, the chief city of the Salassi. The Romans conquered it twenty-six years before St. Augustus founded it anew and gave it his own name. Atriumphal arch, a bridge,a handsome gate, and other remains, still exist in a ruined state, and attest the former greatness of the town. Anselm,archbishop of Canterbury, was born here, and St. Bernard was archdeacon of the district.The city of Aosta was for a little season the scene of the labours of Calvin , a place of retreat from the persecutions of his enemies. But he was obliged to flee from this beautifulvalley; and now in the city itself there is a stone cross with an inscription at its base, to commemorate his departure.From the Cité d'Aoste to Courmayeur, at the end of thevalley near Mont Blanc , it is about twenty- seven miles."I have seen Mont Blanc from all the best points of view,204 MARTIGNY TO BRIEG, WITH THEfrom the Brévent, the Flegère, from St. Martin, in fine wea- ther in August, with every advantage, and from the Col deBalme on a day in October, so glorious that I then thought never could be presented, at any other season, such a june- ture of elements in one picture, of such unutterable sub- limity and beauty. But, all things taken together, no other view is to be compared for its magnificence with this in the Val d'Aoste. The valley from this point up to Courmayeur,more than twelve miles, forms a mighty infolding perspec- tive, of which the gorges of the mountains, inlaid and withdrawing one behind another, like ridges of misty light, lead off the eye into a wondrous depth and distance, with MontBlanc completely filling up the close. This scene, by the winding of your way, bursts almost as suddenly upon you as if the heavens were opened."MARTIGNY TO BRIEG, WITH THE EXCURSIONTO MONTE ROSA." If I had to advise any one as to the best route into Valais, I should recommend the one from the Lake of Geneva up the Rhône. " - GOETHE.At Martigny the Rhône makes a sudden bend to the north-west, so that the upper and lower sections of its stream as seen from Martigny form a right angle. Its shores, for aconsiderable distance, are marshy; the alluvial soil, which ex- tends about four miles on each side of the river, being inun- dated with every swelling of the water. The people of the valley afford a proof that disease, uncleanly cottages, hard labour, penury, scanty and unwholesome food, will trans- form beauty into ugliness, even under the most delicious climate.""Tis said, fantastic Ocean doth unfold The likeness of whate'er on land is seen;But, ifthe Nereid Sisters and their Queen,Above whose heads the tide so long hath rolled,The dames resemble whom we here behold,How terrible beneath the opening waves To sink, and meet them in their fretted caves,Withered, grotesque, immeasurably old!"In the valley of the Rhône, the traveller's attention ispainfully drawn to the miserable crétins, and those unfor-EXCURSION TO MONTE ROSA. 265tunate beings whose necks are distended with the excre- scences ofthe goître, as if hung round with swollen bladdersof flesh. The poor creatures so afflicted seem always to have an exceeding weight of sadness in their countenances, al- though they go about labouring like others. These frightful diseases prevail among the population of the Valais to agreater extent than anywhere else in Switzerland. Poverty,disease, and filth, mark the whole valley.Of the two physical plagues that infest the beautiful val- leys of Switzerland, crétinism is by far the worst. It is themost repulsive and painful form of idiocy that can be wit- nessed. It makes the human being look less intelligent than the brute. A hooting cry between a howl and a burst oflaughter sometimes breaks from the staring and gibbering object before you, a creature that haunts the villages, you cannot say like a spectre, for these miserable beings seem always in good flesh, but like the personification of the twin- brother of madness, and far more fearful. It creates asolemn awe in the spirit to look at one of these beings, in whom the mind does not seem so much deranged as de- parted, gone utterly,-not a gleam ofthe spirit left, the house- hold dog looking incomparably more human. The crétin will sometimes hobble after you with open hand, grinning for charity, with a chaotic laugh, like a gust of wind clatter- ing through the hall of a ruined castle.In the midst of poverty this calamity is doubled, and none of its salient points of grim, disgusting misery, can be con- cealed. The families and villages where it is developed arefor the most part miserably poor. Filth, squalid corners for sleep, and impure nourishment, help on the disease, like fuel for the plague. No moral causes are set in motion, no more than physical, to combat or hinder its progress, or ameliorate the condition of its victim; the family and the village bear the burden in silent, hopeless despair, as a con- demned criminal wears his chains. The only milder feature of the wretchedness that you can think of is this, that the poor crétin himself is not in pain, and is perfectly insensible to his condition.On leaving Martigny we ascend the valley of the Rhône,on the left bank of the river; that is to say, having it on our left, by a road nearly straight as far as Riddes, where wecross the river by a wooden bridge. St. Pierre, Ardon, and266 MARTIGNY TO BRIEG, WITH THEVeltroz lie on our way. Near Laplace a footpath leads to the Diablerets.As we approach Sion the view is exceedingly picturesque and romantic, several extensive old castles on successive craggy peaks, that rise in commanding grandeur, and seem,as you advance upwards, to fill the whole valley. One of the highest summits is crowned with a church or convent, asomewhat imposing object, seen against the sky long before you arrive at the base of the village. The view from this church in every direction, or from the crags on which it isperched, is so extensive, so rich, and so picturesque , as abundantly to recompense even a tired traveller for the toil of the ascent.Goethe, who was here in November 1779, wrote:-" The(old) road was disagreeable and rough, and perhaps we,therefore, enjoyed the more the green festoons of the vineswhich overarched it . The peasants, to whom every spot of their patrimonial earth is precious, plant their vines closeagainst the walls which divide their gardens from the road,where they grow to a surprising thickness, and by means of stakes and trellises are trained across the road, so as also toform one continuous arbour. Towards Sion the scenery is extremely diversified by a variety of hills; but the hideousness of the town and the people fearfully disturb the plea- sant impression which the scenery leaves. The frightful goîtres put me out of humour."SION ( German, Sitten: inns, Lion and Croix; neither very good) , is a town of 2700 inhabitants. It is the capital of the canton of Valais, and under Napoleon's empire was incor- porated with the department of the Simplon. The ruins of the episcopal castle of Tourbillon are seen on the left as we approach from Martigny. The remains of a Romish fort are seen on a lower hill to the right. The town itself is dirty, and its streets narrow and ill paved. Its church and rathaus are not worth visiting.About seven miles above Sion we come to SIERRE ( German,Siders: inn, Sonne, good) , situated in the prettiest portion of the valley of the Rhône, and having some picturesque ruins of old burgs, the castles of Geronde, Siders, Pongord,&c. Agood wine, not unlike Malmsey, is produced in theneighbourhood. Here one of the roads to the Gemmi Pass and the Baths of Leuk turns off to the left, passingEXCURSION TO MONTE ROSA. 267through the villages of Inden and Varen. A small valley,which opens to the south opposite Sierre, is said to havecontained a heathen population, unknown to the rest of Christendom until the twelfth century.Beyond Sierre the main road crosses the Rhône, and fol- lows the left bank of the river as far as Brieg. About four miles above Sierre we pass , but on the opposite side of the river, the embouchure of the Dala, at whose mouth the village of Leuk is situated . Here the second of the roads to the Gemmi and Baths of Leuk leaves the highway of theRhône valley, crossing the river by a bridge. The journey from this point, as far as Visp, is monotonous and unpictur- esque; the same huge bluff mountains of rock bounding the road, and the same marshy soil forming the banks of the river. Of the two banks, the left is greener and better wooded. Behind Sierre is the memorable Pfinger-wald, full of little conical hillocks, such as bestud the post- road, and well timbered; an admirable military position , worthily defended by the Valaisians against the French in 1798 , but taken, nevertheless, by stratagem and surprise. Pfing, on the right of the road, is considered to mark the boundary of the two languages spoken in Valais.TOURTEMAGNE ( German, Turtman: inns , Post or Loire,and Sonne, both good) derives its name from the Turris Magna, now used as a chapel. The Val de Tourmagne,eighteen miles in length, opens to the south opposite the village, and terminates among the Pennine Alps. The tor- rent which it sends down forms a pretty cascade about halfa mile from the village. The overflowing of the Rhône ren- ders the neighbourhood exceedingly swampy. Opposite Brunk, and on the right bank of the Rhône, about four miles above Tourmagne, are seen the ruins of the Bas Châtillon,or Nieder- Gestelen.VISP, Vispach, or Viege (inn, Weisses Pferd or Poste,better than the Sonne, but not very good) , was formerly the little capital of the Haute Valais, and the residence of its aristocracy. It has since fallen into a state of great degra- dation, from which it seems, however, to be recovering. It has large houses, and open streets, and two good churches .It is situated in the gorge of the Visp valley; the bed of the Visp, which here pours into the Rhône a stream almost as large as that of the Rhône itself, is 13 feet above the268 EXCURSION TO THE RIFFELBERG AND MONTE ROSA.town, which is thus in perpetual danger of inundation.The town is partially defended from calamities of this kind by artificial works. Nevertheless the fields on every handare covered with stones and other débris brought down by the torrent of the valley. TheEXCURSION TO RIFFELBERG AND MONTE ROSAis made up the Valley of the Visp.The great difficulties which have been represented as attaching to the ascent of the valley have deterred travellers from visiting what incontestably belongs to the most mag- nificent scenery which Switzerland can boast. Doubtless thejourney demands a cool head and firm foot, at the same time it is not more dangerous than many of the best-tra- velled passes. The village of Zermatt, which lies con- tiguous to the glaciers of Monte Rosa, is about 30 miles from Visp. A mule-path ascends the torrent as far as Stalden, where we find the two streams which bring downthe waters from their primitive glaciers among the Pennine Alps. The road to Zermatt tracks the more westerly of these streams, which is on the right hand as we ascend the valley.Guides may be found at Visp at the usual hire of six francs a-day, or a horse and leader may be engaged for nine francs a- day, the same sum being charged for the second or return day, whether used or not.The path, on leaving Visp, leads close along the right hand ofthe torrent until we reach Neubruck, about five mileson the road, where a stone bridge crosses the bottom of the valley. The valley is here finely wooded, and retains this feature until we reach the mountain barrier at its head, and for several miles our way leads among vineyards, where vines now and then actually overhang our path. Flowers are scattered with great profusion on every side, and the path is bordered by beds of wild strawberries and bushes of raspberries, whose bright yellowish red berries contrast with the black fruit and rich green leaves of the wild currant.About three miles from the bridge is Stalden, a large village, with dirty - looking wooden houses and a tolerable inn,situated on an eminence which looks down upon the con- fluence of the two branches of the Visp. That on theeast comes down from the valley of Saas; that on the west,through which our journey lies, flows through the St. Ni-EXCURSION TO THE RIFFELBERG AND MONTE ROSA. 269cholas or Matterthal: both streams originate in the glaciers of the Alps grouped round Monte Rosa. A vast mountain- ridge,called the Saasgrat, runs out in a direct northern directionfrom Monte Rosa, and separates the Saas and the Matter valleys as far as Stalden, where it suddenly terminates.This rocky promontory is the base of the snow- covered Balfrein, which at Vispach is often taken for Monte Rosa.At Stalden the Zermatt lies still on the left bank of theVisp, deviating a little from the stream for a short distance,but soon returning and crossing to the right bank, about six miles beyond Stalden, just before reaching St. Nicholas.Four waterfalls, three on the left and one on the right bank,embellish this section of the route. Our path here alternately ascends or descends along the precipitous side of anarrow ravine, at the bottom of which a furious torrent israging. The Weisshorn, the Schwarzhorn, and the Bruneik- horn, are almost continually in viewafter we leave Stalden.The village Gränchen, which is seen conspicuously situated at the end of the range which divides the valleys of Saas and St. Nicholas, was the birth-place of Thomas Plater, adistinguished scholar of the sixteenth century, but still more remarkable as a man. He was originally a cowherd atGränchen; then he went to Basle, and made ropes; next he taught himself the art of printing; then he taught Greek and Hebrew; and at last became a professor and rector in the Gymnasium ofthe city.ST. NICHOLAS, which gives its name to the valley, is natu- rally its largest village. It is finely situated amongst or- chards and woods, on a ledge of the mountain; its houses,like those of Stalden, are of wood, but its church is large.There is an indifferent auberge here; but travellers usually resort to the house of the curé, a good man, who seems to regard hospitality as a natural incident of his social position.Although a gentleman, and of generous disposition, it should not be forgotten that he is a poor man. "Whenthe time ofour departure came, not knowing exactly how I should remunerate our host for the expenditure of his goods, Iemptied my purse in his hand, and begged he would oblige me by taking what he pleased. Without the slightest coyness or hesitation he at once turned over the variouspieces, and selecting three French francs from among them,gave me to understand that this was to be the payment.270 EXCURSION TO THE RIFFELBERG AND MONTE ROSA.This sum being less than we should have paid at a common inn (for breakfasts for three, with coffee, milk, eggs, butter,honey, cheese, preserved plums, &c. ) , I remonstrated with him,and begged him to take more. I urged him to take merely afive-franc piece, but he steadily refused. " -DR. JOHN FORBES.Beyond St. Nicholas the path gains the eastern side of the river, which it keeps as far as Zermatt. The ravine narrows,and puts on a wilder aspect. The mountain-slope becomes so steep, that at many points the extremest caution is required to avoid falling from the path into the depth of the gorge. Numerous falls are passed, and their torrents here and there cross our route.RANDA is a village of some size, standing on an open plain,covered with Alpine pastures. Its position, opposite a gap in the western side of the valley, through which the Bies glacier,an arm ofthe Weisshorn glacier, projects, has twice subjected it to the direst misfortunes. In December, 1819, a body of iceand snow became disrupted from some unknown cause,and covered the surrounding fields and pastures with stonesand fragments of rocks. The rush of wind produced by the swift motion of the mighty masses of ice and snow whichwere detached, was like that caused by an explosion of gunpowder, and carried off the roofs of and otherwise damaged118 houses. Two persons were killed, and several wounded.All the hay of the village, upon which the inhabitants reliedfor the support of their cattle in winter, was dispersed, andthe greatest misery prevailed.Above Randa the wildness of the ravine increases . AtDasch, or Tesch, where there is a bad inn, a mountainridge closes the valley; our path takes a sudden turn, and the Matterhorn bursts upon the sight, projecting its tall pyramid of snow into the sky, apparently close to the tra- veller's side. The Matterhorn ( French, Mont Cervin; Italian,Mont Silvio, ) is scarcely 1000 feet lower than Mont Blanc;it rises without any gradation from the glacier masses which surround it, to a height of 4000 feet, and is 11,000 feet above the sea-level. Its marvellous isolation and great slender- ness distinguish it in a most striking manner from all the peaks or horns of the Alps, and excite a feeling akin to sur- prise, even in travellers accustomed to the grandeur of Swiss scenery.Owing to the peculiar conformation of the valley alreadyEXCURSION TO THE RIFFELBERG AND MONTE ROSA. 271referred to, the path crosses the gorge in which the river flows thrice before the village of Zermatt can be entered,although we were close to it as soon as we left Tesch. AtZermatt we encounter a repetition of the dirty wooden houses of Stalden and Randa; the inn, however, kept by " Doctor " L'Auber, as he is called on the spot, is a verycomfortable halting- place, considering the out- of- the- way corner ofthe world into which we have strayed. The villagestands in the centre of a plain, hemmed in by dark pine- forests and immense glaciers. At a height of more than 4000 feet above the sea-level, and amidst eternal snow and ice, vegetation maintains an almost tropical character.ZERMATT ( Italian, Proborgue ) is the centre and starting- point of numerous excursions among the magnificent moun- tain scenery of the Pennine Alps. Guides are to be found at Zermatt, but the engagement of a reliable and effectiveone is not always an easy matter. The good ones know no French and only a bad German, while stories are told of incompetent pretenders who have conducted travellers among the snows of Mont Cervin and then left them to their own ingenuity to find a way out. Herr Lauber's ad- vice should be taken in this matter:-" Several persons waited upon us as soon as we were ar- rived, and offered their services as guides. One of them,named Joseph Brantschen, showed us a certificate signed by several naturalists , who recommended him to travellers.We engaged him, partly on account of his apparent good humour, and had no reason to repent our choice. " -(M.DESOR. )Three valleys open near the village, each with its appro- priate glacier. On the east is the Findelen glacier, on the south the Görner glacier, and on the west the Zermatt glacier, all mere tongues of the immense ice- sea which sur- rounds the group of which Monte Rosa is the centre. Thepass of Mont Cervin, or the Matterhorn, a difficult and dangerous road, which leads down to Piedmont by theVal de Tournouche, and joins the road to Aosta at Cha- tillon, presents at its summit, 11,000 feet above the sealevel, a scene of surpassing magnificence. On one side the eye ranges over the valley of the Rhône to the oppositeBernese Alps, the Jungfrau, Eigher, and Mönch; on another side takes in the views of the Breithorn and Monte Rosa,272 EXCURSION TO THE RIFFELBERG AND MONTE ROSA.and to the south overlooks the innumerable peaks by which the Alpine formation finally subsides to the plains of Upper Italy. The obelisk- like Matterhorn, in close proximity to the traveller at this point, completes by its imposing aspectthe impression of wonder and admiration which such ascene cannot fail to excite.The best view of Monte Rosa is gained by ascending the Riffel, a range on the east side of the valley of Zermatt, and climbing the summit of the Rothe Kulm-a day's work.The way to the Riffelberg lies due south, and leaves theVisp just above the village of Zermatt. The path passes through a hamlet called Wiegelmatten, and crosses a torrent called the Torrent of the Findel, which comes down fromthe glacier of the same name. The ground, which for ashort time is level, soon begins to ascend, and becomes very steep. The Matterhorn is visible on the right along the wholeof this ascent, and, indeed , almost monopolises the landscape.Bad guides will point out the extreme southern limit of the chain of the Riffel, from which there is a good view of Monte Rosa, as the end of the excursion. The true view, however,has to be reached by another hour's good walking. We are now in a narrow valley, with a prospect only to the south.The steep western hill on our right, ending in a peak, is the true Riffelhorn; that on the east, to our left, is the Rothe Kulm, by ascending which we obtain an entire panoramicview. The hill is one heap of slaty blocks, without a particle of decayed rock in which the humblest plant might take root.The view from the Rothe Kulm is, in the number of thehighest mountains which it commands, not to be equalled in the scenery of Switzerland. Within a circle of perhaps fifteen miles in diameter, the various peaks of the moun- tains, although of irregular distances, seem to range them- selves about the Riffelberg as a common centre, and fill the horizon with a vast continuous range of snowy barriers,worthy to be the confines of a world. The magnificent Monte Rosa group, consisting of the Cima di Jossi, the Weissthor, the Greater Monte Rosa, the Lesser Monte Rosa,the peaks Castor and Pollux, and the Breithorn, fill up the entire eastern and south- eastern horizon, the true Monte Rosa rising to the height of 15,100 feet above the sea, or 7000 feet above the eye of the beholder. On the south- west is the Matterhorn, nearly 1800 feet above the sea; nextEXCURSION TO THE RIFFELBERG AND MONTE ROSA. 273to this comes the Höhenenghorn; and beyond it still, in the west, the Dent Blanche: then to the north-west and north the view is crowded with innumerable nameless peaks , andbeyond these the Bernese peaks, possibly the Jungfrau,Aletschorn, and Bietschorn, just as visible as those of the Pennine chain. It would be ridiculous to attempt anyeulogy of such a scene, but as very little account has hitherto been made of the excursion, it may properly be mentioned that travellers who have visited the Riffelbergand looked upon its surrounding peaks agree that nowhere among the Alps is a fascination so irresistible, a grandeur so awe-inspiring, encountered as on its summit.M. Desor, describing an excursion made by MM. Agassiz,Studer, Lardy, and other savants, members of the Natural Society of Helvetia, in 1839, says:-" We finished our break- fast of goat's milk at five o'clock; the weather promised most favourably, although the Matterhorn was concealed in a light haze. Having seen that all was ready-bâtons,hammers, veils, pipes, tobacco, and tinder, ' Partons ' was the word. On leaving the village of Zermatt, we proceeded by a gentle ascent towards the forest of larches which to the south crowns the first terrace of the grand chain of MonteRosa. Presently we perceived the needles of the Görner,or Zermatt glacier, and then the great vault out of which the Visp flows. At its issue the glacier has only a breadth of about ten minutes; its surface is covered with blocksof different kinds, brought down by the several glaciers which come down and mingle in this sea of glass. Its lateral moraines are large, especially that on our left. The thickness of the ice is in places more than eighty feet. But we must hasten on, and leave details for another day. Our guide, who appears to pique himself on his own method of exhibiting the glaciers, is also of this opinion . We follow him, then, by a path which passes through the forest on our left, and arrive in less than five hours on the top of the Riffel. From time to time we meet some Valaisians, whocarry milk into the valley. They have passed the night on the mountain. On leaving the forest, the way, which thus far had been very steep, becomes more easy, and we are on a kind of plateau, covered with fine pasturages, which ex- tends from the base to the crest of the Riffel. From thispoint even the view is magnificent; we have, however, still T274 EXCURSION TO THE RIFFELBERG AND MONTE ROSA.to ascend. The route to the summit is painful, and the détours which we made on the steep side of the mountain before we could gain the summit occupied us two hours.We marched on, discovering at every step some new object of interest, but in silence; people do not talk much climbing these mountains. Some of the party began to drop off,but a good-humoured word from the guide and a little patience soon brought us all together again, and we advanced slowly and in silence to the last mountain, whence we should doubtless be able to see the foot of the grandchain. Suddenly a peak appeared high above the horizon,then another, and another. 'Which of these is MonteRosa?' ' Ja, ja, das ist er! ' exclaimed the guide, with aradiant air, as he pointed to the largest, to which our eyes were drawn. The guide regards the peaks as in some sorthis property, and is proud when you admire them. At last,then, we are at the summit. In front of you the grand chain of Monte Rosa is displayed in all the majesty of its colossal peaks; at your feet is the glacier of Zermatt, occupying to the extent of a mile the valley, which separates you from these mountains, an immense sea ofice. At firstwe were bewildered: we turned to the right and to the left,still the same gigantic masses; then one would begin to count the horns, or look round to see if his neighbour was not affected like himself. None of us spoke. Only theguide hastened to inform us of the names which had beengiven to the various peaks , but no attention was paid to his instructions . When the first solemn moment of contemplation had passed, then each began to express his feelings to his companion. Presently I asked, ' Joseph, what are the names ofthese mountains?' Poor Joseph was astounded,and thought Messieurs must have very bad memories, as he had already repeated every name at least twice. However, his amour propre was anything but wounded by our distraction. He began his chapter of names for the third time, with suitable pauses; for the thought had occurred to him that, as men of the plains, we might have obtuser in- tellects than those of his mountain race. Thus he descended so far as to explain that the Weisshorn is so called because it is white; the Breithorn, on account of its breadth,and so on with other equally nice points of etymology.Meanwhile our designer prepared to sketch this vast pano-PASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK. 275rama, Agassiz standing by to take care that he did notcorrect Nature, as artists are too apt to do. From the spoton which we stood (the western side of the Riffel) the eye embraces all the principal summits of the chain, withoutspeaking of the grand Matterhorn, which rises a little to ourright, and is like the chef de file of the whole column. The names given to the peaks differ very much among the surrounding valleys; this is especially the case with MonteRosa, and it appears that the people call by this name whichever peak is best seen from their own village."From Zermatt to Vispach the road must be retraced.About eight hours' walking and a rest at St. Nicholas bring us to the end of the " Excursion to Monte Rosa. "The Simplon road leaves the valley of the Rhône at Glys .Travellers, however, usually pass Glys and proceed to Brieg,where there is a posthouse, and which is connected with the road of the Simplon by a short chaussée.BRIEG ( inns: Simplon, good; Poste, bad; good beer at the Billard ) is a little town of 800 inhabitants, situated amongst fertile fields and embraced by the Saltine and the Rhône. The odd-looking château with tin cupolas is theresidence of Baron Stockalper.PASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK.The Gemmi Pass is a high valley in the vast mountain range, which extends in a continuous chain from the lake of Geneva to Mont St. Gothard, and separates Berne from Valais. There are two paths , besides the new carriage-roadcompleted in 1847, all leading up the magnificent gorge of the Dala. The road leads direct from Sierre, and thus doesnot touch the village of Leuk, but is carried through Imden and Varen. The paths lead, one on the left and the otherthrough Leuk, on the right-hand side of the Dala torrent.LEUK ( Fr. Loeche: inn, Kreuz) is a curious little old town,with some picturesque ruins of a castle on a neighbouring height. No guide is necessary in ascending to the Baths,which are at the foot ofthe Gemmi, and stand further up the gorge. The path from Sierre is one of incomparable beauty, winding gradually within the mountains, and rising rapidly by a precipitous ascent, where at every step the view276 PASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK.up and down the valley you are leaving becomes more illi- mitably grand and vast.Clambering over the little village of Varen, which at first was hanging above him, leaving it far below, as well as that of Leuk, which is seen farther up the valley, the traveller,toiling on, thinking perhaps that he is witnessing some of the wildest, most picturesque, and extensive views to be en- joyed on this excursion, comes suddenly upon a scene sur- passing all previous experience and anticipation. You rise to the summit of a steep ascent, step upon a space of table- land, advance a few feet, and suddenly find yawning before you a fearful gulf of some 900 feet deep, into which the ridge on which you stand seems beetling over, ready to fall with your own weight. It is the gulf of the Dala which rolls at the bottom, but almost too far down for you to see the swift glance of the water, or hear the roar.Afew steps further on in the direction of this gulf the path turns a natural bastion of the mountain, and a gorge of overwhelming grandeur is disclosed. Below is the gulf plunging in a perpendicular line of almost a thousand feet,above you is a tremendous overhanging precipice of near an equal height, adown and across the face of which runs, cut out, the zigzag perilous gallery by which the traveller is to pass. Whole strata of this perpendicular face of the moun- tain seem loosened above, and ready to bury one in their fall; and the loose stones come thundering down now and then with the terror of an avalanche. Proceeding with careful step down the gallery or shelf, till he is near the pass, the traveller looks up along the perpendicular height above him,and sees bare pines that seem bending over the edge, and fringing the steep gigantic mountain brow. Towards thepass of the Gemmi the gorge is closed by a vast ridge of castellated mountains, and still beyond that loftier snowy mountains are shining.Beyond this valley the path passes through a forest oflarches, and the landscape maintains its deeply- interesting character. There are still vast heights above and vastdepths below; villages hanging to the mountain sides; green pasturages andwinding paths; châlets dotting the mountains;meadow slopes enamelled with flowers; deep, immeasurable ravines, torrents roaring down them; colossal, overhanging,castellated reefs of granite; snowy peaks with the setting sunPASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK. 277upon them. The eye commands a view far down over the valley of the Rhône, with its villages and castles, and its mixture of rich farms, and vast beds and heaps of mountain fragments deposited by furious torrents. The deep dark blue of the gorge at its upper end, and the proud sweep of the granite barrier which there shuts it in, apparently without a passage, make a deep impression on the imagination.The mountains rise like vast supernatural beings taking amaterial shape, and drawing around themselves a drapery of awful grandeur. Amidst all the grandeur of this scenery,in no place is the profuse richness and beauty of the Alpineflowers more delightful. The grass of the meadow slopes in the gorge of the Dala has a clear greenness such as is un- known but to these mountain meadows.The village of the BATHS OF LEUK ( Ger. Leukerbad; Fr. Bains de Loeche ) is a place of about 500 inhabitants, about 4600 feet above the level of the sea, in a very singularhollow, which looks as if it had been dug out from between the mountains. The valley is open only to the south, and as this opening is not straight the vertical sides of the mountainsseem to shut it in on every hand. There are seven princi- pal hôtels, most of them large stone buildings , replete with every comfort, and strangely contrasting with the black oldhuts which hang like nests to the sides of this valley. The Hôtel des Alpes, kept by Mr. Berger, sen., is one of the best; there is a table d'hôte at six. The others are, Hôtelde l'Union, H. Brunner, H. de France, La Maison Blanche,La Couronne, and the H. de Bellevue. There are also somepensions.There are above twenty hot chalybeate springs at Leuker- bad, the largest of which, the Lorenz, quelle a source de St. Laurent, rises in the small market- place, covered by a roof,under which is placed an image of the saint. This spring supplies the large Bains de la Place, the Neuf Werra, the Bain de Lurechois, and that of Ventouses . The tenue of thebaths is far below that of the hôtels, being tasteless , and somewhat dirty. The water is employed for various chronic diseases, obstinate cutaneous affections, rheumatism, and gout. Their natural temperature rises from 90° to 120°. Thewater is perfectly limpid, and without odour." In 1844, Dr. L. P. de Fellenberg, professor of chemistry in the Academy of Lausanne, analysed the waters of the278 PASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK.Bains des Guérisons and the St. Laurent. The following results of his investigation show that the springs of Leuk belong to what are called the chemically indifferent thermalsprings, of which our Buxton springs are specimens, the higher temperature of the Swiss waters rendering their action, however, far more energetic."SOURCES DU BAINS DES GUERISONS.In InSOURCE DE ST. -LAURENT.In 2511,432 grams. 10,000 grammes. 10,000 grammes.Sulphate of lime 3,864 15,385 14,792of magnesia 0,650 2,583 2,298 of soda 0,160 0,637 0,587ofpotassa 0,039 0,155 0,024 of strontia 0,009 0,035 0,037 Chloride of soda 0,021 0,083 0,063 of lime..... Traces. Traces. Traces.of magnesia 0,053 0,211 0,071Carbonate of lime .... 0,135 0,537 0,412of magnesia 0,027 0,107 0,0026of oxide of iron ... 0,011 0,043 0,026Silica 0,084 0,334 0,344 Nitrates and iodides Traces. Traces. Traces.5,053 20,110 18,6566Eight hours a- day the patients at Leuk are immersed and steaming in hot water. The grand spring bursts forth like a little river close to the bath-house, of as great heat as124° Fahrenheit, and supplies the great baths, which are divided into wooden tanks, about twenty feet square, four in each buil ling, where men, women, and children bathe indis- criminately, clad in long woollen gowns. There they sit for hours in the water, some two or three weeks together, four hours at breakfast and four hours after dinner. It is very droll, and looks very foreign, to see them floating about,such a motley crew, in such a vulgar mixture, some fifteenPASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK. 279or twenty in each tank. It surprises us that persons of either sex, with any refinement of feeling, can submit to a process so coarse, so public, so indelicate.When inclined to judge the bathers at Leuk too harshly,we may do well to remember that, at the close of the lastcentury, Smollett, and other accredited writers, were describing something very like it in England. Thus the author of the "New Bath Guide" says or sings:-""Twas a glorious sight to behold the fair sex All wading with gentlemen up to their necks,And view them so prettily tumble and sprawl In a big smoking kettle as big as our hall;And to day many persons of rank and condition Were boiled by command of an able physician.Dean Spavin, Dean Mangey, and Doctor De Squirt,Were all sent from Cambridge to rub off their dirt;Judge Bane, and the worthy old Councillor Pest,Join'd issue at once, and went in with the rest.And this they all said was exceedingly good For strengthening their spirits and mending their blood.Old Baron Vanteazer, a man ofgreat wealth,Brought his lady, the Baroness, here for her health.Miss Scratchett went in, and the Countess of Scales -Both ladies of very great fashion from Wales.Then, all of a sudden, two persons of worth,My Lady Pandora Mac Scurvy, came forth With General Sulphur, arrived from the North. "The bathers at Leuk say that this social system is resortedto because of the tedium of being obliged to spend six oreight hours a-day in the water.The traveller stands on a wooden bridge, and sees nothingbut groups of human heads, emerging and bobbing about like the large corks to a fishing-net, among which are floating a score of little wooden tables with books, newspapers,and so forth, for the occupation of said heads, or tea andcoffee with toast, or a breakfast à la fourchette, for the supplyof the bodies belonging to them. Some are reading, others amphibiously lounging, others coquetting at leisure with acapricious appetite, others playing chess, all up to the chin in hot water. The physicians discountenance reading, andrecommend social amusem*nts. One ofthe bathing- housesis for the poor, who are admitted free of expense.It is principally from France and Switzerland that the visitors come, and they have to be steeped three weeks in the water for cure. The usual hours are eight daily in the baths280 PASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK.and two in bed. There are no provisions for private baths,so that the necessity of making a tête- à- tête of some fifteen or twenty together is inexorable.There are five resident physicians at the baths.The time consumed in the water leaves little opportunityfor excursions in the neighbourhood. The promenades in the immediate environs are, of course, highly picturesque.The chief promenade begins at the Bain Werra, inter- sects the gardens and meadows to the south-west of thevillage, and terminates in the forest. It is large, almostlevel; bordered with young trees, and provided with seats placed at convenient intervals. There is a charming view from every point of its length. The promenade to the Echelles, or Dalaleitern , which are about three miles from the village, commences at the semicircular extremity of thepreceding promenade. It passes at first through meadows,and then through a fir- wood, running along the base of the east cliff to the south, and extending quite down to the banks of the Dala. Seats are placed in the forest on the line of this walk, which was constructed at the sole charge of a private gentleman, Mr. Kochlin of Mulhausen, in 1844.A little way further on we arrive in front of an enormous vertical rock, and perceive the first of the rough wooden ladders, which are placed one above another along the face of the cliff. There are in all eight ladders, and about 100rounds. The ladders do not follow each another in a continuous line, but are adjusted to the inequalities and turn- ings of the rock to which they are fastened. These échelles serve to abridge the distance between the village and pas- tures of Albinen , which are on the top of the rock, and the Baths of Leuk; and, notwithstanding their apparent in- security, the villagers ascend and descend them with heavygoods from year to year without disaster, though scarcely without danger. The walk and the cascade of the Dala,about two miles from the baths, is also very picturesque.leads up a hill commanding the village to the last bridge over the Dala, and beyond it by a steep path on the left bank to the cascade. These are the every- day walks of patients at the Baths of Leuk.ItThe chief excursion to be commended to the notice of the traveller is that to the Galmhorn, or Torrenthorn. A good mule-path rises in zigzag above the village, passing throughPASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK. 281 •woods and pastures to the Pas de Loup. Here the path leaves the mule-track, and leaving the châlet of Torrentalpe to the right, ascends over a bare stony terrace, and some- times amid the snows. Arrived at the summit, 9500 feet above the sea-level, the traveller has one of the finest views to be seen in Switzerland. In front of him, and on the left bank ofthe Rhône, are the Weisshorn, Bruneckhorn, Schwarzhorn, Dôme, Rathhorn, Teschhorn, Strahlhorn, Kletschhorn,and Botelhorn. Further on are Monte Leone, Monte Rosa,the Zinolhorn, Matterhorn, Dent Blanche, Dent Bleue,Optemma, and Mont Combin. At the extreme west is Mont Blanc. Coming round by the north we have the Bret, Dent de Midi, Moeoran, Diablerets, Savetsch, Rucoyl, Schwarz- horn, Lammerhorn, and Altels. Fithe Ischingolhorn, Breit- horn, Grosshorn, Bietschorn, Nesthorn, and Finsteraarhorn,complete the interesting panorama.Several guides may be found at the Baths of Leuk, among whom Michael Brunner is well spoken of.The Gemmi is one of the most extraordinary passes inSwitzerland. There are several whose summits are higher,and which command a grander prospect, but the wonder here is that there should be any pass at all. The mountain of the Gemmi, apparently absolutely inaccessible, is the last point to which the traveller coming from Leuk would think of looking for an outlet. The valley is almost a cul- de- sac,having no opening except where you entered from the valley of the Rhône, and running up blunt, a little beyond the Baths of Leuk, against one of the loftiest perpendicular barriers of rock in all the Alpine recesses. You march up towards the base of the mountain; you look above you,around you, but there is no way; you are utterly at a loss.You still advance to within three or four feet of the smoothperpendicular rock, and still there is no outlet. While you are asking yourself whether there is any cave or subter- ranean passage, or whether you are to be hoisted, mules and all, by some invisible machinery, over the crags, the guide suddenly turns to the left, and begins a zigzag ascent,where you never dreamed it was possible, over a steep slope of crumbling rocky fragments , that are constantly falling from above, by which at length you reach a ridgy winding shelf or wrinkle on the face of the mountain, not visible from below. Here you might have seen from the valley282 PASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK.parties of travellers circling the rocky wall, as if they were clinging to it sideways by some supernatural power, and you may see others far above you coming down. Sick persons are borne on litters down these precipices to visit the baths,and, it is said, sometimes have their eyes blindfolded to avoidseeing the perils of the way. Far and near you can see trees and crags, streams, towns, meadow- slopes, mountain outlines, and snowy summits. You rise from point to point,commanding a wider view at every turn. You overhang themost terrible precipices. You scale the face of crags, where narrow galleries have been blasted like grooves , leaving the mountain arching and beetling over you above, while there is no sort of barrier between you and the almost immeasurable gulf below. It is a passage which tries a man's nerves. The little village and baths of Leuk look like aparcel of children's toys in wax, it is so far below you. Nowyou can see clear across the Dala valley with its villages and mountains, clear down into the valley of the Simplon. Now the vast snowy range of mountains on the Italian side beginsto be visible; you can distinctly count their summits and follow their ranges, from Monte Rosa and the Velan to the Grand St. Bernard. Presently a zigzag takes you again in the opposite direction, and again you enter a tremendous gorge by a blasted hanging gallery, where the mountains on either side frown like two black thunder-clouds. Thisgallery, which is called the Gemmisteig, is a path, or rather stair, quarried out of the solid rock. It is about two Eng- lish miles in length and about four or five feet wide; but although the rock is almost perpendicular, the regularity of the zigzag stairs takes away its difficulty, as the solid balus- trades of stone exempt it from danger. On the other sideof this awful gulf the chamois-hunters have perched awooden box for a sort of watch- tower beneath a shelf in theprecipice, utterly inaccessible except by a long pole from beneath, with a few pegs running through it, in imitation of a dead pine. An inexperienced chamois might take it for an eagle's nest, and here a man may lie concealed with his rifle till he has opportunity to mark his prey. At this point there is a remarkable echo from the depths of the gorge tothe opposite face of the mountain, and you hear the sound of your footsteps as if another party were travelling on the other side. You shout, and your words are twice distinctlyPASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK. 283reverberated and repeated. In some places this echo seems to be confused, and wild semi- human sounds are heard,which have been likened to the voices of people talking in a madhouse. Wordsworth seems to have heard the full cry of a hunting- pack rebellowing to the bark of a little dog,that took it into its head to wake the echo:-"Whatbeast of chase hath broken from the cover?Stern Gemmi listens to as full a cry,As multitudinous a harmony,As e'er did ring the heights of Latmos over,When, from the soft couch of her sleeping lover Upstarting, Cynthia skimmed the mountain dew In keen pursuit, and gave, where'er she flew,Impetuous motion to the stars above her.A solitary wolf- dog, ranging on Through the bleak concave, wakes this wondrous chime Of aëry voices locked in unison, —Faint-far off-ncar-deep-solemn and sublime! "The zigzag ascent continues . Your mule treads with the utmost unconcern on the very brink of the outjutting crags,with her head and neck projecting over into the gulf, which is so deep and so sheer a perpendicular, that in some places a stone might be dropped into the valley below, above 1500 feet, almost without touching the rock. The animal istrained to keep as far from the rock as possible, in order that its load might not strike against it, which might hurl the beast over the precipice.Arrived at the top of the pass, you again look for the last time onthe Pennine Alps . The towering Weisshorn, 13,898 feet above the sea-level, is distinguished by his irregular cone and sharp peaks, and blocks out Monte Rosa from our view.The Bruneckhorn and Schwarzhorn lie on this the north side of the Weisshorn, but 2000 feet lower. To the east areseen the pyramidal peaks of the Saasgrat groups, the Dôme,the Schwarzhorn and Balfrim, and to the west of the Weiss- horn, the Matterhorn, or Mount Cervin . Leaving the gorge,we pass a small shed , built for the use of travellers overtaken by a storm; in which case it would perhaps stand one in a little better stead than an umbrella. The scene is wintry, wild,and desolate. The elevation of the site, 7200 feet abovethe sea, forbids the growth of plants, even of the lowest organisation. Stupendous walls and needles of bare rockshoot into the sky, and on the left of our path the Alpine snows feed a small black lake, the Daubensee.284 PASS OF THE GEMMI AND BATHS OF LEUK.About two miles lower down is a solitary auberge, the " Inn" of Schwarenbach, with a civil , pleasant landlord, and fare as good and at as moderate charges as can reasonably be expected in such a place. An avalanche swept the site of the auberge in 1782, and covered the valley below for some distance with desolation.Soon after quitting the inn, the pasturage vegetation com- mences, and you cross from the Canton du Valais into theCanton of Berne; it is impossible not to be struck with the great contrast between the two regions, on entering the villages. From poverty, filth, and ignorance in the valley of the Rhône you pass to comfort, neatness, and intelligence.The vegetation begins speedily to luxuriate as we descend;large firs clothe the crags, herds of cows and oxen are pas- turing, and the ridges of rock so bare and perpendicular on the other side the pass, on this are hidden under thick forests . The mountains are split asunder in deep ravines,immense jagged chasms, which are fringed with rich verdure;and the shade into which you enter is so deep, that it looks like evening, though the sun has not much passed the meridian. The side- views of the Oeschinen and Gasterenvalleys, one on the right, the other on the left, as youdescend toward Kandersteg, are exceedingly impressive,both for their savage grandeur and beauty. On one side you seem to look through the torn rock-rifts of the pass , andover forest- crowned projections of the mountains, into the icy palace of Winter; frosted sparkling peaks, and icy- sheeted crags, and masses of pure white snow, seen through the firs, make a singular wild contrast with the verdantscenery that arises immediately around you, and is spread out below you. On the other side, the path that takes you into the Oeschinen valley winds over green grassy slopes tointroduce you to a lovely lake encircled by precipices and glaciers, at the foot of the Blumlis Alps.KANDERSTEG ( inn, Cheval Blanc; much better than it was) ,the first village in the beautiful valley of Frutigen, consists of a few wretched wooden houses, scattered over a grassy expanse at the foot of the Gemmi, about 3300 feet above thesea- level. Beyond Kandersteg, the valley, which at first is narrow, opens its lower portions are well cultivated, and the mountains which enclose it are well-wooded to theirsummits. Frutigen (inns: Posthaus , Ober- Landhaus, and

BRIEG TO DOMO D'OSSOLA. 285Nutes-Landhaus, ) is a village of about 1000 inhabitants.Reichenbach, at the mouth of the Rienthol, and Muhlinen,are villages of considerable size. We leave the valley of Frutigen on arriving at the base of the Niesen, which we round, to pursue a northerly course towards Thun. Betweenthe Niesen and the Stockhorn we pass by the mouth of the Simmenthal, where the stream joins the Kander before it issues into the lake. The country is well wooded and highly cultivated. We speedily come to the lofty bridge of Strat- lingen, and are in the country which has been described with the environs of Thun ( p. 37 ) . The town of Thun is about two miles beyond the bridge.BRIEG TO DOMO D'OSSOLA.( PASS OF THE SIMPLON. )The road to the Simplon Pass begins at Brieg. TheMilan diligences are 11 hours performing the distance from Brieg to Domo d'Ossola, of which 7½ are occupied in gaining the summit and 3 in descending. Inversely the ascent from Domo d'Ossola takes 7, and the descent to Brieg 4 hours. A good walker accomplishes the journey onfoot in about the same time. The construction of this fineroad, it is well known, was carried out under the ordersof Napoleon, who determined that his army on entering Italy to fight, if necessary, a second Marengo-should not encounter the difficulties of the St. Bernard Pass .The road was commenced on both sides of the Alps in 1800, and engaged the labour of nearly 30,000 men,and the skill of M. Céard, assisted by a most powerful staff of engineers, for above six years. The smallnessof the incline, one inch per foot, appears surprising when the steepness of the ground is considered: no expense, however,was spared to procure this advantage; terraces of gigantic size, galleries cut in the natural rock, bridges without number,and houses of refuge from the avalanches, make the Simplon road appear like the work of some Titanic race rather thanof a generation which has scarcely yet passed away.About two minutes' walk above Brieg the road passes by the bridge over the Saltine leading to Glys, leaves the Glyshorn on the same side, and makes a bend to the left.These bendings are necessarily repeated nearly to the286 BRIEG TO DOMO D'OSSOLA.summit of the pass. Another turn brings us to a point from which we can look down upon the ravine, at the bottom of which the Saltine is travelling. "We were allowed but few hours for rest at Brieg on this our last night before entering Italy. About two o'clock in the morning we were aroused by the conductor, and by the dim light of a lantern stepped into the coach which was to convey us across the Simplon.Slowly we ascended amidst fantastic piles of rock, amidst deep ravines and lofty heights. We had already been two hours under way ere the day dawned, and a turn of the winding road allowed us to gaze down upon the little town of Brieg which lay beneath our feet. The air was fresh and buoyant, and the birds were greeting the morn with their songs. One large bird, the lämmergeyer, disturbed by our approach, spread his broad wings and soared aloft. Andhere, amidst Nature's most majestic scenes, man has erected his own monument in the road which has been formedacross the Simplon. Napoleon cut a way through the very heart of the granite of which the mountain is formed; rocks have been blasted, and watercourses dammed up, in order toform the vaulted passages through which the road leads in those parts of the pass most exposed to avalanches. It pro- duces a singular sensation to find one's self in one of these galleries, and hear over our head the rushing sound of awaterfall pouring down with wild and impetuous fury into the vale beneath. As the coach travelled but slowly up the steep ascent we got out and walked, in order to enjoy the morning breeze. The stillness of this lofty region possesses an indescribable charm for those whose eyes and ears are accustomed to the unremitted din and turmoil ofdaily life. Even more and more distant and diminutive appeared the little town of Brieg, of which the windings in the road allowed us every now and then to catch a passingglimpse. The valleys and their human habitations gradually vanish from our sight; even vegetation becomes morescanty, and the Alpine rose is seen less frequently peeping forth from the crevices of the rocks. Little huts are placed along the side of the road, on the spots where the avalanches most frequently fall, in order to afford a place of refuge for the traveller. " The first refuge is at the upper end ofthe gorge of the Saltine, about an hour's walk above Brieg. Here the traveller can see the glacier near whichBRIEG TO DOMO D'OSSOLA. 287the road reaches the summit of the pass , three good hours'walking from this place. The second refuge is thirty- five minutes from the first, and twenty minutes beyond it isBerisal, the third refuge, where a rude inn is kept, with horses and beds. Here, in 1814, a few hundred youngGerman- Swiss inhabitants of the Haute - Valais chasedseveral thousand Italian soldiers, who had come over theSimplon, thinking to conquer the Valais. Another quarterof an hour brings us to the bridge over the Frombach, andtwenty minutes further on the bridge over the Weissbach isreached. The fourth refuge is a quarter of an hour beyond this. In clear weather the Bernese Alps, especially theJungfrau, Breithorn , and Mönch, are visible, with theAletsch glacier moving down into the Rhône valley. Twentyfive minutes beyond this is the Schalbet gallery, 95 feet long, and cut in the living rock. The fifth, or Schalbetrefuge, is fifteen minutes further on. Vegetation herealtogether vanishes, and we enter upon the wildest part,which is, at the same time, the most dangerous portion of the road. Within less than a couple of miles there arethree galleries, two refuges, and a hospice. Over thelatter, called the Kaltwassen galleries, the streams of theglacier of the same name pour into the gulf below. Thesixth refuge is within a few yards of the summit of the pass,which is 6578 above the sea- level, and designated by awooden cross. The next hospice, about ten minutes' walkfrom the cross, was founded by Napoleon, and by him in- tended to become a second St. Bernard. For want offunds,however, the design was not carried out, until, in 1825 , theconvent of Martigny, of which that of St. Bernard is abranch, became the possessors of the building on the Simplon, and made it a place for the entertainment of travellers .Dogs of the St. Bernard breed are also kept here, but, in consequence ofthe goodness of the road, their services are rarely required. The household consists only of a few Augustinecanons and some servants. The Hospice is far preferable,as a resting- place, to the inn at Simplon; and entertains,upon an average, 13,000 visitors per annum. The institution is not rich enough to dispense with the return whichall who can afford it make for hospitality received.The summit of the Simplon Pass is a dreary valley. About three miles on the other side is SIMPLON ( Ger. Simpeln;288 BRIEG TO DOMO D'OSSOLA.Ital. Sempione: inn, the Poste) . Pedestrians may here strike into a nearer way, which rejoins the carriage-road near the gallery of Algabi. The bridge of the Löwenbach is five minutes' distance from Simplon. Beyond it the road winds,until twenty minutes' further on we reach the confluence of the Krummbach with the Quirina, which flows down through a wild gorge from the Laven glacier, and after their union is called Veriola, and lower down Doveria. The hamlet of Goterg, or Algabi, is ten minutes from this con- fluence, and five minutes beyond is the gallery of Algabi.Upon emerging from this gallery the road enters the gorge of Gando, one of the wildest and most fearful glens in Swit- zerland. We now pass the eighth refuge, and a little distance beyond it cross the torrent by il ponte alto, near which is the ninth refuge. An immense rock now seems to beright in our road. It has, however, been tunnelled through,and is now one of the finest witnesses to the skill and energy which constructed this magnificent road. In this gallery is the marble tablet with the inscription, " Era Italica Napol.Imperat. 1805." Just at the exit of this gallery the stream of the Alpernbach, or Fressinone, falls down from a consi- derable height. A slender- looking bridge is carried over the fall. The rocky walls rise almost perpendicularly on both sides of the gorge to a giddy height. The few objects that meet the eye are strangely contrasted; the little light patch of sky with the dark gulf below, the regular sweep of the arch with the wildness of the torrent, form a picture surpassing the Via Mala in grandeur. Opposite the water- fall there are traces of the old road yet visible; there are also some small waterfalls lower down. About half an hour'swalk further is Gondo, Gunz, or Ruden, the last of the Valaisian villages. The inn here is a curiously- built house seven stories high, erected formerly by Baron Stockalper, of Brieg, as a refuge. The village is a wretched place . Near the chapel, ten minutes beyond Gondo, is the Sardinian frontier; five minutes below it is S. Marco, the first Italianvillage, differing, however, in no material respect from those which we have hitherto passed. At ISELLA (inn, Post) is the custom- house and passport- office ofthe Sardinian Government. At Dovedro, half anhour lower down, the road begins to attest the violence of the storms, which have so ruined it that the Sardinian en-BRIEG TO ANDERMATT. 289gineers prefer making a new one to its reparation. The diligences drag heavily through the sand and débris for about eight miles, when the road crosses a bridge and at- tains the last gallery, that of Crevola, and in forty- five minutes more reaches the village of that name. Atwo-archedbridge here crosses the Doveria, and brings us into the Val d'Ossola, or Eschenthal. Here the traveller immediatelyrecognises Italy. " As we approached Domo d'Ossola, every flat roof, every chestnut-tree, and every sunburnt country- woman, proclaimed the new region which we had entered.The air was mild and balmy, and laden with the perfume of sweet-scented flowers. The white houses with their flatroofs glistened in the mellow radiance of the setting sun.Fields of maize, mulberry, and chestnut-trees, bounded the road on either side. The climbing vine had entwined itself among the very loftiest boughs of the trees, and hung from branch to branch in graceful festoons, which were laden with ripe clusters of the purple grape. From every little height which overhung the road on either side peaceful cot- tages looked down upon the fertile scene, and labourers might be seen returning to these pleasant homes, their day's work being done. They carried on their heads large baskets filled with grass and vine- leaves, which are here used as fodder.Waggons drawn by long teams of mules journeyed slowly onwards. A priest might now and then be seen riding on an ass, or seated by the road- side, chatting with the country people in an easy, friendly manner, which the respect mani- fested towards them by the latter fully justified. In the midst of all these peaceful sights and sounds the bells of the neighbouring churches rang forth the Ave Maria, an even- ing note of blessing whispered over the tranquil scene. "Such is the character of the valley till we reach Domo d'Ossola.BRIEG TO ANDERMATT.Distance, 58 miles.The road up the valley of the Rhône beyond Brieg is only partially practicable for chars: at present the bridle- path,however, like that of Leuk, in the same canton, is in courseof metamorphosis, and promises some day to offer a speedier means of traversing what must be considered the least υ290 ANDERMATT TO CHUR.picturesque part of this valley. As far as Viesch, about one- third of the remaining length of the Rhône valley, the scenery is so beautiful as often to induce travellers who haveno intention of traversing the rest of the valley to visit it by a special excursion. The villages in the Haute- Valais closely resemble each other, -little aggregations of wooden houses,old-looking, silent, and sombre.Leaving Brieg, with or without horses (which the host of the Hôtel du Simplon will supply more reasonably than his monopolist neighbour, and which are not, as a rule, to be procured higher up the valley) , we cross the Rhône by awooden bridge, and make for Viesch. Naters, on the other side of the bridge opposite Brieg, is a village of about 500 inhabitants, enjoying a favourable exposure and softclimate. Beyond it we pass through Mörell and Lax, at each of which is a decent inn; and a couple of miles beyond the latter, Viesch is reached. No place better suited than this for a halt will occur on this side Hospital. The inn (chez Neffens ) is good; the Aeggishorn, a mountain com- manding a magnificent view of the Bernese and Pennine Alps, is at hand; the Viesch horns are seen behind the vil- lage, and the environs have a beauty of their own. Theascent ofthe Aeggishorn—that is to say, of the lower ridge,which it is not necessary to go beyond-takes about four hours of good climbing. Munster, a village of about 500 in- habitants, is passed, besides several others not requiring particular mention, and we arrive at Obergestelen . Thereis an inn here, which is comfortable in its way. Three mule- paths meet here-that ofthe Grimsel pass on our left, that of the Grisons on ourright, and that ofthe Furca directly in front.The source of the Rhône, which is seen to advantage as we begin to ascend the Furca, is about seven miles beyond Ober- gestelen. The remainder of this route, as far as Andermatt,has already been described in the route Grimsel by the Rhône- glacier ( page 63 ) .ANDERMATT TO CHUR.Distance about 64 miles, thus divided: Andermatt to Disentis (a guide necessary on account of the deceitfulness of the paths, which often border on bogs) , 8 hours' walking;Disentis to Ilanz, 7 hours; Ilanz to Coire, by diligenceANDERMATT TO CHUR. 291(runs three times a-week, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday,starting at 3 P. M. ) , 4 hours. There is a char road fromDisentis to Ilanz, but so bad that walking is easier than riding, and scarcely takes more time. The roads are most indifferent all the way, and the inns the worst in Switzer- land. The money, too, is strange and peculiar; and little ethnological islands are met with, inhabited by a race who speak a Romansch language, whichis neither Italian, French,nor Spanish, but has apparently, like them, been degraded in its own way from the Latin.Setting out from Andermatt, the traveller has to climb the pass of the Oberalp. At the summit of this is found alittle lake called Toma, or the Oberalpsee: its extremities spread out into marshes, from which run out a few threads of water, the sources of the Rhine. All the way along the sideof the lake, a distance of about two miles, the banks are very precipitously covered with rocks and stones , hidden by the scarlet blossoms of the rhododendron. The walking isextremely difficult and slow, and the traveller's feet are well wetted by the time he has got clear of the lake. There is,in fact, no regular path remaining the same for two con- secutive summers. There is, doubtless, something attractive in the thought of seeing the sources of a noble river like the Rhine. The reality, however, does not cor- respond to the promise; for, after all, the sources of the river are merely so in a conventional sense. The streamswhich we here see belong to the branch called the Vorder,or anterior Rhine; besides which there are the middle and hinder Rhine. But the lake in which the Vorder Rhineissues has many feeders, mere threads of foam coming down from the glaciers; and the stream which flows from it is not the largest of the many which are seen in the valley of Tavetsch. It appears, indeed, that the word Rhine,in the lingo of the country, means watercourse, and the country, with its numerous valleys and streams, was calledRhetier; much as the country called the Punjab, in India,has received its name from the character of its naturalirrigation.The scenery here is of a majestic character; the snowy summits ofthe Crispalt and the Balten rise on either side.The valley of Tavetsch stretches downwards in long windings ,carrying the Rhine in its bosom, and losing itself in the292 ANDERMATT TO CHUR.dark forests which stretch over the lower part of the mountains.CIAMUT is the first parochial village in the valley of Tavetsch. The climate of Ciamut is more inclement thanthat of St. Petersburg. There is a kind of manufactory here, where rude machines are constructed for drying the rye and barley of the neighbouring fields. A recent French traveller, who has not concealed his disgust at finding our countrymen in all parts of Switzerland, has remarked onthe manufacture of these apparatus: -" Un Jack Anglais,ne verrait point sans quelque esprit de rivalité des paysans,se tenir en équilibre dans les airs sur ces appareils pour ytravailler." The narrow valley of Tavetsch is cultivated mostlaboriously; fields of corn may be seen growing on its sides,where these slope in an angle of 45 degrees. At Ruaras the valley enlarges, and the conditions of existence seem to soften. We pass by Tavetsch, which gives its name tothe thal and the village of Mompetavetsch, and arrive at Disentis, where we are in the valley of Medels.DISENTIS has an inn, the Rathhaus, with indifferent ac- commodation.There is at Disentis an abbey of ancient date, as to the institution, although the present building is not above fifty years old. The latter standing on an height, at the base of which the houses of the village are gathered, is a con- spicuous object on all sides.Beyond Disentis the road leads to Disle, Compadel, and Sumvix, to the right of which the valley of the same nameopens.TRONS, the village just beyond Sumvix ( inn, Casa Nuova,very bad; but being kept by the Landamman, or head man of the district, one will get nothing by grumbling) , is aplace of note. The popular movements on behalf of freedom and independence which distinguished the history of Swit- zerland in the middle ages did not proceed from one common centre; the liberties of the country have rather resulted from a succession of independent exertions on the part of groups of its inhabitants. The Forest cantons were emancipated through the conspiracy of Grutli; the Grisons, by a similar movement, concerted at Trons. The specific locality, which corresponded here to the Grutli meadow, was a forest, nearly all the trees of which, how-ANDERMATT TO CHUR. 293ever, have by this time found their way into the furnace of a French company, whose ironworks are in the neigh- bourhood. One relic, still preserved with reverential care,is the trunk of an aged sycamore. Under its once spreading branches met, in March 1424, the Abbot of Disentis, the Counts von Werdenberg and Sax, Baron von Rhäzüns, with the chief of the people, and formed the Obern or Grauen Bund, whose object was the emancipation of the canton from the feudal lords who oppressed it from their now ruined castles. Here, as tradition relates, they lifted theirhands, and repeated after the Abbot the oath to stand by one another with life , goods, and friends; to uphold justice,peace, the roads, and trade; to guarantee to noble and peasant, rich and poor, the enjoyment of rights and pro- perty, and never to take the law into their own hands. In memory of this solemn transaction the little chapel was built near the sycamore. Its portal is inscribed with the following words, in letters of gold:-" IN LIBERTATEM VOCATI ESTIS.UBI SPIRITUS DOMINI, IBI LIBERTAS .IN TE SPERAVERUNT PATRES.SPERAVERUNT ET LIBERASTI EOS."Two fresco paintings represent the scenes ofthe original oath and its renewal in 1778 .Ober Saxen has several old ruined castles in its vicinity:one cannot help feeling pleased at the downfal of the pre- tended nobles , who would stoop to plunder people so pooras must ever be the inhabitants of this valley.ILANZ, a village of 600 inhabitants, is very pleasantly situated at a point where the Rhine is joined by the stream of the Gleimer, which adds pretty nearly one- third to the volume of its waters. The valley, too, widens, and the mean temperature being lower, vegetation becomes more rich.The Croix Blanche, close to the Rhine Bridge , is a tolerably good house. The landlord is said to be an honest man; it is tolerably certain that the genealogy of his predecessor,could it be traced, would prove him the true heir-at- law to one of the knightly robbers whose trade the Trons people destroyed. Now that the traveller is among the Grison innkeepers, let him beware of taking their small change; their blützigers and other local coins give trouble294 ANDERMATT TO CHUR.enough, but this is not the worst. If the landlord have inany nook or cranny a few outlandish coins which do not pass current in the canton, he will be sure to palm them as change upon the first traveller who is uninitiated in thesemysteries. A brief mode of avoiding this fraud, is to have the bill made out in francs or florins. The Grison florinis composed of 60 kreuzers, or 70 blützgers, and is equal to 2 zwanzigers, or 1 French fr. 74c. A French franc is equal to 34 Grison kreuzers.The village of Flims lies at the mouth of the Sernf-thal ,up which lies the bridle-road to Glarus, by which the high road to Wallenstadt and the Lake of Zurich is gained. It is of small use to signalise the rogueries of the innkeeper here. The increasing frequency of English incursions has called into existence an honester class of landlords in oneor two of the principal Grison towns, but, on the whole, the management of the inns in this canton and the treatmentexperienced by travellers are very much as Inglis described them twenty years ago:-" At Ilanz I had bread, milk, and two eggs for supper; this was all the house afforded; andfor breakfast I had bread, butter, sugar, and hot water to make tea, which I carried with me. The whole of thesecould not have been worth one franc; and in the morning,when I demanded my bill , I was told it amounted to nine francs. I requested to know the particulars. Supper, three francs; bed, three francs; breakfast, three francs. I toldhim the charge was absurd. He shrugged his shoulders.I told him it was at least three times what would be charged in England for the same accommodation. 'C'est possible,'said he, with the greatest coolness; mais nous sommes àprésent en Suisse.' I told him I would not pay it. How will you help it? ' said he; and, in short, I purchased leave to go upon my journey by submitting to be robbed. I could mention several other instances of robbery to equal this.""The village of REICHENAU ( inn , Adler) consists of comfortable- looking houses disposed along the two branches of the Rhine, which here form a junction. There is an aspectof ease and prosperity about the place which arises at once from commercial and manufacturing activity. Reichenau,however, is chiefly remarkable as having been the residence of Louis Philippe of Orleans during his youth: during twoyears he was sheltered in the château of Colonel Planta,ANDERMATT TO CHUR. 295where a school was then kept by the Burgomaster Tarschner.Visitors to the château, now an inn, may see the chamber which he occupied. An inscription is placed over the door,which opens on the grand corridor. The first thing which strikes a stranger on entering is the fine view of the Grison Oberland, which is overlooked from the room. Two largeportraits, the gift of the late king, hang on the walls; one representing him as a young usher with a round hat, andsurrounded with books and globes; the other, as King of theFrench, old, and dressed in a general's uniform , his hand resting on the Charte of 1830. A letter is also exhibitedin a glass- case, addressed by M. Montalivet, by desire ofthe king, to the proprietor of the château, to accompany the pictures, and express the pleasure with which the old monarch remembered the asylum of Reichenau. There is apretty garden to the château, from which is seen the valleyof the Oberland, which we have been descending, that of Domlenby, sprinkled with old historical castles, and athird, down which the Rhine flows to Chur. On leavingReichenau we cross the celebrated wooden- bridge, the boast of Swiss carpentry. It is thrown over the Rhine by one arch, having a span of above 200 feet, and covered with aroof according to the custom of the Swiss. We are now on the great post-road of Italy and Switzerland, leading to the passes of the Splügen and the Bernardin, by the valley of the Hinter Rhein. Between here and Chur there is littleto attract notice, except the dangerous position of the hamlet of Feldsberg, menaced hourly with destruction from the fallof a mountain more perpendicular than the Rossberg, which buried Goldau.CHUR, the Grison capital (inns: Weisses Kreutz, Freyeck,Steinbach; all exceptions to the Grison rule, the first men- tioned being the best) , is a picturesque, moyen-age- looking old town, of between 5000 and 6000 inhabitants, compara.tively of considerable size; but not so large that ten minutes walking in a direct line will not carry you both in and outof the place. It stands in a little plain or gap, between mountains which surround it on three sides. Besides thesenatural defences it has a high wall and a moat, which serve to give it a somewhat defiant aspect, although otherwise decidedly supererogatory. The streets are narrow, but then everyhouse has its garden, which the stranger is sure always296 CHUR TO PONTE, IN THE ENGADINE,to see in good trim, for here no iuch of ground is allowed to escape from a most assiduous culture.The limited size of Chur does not hinder it from being one of the most animated and stirring little places in Swit- zerland; a condition which it owes to its situation on thehigh road over the Splügen and Bernardin passes, by which the manufactures of St. Gall, Glarus, and Zürich are transported to Italy. About one- third of the inhabitants of Chur derive a livelihood by this traffic, as innkeepers, waggoners,porters, horse-proprietors , blacksmiths, wheelwrights , &c.The cathedral or church of St. Lucius, with the residenceor palace of the bishop , occupy the most elevated part ofthe town, but are exterior to its gates . The saint to whom the first is dedicated has the reputation of having been a king in England, in the second century, whence he travelled to this strange corner of the world to convert the Swiss to Christianity. His hermitage, it is related, stood on the sitenow occupied by the church. Holy relics, consisting of aportion of the saint's osseous system, are exhibited in asetting of gold. The building is in the round-arch style,and portions of it were constructed in the seventh century.Besides the grotesque figures which enter into its architec- tural composition, the church possesses a considerable num- ber of images and carvings, both old and new. There arediligences twice a- day to Zürich, and one over the Splugen to Milan (in June, 1852, the Federal Council gave orders for a second mail to traverse the distance from Chur to Milanevery night) , one to Bellinzona by the Bernardin, one to Lindau by Bregenz and Feldkirch, and two to St. Gall.Chur, lying on the outskirts of the Grisons, can afford the traveller little information as to the country or the people who inhabit it. To appreciate these he must visit the valleys,especially the Engadine.CHUR TO PONTE, IN THE ENGADINE,BY THE ALBULA PASS.There are two routes conducting to the Engadine, or val- ley of the Upper Inn, the best and most recently constructed being that leading to St. Moritz by the St. Julier Pass.The Samaden diligence travels it every day, and performs the distance, about 52 miles, in fifteen or sixteen hours.BY THE ALBULA PASS. 297The second, and older, coincides with the first as far as Lenz,where it deviates to the east, and is carried towards and over the Albula pass , reaching Ponte, a village lower in the valley than St. Moritz.The first part of the road, as far as Lenz, lies through afinely-wooded and hilly country. The inn ( Krone) at the little town of Lenz is well spoken of. Generally speaking,the traveller to and in the Engadine must prepare to accommodate his wants to a very humble description of entertain- ment, only the larger towns having anything approaching to hôtel conveniences. The inns at the smaller places aremanaged upon the calculation, not of the wants of travellers,their least important guests, but of those of the villagers, who accustom themselves to meet there when the labour of theday is ended, order their chopin of wine, and discourse upon the privileges they enjoy. The Romansch language is ex- clusively spoken above Lenz, even in many of the inns . In any case of difficulty, however, there is always some travelled Swiss, a ci- devant valet, or retired confectioner, who canbring about an understanding between the parties through some of the principal European tongues. From Lenz, where the road to Ponte leaves that of the diligence and the St.Julier pass, it gradually ascends to Bergun, a village with about 500 inhabitants. Beyond this place the ascent is very steep towards the Albula, one of the highest interiorpasses of Switzerland . The road is practicable for small carts, mounts by the side of a torrent, and soon enters anarrow gorge, which affords room only for the stream and the passage, which has been cut out of the towering rock.On the other side of the rock we enter a tolerably extensiveAlpine valley, about three miles in length, and the path ascends a narrow defile among the naked rocks which sur- round the little lake of Wissenstein. " The ascent is laborious, but the scenery around amply compensates the labour.Five girdles of dark fir span the waists of the rocks, whose grey and rugged heads rise in vast amphitheatre. Below the firs , and among the lower rocks, lies the freshest verdure,watered by innumerable rills that are seen higher up in white threads of foam among the rocks. Here and there is a châlet, here and there a little flock, but these become rarer as you proceed. The path surmounts the fir, and at a suddenturn reaches the little lake and the châlet, where the traveller298 CHUR TO PONTE, IN THE ENGADINE.may find mountain fare. A few stunted firs are scattered about the lower end, where the water is shallow; but on all the other sides it lies still, and dark, and treeless, beneath the precipices that tower above."The ascent from this point is extremely steep, and inabout an hour's walking the lake itself is shut out from view.A defile of the most desolate character, called Trümmerthal, or the Valley of Ruins, is now entered. It is about four miles in length, and from one to two broad, and environed by high mountain summits, which rise almost per- pendicularly from the defile in some places, exposing precipices of two or three thousand feet; in others displaying enormous gaps and caves. Above these the highest peaks,powdered with snow, but too steep to afford it a restingplace, jut into the sky. The whole extent of the defile is made up of heaps of enormous stones, that lie piled on eachother, in some places to the height of some hundred feet.Not one mountain plant or Alpine flower is seen throughout the whole range of this defile. All is treeless, herbless, lifeless. Beyond its extremity the valley drops its desolate cha- racter, and herbage and mosses, the ranunculus, the mountain anemone, and rhododendron, are met with. Thesummit ofthe Albula pass, indicated, as are the summitsof most Swiss passes, by a small cross, is just under 7000feet above the sea level. It is generally covered with green,and occasionally difficult to pass. The two peaks of the Albula mountain, one 1700 the other 800 feet, are seen abovethe highest point of the road. The path is tolerably level forabout three quarters of an hour, and then descends throughthe rich sloping pastures of Mount Albula, which in summer are covered with sheep and cattle. Here we are at once among some of the best dairies of Switzerland. Theshepherds of Mont Albula are civil , and sufficiently intelligent; the stranger desirous of familiarising himself with the mysteries of Alpine dairies will find them communica- tive, in the not unreasonable hope of receiving some gratuity at the close of their elucidations. The outer part of the mountain châlet affords accommodation for the cattle; theinner part has two rooms, one where the milk is kept,another where the cheese is made; over these is a loft,where the people employed about the cattle and dairy sleep.There is generally one man to fifty cows. Their wages areTHE ENGADINE. 299about 30s. a month, with a dietary of salted meat, bread,cheese, butter, and milk ad libitum.The descent into the Engadine is less by at least 2000 feet than the ascent from Bergem, as the village of Ponte is nearly 5000 feet above the sea level.THE ENGADINE.The Engadine has a remarkable position in the chain of the Alps, and the manner in which it is enclosed deserves especial notice. It is well known that the culminating points of the chain are found between Mont Blanc and the St.Gothard inclusively, and that the peaks of the Grison Ober- land have a less gigantic elevation. But, on the other hand,it seems to be in this last part of Switzerland that the ge- neral surface of the soil has been raised by the strongestforces from the bottom of the valley; these are so high as to surpass in elevation many considerable mountains ofother European countries. If on a good Keller's map wedraw a line from the pass of the Stelvio, or from Mont Orteles, which is close to it, to the Jungfrau, a distance of about 120 miles, this will represent the axis of elevation of the Alps in their most massive portion; for it will be easy to mark transversely to this line, on all its extent, distances more or less remote where the surface of the soil has an elevation of above 4340 feet at the least above the sea level.A line connecting the extreme points of these distances will mark out an irregular figure, enclosing a space composed of two sides of the Alps and several valleys , which may be considered the most compact and elevated mass of European soil, and everywhere exceeding the limit of 340 feet. The breadth of this mass varies considerably, being smaller in the western and larger in the eastern portions. The me- ridian of Silvaplana, which intersects the Ober or Upper Engadine and its lakes, and runs through the summits of the Bernina, marks the greatest breadth of this elevated part of the country. The Upper Engadine is the most open of all the districts lying on this raised surface, and but forits cruciform intersections would be a Swiss plateau . These intersections are formed by the Inn, the Mera, which flows in a contrary direction , the valley leading to Mont Julier, andfinally that of Poschiavo, cut at the base of the massive300 THE ENGADINE.Bernina. The line from the Stelvio to the Jungfrau is socertainly the central line of the elevation of the generalsurface, that, having traced it on the map, we find that themost important passes of the central Alps, the Grimsel,Furca, St. Gothard, and Lukmanier, are exactly over it;while on the south and north, at the distance of one ortwo leagues, are the Bernardin, Splügen, Septimer, Julier,Albula, and Bernina.This elevation of the general soil combines with the lesserheights of the mountain summits to give a very low relative elevation to the peaks of the Grison. This will be made more apparent from the subjoined comparative table: -Mont Blanc Priory of ChamonixRelative elevation .Bernese Oberland.JungfrauWESTERN ALPS.• 14,760 Fr. feet.3,190 (Keller. )99 ""• 11,57012,870 99 (Keller. )Village of Lauterbrunnen . 2,450 "" ""ووRelative elevation .Valais.· 10,420 99Monte Rosa • 14,220 99 99 Village of Zermatt 4,190 "" 99Relative elevation . • 10,030 99ALPS OF THE GRISONS.The Adula, source of the Hinter RhineVillage of Hinter Rhine (in the valley leading to the Splügen and the Bernardin) .10,280 Fr. feet. (Röder. )4,800 "" 99Relative elevation . 5,480 ""The Todi, in the Grison Oberland 12,000 "" 99 Village of Disentis • 3,648 99 ""Relative elevation . 8,352 ,دTHE ENGADINE. 301Piz-Doan and Mont Septimer, over Village of Joff, in the Val d'Avers .Relative elevation .9,000 Fr. feet. (Röder. )6,730 99 ""2,270 ""The Bernina: Mortiratch . 12,476 99 (Federal Triang. )Village of Samaden • 5,441 99 ""Relative elevation . • 7,035 99 Piz 10,580 99 (Röder. ) -LinardVillage of Klosters (in thevalley of the Landquart) 3,700Relative elevation . • 6,88099It follows that the highest summits in the Grisons have an altitude which averages less by 2000 feet than that ofthe Western Alps, while the valleys have an elevation whose superiority is represented by the same figure . Each of these mountainous districts has its peculiar aspect ofmajesty. In Savoy, the Valais, and Berne, it is the enor- mous relative height which strikes the eye; on the Grisons it is the stupendous masses and the indescribable interlacing of the mountains, whose crests are always and in every direction brilliant with snow.The entire valley of the Upper Inn, which forms the two Engadines, is about sixty miles in length. It is thickly sprinkled with villages of considerable extent, a fact which is very remarkable when its severe climate and comparative unproductiveness consequent upon its great elevation are considered. All that industry, impelled by extreme loveofgain, could do for a country, has been done for this: the soil is incapable of a greater cultivation than it has received,but winter reigns during nine months of the year; summer,which begins only in June, is over early in September, and even during its continuance the diligently-cultivated fields are often laid waste by storms of hail or resistless torrents which sweep down fromthe mountains. The richest harvestsreturn only a poor crop of rye and barley to the farmers;nevertheless this is one of the richest districts in all Switzerland. The reason is to be found in two customs302 THE ENGADINE.prevalent among the Grison people-one of emigrating to richer countries in youth, another of returning to their native land with fortunes made by industry. A certain habit of reflection teaches the young peasants of the Engadine to look with horror on a state of dependence, and as no division of property could enable the valley to support all who are born there, one or two of the sons of every numerous family leave their home at about the age of 18, and direct their steps to Paris, Marseilles, Lyons, or Bordeaux. Here one ofthem will pay a fee to the master of some well- accustomedrestaurant, or café, to be taken as a garçon; industry and civility recommend him to masters and customers, and his saving habits soon produce a little store, which enables himto turn to account the knowledge of pastry- making in- nate among the Grison people, and he opens a confec- tioner's shop. A few years of activity enable him to return to his native valley, with money sufficient to set him up as a travelling merchant between his own country and the foreign towns wherever his connexion may lie.After afew years thus employed, the merchant retires, and thusis kept up the race of small millionaires who are constantly encountered in the Engadine. Mr. Inglis found at Bergam two individuals who had, one 1500l. and another a some- what smaller amount, invested in the British funds; and at Suss, two peasants, who possessed each as much as 20,000l.sterling. The houses in the Engadine are remarkable for their great size in every dimension but that of height. Many have most curiously- decorated exteriors. The door, or gate,has its painted pillars, some Doric, some Corinthian, with their shafts and capitals. The gateway is spanned by alarge arch, generally ornamented with ambitious- looking designs. The windows, too, have their pillars surmounted by a Greek pediment. Upon some part of the wall, generally over the gate, an inscription is found, either in Ro- mansch or Latin, setting forth the date and builder of thehouse, or recommending it to the protection of God.SAMADEN the largest village in the Haute Engadine, liesabove Pont, and has a daily communication with Chur bydiligence. The Bernina pass, leading into the valley of the Vateline, is reached by a bridle- path, practicable for some distance, and with difficulty, for chars. Above Samaden areSt. Moritz, Silvaplana, and several smaller villages.CHUR TO SPLÜGEN. 308Zuz is a village of about 600 inhabitants. Scanf, Capella,and Brail, follow on the line of road; and at Pantanta we enter upon the Lower Engadine. Below this pointthe Inn flows in a deeper channel; the mountains have the appearance of being higher, and have their sides clothedwith wood.At Zernetz, or Cernetz (inns, Poste and Lion d'Or) , the Inn receives the waters ofthe Spal. The road from here leadsto Suss, one ofthe largest of the Engadine villages; the valley is very narrow, leaving room only for the river and the road.The road, which traverses the valley of the Lower Engadine,is generally rendered extremely circuitous by the nature of the country. The wide and deep beds of the torrents which desolate the valley in winter, reach some thousand feet up the mountain sides, so that to construct even the worst road it is necessary to carry it to an extreme height above theriver, otherwise the torrent-beds would be impassable.aTarasp has a mineral spring and several inns. Schuols has a population of 1200. The valley assumes its most pleasing appearance below this place. The river flows at the bottom of a deep, rocky gorge, sprinkled with fir and mountain- ash.The rocks rise as it were out of the water to the height of three or four hundred feet, and generally support a plat- form covered with stones and shrubs. Above thisrange of rocks rise perpendicularly to the height of 1500 or 2000 feet. Here and there are patches of rye and barley,interspersed with bits of grass for grazing a few cows or goats . The road runs along the top of the second range of rocks, and here also is the peopled and cultivated part of the valley.At Martinsbruck, the lowest village of the valley, 3250 feet above the sea-level, the path leaves the Inn, which here enters the Austrian Tyrol by the pass of the Finstermunz. The Imperial arms are seen on the Custom-house close by.The return to Chur can only be made by the routes already described.CHUR TO SPLÜGEN.The pass of the Splügen, constructed by the Austrians ,to connect the capital of Lombardy with Switzerland andSouth Germany, is now traversed twice a-day (in July, Au-304 CHUR TO SPLÜGEN.gust, September, and October; the rest of the year only once) by the malle- poste from Chur to Milan. The distance from Chur to Colico, where the steamer from Como meets the diligence, is above 76 English miles.The Via Mala, a section of the Splügen pass , about fivemiles in length, and eleven from Chur, is annually the objectof a special excursion to many travellers. Those who pro- pose to pass on and enter Italy by the Splügen or Bernardin, must be provided with the signature of an Austrianminister on their passports. This regulation is imperative.As far as Reichenau the road is that by which we arrive at Chur from Ilanz. (See page 295. )At Reichenau we cross the two branches of the Rhine by the pretty wooden bridge, and ascend the Hinter Rhine by its left bank. The road to Thusis, 11 miles beyond Reichenau, is extremely hilly. The opposite bank is occupied by a range of mountains, which approach so nearly to that over which our road is carried as to give the valley a ravinelike character. This section of the route is more thicklysprinkled with the ruins of feudal castles than any other part of Switzerland. The current traditions of this locality have none of that poetical sentiment which is found as we descendto the German banks of the Rhine, but invariably surround the feudalists with a character of odious and brutal tyranny.The castles generally surmount the hills in picturesque boldness, apparently inaccessible and impregnable, but are so storm- beaten, old, and moss-grown, that they can scarcely be distinguished from the rocks on which they are built.THUSIS (inn, Aigle d'Or) , a village of about 700 in- habitants, is situated against the jaws of a wild defile on the terrace of the Heinzenberg, from which you enjoy down the open valley the loveliest variety of prospect in river,plain, mountain, castle, and hamlet. This thriving little town was destroyed by a conflagration in 1845. The houses are being rebuilt a little below the site of the former village,and are of superior construction. At the end of the village a handsome stone bridge crosses the Nolla, an impetuous torrent, which here joins the Rhine. Crossing the bridge the traveller has a good view of the Nollathal, bounded by the peaks of the lofty Piz Beveren.The country between Reichenau and Thusis is covered with stones or pools, the work of the unruly Rolla, whichCHUR TO SPLÜGEN. 305has hitherto set at defiance all the attempts made to contain it in a regular channel, and seems to be waiting some Escher Von der Linth to set bounds to its ruinous extravagances. The bridge crossed, we come at once to the entrance of the VIA MALA, one of the most fearfully mag- nificent gorges in Switzerland. The immense mountainridge, which seemed to block up the valley, is now seen rent from base to summit, and we enter the gap, which is the outlet of the Rhine. The cliffs on each side of us rise to aperilous height, and become more vertical and draw nearer together as we advance. The road is notched out of the sides ofthe rockby the hand of man, and brings us at about a milefrom Thusis to a point called Das Verlorenes Loch, the Lost Hole. Here a projecting spur of the mountain formerlymost completely blocked up the valley, so that to reach the other side it was necessary to make a painful circuit of many miles. After some hundreds of years, Pocobelli, an Italian engineer, undertook to cut through the overhanging moun- tain, and formed the present tunnel. The gallery is not extensive, being a little more than 200 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 14 feet high. The view from this tunnel, looking back through the gap by which we entered, includes apleasing view of the hills beyond Thusis, and the ruins of the large old castle of Rhealt, said to have been built by aTuscan chief centuries before Christ. Beyond the tunnel the ravine continues narrow, and the road is in part notched out of the cliff. Presently the rocks on the right hand re- cede, and losing their perpendicular position , form sloping surfaces, which are covered with green fields and the cottages of Rongellen. Beyond this village the rocks over the valley approach and spring perpendicularly to a dizzy height. The road is carried in their sides far above the stream which hereis thrice crossed by bridges to evade the obstructions offered by the form of the rock. " The four or five miles of theSplügen Pass, which are called the VIA MALA, constitute onecontinued, tortuous, black, jagged chasm, split through the stupendous mountain- ridge from the summit to the base, in perpendicular, angular, and convoluted zigzag rifts, so nar- row in some places that you could almost leap across, yet so deep that the thunder ofthe Rhine dies upon the earin struggling and reverberating echoes upwards. Sixteen hundred feet at least the precipices in some places rise perpendicular X306 CHUR TO SPLÜGEN.to heaven, so serrated and torn , the one side from the other,that if the same Power that rent them should spring them together, they would shut as closely as a portcullis in its sockets, as a tomb upon its lid. Down in the depths of this fearful fissure thunders the mad river, sometimes lost fromsight and scarcely audible in its muffled, subterranean,booming sound, sometimes desperately plunging, sometimes wildly, swiftly, flashing in white foam, sometimes whirling like a maelstroom. You enter upon this savage pass fromthe sunlit vale of Domschleg, under the old Etruscan castle of Realt, spiked in the cliff like a war-club, four hundred feet above you, and totally inaccessible on every side but one.Passing this from Thusis, you are plunged at once into ascene of the deepest sublimity. The road is with great daring carried along the perpendicular face of crags, being cut from the rock where no living thing could have scaled themountain, and sometimes it completely overhangs the abyss,a thousand feet above the raging torrent. Now it pierces the rock, now it runs zigzag, now spans the gorge on a light dizzy bridge; now the mountains frown on each other liketropical thunder- clouds about to meet and discharge their artillery, and now you come upon mighty insulated crags,thrown wildly together, covered with fringes of moss and shrubbery, and constituting vast masses of verdure. Leaning over the parapet, we amused ourselves by dropping stonesin the roaring torrent below, and computing by our watches the time they took to reach the water, endeavoured to guess at the depth of the chasm. It was dizzy to look at it. Thetall black fir forest on the mountain shelves, and the blastedpines on inaccessible peaks, seemed to gaze gravely at us, as if we had come unauthorised into a sanctuary of nature toodeep and awful to be trodden by the foot of man." Just after the entrance from Thusis the mountain ispierced by the first gallery, and beyond this Pocobelli hasblasted a groove for a thousand feet farther, under the rocky canopy, where your carriage passes as on a shelf, with thetremendous gulf beneath you at your left. Now and thenthe precipices on one side actually hang beetling over the road on the other, and looking up to heaven, it is as if yougazed out from the keep of a dungeon.66 Looking up the pass from below the second bridge, per- haps the view is finer than in any other part. The bridgeCHUR TO SPLÜGEN. 307itself, with the appalling depth spanned by it, adds to the sublimity. You gain this bridge by a gallery in an over- hanging projection of the mountain, and then cross to the other side, looking down and up, as in the central position of the gorge. Owing to the recent heavy rain while we were at Ragatz, the river was now higher than usual, and from the beetling precipices above us the white streams, new born, were leaping like jets of foam. We passed a most singular and daring, but very simple air- bridge, that hung above us for the purpose of getting the timber from one side of the gulf, where almost perpendicularly it clothes the mountain, over to the road on the other. A range of cableswas suspended from the trunks of enormous pines, some hundreds of feet above the road, and being fastened securelyon the other side of the gulf, the timber being cut and trimmed for the purpose, was thus swung high in its cradle of air to the place of landing for transportation."Between the second and third bridges, the ravine loses all its savage grandeur, and opens into that of Schams,which has nothing about it very remarkable.ANDEER (inns: H. des Bains, and Poste; first, best) is a village of about 400 inhabitants. To the left of the roadon quitting the village is seen the castle of Bärenburg, the first that was taken in that memorable insurrection of thepeasants against petty nobility, which gave freedom to theGrisons. Just beyond it the Aversa, which comes down the Val de Ferrera, from the glaciers of the Septimer and Moricz,joins the Rhine. The road now winds considerably, and ascends the ravine of the Rofla. The mountains are wellwooded, and numerous streams run downtheir sides . Presently the road crosses the Rhine, and at once reaches the villageof Splügen or Splüga, which gives its name to the whole pass. The inn called Bodenham is well spoken of. Up to this point the route has been common to the Splügen and Bernardin passes: beyond this village the road divides thatofthe Bernardin , being continued in the westerly direction as far as the village of Hinterrhein, where first it turnssouthward, while the pass of the Splügen is carried directly southward from the village of Splügen.The pass ofthe Splügen, rising more than 2000 feet abovethe village of Splügen, and 6814 above the sea, brings the traveller out at Chiavenna and the Lake of Como. That of308 CHUR TO SPLÜGEN.the Bernardin, rising 7115 feet above the sea, and about 2400 above Splügen, opens upon Bellinzona and the Lakes ofMaggiore and Lugano.We cross the Rhine bridge, leave the river, take the Splügen road, and following it through 44 miles of laborious ascent, come to the narrow mountain ridge, which traces theboundary line between Switzerland and Lombardy. The steepest ascent is effected by a great number of zigzags, so gradual, that they turn almost parallel on one another. The vigorous pedestrian will do well to scale across them, as one might cut a coil of rope across the centre, instead of running round; thus climbing from crag to crag he may see vehicles toiling slowly along far below him.On this , the Swiss side of the summit, the original road has been swept away by a tempest. The Grison government has repaired the disaster, and a new and safer road, to be carried through a gallery above the zigzags , is in course of construction. The summit of the highest ridge of the pass being gained, there is no level space, but the road imme- diately begins to descend. The Austrian customs and pass- port offices and guardhouses give the traveller a reception very different to that met with on the Grand St. Bernard,being as bleak as the ice-breeze itself. The scene is desolatein its every aspect. We now enter Italy, but as yet the features of the native are severe and savage. The road to Chiavenna is for several miles carried through a series ofgalleries of solid masonry, longer than those of the Simplon or any other Alpine pass. The avalanches, which fall more frequently among the passes of the Rhætian Alps than inany other part of Switzerland, justify these costly works.They have sometimes fallen like a thunderbolt, and swept away one traveller, leaving another in safety by his side.The mail carriers have seen their horses shot into the abyss,not indeed from under them, but when they had dismounted for an instant. It seems to be a pass shrouded in moreabsolute terrors than any in Switzerland. The old road from the Splügen summit passed through the terrific gorge of the Cardinill, where Macdonald in 1801 waged a five-days'war with the elements on his way to Marengo. The can- nonade of avalanches cost him above 100 men, besides as many horses. The only wonder is, that whole regiments were not buried at once. One ofthe drummers ofthe army,COIRE TO CONSTANCE, BY RAGATZ, RHEINECH, ETC. 809having been shot in a snow-bank from the avalanche intothe frightful gulf, and having struggled forth alive, but out of sight and reach of his comrades, was heard beating his drum for hours in the abyss, vainly expecting rescue.The road rapidly descends, and at Chiavenna we recognise the sky, the sun, the river, the people, of Italy. Below this, the highway leads to Colico, where the steamer waits tocarry further southwards. ( See Bogue's " Northern Italy." )COIRE TO CONSTANCE BY RAGATZ, RHEINECH,RORSCHACH, AND THE BATHS OF PFEFFERS.The entire distance from Coire to Constance is 62 miles.Diligences run twice a day in twelve hours to Rorschach,where the journey may be completed by the steamer, which performs the remaining distance in three hours.The old baths of Pfeffers do not lie in the direct road toConstance, but are situated in the gorge of the Tamina(pronounced Tameena) , 24 miles from Ragatz. They should on no account be overlooked by the traveller in search of the characteristic sites of Switzerland.A footpath leads from Reichenau over the pass called La Foppaam Kunvels right down the valley of the Tamina, adistance of 24 miles. The traveller may also leave the dili- gence road at the Neuere Zollbrücke, 24 miles on this side Ragatz, whence a path of about 7 miles leads to the convent of Pfeffers, a mile fromthe baths. Time and walking, how- ever, are best saved by proceeding to Ragatz, and thence ascending the Tamina gorge.The main road, as far as the Neuere Zollbrücke, about5 miles on this side Ragatz , is carried along the right bank of the Rhine. The bridge forms the communication between the cantons of the Grisons and St. Gall. As yet the Rhine is a prosaic stream; its channel being ill defined, and itswide bed strewn with stones and sand. The valley, however,has an aspect of beauty and grandeur, having cultivated grounds of considerable extent, and being bounded on bothsides by lofty mountains, the great Kalanda range running along the left bank. About 4 miles on this side Ragatz, the road crosses the Landquart, a large and rapid stream, whichcomes down from the east, and after a lengthened course310 COIRE TO CONSTANCE, BY RAGATZ, RHEINECH,through the Pratigau joins the Rhine. The Neuere Zoll- brücke, a mile below the Landquart bridge, is a fine wooden bridge lately thrown over the Rhine.RAGATZ, a village of about 600 inhabitants, has two inns;one small and cheap-the Post, or Tamina Hotel; and another large and rather dear, called Hof Ragatz, formerly the Statthalterei, or Abbot's residence of the convent of Pfeffers;but, in 1840, partially rebuilt and fitted up as an inn andbathing- house. This hôtel, which is the property of the canton of St. Gall, is capable of accommodating more than a hundred visitors . The master speaks English very well.The baths are cleaner, and have a neater appearance, than the old baths of Pfeffers; but, like the new, are very dull,and not at all calculated, one would think, for nervous or otherwise susceptible patients. The water is clear, but being conveyed from the spring which supplies the old baths by 24 miles of wooden tubing, is of lower temperature than at the older establishment.The OLD BATHS of PFEFFERS lie about 24 miles up the gorge of the Tamina-a second Via Mala. The new road thither, cut in 1839 out of the living rock, is good, and not over steep. Crossing the bridge of the Tamina at the entrance of the valley, we ascend the left bank. The road follows the course of the river without rising greatly, like that of the Via Mala, above the level of the torrent, which thunders and foams close to the traveller's path, over large blocks of stone, or down a bed of great inclination. The house of the baths occupies the extreme point of the ravine,which is a cul de sac, there being beyond it merely a rent or chasm in the rock. The house itself is a gloomy antiquatedbuilding, capable of receiving a great number of patients,and dating from the year 1704. The Trinksaal, or pump- room, is on the basem*nt floor, and looks rather like a vast cellar than one of the gay baths of the Nassau-Brunnen.The baths are in long galleries, on a shelf of rock just above the Tamina, and, as may well be supposed, extremely dark.Some are single, others double; and some, for the use of the poor, are made to contain six or seven persons at once.It is difficult to imagine any state of the body for which aresidence at the old baths of Pfeffers could possibly be bene- ficial. The rocks, which form the ravine at its extremity,besides rising so high as to shut out the cheering influencesRORSCHACH, AND THE BATHS OF PFEFFERS. 311of sun and light, are so closely approximated as to leave no room for exercise; the air is preserved from stagnation only by the cold draught of the torrent, while the spray and ex- halations of the latter keep every object constantly damp.The water has a temperature of 984 degrees Fahrenheit; it is clear, and almost tasteless, having indeed a very smallmineral or saline impregnation, its chief ingredient being carbonate of lime.The chasm of the Tamina, on which is the SOURCE OF THE HOT SPRING, can only be reached through the house. Twenty- four kreuzers are charged for admission to view it. Thetraveller is conducted through the basem*nt story of the building, and brought out upon the roaring torrent. Having crossed this by a wet, shaking, crazy, old plank- bridge, he enters the fissure of the rock on a wooden gangway, hungup on iron bolts driven into the perfectly perpendicular sides of the cavern." The cavern of the Baths of Pfeffers is a gorge and cavern combined, a remarkable split in the mountain, deep,dark, ragged, and savage, the sides of which cross their jagged points far above you, so closely, like the teeth of asaw, that only here and there you can see the daylight at the top, and the sky through the rift, with the trees of the external world peeping down upon you. As far below atorrent is thundering, and you creep, hanging midway to the dripping shelves of the cliff, along a suspended footpath,a couple of planks wide, a good eighth of a mile, into the heart of the great fissure. There, in a crypt in the deep rock, lies the hot fountain, where a cloud of steam risesround you like a vapour- bath, and the gush of hot water pours its cascade into the roaring cold torrent below."The Tamina is about 50 feet below the gangway, anddashes yet more furiously in the cavern than in the more open gorge. The gallery terminates above the hot spring,but extends much beyond it. The water is brought into the baths by a wooden tube which is attached to the gang- way, from the largest of the three springs which issue from the rock, on the right of the Tamina.It is related that the springs were discovered about the year 1000 by a boy seeking birds ' nests; or, according to old Sebastian Munster, by a hunter seeking game. They312 COIRE TO CONSTANCE, BY RAGATZ, RHEINECH,were not used, however, medicinally, until 200 years after- wards; and at first patients used to be let down by ropesfrom the cliffs into the very fountain, to be steeped there for hours, and drawn up again. The next progressive step in comfort was a number of cells like magpies' nests, pinned to the walls around the fountain, where patients might abidethe season. In the next age men's ideas in therapeutics were so advanced, that they conducted the hot medicinalwater by conduits out of the gorge, and built the grisly bath- houses at the entrance; and still later they have come tothe perfection of the system, by conveying the water down to the comfortable inn at Ragatz.The old abbey of Pfeffers, in the village of the same name, should be visited, were it but for the walk thither.The path lies up the left side of the ravine, but at a level high above the river, and through a dense wood. While climbing this side of the mountain, the traveller looks down upon the top ofthe rock which overhangs the true gorge of the Tamina, and here screens it from sight. The path soon turns, leads down the hill and across the Tamina with its horrid chasm, by a natural bridge of grass- covered rock.The opposite side of the ravine is ascended for nearly a mile by stairs partly constructed with trunks of trees, and partly hewn in the living rock. On gaining the ridge ofthe moun- tain we come to a char-road, which brings us to Pfeffers,and thence by an easy descent to Ragatz.The Benedictine Abbey of Pfeffers was founded in 713.In the middle ages the revenues of the foundations were estimated at 216,000 Swiss francs, and the abbot had princely rank and title. In 1838 internal discords, and revenues impaired by the French, induced the brethren to petition for the dissolution ofthe monastery. The request was granted.The conventual edifice, the Hof Ragatz, and the old baths,became public property, and were immediately improved and turned to profit, while the brethren received annuities forlife . From the village of Pfeffers the char-road leads by an easy ascent to Ragatz. Here the traveller should make ar- rangements for getting straight to Constance, as the sleeping places on the road are of the worst description.SARGANZ (inns: Hirsch, good; Kreutz, and Löwe) is built on the top of a gentle height which divides the valley of theRORSCHACH, AND THE BATHS OF PFEFFERS. 818Rhine from that of the Secz. A curious old castle surmounts the town. Here a road leads from the valley of theRhine to Zürich by the lakes of Wallenstadt and Zürich.

The villages on the remainder of our route have little todistinguish them individually each ofthem is in the neigh- bourhood of some castle ruin, with which a legend, gene- rally turning upon some deed of blood, is connected .SEVELEN ( inn, Traube) , a picturesque village built between hills and a rock, is commanded by the old burg ofWartan.Werdenberg, four miles beyond, has a castle on its height,which was the seat of a family whose names frequently occur in the Swiss history of the middle ages.SENNWALD ( inn, Post ) lies at the foot ofthe Kamor. Just before reaching it the road passes an abruptly- projecting rock, called die Kanzel, or the Pulpit. The Kamor is above5300 feet high, and commands a fine view, which, however,is surpassed by that from the Hohenkasten, a mile distant from it, and 100 feet higher. From the summit the eye ranges over the Lake of Constance and away to Swabia, the valley of the Rhine, the three ranges of Appenzell, the Vor- arlberg, and the Bandner Alps. In the tower of the church at Sennwald there is a coffin with a glass lid, in which is ex- hibited the body of one of the lords of Hohensorx, who,having fled from Paris at the Bartholomew massacre, fell by the hand of his brother's son.ALTSTETTEN (inns: Drei Könige, or Post; Krone, and Rabe neither to be commended ) is a town of 6500 inha- bitants.

RHEINECK ( inns: Hecht, or Post; Krone) , a village of 1400 inhabitants, on the Rhine, about four miles from the Lake of Constance. At Alt the road reaches the margin of the lakeand skirts it for about four miles, bringing us toRORSCHACH ( inns: Krone, or Post; Grüner Baum, and Ander) . The town, although small, is a place of some im- portance, as the haven which receives the grain of Swabia,imported in considerable quantities for Swiss consumption.On Tuesdays and Saturdays its corn-market presents an animating scene to the eye of the traveller who has become accustomed to the quiet of the interior.The steamers make the journey between Constance and Rorschach in three hours. Their hours of starting arechanged so frequently, that only information obtained as re-314 CONSTANCE TO SCHAFFHAUSEN.quired can be useful. In 1851 eight steamers were plying on the lake, and in 1852 orders were given to increase the number by two others. The fare to Constance is 1 fl. 42 kr.The Lake of Constance is, with the exception of theLeman, the only frontier lake of Switzerland, and performsfor the Rhine the same process offiltration which the southern lake effects for the Rhône. It is smaller in superficialextent than that of Geneva, but exceeds it in the depth andvolume of water, being 44 miles from Bregenz to its extremenorth-western prolongation at Ueberlingen, and 30 fromBregenz to Constance. Its present width, taken between the embouchure of the Aach on the north and Wiedehorn onthe southern shore, is about 9 miles. Its coasts border fivesovereign European states, whose territories lie in the following order, starting on the right bank of the Rhine at itsembouchure; viz. Austria, Bavaria, Wirtemberg and Baden,and Switzerland, which possesses the whole southern coast.Numerous streams augment the body of water poured in atthe Rhine, and contribute in their measure to fill up thebasin of the lake. The Lake of Constance has no pictur- esque charms to place in competition with those of Geneva orLucerne its banks are flat, or, at most, slightly undulating,and, except at the eastern extremity, where the mountainsof the Vorarlberg come in view, is devoid of any peculiarly Swiss features.Diligences pass through Rorschach to St. Gall (a threehours' journey) three times a-day; and as often to Constance.CONSTANCE TO SCHAFFHAUSEN.CONSTANCE ( inns: Hecht, Adler, Badischen Hof, andHôtel de Lille ) . The latter is not included, like the city and the other inns, within the Baden frontier, and being thus ex- terior to the Zollverein or German customs union, its guests escape the usual searching. The old city of Constance,which once numbered 40,000, but now has only 5300 inha- bitants, lies on the north-west end of the lake, where the Rhine recommences its journey within its own banks. For four hundred years subject to Austria, and the seat ofan epi- scopal see, which was held in succession by 84 prelates, was snatched from its emperor and bishop in 1802, and three years later ceded to Baden bythe peace of Pressburg—an ar-!CONSTANCE TO SCHAFFHAUSEN. 315rangement which was ratified in 1815. Its streets and buildings have a venerable air. The Dom, or minster, was commenced in 1052. It is ofpointed architecture, with two handsome turrets at the west end, and two curiously carved oaken doors. The Great Council of Constance, which met in 1414,and sat four years, held its session in the hall of the Kaufhaus.Here the German emperor, the pope, 26 princes, 140 counts,more than 20 cardinals, 7 patriarchs, 20 archbishops, 91bishops , 600 other clerical dignitaries and theologians, andabout 4000 priests , assembled to settle the divisions of thechurch. The pretended heresies of Wickliffe and Huss werehere condemned; and the latter, notwithstanding the assurances cf safety given him by the emperor, was burntJuly 6, 1415; and his friend and companion, Jerome of Prague, met the same cruel fate May 30, 1416. The hall ofmeeting is now used, as its name implies, as a market- house. A number of relics are, however, still preserved, and exhibited at one franc per head. Among these are thechairs onwhich sat the emperor and pope, a full- sized modelofthe dungeon in which Huss was confined, and the Bibleofthe martyr. Huss was confined in the Dominican con- vent, now used as a cotton-printing establishment. Thesuburb of Bruhl, outside of the town, contains the field inwhich Huss was burnt, after being delivered by the pope to the emperor, and by him to the provost of Constance. Thehouse in which Huss lodged until treacherously seized andcast into prison is in the Paul's Strasse.PETERHAUSEN, on the north bank of the river opposite Constance, was once a monastery, whose abbot had princely rank and title. It was suppressed in 1803, and is now one of the residences of the sovereign.A diligence runs daily in five hours along the road on the south of the Rhine to Schaffhausen, and a steamer makes the distance five times a-week in four hours.At the point where the river enters the lower lake ofUntersee is the castle of Gottlieben , an episcopal strongholdwhere Huss and Jerome of Prague were confined. Pope John XXIII. , their gaoler, was in turn himself thrown intothe same prison, by order of the Council of Constance,which first deposed him. He escaped, however, more easilythan the Bohemians, being merely reduced to the rank of acardinal.316 SCHAFFHAUSEN TO BASLE .The island of Reichenhau, belonging to Baden, is passedto the left by the steamer on the Untersee. The BenedictineAbbey on this island was suppressed in 1799: its church was dedicated in 806 , and contains the remains of Karl derDicke, grandson of Charlemagne, who was deposed by animperial council for the feebleness of his government, anddied a year after. The riches of this abbey were almost in- calculable.STECKHORN ( inns, Löwe and Sarve) has for its kaufhaus an old building believed to have been a Roman castle. TheCistercian nunnery of Feldboch lies on the other side of the town.STEIN (inns, Schwan and Krone) is an old- fashioned little town belonging to Schaffhausen, lying on the right bank of the Rhine, and connected with the opposite bank by a wooden bridge. Some of the houses, particularly the Rothe Ochse ( Red Ox) and the Weiss Adler ( White Eagle) , near the kauf- haus, are embellished with old fresco paintings. In the old abbey of St. George there is a hall built in 1516, having awooden roof covered with fine arabesque carvings and walls covered with frescoes. A good view may be gained from the old castle of Hohenklingen.DIESSENHOFEN ( inn, Adler) , the Ganodurum of the Romans, is known to history by the passage of the French army over the Rhine in 1800, under Moreau, Lecourbe, and Vandamme. Nothing now detains us before reaching Schaffhausen.SCHAFFHAUSEN TO BASLE.SCHAFFHAUSEN. Inns: Falke, Krone, Schiff; the latter acheap, second- rate inn, near the landing-place of the steamer from Constance; Löwe, to be recommended to travellers without ladies. There is no hôtel, however, in the towncorresponding to the increased requirementsof modern travel.Weber's Hôtel, situate on an eminence near the Zürich road,nearly three miles from Schaffhausen, and exactly opposite the Rhinefall, is a fine establishment. The table d'hôte is at 1 and 5 o'clock, and the landlord conveys guests proceeding to Schaffhausen either to the Post or the Pier for 1 franc.The town, which is the capital ofthe canton ofSchaffhausen,is situate on the slope of the north bank of the Rhine, and hasSCHAFFHAUSSEN TO BASLE . 317an industrious population of nearly 6000 souls, and consider- able trade. It has every appearance of an old Swabian imperial city, and has better preserved the exterior forms of middle- age architecture than any other town of Switzerland, having for centuries been exempt from destructive fires . The project- ing three-sided windows, with their transomes and mullions;the curious roofs; the wall, which incloses the town on the landside; the stately old castle of Unnoth; and the ancient gates, give to Schaffhausen an appearance exceedingly pic- turesque, especially as seen from the neighbouring village of Fenesthal. Beyond this, however, the city offers little to detain the traveller, being little more than the Swabian gate of Switzerland. The Minster, began in 1104 in thepurest round-arch style, and completed in 1453, was formerly the church of the Abbey of All Saints. It has a verymassive, not to say heavy appearance; the Gothic portion of the structure is here and there in good preservation. There is an arched way carried by twelve coluinns , named after the twelve apostles: the Judas pillar, however, has been de- stroyed. The pulpit is isolated in a peculiar manner, and has the appearance of a tower. The great bell in the town, cast in 1486, bears the inscription, " Vivos voco, mortuos plango,fulgura frango," which gave occasion to Schiller's celebrated poem.The St. Johanneskirche is said to be the largest in Swit- zerland. The Castle of Unnoth is a large round fortress with very strong towers, walls of great thickness, and many subterranean passages. The town library, otherwise an un- important collection, contains many books and manuscripts of the historian Johann von Müller ( born at Schaffhausen in 1809) , and of his brother George. The once celebratedbridge over the Rhine was destroyed by the French under Oudinot, in 1799: the model is to be seen in the library.The original was 365 feet from the extreme piers.Diligences run daily to Basle, Zürich, Freiburg (in Baden),and Berne. Steamers run to Constance five days a- week;the journey up the stream occupies seven or eight hours,just twice the time required for the descent.The FALLS OF THE RHINE are two good miles from Schaff- hausen. The best mode of reaching them is by engaging aboat at the pier. The rapids between Schaffhausen and the318 SCHAFFHAUSEN TO BASLE.fall are not dangerous when the craft is in the hands of the boatmen of the place. The boat lands the visitor under Schloss - Laufen, situated on a rock covered with trees over the fall. Mr. Beuler the picture-dealer, who rents thecastle, has ingeniously altered it so as to monopolise all the good views near the fall, and charges one franc per head for admission. Having entered, we are shown into a gal- lery within the house, close to the fall, but considerably above it. The quiet enjoyment of the spectacle is ex- perienced here but those who desire something more awful and exciting may descend to the outer or lower gallery,which projects all but into the fall itself. Here the visitor seems to be within the grasp of some mighty power. Thestage on which he stands vibrates to the concussion produced by the weight of waters; the ear and the eye are alike overpowered. Above is an enormous mass of water shooting over a precipice; below it is raging and foaming at one's feet. The best time for enjoying the view is in the morning, when the sunbeams are playing upon the water and the spray. On this account it may be advisable to sleep near the fall. In falling from the rock the Rhine formsthree cascades: the most impetuous is that on the south side, which rushes over two rocks like pillars. The breadth of the river above the fall is near 300 feet, and the depth of the fall varies from 50 to 60 feet. In the stillness ofnight, and when the wind is favourable, the roar of the waters may be heard at a distance of seven or eight miles.It is related that a boatman, who fell asleep in his skiff, was once carried over the fall without danger to himself or his vessel. Recent experiments, however, place the possibilityofthis fact in a doubtful light, as boats have been shattered before reaching the chief fall . On the other hand, bodies ofpersons who have been carried down by the rapids have been recovered from the basin below in an unmutilated state.Boats are always in waiting on both banks to ferry the stranger over; the boatmen exact four batzen for this trifling labour. The little castle of Wört stands upon an island close to the right bank, opposite Schloss- Laufen.Besides possessing a camera obscura for showing the fall,the house affords entertainment at inn prices.SCHAFFHAUSEN TO BASLE. 319The journey to Basle is often made by travellers fond of adventure by joining the raftsmen who navigate the timberfloats from the fall to Laufenburg. The voyage occupiesabout seven hours, and the views of the Rhine valley aresaid to be worth the inconveniences of the enterprise . As nervous persons will not be likely to make the experiment,it is unnecessary to say that it demands a cool head, andoccasionally a muscular limb, the rapids being frequent.The floats start in the morning, not before the mist has cleared off the river. As no provisions are obtainable on thevoyage, the traveller by this conveyance will have an oppor- tunity of exercising his forethought. At Laufenburg thefloats are left, and not rejoined until they have passed the rapids or falls there.The road from Schaffhausen to Basle offers nothing of interest before reaching Waldshut. Just out of the town itleaves the Rhine, to make a détour towards the south in company with the road to Zürich, while it makes a shortersection ofthe Baden territory. The country is for the most part open and well cultivated , with little timber or move- ment of surface. About three miles before reaching Walds- hut we come again upon the Rhine, which, at Coblentz, is joined by the Aar. This affluent is in reality larger than the main stream, and from the extent of country which it drains might fairly be held entitled to give its name to the united waters.WALDSHUT is one of the four ( Black) forest towns. " Aquaint, old-fashioned place, with one main street. Wehalted at the Rebstock, a tolerable inn, but smelling strongly of the cow stables under the rooms. We had tea in a littlesummer-house which overlooks the river. Here there is agood view of the junction of the Rhine and Aar. We slept at this inn the charge for tea, bed, and breakfast was, asnearly as may be, five shillings each."At LAUFENBURG ( inn, Post ) , a town of about 1000 inhabi- tants, built on both sides of the Rhine, which are connectedby a wooden bridge, the river is narrowed, and the stream becomes, in consequence, more rapid. The bed of the river is also uneven, and thrusts up rocks, which render naviga- tion dangerous. The name of the Lesser Falls, sometimes given to these rapids, is an exaggeration. It was here that320 SCHAFFHAUSEN TO BASLE.Lord Montague was drowned while attempting to cross the river in a skiff. The old German topographer, Merian,speaks of the practice of crossing the river here in smallboats as not uncommon in his day ( 1642 ) , but mentions summer as a dangerous season for the attempt. A few years ago a professional gymnasiast sprang from bank to bank, a leap of 17 feet. There is in this neighbourhood anold castle, once the seat of the Hapsburg- Stauffenbergs, ayounger line of the reigning house of Austria.Beyond Laufenburg the road divides: one branch is con- tinued on the right, or Baden bank of the Rhine, through Seckingen; and the other crosses by the wooden bridge to the southern side of the river, and passes through Rhein- felden. The latter is that traversed by the diligence.STEIN, a village on the latter route, where the road for Zürich branches off, has a good inn, the Löwe or Post.Seckingen, on the opposite bank, is seen from here, with its large church, once belonging to a splendid abbey which owned the entire canton of Glarus. Passing by Nieder Mumpf and Moehli, we come to RHEINFELD, the last of the forest towns. Inns: DreiKonige, Krone or Post. It is built of stones taken from Augusta Rauracorum. Formerlyit was strongly fortified , and besieged times without number by the forces of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1744, however, it fell into the hands of France; but, since 1801 , has belonged to Switzerland . Thefamous Duke Bernard of Saxe Weimar and Johann vonWesth fought several battles under its walls in the spring of1638, and in the end Bernard overcame his adversary, andtook him prisoner. The Rheingrave Johann Philip perishedin this last conflict. Two hundred years earlier the Confederates destroyed the fortress of Stein, formerly a seat of King Rudolph of Swabia, the anti-emperor Henry V.BASLE-AUGST and KAISER-AUGST, two small villages , lie on the line of the road on either side of the river Ergolz,which here flows into the Rhine. Here once stood theRoman city, Augusta Rauracorum, founded by Munatius Plaucus in the reign of Augustus, and destroyed in the great northern migration. An abundance of Roman remains has been found where the site has been excavated. Herr Schmidt has made a considerable collection of such, andCHUR TO ZÜRICH. 321arranged the objects round a garden. About five miles be- yond our road crosses the Birs, and we are at Basle (see page 20) .CHUR TO ZÜRICH.As far as Sarganz, this route has already been traced in that from Chur to Constance. The traveller in haste, by taking the diligence which leaves Chur at 5 A. M., may arrive in Zürich at 6 the same evening, as he will find the diligence and steamers working in conjunction.At Sarganz, we are on the ridge which divides the valley of the Rhine from that of the Scez; and to reach Zürich,instead of re- descending towards the former, as in the route to Constance, we follow the latter in its descent to the Wallenstadter-see. The distance from Sarganz to Wallenstadt is nine miles; a diligence runs twice a- day.From Wallenstadt to Wesen, at the other end of the lake, is an hour and a half's voyage by the steamboat, which runs twice a-day. From Wesen to Schmerikon, on the lake of Zürich, is eleven miles, and at the latter place the steam- boat again receives the traveller, and carries him in about four hours to Zürich. The descent of the Scez is through a very pleasing country.WALLENSTADT (inns: Adler- arn- See, Rossli, and Hirsch,all bad) is built close under the mountains, about half a mile from the lake. The town is poor, and the meadows between it and the lake marshy.The lake of Wallenstadt ( according to Keller) is rather less than ten miles in length by one and a half in breadth at its widest part; it is, however, actually wider and larger by a mile. Its northern shore is composed of a continuous range of cliffs , which rise sheer out of the water. The general surface of the rock is perpendicular, and attains the height of nearly 3000 feet above the level of the lake. The flat crown of the rocks, which extend for miles, is coveredwith luxuriant fields and populous villages. The southern side is also rocky, but slopes so as to afford a position for woods,roads, villages, and occasionally meadows. The high moun- tains to the right, as the traveller embarks at Wallen- stadt, and which are visible above the north shore, are theKurfirsten ( Kur, high; first, summit) . A curiously per- forated mountain, called the Murtenstock, rises on the south Y322 CHUR TO ZÜRICH .of the lake. Its peak, which is 7270 feet in height, ispierced as if by an immense shot. When the boat is over against Mühlehorn, the voyager may see right through this singular eye. The names of the villages on the banks of this lake Prörusch ( prima) , Sigundo ( secunda) , Terzen,Quarten, and Quinten, together with the description of Gas- ter ( Castra Rhætica) , applied to the whole district, remindus that this was once the quarters of some cohorts of aRomish legion.WESEN ( inns: Schwert, Adler, Rossli ) is a small village,finely situated at the western end of the Wallenstadler- see.Behind the Rossli inn there is a pretty fall. Diligences await the arrival of the steamer from Wallenstadt, and con- vey passengers to Glarus and to Schmerikon. A boat alsoleaves for Schmerikon by the Linth canal, and is as quick aconveyance as the diligence. When it is impracticable toobtain a place in the diligence, from which the country may be freely seen, the boat is in every respect to be preferred.The LINTH CANAL is one of the most interesting public works in Switzerland. It had its origin in the following cir- c*mstances. Until the year 1807, the Wallenstadter- seedischarged its superfluous waters near Wesen into the chan- nel of a small river called the Matt, flowing into the Lake of Zürich. About two miles from the first-mentioned lakethe Matt was overtaken in its course by the Linth, a very rapid torrent, which brought down from the mountains of the Glarus valley a collection of stones and gravel, so large as to block up the channel of the Matt, and by raising its bed to dam up the waters of the Wallenstadter-see, so that the towns of Wesen and Wallenstadt were overflowed, andthe valley between the two lakes filled with marshes. In 1807, Mr. Conrad Escher submitted to the Diet a plan for converting this devastating torrent of the Linth into a means of navigation. He proposed to turn the Linth from its na- tural course, and bring it into the Wallenstadter- see, where its force might be harmlessly expended, and then to cut adeeper channel for the transmission of the overflow of the upper lake of Wallenstadt as a substitute for that of the Matt. This project was not carried out until 1822 , since which period the valley has been secure from inundation,and is now as well cultivated as any in Switzerland . For this great service M. Escher received from his country theZÜRICH TO BASLE . 323title of Von der Linth, one of the most honourable and dig- nified, though simple distinctions , that can be conceived of as a reward.The valley of Glarus is seen on the left, almost the entire distance between Wesen and Uznach. The road to St. Gall turns off at this latter town.At SCHMERIKON ( inn , Ross) the Linth boats and the dili- gences stop, and the steamer completes the distance toZürich, already described in the route Zug to Zürich (page 99 ) .ZÜRICH TO BASLE.From Zürich ( see page 101 ) , the trains of the Swiss Nor- thern Railway, an exceedingly well- conducted line, and at present the only iron- road in Switzerland, convey pas- sengers to Baden, a distance of 25 English miles, in 45 mi- nutes. Four trains run daily each way, except on Sundays.Those from Zürich start at 8 A.M., and 2, 34, and 7 P.M.:fares, first class , 1 franc 40 rappen; second class, 1 franc;third class, 60 rappen. The remaining half of the route isperformed by diligence from Baden. Diligences also leave Zürich for the whole distance, 55 miles; in the morning at74, and evening at 64 o'clock, performing the journey in ten hours and a half.Between Zürich and Baden the only place of note is Die- tiklon (to be reached either by diligence or railway train ) ,where, in 1799, Massena effected his famous passage of the Limmat, drove back the Russians, and took Zürich. The old town ofBADEN ( inns , Wage and Löwe ) , known to the Romans as Vicus Thermarum, destroyed by Cæcina and the Legio Rapar, and rebuilt as a fortress in the middle ages, was often the seat of the Princes of Austria, especially of Albrecht ( 1306 ) before his murder, Leopold I. ( 1315 ) , and Leo- pold II. ( 1388 ) , before the eventful days of Morgarten and Sempach. The ruins of the fortress, called Der Stein zu Baden, destroyed in 1712, and almost as large as the town itself, commands the latter from an eminence. In theRathhaus, on the 7th September, 1714, Prince Eugène on the part of Austria, Marshal Villars for France, and depu- ties on behalf of the German empire, signed the treaty ofpeace which terminated the war of the Spanish succession.324 ZÜRICH TO BASLE.The Baths, which have given their name ( Baden) to the town, are warm ( 37° Réaumur) and sulphurous. They lie in a basin, about a mile to the north of the town; thelesser upon the right, and the greater ( inns, Verenahof,Stadhof, Schiff, Limmathof, Frechof, Rabe) , which are mostfrequented, on the left bank of the Limmatt. The popu- lation of Baden is under 2000: in the year 1846 it was visited by 20,000 bathers and travellers.BRUGG ( inns, Rothes Haus and Rossli ) is a town of less than 1000 inhabitants , just above the confluence of the Aar, the Reuss, and the Limmat. A little nearer to this confluence stood Vindonissa, the most important military station of the Romans in Switzerland. It was destroyedin the fifth century, and of its magnificent buildings, aque- ducts, amphitheatre, temple, and villas, nothing whatever remains.A mile from the town stands the former abbey of Königsfeld, founded by the Empress Elizabeth and Agnes ofHungary, in 1310, upon the spot where two years before their husband and father, the Emperor Albrecht, had beenslain by Johann of Suabia and his companions.The Castle of Hapsburg, the original seat of the nowImperial house of that name, is situated about two miles from Brugg, on a hill called Wulpelsberg. The castle dates from 1020, but frequent renewals and restorations have left little of the original building. The traveller disinclined togo out of his way to see this memorial, may get an excellent view ofthe castle, as well as of the Alps, from the top of the hill beyond Brugg.FRICK ( inns, Adler and Ange) is a village of nearly 2000 inhabitants. The next village reached is Stein, where theZürich road joins that of Basle and Schaffhausen, described on page 316.TABLE OF DISTANCES.THE figures signify Swiss stunden or leagues , -a variable distance, not exceeding two English miles upon very steepascents, and in places less steep, two miles and a- half. On a level road, the stunde is equivalent to three English miles.Aarau to Aarburg 34, Aarwangen 7, Baden 6, Basle 10,Balsthal 7, Berne 14, Bienne 14, Bremgarten 6, Brugg 4,Frick by the Stahleck 3 , Gelterkinden by the Schafmatt 5,Hallwyl 3, Kaiserstuhl 8, Langenthal 7, Laufenburg 5,Lenzburg 2, Lostorf ( Baths of) 2, Lucerne 10, Mellingen 4,Munster 5, Muri 6, Olten 3, Rheinfelden 7, Schinznach 3 ,Schoenenwerd 1 , Soleure 10, Sursee 6, St. Urban 6, Wohlen 4,Zofingen 4, Zürich 10, Zurzach 6 .Airolo to Acqua 24, Andermatt 5, Bellinzona 12, Domo d'Ossola 15 , Eginen 6 , Faido 4, Fusio 4, Giornico 7, Got- hard ( Hospice of St. ) 2 , Lukmanier 6 , Obergestelen 7,Toccia (the Fall of the ) 7, Turba 3.Altorfto Airolo 13, Amstag 3 , Andermatt 73, Bellinzona 26,Burglen , Engelberg bythe Surènes 9, Erstfelden 2, Fluelen Goschenen 6, Linththal by the Klausen 9, Lucerne (by thesteam-boat) 3, Mayenthal 6, Meyringen by the Susten 17,Rhône ( Glacier of the) by the Furca 14, Schwyz 5, Seelis- berg 4, Spiringen 2, Unterschæchen 3, Wasen 5.Andermatt to Airolo 5 , Altorf 7 , Amsteg 43, Disentis 8,Furca 5, Gothard ( Hospice of St. ) 3, Grimsel ( Hospice of the) 9, Ilanz 14, Rhône ( Glacier of) 6-7, Wasen 23.Appenzell to Altstetten 3, Brullisau 14, Eggerstanden 1 ,Fæhlernalp 3 , Gais 14, Gonten 14, Heiden 4 , Herisau by Hundwyl 4, Hundwyl 3, Kamor 34, Lichtensteig 7, St. Gall 4,Sæmtisthal 2, Santis 7, Seealp 2 , Sennwald by Brullisau 34,Teufen 2, Trogen 4, Urnæsch 2, Weissbad 4, Wildhaus 6,Wildkirchli 2.326 DISTANCES.Altstetten to Appenzell 3 , Balgach 1 , Bregenz 41, Feld- kirch 4, Gais 2, Heiden by Trogen 5, by St. Antoine 21,Oberrieden 14, Rheineck 3, Rorschach 44, Sargans 7-8, Senn- wald 24 , St. Gall by Trogen 5, Trogen 3 , Weissbad 31, Wer- denberg 5.Baden to Aarau 6, Baldegg 1 , Basle 12, Bremgarten 31,Brugg 2, Kaiserstuhl 24, Lægernberg 2, Langnau 14, Lenz- burg 3 , Mellingen 14 , Regensberg 24, Schinznach 3 , Zürich 41,Zurzach 34.Basle to Aarau 10, Aarburg 9, Arlesheim 1 , Augst 2 ,Baden 12, Badenweiler 7, Balsthal 7, Berne by Soleure 18,by the Valley of Moutiers 22, Brugg 10, Bubendorf 4, Delé- mont 7, Eglisau 17, Eptingen 5, Freiburg 12 , Frick 7,Kaiserstuhl 15 , Klingnau 11 , Lachauxdefonds 18, Laufen 4,Laufenburg 8, Liestal 3, Locle 20, Lorrach 2, Lucerne 20,Mariastein 2 , Muhlhouse on the railway 1 , Olten 8, Porren- trui 9, Reigolzwyl 6, Rheinfelden 3, Schaffhausen 17, Schinznach (Baths of) 11 , Schweizerhall 1 , Sekingen 6 , Sissach 4,Soleure 12 , Stein in Argovia 6 , Stein to the canton of Schaffhausen 20, Strasbourg by railway 4, Waldshut 10, Zofingen 10, Zürich 16, Zurzach 12.Balsthal to Aaran 5, Beinweil4, Court 5, Gænsbrunnen 31,Langenthal 3 , Laufen 7 , Liestal 6-7, Meltingen 6-7, Mum- liswyl 1 , Neuhæusli 3 , Olten 34, Soleure 4, Waldenburg 3,Wangen 2.Bellinzona to Airolo 12 , Altorf 26 , Andermatt 18, Bernhardin 9-10, Biasca 34, Coire 23, Disentis by the Lukmanier16, Domaso by the Mont S. Giori 7 , Domo d'Ossola by Locarnoand the valley of Centovalli 10, by Bavéno 10, Faido 7, Giornico 4 , Hinterrhein 12-13, Locarno 4, Lugano 6, Milan 14,Misocco 7, Obergestelen by Airolo 20, Olivone 8, Rove- redo 21.Berne to Aarau 14 , Aarberg 4, Aarburg 11, Aarwangen 9 ,Adelboden 14, Anet 7, Avenches 7, Basle 18, Balsthal 11 ,Belp 14, Bienne 6, Blumenstein ( Baths of ) 5 , Brienz 14,Brugg 17, Buren 6, Burgdorf 4, Delémont 15, Engistein (Baths of) 2, Erlach 7 , Estavayer 11 , Fraubrunnen 4, Frei- burg 5, Fruttigen 10, Gasteren 16, Geneva 20, Gessenay 17-18, Grindelwald 15, Guggisberg 6, Gurnigel ( Baths of) 6,Gurten 1 , Herzogenbuchsee 8, Hindelbank 3, Hofwyl 2,Huttwyl 9, Interlacken 11 , Kalchnach 5, Kandersteg 13,Kirchberg 4, Langenthal 9, Langnau 6, Laupen 4, Lau-DISTANCES . 327sanne 17, Lauterbrunnen 14, Leuk 14, Lenzburg 16, Leukerbad (Baths of Louèche ) 10 , Locle 15 , Lucerne 20, Mey.ringen 18, Morât 5 , Morgenthal 9 , Moutiers 13, Munch- wyler 5, Neuchâtel 9, Neuveville 8, Nidau 6, Olten 6,Payerne 9, Porrentrui 16, Romont 10, Saanen 17-18,Schangnau 9, Schinznach ( Baths of) 17 , Schwarzenburg 4,Schwarzsee 9, Signau 5 , Soleure 7, Spiez 7 , Summiswald 6,Sursee 15, Tavannes 9, Thun 6, Unterseen 10, Wangen 8,Weissenburg 10, Wittlisbach 9, Wimmis 8, Yverdon 13 ,Zofingen 12, Zürich 23, Zweisimmen 14.Bex to Aigle 1 , Anzeindaz 34, Château d'Oex by the Mosses 7, Frenières 2, Grion 14, Gsteig by the Pillon 7,Illier 3, Lausanne 10, Martigny 34, St. Maurice , Mon- they 1 , Ormonds 4, Sion by Martigny 9, by the Col de la Cheville 12, Sixt 12, Vevay 6, Villeneuve 31.Bienne to Barberg 3, Berne 6, Buren 3, Delémont 10 ,Erlach 33, Moutiers 7-8, Neuchâtel 6, Neuveville 3 , Nidau 4,Soleure 4, Sonceboz 34, St. Imier 7-8, St. Pierre ( Isle of ) 2,Tavannes 4, Twann 14.Bischofzell to Arbon 4, Buren 2, Constance 4 , Frauenfeld 6, Gossau 3, Muhlheim 4, St. Gall 5, Sulgen 14, Wein- felden 24, Wyl 3 .Bremgarten to Aarau 6, Affoltern 21, Baden 3, Birmenstorf 14, Brugg 4, Dietiklon 2, Hallwyl 3, Knonau 44, Lenz- burg 3 , Lucerne 8, Mellingen 2, Merischwanden 23, Muri 2 , Sarmenstorf 2, Schinznach 5, Sins 4 , Villmergen 14,Wohlen 1.Brienz to Berne 14, Brunig 2, Faulhorn 5 , Flueli by the Brienzergrat 6, Giessbach , Guttannen 6-7, Grimsel ( Hos- pice of the) 11, Interlacken by land 4, by steam- boat 14, Lun- gern 4, Meyringen 24, Rothhorn 3 , Sarnen 6-7, Schupf- heim by the mountain 7-8, Soerenberg 5, Thun with the steam-boat 5.Brugg to Aarau 4, Baden 2, Basle 10, Birr 1 , Bremgarten 4, Frik 3, Holderbank 14, Klingnau 24, Lenzburg 21,Mellingen 2, Schinznach ( Baths of ) 1 , Zürich 7 , Zurzach 3.Brieg to Domo d'Ossola 14, Laax 3, Leuk 7, Morel 14,Obergestelen 8, Persal 3, Sierre 9, Simpeln 7, Sion 12,Turtmann 6.Burgdorfto Berne4, Fraubrunnen 2, Herzogenbuchsee4,Hindelbank 14, Hofwyl 3, Huttwyl by Summiswald 5, Kirch-328 DISTANCES.berg 1 , Langenthal 5, Langnau 5, Lutzelfluh 14, Soleure 5,Summiswald 3 , Sursee 9 , Thun 8-9.Cernetz to Alvenu 9, Ardetz 3 , Bergun 7 , Bevers 4, Buffalora ( Col du) 134, Chiavenna 16-17, Davos 8, Filisur 8-9,Forno 2, Glurns 8 , Klosters 9-10, Lavin 14, Maloja 9-10,Martinsbruk 8, Munster 6, Ponte 3, Poschiavo 13 , St. Moritz6-7, Samaden 5, Scanfs 2, Schuols 44, Silvaplana 8, Sins 5,Suss 1.Chamonix to Bonneville 13 , Cluse 10, Geneva 18, Martigny 9, St. Gervais 44, Sallanches 6-7, Servoz 3 , Sixt by the Col d'Anterne 8 , Chamonix around Mont Blanc 50-55,namely: 4 to Bionnay by the Col de Voza, 2 Contamines, 1Nant Bourant, 34 Col de Bonhomme, 2 Coupeau, 2 Motet,14 Col de la Seigne, 5 Courmayeur, 2 Morgex, 3 Villeneuve,2 Aoste, 5 St. Remy, 24 St. Bernard, 3 St. Pierre, 1 Orsières,2 Bovernier, 14 Martigny, 2 Col de Trient, 3 Col de Balme,4 Priory of Chamonix.Coire to Albula 12 , Alveneu 6-7, Andeer 7-8, Andermatt20, Bellinzona 23 , Bergun 9, Bernhardin 13, Bludenz 14,Bregenz 16, Brigels 9 , Calanda 4, Chiavenna 18, Churwalden 2, Como 34, Davos 9, Disentis 13, Elm 12, Feldkirch 10,Fideris by Malans 8 , by Schalfik 10, Glarus 15, Haldenstein Hinterrhein 11 , Ilanz 7, Julier 12, Klosters 10, Lenz 5,Lindau 18, Lugano 29, Lugnetz 10, Lukmanier 19, Malans 4,Milan 42, Mayenfeld 4, Medels 16, Misocco 16, St. Gall 20,St. Moritz 16 , Oberalp 18 , Panix 9, Parpan 24, Pfeffers 5,Poschiavo 22 , Kagaz 4, Rapperschwyl 19, Reichenau 2,Rheineck 15, Sargans 6 , Schuols 24, Silvaplana 15, Splügen 9,Stalla 11 , Thusis 5, Trons 10, Wallenstaad 9, Wesen 13,Werdenberg 9, Wildhaus 11 , Zizers 2, Zürich 25 .Como to Assina 4 , Bellagio by water 5, by the Valley of Assina 7, Chiavenna 15, Domaso 10, Erba 21, Lecco 6,Lenno 4, Lugano 5, Mendrisio 2 , Milan 10, Pliniana 11,Sesto Calende 7, Varese 4 .Constance to Arbon 6 , Bischofzell 41, Diessenhofen 7-8,Frauenfeld 6 , Radolfzell 5, Rheineck 9, Rorschach 7-8, St. Gall 9, Schaffhausen 10, Sulgen 3 , Stein 5-6, Steckhorn 3.Davos to Alvenu 4, Coire by the Valley of Schalfik 10,Fideris by the Strela 6-7, Filisur by Jenisberg 41, Klosters 3, Lenz 6, Scanfs by the Scaletta 8, Schmelziboden 2 , Suss by the Valley of Fluela 6-7, Thusis 9 .DISTANCES . 329Disentis to Airolo by the Valley of Medels 11, Amsteg by the Kreuzli Pass 9-10, Andermatt by the Oberalp 7-8 , Bellinzona by the Lukmanier 16, Coire 13, Ilanz 6-7 , Linththal by the Sandalp 12-13, Lukmanier 3, Oberalp 6 , Olivone 8,Sandalp 6-7 , Sedrun 14, Trons 3.Einsiedeln to Alpthal 1 , Arth by the Steinerberg 5-6,Egeri by Sattel 41, Etzel 24, Glarus by Lachen 10, by the Valley of the Sihl and of the Klæn 8, Lachen 4, Lucerne9-10, Rapperschwyl 4, Richtenschwyl 3 , Rothenthurm 2,Schindellegi 2, Schwyz by the Haggen 3 , by Roten- thurm 3, Steinen 4, Zug by Egeri 8, by Schwyz and Arth 10,Zürich 9.Engelberg to Altorf by the Surènes 9 , Blakenalp 3, Eng.stlenalp, 4, Grafenort 2, Herrenruti 14, Horbis 1 , Meiringen by the Joch 9-10, Melchthal by the Storegg 6 , Sarnen by the Storegg 8, by Stanz 7-8 , Stanz 44, Wolfenschiess 3.Entlibuch to Brienz by Marienthal 8-9, Escholzmatt 24,Fahrenbuhl 2 , Flueli 24, Langnau 6, Lucerne by the Bra- megg 5, by Wollhausen 6, Malters by the Bramegg 3,Marbach 4 , Napf 3, Sarnen by the Valley of Entlen 7,Schupfheim 1 , Sorenberg 6, Thun by Schangnau 9-10, Wil- lisau 4 , Wollhausen 2Erlach to Aarberg 3, Anet 1 , Avenches 5 , Berne 6,Bienne 3 , Brétiège ( Bruttelen ) 1 , Buren by Anet and Aar- berg 6, Freiburg 7, Landeron , Morât 3 , Neuveville 1 ,St. Blaise 2 , St. Pierre ( Isle of) 1Fideris to Bludenz by the mountain 11 , Coire by Malans 8, by Schalfik 10 , Davos by Fandey 6-7 , by Klosters 5 , Fandey 4, Jenatz 3 , Klosters 3, Malans 4 , Ragaz 6,St. Antoine 3, Sargans 7-8, Schiers 24, Suss bythe Selvretta 9-10, Wallenstaad 11 , Werdenberg 11 .Frauenfeld to Arbon 8, Bischofzell 6, Constance 5,Diessenhofen 4 , Fischingen 3 , Gyrenbad 4 , Ittingen 14,Lichtensteig 6, Mazingen 1 , Muhlheim 2, Rheineck 14, St. Gall 8, Schaffhausen 51, Steckhorn 31, Weinfelden 34, Win- terthur 3, Wyl 34, Zürich 7.Freiburg to Avenches 3, Avry 4, Berne 6, Bonne 11,Bulle 6, Bienne 9, Charmey 8-9, Château d'Oex 10-11 ,Châtel St. Denis 10, Corbières 4, Cudrefin 6, Estavayer, 6,Garmischwyl 1 , Gruyères 7, Guggisberg, 3, Hauterive 2,Bellegarde by Plaffeyen 9, by Bulle 12 , Kerzerz 5. Laupen 3,Lausanne 12 , Mariahilf 1, Montbarri 7 , Montoovon 9,330 DISTANCES.Morât 3, Moudon by Rue 9, Neuchâtel 9, Neuenek 34,Payerne 4 , Plaffayen 3, Port Alban 5, Romont 6, Rue 8,Saanen 12, St. Aubin 4, St. Madelaine ( Hermitage of) 1,Schwarzsee 6, Semsales 9, Soleure 13, Tafers 1, Thun by Saanen 24, Vevay 12, Yverdon 9.Frutigen to Adelboden 4, Aeschi 2 , Gasteren 7 , Interlacken 6, Kandersteg 3, Kienthal 2 , Leissigen 4, Leuk bythe Hahnenmoos 7, Leukerbad ( Baths of Louèche) 9-10,Oeschinen 4 , Reichenbach 14, Thun 5 , Wimmis 5 .Gais to Altstetten 2, Appenzell 14, Gæbris 1 , Heiden by Teufen and Trogen 5-6, by the footpath of the Gæbris 2,Herisau by St. Gall 3 , Rheineck by Altstetten 7-8, by Trogen and Heiden, 7, St. Gall 3, Teufen 1 , Trogen 3, Urnæs- chen 24.St. Gall to Altstetten by Trogen 4, by Rheineck 7-8,Appenzell by Teufen 4, by Herisau 6, Arbon 3, Bis- chofzell 4, Bregenz 8, Coire 18 , Constance 8, Ebnat 8,Feldkirch 10, Flawyl 4, Frauenfeld 9, Gais 3, Glarus 15,Gonten 5, Gossau 2, Heinrichsbad 2, Herisau 2, Hundwyl 4 ,Kaltbrunnen 10-11 , Lichtensteig 6-7, Lindau by the Lake of Constance 6, by Rheineck and Bregenz 10, Mayenfeld 14,Pfeffers 15 , Ragaz 14 , Rapperschwyl 14 , Rheineck 4 ,Rorschach 21, Sargans by Trogen and Altstetten 13, by Rheineck 16, Schaffhausen by Frauenfeld 13, by Constance 17,Schænis 11-12, Stein on the Rhine 11 , Stein on the Tokenburg 10, Teufen 1 , Trogen 2, Uznach 11 , Wallenstaad 16,Wattwyl 7, Werdenberg 10, Wesen 13 , Wildhaus by Trogen and Altstetten 11, by Lichtensteig 13, Winterthur 10, Wyl 31 ,Zürich 15 .Geneva to Aigle 19, Aix 14, Amphion 8, Annecy 10,Aubonne 8, Bellegarde 10 , Bex 1 , Bonneville 6, Carouge 1 ,Chambery 16, Chamouny 18 , Cluse 8, Coppet 3, Cossonex 11 ,Cully 13, Evian 81, Ferney 11, Fort d'Ecluse 7 , Faucille 6 ,Gex 4, Hérémence 3, Lausanne 12, Lyon 32, Martigny 20,Môle 8, Morges 9 , Nyon 5, Orbe 14, Reculet 6 , Rolle 7 , St. Gervais 13, Salève 4, Sallanches 12, Samoëns 10, Thonon 6,Versoix 2, Vevay 15, Villeneuve 17, Yverdon 16.Glarus to Altorf by the Klausen 12, Bilten 3, Coire 15,Einsiedeln by Lachen 9 , Elm 4, Kaltbrunnen 4, Kloenthal 2,Lachen 6, Lichtensteig 7-8, Linththal 3, Luchsingen 2 , Matt 3, Mollis 1 , Muhlihorn 34, Muotta 7, Næfels 1 , Ragaz 10, Rap- perschwyl 7, Richtenschwyl 7 , St. Gall 16, Sargans 8 ,DISTANCES . 331Schwanden 1 , Schwyz by the Pragel 10, Uznach 5, Wæden- schwyl 8, Wallenstaad 6 , Zürich 13 .Greiffensee to Bauma 34, Egg 3 , Fischenthal 5-6, Gru- ningen 3, Pfæffikon 2, Ruti 15, Stæfa 4, Uster 1 , Uznach 7,Winterthur 44, Zürich 3.Gruyeres to Bellegarde 34, Bulle 1 , Charmey 14, Château d'Oex 4-5, Romont 44, Saanen 6, Schwarzsee 44, Val- Sainte 24, Vevay 5-6.Herisau to Appenzell 4, Gossau 1 , Gais 4, Hundwyl 14,Lichtensteig 5, Mogelsberg 2 , Peterzell 3 , St. Gall 14,Trogen 4, Urnæschen 2, Waldstatt 1 , Wyl 3 .Ilanz to Andermatt 13 , Brigels 3, Coire 7, Elm by the Col de Ségnès 6, by the Col de Panix 9 , Flims 24, Hinterrhein by Lugnetz and Valserberg 9-10, Linththal by the Kistenberg 13-14, Pfeffers 11, Panix 2 , Peiden 1 , Trons 4, Vals 5,Vrin 4 .Interlacken to Brienz 3, Frutigen 6, Grindelwald byBurg- lauenen 4 , by Lauterbrunnen and Wengernalp 8-9, Hab- keren 2, Kandersteg 9, Lauterbrunnen 24, Leissingen 2,Meyringen by Brienz 6, by Grindelwald and Rosenlaui 10-11 ,Schmadribach 5--6 , Thun 5.Langenthal to Aarau 6, Aarburg 4, Aarwangen 1 , Balsthal4 , Berne 9, Burgdorf 5, Fraubrunnen 6, Herzogenbuchsee1 , Hindelbank 6, Huttwyl 34, Kirchberg 5 , Langnau by Burg- dorf 10, Lucerne 10, Olten 5, St. Urban 1 , Soleure 5, Sursee 6,Wangen 2, Willisau by Huttwyl 44, by Melchnau 3, Zofingen by Aarburg 5, by Dagmersellen 5-6.Langnau by Berne 6, Burgdorf 5, Diessbach 3 , Entlibuch 6, Escholzmatt 34, Huttwyl 6-7, Langenthal 10, Lu- cerne 11, Luthern by Trub 8, Marbach 4, Napf 6, Signau 1 ,Soleure 10, Summiswald 24, Thun 5, Trub 2.Lausanne to Aigle 8, Aubonne 5, Avenches 10, Berne 17,Bex 9-10, Bryg 30 , Bulle 9, Coppet 9, Cossonex 3, Eschallens 3, Estavayer 9, Etivaz 12, Freiburg 12 , Geneva 12,Grandson 6-7, Lalliaz 6 , Lassarez 4, Louèche ( Leuk) 25 ,Lutry 1 , Martigny 13, Montreux 5, Morât 12, Morges 2,Moudon 4, Neuchâtel 13 , Nyon 7, Orbe 6, Payerne 8, Rolle 5,Romainmotiers 7-8, Sion 20, Versoix 10, Vevay 3 , Vil- leneuve 6, Yverdon 7.Lenzburgto Aarau 2 , Aarburg 5, Baden 3, Bremgarten 3 ,Brugg 2 , Grænichen 2, Hallwyl 24, Kulm 3, Langenthal 8-9, Lucerne 10, Mellingen 1 , Munster 6, Muri 4, Schinz-332 DISTANCES.nach 14, Suhr 1 , Sursee 7-8, Villmergen 2, Wohlen 2},Zofingen 6, Zürich by Baden 7-8, by the Heitersberg 6,Zurzach 6-7.Lichtensteig to Appenzell 7, Bauma 4 , Bildhaus 2,Bischofzell 7 , Brunnadern 1½, Butschwyl 1 , Ebnat 2 , Flawyl4, Fischingen 31, Frauenfeld 6, Gallenkappel 31, Glarus 7-8,Gossau 6 , Herisau 5, Kaltbrunnen 34, Lutisburg 2, Mogels- berg 2, Mullruti 21, Nesslau 34, Peterzell 2, Rapperschwyl 6-7, St.Gall 6-7, Schænis 5 , Schoenengrund 3, Stein 4, Tæger- schen 3, Urnæschen 5, Utznach 4, Waldstaad 41, Wattwyl ,Werdenberg 8, Wildhaus 6, Wesen 64, Wyl 3.Liersal to Aarau bythe Schafmatt 7 , by the Hauenstein 9,Aarburg 7, Augst 2, Basle 34, Balsthal 6-7, Brugg by Gelter- kinden and Frik 8, Bubendorf , Dornach 24, Eptingen 8 ,Frik by Sissach 5, Gelterkinden 2 , Laufen by Reigolzwyl 7,Læufelfingen 3 , Meltingen 4 , Olten 6 , Oltingen 4, Reigolzwyl 3, Rheinfelden 3, Sissach 14, Waldenburg 31, Zo- fingen 8.Linththal toAltorf 2, Baumgartenalp 4, Brigels 10, Braun- wald 14, Disentis 12-13, Elm by the Valley of Durnach 6,by Schwanden 5, Glarus 3, Ilanz 15, Kistenberg 7, Klausen 31, Limmern 6, Matt 4, Muotta by the Bisithal 7, Pantenbruk 2, Sandalp superior 6, Schwanden 2, Urnerboden 2,Unterschæchen 6.Locarno to Airolo by the Valley of Maggia 12, Ascona 1 ,Bellinzona 4, Berzona 3, Borgnone 4, Bosco 6, Cevio 4,Crana 44, Domo d'Ossola 9, Fusio 8, Intra 9, Intragna 2,Lavertezzo 4 , Lugano 7, Magadino 3, Maggia 2.Locle to the Bayards 6-7, to Bienne by the Valley of St. Imier 12, to the Bois 5, to the Brenets 1 , to the Brévine 31,to Lachauxdefonds 2, to Chaux du Milieu 1 , to Court- lari 7, Morteau 21, Motiers by the Brévine and the Verrières 9,Neuchâtel 6, Pontarlier 10, Renan 4, Sant du Doubs 1 ,Saignelegier 8, St. Imier 5 , St. Ursannes 12 , Tavannes 9,Vallangin 7, Verrières 7.Lugano to Agno 1 , Balerna 4, Bellinzona 6, Bironico 3,Camoghe 10, Capolago 3, Chiasso 4 , Coire 30, Como 7,Isone 4 , Laveno 8, Locarno 7, Luino 5, Magadino 51,Melide 1 , Menaggio 7 , Milan 8, Ponte Tresa 14, Porlezza 3,San Salvatore 2, Taverne 2, Varèse 7 .Lucerne to Aarau 9, Aarburg 10, Alpnach 3, Altorf 8 ,Arth 4, Baar 5 , Baden 11 , Basle 20, Bellinzona 30, Berne 17,DISTANCES. 333Bremgarten 8, Brienz 11 , Brunnen 5 , Brugg 11 , Burgdorf 13,Cham 4, Dagmersellen 7, Ebikon 1, Einsiedeln 9, Emmen 1 ,Engelberg 7, Entlibuch 5 , Escholzmatt 7-8 , Fahrenbuhl 3 ,Gersau 4, Gyslikerbruk 2 , Hallwyl 3, Herrgottswald 2,Hitzkirch 5, Hochdorf 3 , Knuttwyl 6, Kriens , Kuss- nacht 2, Langenthal 9, Langnau 11 , Lenzburg 10, Littau 1 ,Lungern 8, Malters 2, Meyringen 10, Munster 4, Muri 5,Olten 11, Rothenburg 2, Russwyl 34, Rathhausen 1 , St. Gothard 18, St. Urban 8, Sarnen 5, Schupfheim 6,Schwyz 6, Sempach 3, Soleure 16 , Stanz 3 , Sursee 5, Thun by Berne 22, by Entlibuch 15, by the Brunig 19 , Willisau 6,Wæggis 2, Winkel 14, Wohlen 7-8, Wollhausen 3 , Zofin- gen 9, Zürich 10, Zug 5.Martigny to Aigle 5-6, Aosta by the St. Bernard 16, bythe Valley of Bagnes 18-19, Bex 4, Bouvernier 14, Chable 34,Chamonix 1 , Chermontane 10, Grand St. Bernard 9, Liddes5, Ferrex 7, Finhauts by Salvent 5, Orsières 34, Riddes 3,St. Maurice 34, St. Pierre 6, Sion 6, Trient 4, Torembec 8,Villeneuve 7-8.Meyringen to Altorf bythe Susten 17, Andermatt bythe Grimsel and the Furca 17, Brienz 3 , Brunig 14, Bryg 20,Engelberg bythe Joch Pass 93, Engstlenalp 43, Gadmen 4 ,Grimsel (Hospice of the) 8 , Grindelwald byRosenlaui 8, Gut- tannen 3 , Interlacken 6, Lungern 3, Obergestelen 12, Realp 15, Rhône- Glacier 10, Rosenlaui 2, Sorenberg 6, Thun 12,Urbachthal 5 , Wasen by the Susten 12.St. Moritz to Andeer by Julier and Valette 13, Ardetz ,9-10, Bernina ( Col du ) 34, Bevers 2, Casanna 5, Cernetz 6- 7, Chiavenna 9-10, Coire 16, Conters 9, Fettan 11 , Finster- munz 16, Lenz 11 , Maloja 3, Pontresina 14, Poschiavo 6-7,Samaden 14, Scanfs 41, Schuols 12, Silvaplana 1 , Sins 13,Stalla 4 , Tarasp 11, Thusis 15, Tirano by the Bernina 10,Vicosoprano 6 , Zuz 4.Moudon to Avenches 5-6, Echallens 34, Freiburg by Rue 9-10, Lausanne 4, Morât 7, Payerne 34, Romont 24, Rue 1 ,Vevay 5-6, Yverdon 3 .Morges to Aubonne 23, Bière 3, Coppet 6-7, Cossonex 24,Geneva 9, Joux (the Valley of) 5 , Isles 3, Lasarraz 4 , Lau- sanne 2, Montreux 8, Nyon 4 , Orbe 6, Pampigny 21,Rolle 2 , St. Saphorin 14 , Villeneuve 9, Vevay 7, Vuflens 2,Yverdon 8.Morat to Aarberg 4 , Anet 2 , Avenches 2, Berne 5 ,334 DISTANCES.Bienne 6, Buren 7, Cudrefin 24, Erlach 3, Estavayer 6, Frei- burg 3. Gruyères 9, Lausanne 12, Moudon 8, Neuchâtel 6,Neuveville 5 , Payerne 4, Romont 6-7 , Yverdon 9.Neuchatel to Aarberg 6 , Anet 3, Berne 9, Bienne 6-7,Boudry 2, Buren 9 , Colombier 14, Couvet 5, Cudrefin 2,Erlach 3, Estavayer 4, Freiburg by Morât 9, by Port Alban 7, Fleurier 6 , Grandson 7, Lachauxdefonds 41, Landeron21,Lausanne 13, Locle 6 , Morât 6 , Motiers 5-6, Nidau 7, Neu- veville 3, Orbe 9, Pontarlier 12, Rochefort 2, St. Aubin 4,St. Imier 6, St. Pierre ( Isle of) 4, Soleure 12, Travers 41,Vallangin 1 , Verrières 8, Yverdon 7.Orbe to Balaigne 2, to the Clées 1 , to Cossonex 3, Grandson,3, Joux ( the Valley of ) 5-6, Lausanne 6, Lasarraz 1½, Lig- nerolles 1 , Motiers by Baulmes and St. Croix 7-8, by Yver- don and Fierz 6, Pontarlier 6-7, Romainmotiers, 14, St.Aubin 6-7, St. Croix by Baulmes 34, by Yverdon 5-6, Vall- orbe 34, Vaulion 3, Yverdon 24.Olten to Aarau 3, Aarburg 1 , Baden 9, Basle 8, Berne 6,Bienne 10, Brugg 7, Balsthal 34, Burgdorf 8-9, Herzogen- buchsee 5-6, Huttwyl 7, Langenthal 4, Lenzburg 5 , Liestal 6,Lostorf, 14, Lucerne 11 , Schinznach 3 , Sissach 42, Soleure 6,Sursee, 6, Wangen 4, Willisau 6, Zofingen 2, Zürich 13-14.Porrentrui to Basle9, Bienne by Delémont and Tavannes15, Couve 1 , Cornol 2, Delémont 5, Delle 3, Ferrette 4,Lachauxdefonds by St. Ursanne and Saignelegier 12, Locle14, Miécourt 1 , Moutiers 7-8, Rangiers 3, St. Braix by St. Ursanne 44, St. Ursanne 23 , Saignelegier 6-7, Tavannes 11.Ragas to Altstetten 9, Coire 4, Fideris 6, Glarus , Kalfeus 4, Lichtensteig by Werdenberg 13, Lichtenstein 6 , Malans14, Mayenfeld 24 , Pfeffers ( Baths of) , Rapperschwyl 14,Rheineck 12, St. Gall 20 , Sargans 14, Vættis 2, Wallenstaad 4 , Werdenberg 5, Wesen 8-9, Zizers 2, Zürich 21 .Rapperschwyl to Bildhaus 34, Einsiedeln 4, Eschenbach14, Fischenthal 3 , Glarus 8, Greiffensee 5, Gruningen 24,Kaltbrunnen 34, Lichtensteig 6-7, Meilen 24, Richtenschwyl 14, Ruti 14 , St. Gall 14-15, Schænis 5, Schmerikon 2 ,Schwyz 9 , Stafa 14, Wald 24 , Weesee 6 , Zürich 5–6.Regensberg to Baden 3, Brugg 5, Bulach 2 , Eglisau 34 ,Glattfelden 2, Kaiserstuhl 4, Kloten 2 , Lægernberg ,Lengnau 21, Winterthur 5, Wurenlos 2, Zürich 3, Zurzach 5.Rheineck to Altstetten 3, Arbon 3, Appenzell 6, Balgach 2,Bregenz 3, Bischofzell by Arbon 8, Coire 15, Constance 9,DISTANCES. 335Frauenfeld 14, Gais 7, Heiden 1 , Lindau 5 , Oberried 4 ,Ragaz 12, Rorschach 14, St. Gall 4, Sargans 9½, Sennwald,6, Teufen 5, Trogen 31, Werdenberg 7, Wyl 11–12.Romont to Avenches 44, Bulle3, Châtel St. Denis 4, Freiburg 6, Gruyères 4, Lausanne 6, Moudon 9, Morât 9, Pay- erne 2 , Promasens 3, Rue 24, Semsales 31 , Vevay 6, Yver.don 5.Saanen to Ablentschen 2, Aigle by the Mosses 8, Anderleuk 5, Bellegarde 4, Bulle 7, Château d'Oex 2 , Freiburg 12,Gruyères 6, Gsteig 21 , Lauenen 2, Montbovon 3 , Ormond by the Pillon 6-7, Sion by the Sanetsch 10-11 , Thun 12-13,Zweisimmen 20-21 .Sarnen to Alpnach 14, Bekenried 4-5, Brienz 6, Brunig 4,Buochs 34, Engelberg 7-8 , Flueli 1 , Flueli in the Entlibuch 4, Gyswyl 2 , Hergiswyl 3, Kaltbad 3, Kerns , Lungern 3, Lu- cerne 5 , Meyringen 6, Melchthal 24, Ranft 14, Sachseln ,Schupfheim 5 , Stanz 3.Schaffhausen to Aarau 13, Andelfingen 3, Arbon 14-15,Baden 9, Basle 17, Brugg 9 , Bulach 5, Constance 9, Falls of the Rhine 1 , Diessenhofen 2, Donaueschingen 7 , Eglisau 4,Frauenfeld 5, Hallau 3, Herblingen 1 , Herisau 13, Hofen 3,Hohentwyl 5, Kaiserstuhl 5, Laufenburg 10, Lindau 20,Lohn 2, Lohningen 2, Marthalen 2, Neuhausen , Neuen- kirch 2 , Osterfingen 3 , Radolfzell 6 , Ramsen 3, Reichenau 6, Rheinau 2, Rheinfelden 14, Rorschach 16, St. Blasien in the Black Forest 12, Schleitheim 34, Siblingen 24, Stein 4,Steckhorn 6, Stokach 7 , Stetten 1 , Stuhlingen 4, Stuttgart 26,Thaingen 2 , Thiengen 6, Trogen , 17 , Tubingen 21 , Tutt- lingen 8, Waldhaus 7, Wilchingen 3, Winterthur 5 , Wyl 3 ,Zürich 9, Zurzach 6.Schwyz to Altorf 5, Arth 3 , Brunnen 1 , Einsiedeln bytheHaken 3 , by Rothenthurm 5, Egeri 34, Gersau 24, Glarus by the Pragel 10, Goldau 2 , Klonthal 8, Kussnacht 4,Lachen 6, Lauerz 14 , Lucerne 6, Muotta 3, Richtenschwyl 6,Rothenthurm, 3, Sattel 2, Schindellegi 5, Seewen , Steinen14, Wæggithal 6, Yberg 3, Zug 6 , Zürich 10.Sion to Aigle 11 , Altorf 32, Andermatt 25, Aosta 24, Ardon2, Ayent 2, Bagne 9, Berne by Vevay and Freiburg 32, bytheGemmi 25, by the Ravyl 28, Bex by Martigny 9, bythe Col de la Cheville 11-12, Bramois 1, Bryg 10, Chable 9, Cha- monix 16, Cheville ( Col de la ) 7, Domo d'Ossola 23, Evian 18, Evolena 6, Finhauts 9, Freiburg 26, Gemmi 8, Geneva336 DISTANCES.by Thonon 26, by Lausanne 30, Grand St. Bernard 14,Grimsel 19, Gsteig 10, Hérémence 3, Kandersteg 12 , Lau- sanne 19, Leuk 12 , Leuk ( Louèche) 5 , Louèche ( Baths of) 7,Liddes 10, Martigny 5, Meyringen 27, Monthey 10, Munster 16, Obergestelen 17-18 , Orsières 9, Raron 7, Ravyl ( Col du)6-7, Rhône ( Glacier of the) 19-20, Saas 13, Saanen 12–13,Sanetsch ( Col du) 5 , Saillon 4, St. Gingolphe 15 , St. Mau- rice 8, Savièse 14, Sierre 3 , Simpeln 16, Simplon ( Hospice of the ) 15 , Stalden 9, Thonon 20, Thun by the mountains 20, by Vevay and Berne 37 , Tourtemagne 5, Viesch 14, Visoye 64,Visp 8-9, Vevay 15, Villeneuve 13, Zermatt 17, Zweisim- men 14.Soleure to Aarau 10, Aarberg 6 , Allerheiligen 3, Amman- segg 14, Attisholz 1 , Basle 12 , Balsthal 4 , Berne 7-8, Bienne 4,Bellach 1 , Beinweil 8, Biberist 1 , Burgdorf 5, Buren 3, Dor- nach 12, Erlisbach 9, Fraubrunnen 3, Gænsbrunnen 4, Grenchen 2 , Herzogenbuchsee 31, Hofwyl 5, Kriegstetten 2,Langenthal 5, Langnau 10, Lostorf 8, Lucerne 16, Meltingen 8-9, Mumliswyl 5 , Neuchâtel 12, Olten 7, Ste. Vérène ( Her- mitage of ) , Tavannes 8, Weissenstein 3, Wangen 21,Zürich 19.Stanz to Alpnach by the Rozloch 24, by Sarnen 4. Altorfby Engelberg 14, Beggenried 2, Brunig 6-7, Buochs 1 ,Buochserhorn 4, Emmatten 3, Engelberg 42, Grafenort 24,Gyswyl 4, Hergiswyl 14 , Kerns 2 , Lucerne 31, Lungern 5–6,Meyringen by Engelberg 14, Melchthal 44, Sachseln 34, Sar- nen 3, Seelisberg 4, Stanzstaad 1 , Winkel 2, Wolfenschiess14.Sursee to Aarau 6, Aarburg 5, Burgdorf 9, Dagmersellen 2,Entlibuch by Wilisau 6-7 , Hallwyl 4, Hitzkirch 3 , Huttwyl 4 ,Knutwyl 1 , Kulm 4, Langenthal by St. Urban 6, by Huttwyl 7-8, Lucerne 5 , Mossleerau 24, Munster 14, Olten 6, Rheineck3, St. Urban 5 , Sempach 2 , Soleure 11 , Willisau 3, Wollhausen 5, Zofingen 4.Tavannes aux Bois by Saignelegier 6, to Bellelay 2,Bienne 4, Court 2 , Courtlari 2, Delémont by Undervellier 7,by Moutiers 6, Glovelier 52, Lachauxdefonds 7 , Locle 9 , Mal- leray 14 , Moutiers 4, Reuchenette 2 , Saignelegier 34, St. Braix by Bellelai and Glovelier 7 , St. Imier 31, St. Ursanne 10, Sonceboz , Tramelan 14, Undervellier 4.Thun to Adelboden 8, Aeschi 24, Amsoldingen 1 , Berne 5,Brienz 8, Blumenstein 2 , Diemtigen 4, Diessbach 2, Entli-DISTANCES. 337buch by Schangnau 9-10, Engelberg 22 , Freiburg by Saanen 24, Frutigen 5, Gerzensee 3, Glutsch 1 , Gruyères 18,Grimsel 20, Grindelwald 10, Guggisberg 6, Gurnigel 34, Interlacken 5 , Kandersteg 8, Leuk 10, Leukerbad ( Baths of Louèche) 14, Leissigen 4, Langnau 5, Lauterbrunnen 7-8,Marbach 5-6, Meyringen 11 , Munsingen 3, Obergestelen 23,Oberhofen 1 , Riggisberg 3, Saanen 12-13, Sarnen 12 ,Schangnau 4, Schwarzenegg 14, Spiez 2 , Thierachern 1 ,Wasen 23, Wattenwyl 2, Weissenburg 5-6, Wimmis 24,Zweisimmen 9.Thusis to Andeer 24, Avers 10, Alveneu 4 , Chiavenna 13,Coire 5, Davos 9-10, Ferrara 5, Hinterrhein 7, Lenz 31,Misocco 12-13 , Reichenau 4, Rheinwald (Glacier ofthe ) 10- 11 , Savienthal 34, Splügen 5 , Stalla 13 .Trogen to Altstetten 3, Appenzell 4, Arbon, 4, Bischofzell6. Buhler 1 , Gais 3, Grub 14, Heiden 2, Herisau by St.Gall 4, Rheineck by Altstetten 6, by Heiden 4, St. Gall 2,Speicher , Teufen 1 , Walzenhausen 34, Wolfhalden 24.Vevay to Aigle 6 , Alliaz 2, Attalens 14, Bex 7 , Bulle 6,Châtel St. Denis 2, Freiburg 12, Geneva 15, Gruyères 7,Lausanne 3 , Martigny 11 , Montbovon by the Dent de Jaman 6, Montreux 1 , St. Maurice 8, Semsales 3, Ville- neuve 2 .Werdenberg to Altstetten 5, Appenzell by Wildhaus andKrayalp 6, by Altstetten and Gais 8, Coire 9 , Feldkirch 3,Fideris 11 , Glarus 12, Lichtensteig 8, Malans 5 , Pfeffers (Baths of) 6, Ragaz 5, Rheineck 7-8, Rorschach 9, St. Gall10, Saletz 2, Sargans 3, Sennwald 3, Wallenstaad 6, Wild- haus 2 .Winterthurto Andelfingen 21, Basserstorf 2, Bauma 4,Bulach 4 , Constance 8 , Diessenhofen 5, Eglisau 31, Elgg 2 ,Embrach 3, Fehraltorf 2 , Fischenthal 6, Fischingen 6,Flaach 31, Frauenfeld 3, Greiffensee 4, Gyrenbad 2 , Kaiserstuhl 6, Kloten 3, Kyburg 14, Marthalen 3, Neftenbach 1 ,Pfaffikon 3 , Rapperschwyl by Fischenthal 10, Rorbas 24,Schaffhausen 5, Stammheim 5, Turbenthal 2 , Wyl 5 ,Zürich 4.Yverdon to Avenches 7, Boudry 5-6, Cossonex 5, Esta- vayer 34, Echallens 34, Freiburg 9, Grandson 1 , Lasarraz 3 , Lausanne 7, Motiers 44, Morât 9, Morges 7-8, Mouden 34, Neuchâtel 7, Orbe 24, Payerne 5, St. Aubin 4, St. Croix 2 , Vallorbe 6.Z338 DISTANCES.Zug to Affoltern 34, Arth 2 , Baar , Bremgarten 6,Buonas 14, Chaam 1 , Egeri by the Grand Rout 31, by the Montagne d'Allenwinden 21, Einsiedeln by Egeri 8, by Arth and Schwyz 10, Gyslikerbruk 2 , Goldau 3 , Gubel 21,Horgen 3, Hutten 3 , Kappel 1 , Knonau 2, Lucerne 5,Menzingen 2, Morgarten 5, Muri 6 , Neuheim 21, Schwyz 6 ,Sihlbruk 11, Walchwyl 14, Zürich 6.Zurich to Aarau 9, Andelfingen 7, Arth 9, Baar 5, Baden 4 , Basle 17, Basserstorf 2, Bauma 6, Berne 23, Brem- garten 3 , Bulach 4 , Coire 25, Constance 12, Diessenhofen 10, Dietiklon 2 , Eglisau 5, Einsiedeln 7 , Egg 3, Elgg 7,Embrach 3 , Feuerthalen 9, Fischenthal 7, Frauenfeld 7,Glarus 13, Greiffensee 3, Gruningen 5, Hongg 1, Horgen 3,Hutten 5-6, Kaiserstuhl 6 , Kappel 4, Kloten 2 , Knonau 5,Kussnacht 14, Lachen 8, Lenzburg 7, Lichtensteig 13, Lu- cerne 10, Meilen 3, Mellingen 6, Pfæffikon 34, Rafz 6, Rap- perschwyl 6, Regensberg 3 , Rheinau 7-8 , Richtenschwyl 5 , St. Gall 15, Schaffhausen 10, Schinznach 7, Schwyz 12 , Stæfa 5,Stammheim 8, Stanz 13 , Thalwyl 14, Uster 4, Utznach 9,Wædenschwyl 41, Wallenstaad 17, Winterthur 4, Wohlen 5,Zug 6, Zurzach 8.

338 DISTANCES.Zug to Affoltern 34, Arth 2 , Baar , Bremgarten 6,Buonas 14, Chaam 1 , Egeri by the Grand Rout 34, by the Montagne d'Allenwinden 24, Einsiedeln by Egeri 8, by Arthand Schwyz 10, Gyslikerbruk 2 , Goldau 34, Gubel 21 ,Horgen 3, Hutten 34, Kappel 14, Knonau 2, Lucerne 5 ,Menzingen 2, Morgarten 5, Muri 6 , Neuheim 21 , Schwyz 6,Sihlbruk 14 , Walchwyl 14, Zürich 6.Zurich to Aarau 9 , Andelfingen 7 , Arth 9 , Baar 5, Baden 4 , Basle 17, Basserstorf 2, Bauma 6, Berne 23, Brem- garten 34, Bulach 4, Coire 25, Constance 12, Diessenhofen10, Dietiklon 2 , Eglisau 5, Einsiedeln 7, Egg 3, Elgg 7,Embrach 3 , Feuerthalen 9, Fischenthal 7, Frauenfeld 7,Glarus 13, Greiffensee 3, Gruningen 5, Hongg 1 , Horgen 3,Hutten 5-6, Kaiserstuhl 6 , Kappel 4, Kloten 2 , Knonau 5 ,Kussnacht 14, Lachen 8, Lenzburg 7, Lichtensteig 13, Lu- cerne 10, Meilen 3, Mellingen 6, Pfaffikon 34, Rafz 6, Rap- perschwyl 6, Regensberg 3 , Rheinau 7-8 , Richtenschwyl 5 , St. Gall 15, Schaffhausen 10, Schinznach 7 , Schwyz 12, Stæfa 5,Stammheim 8, Stanz 13, Thalwyl 14, Uster 4, Utznach 9,Wædenschwyl 44, Wallenstaad 17, Winterthur 4, Wohlen 5,Zug 6, Zurzach 8.區કર્યુંཉ་ ར་INDEX.Aar Glaciers, 66 Aarberg, 31 Abendberg, 48 Aeggishorn, 290 Aesch, 27 Aigle, 159 Allmendingen, 35 Alpnach and its Slide, 85 Altorf, 79 Altstetten, 313 Am- Steg, 78 Andeer, 307 Andermatt, 74 Aosta, 263 Arth, 99Attighausen, 79 Augst, 320 Avenches, or Aventicum, 108Baden (in Aargau) , 323Baggage, 1Basle, 20 Baths of Pfeffers, 310 of Leuk, 277 Beckenried, 84Belmont, 31 Belpberg, 35 Berne, 31 Bex, 159 - , salt-works of, 160Biel, or Bienne, 30Bienne, or Biel, 30 Bionnay, 223 Birs, Valley of the, 21 Bonneville, 169 Boré, the, 234 Botzlingen, 78 Brévent, 190 Brieg, 275 Brunnen, 83 Buet, Ascent ofthe, 242 , Descent of, to Chamonix, 244 Burglen, 79Carouge, 122 Cascade des Pélerins , 187 Cernetz, 303 Cervin, Mt. View from thepass of, 271340 INDEX.Cervin, Mt., 271 Chamonix, 177 Chêne, 168 Chillon , 155 Chapeau, the, 189 Charts, 13 Chur, 295 Ciamut, 292 Clarens, 152 Cluses, 170 Coire, 309 Col de Balme, 196 , 252 Col du Géant, 218 Constance, 314 Contamines, 169 Coppet, 139 Coupeau, 190 Crétinism, 265 Cully, 147Dachsfelden, 29 Daubensee, 284 Dead, Lake of the, 67 Délémont, 28 Delsberg, 28 Dent du Midi, Ascent of, 234 Devil's Bridge, 75 Diessenhofen, 316 Directions for the Journey, 1Disentis, 292 Distances, Table of, 325 Dornach, 27 Douvaine, 167Engadine, Road to, 296 Scenery and Po- pulation of, 299 Erguel-thal, or Val St. Imier,30Eschental, 289 Escher von der Linth, 322 Evian, 166Faulhorn, the, 54 Fer à Cheval, 233 Ferney, 123 Findelen Glacier, 271 Flegère, the, 188 Flims, 294 Fluellen, 80 Fond de la Combe, 233, 235 Forclaz, Col de, 192, 252 Freiburg, 105 Frutigen,Furca Pass, 68Gemmi Passes, the, 275, 281 Geneva, 114, 167 Lake of, 130Gers, Tour through, 241 Gersau, 84 Geschenen, 77 Gibbon's House, 111 Glaciers, nature of, 17 of the Aar, 66 des Bossons, 208 of Grindelwald, 53, 56 of the Rhône, 67 of Rosenlaui, 58 Goldau, 99 Görner Glacier, 271 Grand Plateau, 214 Grands Mulets, 211 Great St. Bernard Pass, 255 Hospice, 258 Dogs, 259 Morgue, 261 Grellingen, 28 Grimsel Pass, 61Hospice, 63 Grindelwald, 53 Valley of, 49 Grotte de Balme, 171Grund, 61 Grutli, Meadow of, 82INDEX. 341Grutli, League of, 83 Gsteigwyler, 49 Guggenbühl, Dr. , his Crétin Institution, 48 Guides, 11Hasli, Valley of, 59 Haute-Valais , 289 Horgen, 101 Hospital, 69Ilanz, 293 Inns, 10 Interlacken, 46 Isella, 288Jardin, the, 202 Jorat, the, 108 Jungfrau, the, 52Kandersteg, 284Lalenkönig, the, 26 Laufenberg, 319 Lauffen, 28 Laupen, 104 Lausanne, 109 Lauterbrunnen, 50Valley of, 48 Lavater, 103 Leman, Lake, 130 Tour by, 136 Leuk, 275 " Baths of, 277 Liddes, 256 Linth Canal, 322Louis Philippe d'Orleans, aresident at Reichenau, 295Lucerne, 89 Lake of, 80Luggage, 9Lütschine, 49Marengo, defile of, 257 Marie zum Schnee, 98Martigny, 264 Martinsbruck, 303 Mer de Glace, 200Meyringen, 59Money and Coins, 4, 15 Montanvert, 200 Mont Blanc, Ascent of, 205 Mont Buet, 198 Mont Gestler, 30Mont Joye, 222 Monte Rosa Excursion to,269- View of, 272 Morges, 143 Moudon, or Milden, 108 Mount Pilate, 85Moutiers, Val de, or Mün- sterthal, 27 Munsingen, 36 Münster, 28 Münsterthal, 27 Mur de la Côte, 216Nant Noir, 175 Neueneck, 104 Nidan, 30 Nôtre Dame de la Gorge, 223 Nyon, 139Oberalp, 291 Oberland, the Bernese, 39 Tour in the, 40 Orsières, 256Passports, 4, 31, 91 , 167 , 168 Payerne, 107 Peterhausen, 315 Pfeffers, Old Baths of, 310 Abbey of, 312 Pierre Pertuis , 29340 INDEX.Cervin, Mt., 271 Chamonix, 177 Chêne, 168 Chillon , 155 Chapeau, the, 189 Charts, 13 Chur, 295 Ciamut, 292 Clarens , 152 Cluses, 170 Coire, 309 Col de Balme, 196 , 252 Col du Géant, 218 Constance , 314 Contamines, 169 Coppet, 139 Coupeau, 190 Crétinism, 265 Cully, 147Dachsfelden, 29 Daubensee, 284 Dead, Lake of the, 67 Délémont, 28 Delsberg , 28 Dent du Midi, Ascent of, 234Devil's Bridge, 75 Diessenhofen, 316 Directions for the Journey, 1Disentis, 292 Distances , Table of, 325 Dornach, 27 Douvaine, 167Engadine, Road to, 296 Scenery and Population of, 299 Erguel-thal, or Val St. Imier,30 Eschental, 289 Escher von der Linth, 322 Evian, 166Faulhorn, the , 54 Fer à Cheval, 233 Ferney, 123 Findelen Glacier, 271 Flegère, the, 188 Flims, 294 Fluellen, 80 Fond de la Combe, 233 , 235 Forclaz, Col de, 192 , 252Freiburg, 105 Frutigen,Furca Pass, 68Gemmi Passes, the, 275, 281Geneva, 114, 167 Lake of, 130 Gers, Tour through , 241 Gersau, 84 Geschenen, 77 Gibbon's House, 111 Glaciers, nature of, 17 of the Aar, 66 des Bossons, 208 of Grindelwald, 53 , 56 of the Rhône, 67 of Rosenlaui, 58 Goldau, 99 Görner Glacier, 271 Grand Plateau, 214 Grands Mulets , 211 Great St. Bernard Pass, 255 Hospice, 258 Dogs, 259 Morgue, 261 Grellingen , 28 Grimsel Pass, 61 Hospice, 63 Grindelwald, 53 Valley of, 49 Grotte de Balme, 171 Grund, 61 Grutli, Meadow of, 82INDEX. 341Grutli, League of, 83 Gsteigwyler, 49 Guggenbühl, Dr. , his Crétin Institution, 48 Guides, 11Hasli, Valley of, 59 Haute- Valais, 289 Horgen, 101 Hospital, 69Ilanz, 293Interlacken, 46Inns, 10Isella, 288Jardin, the, 202 Jorat, the, 108 Jungfrau, the, 52Kandersteg, 284Lalenkönig, the, 26 Laufenberg, 319 Lauffen, 28 Laupen, 104 Lausanne, 109 Lauterbrunnen, 50-, Valley of, 48 Lavater, 103 Leman, Lake, 130——, Tour by, 136 Leuk, 275 Baths of, 277 Liddes, 256 Linth Canal, 322Louis Philippe d'Orleans, aresident at Reichenau, 295 Lucerne, 89" Lake of, 80Luggage, 9Lütschine, 49Marengo, defile of, 257 Marie zum Schnee, 98Martigny, 264 Martinsbruck, 303 Mer de Glace, 200Meyringen, 59 Money and Coins, 4, 15 Montanvert, 200 Mont Blanc, Ascent of, 205 Mont Buet, 198 Mont Gestler, 30 Mont Joye, 222 Monte Rosa Excursion to,269View of, 272 Morges, 143 Moudon, or Milden, 108 Mount Pilate, 85 Moutiers, Val de, or Mün- sterthal, 27 Munsingen, 36 Münster, 28 Münsterthal, 27 Mur de la Côte, 216Nant Noir, 175 Neueneck, 104 Nidan, 30 Nôtre Dame de la Gorge, 223Nyon, 139Oberalp, 291 Oberland, the Bernese, 39 Tour in the, 40 Orsières, 256Passports, 4, 31 , 91 , 167 , 168 Payerne, 107 Peterhausen, 315 Pfeffers, Old Baths of, 310 Abbey of, 312 Pierre Pertuis, 29342 INDEX.Pisse-Vaché, or Fall of Sal- lanche, 163 St. Jacob, Battle of, 22 St. Maurice, 162Police Regulations , 109, 115 Ponts, Pass of, 203 St. Nicholas, 269 St. Saphorin, 148 Préverenges, 145 Prou, 257 Pruntrunt, 28Ragatz, 310 Railway, Swiss Northern, 323 Randa, 270 Realp, 69 Reconvillier, 29 Reichenau, 294 Reichenbach Fall, 59 Rennendorf, 28 Reuss, Valley of the, 69 Rhealt, Castle of, 305 Rheineck, 313 Rheinfeld, 320 Rhine, Sources of, 291 Falls of, 317St. Sulpice, 145 Sales , Châlets of, 238 Sallanches, 172 Salvent, 233 Samaden, 302Samoëns, Valley of, 219 Sarganz, 312 Saugern, or Sohière, 28 Savoy, 168 Schaffhausen, 316 Scheideck the Greater, 56 the Lesser, 51Schellinen, Defile of, 77 Schmerikon , 323 Schuols, 303 Schwarenbach, 284 Sennwald, 313Rhône, Glacier of the, 67 Valley of the, 264 Riffelberg, Excursion to, 268 Righi, Ascent of the, 91 , 93 View from, 94 Roche, 28 Rochers Rouges, 215 Roger, Fall of the, 241 Rockweiler, 29 Rolle, 141 Rorschach, 313 Rosenlaui, Glacier of, 58 Baths of, 58 Rossberg, Fall of the, 98 Routes, 7, 19, 40St. Gervais, Valley of, 222 St. Gingolph, 16 St. Gothard Pass, 71Hospice of the, 72Servoz, 175 Sevelen, 313 Sierre, 266 Simplon Pass, 285 Village of, 287 Sion, 266Sixt, and its Valley, 225 Sonceboz, 30Splügen Pass, 303 Staubbach, Fall of the, 50 Steckhorn, 316 Stein, 316, 320 Surbelen, or Servillier, 29Talèfre, Glacier of, 203Tamina, Gorge of the, 309,311Taneverge, 232 Tarasp , 303 Tavannes, 29 Tavetsch, Valley of, 291INDEX. 343Tellenplatte, 81 Tête Noire, 194 Thonon, 166Thun , 37Lake of, 41 Thusis, 304 Tour de Peilz, 151Tour Ronde, 166Tourtemagne, 267 Treib, 83 Trient, 252 Trons, 292Unspunnen, 48 Unterseen, 48 Uri, Canton of, 70 Urnerloch, 75 Ursen, Plain of, 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