feet above the level of the sea, a magnifi- | Maggiore (daily); fare, 6 frs. Thence by cent view is to be had. On one side the steamer to the Borromean Islands or Arona. Bernese Alps, with the valley of the Visp Private carriage from Brieg to Domo leading into that of the Rhone; on the (one horse), 50 frs.; three horses, 100 frs. other side the peaks of the Piedmontese mountains; while in the immediate vicinity the glories of the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, and other wonders of lesser note are visible. On this spot Saussure encamped for three days making experiments. There is a small inn here. From the summit to Breuil in three hours. After passing the glacier, in the descent, mules may be found waiting, left by travelers coming over from Italy. Time from the glacier, one and a half hours; to the village of Val Tournanche (Hotel du Mont Rose), over a wild, romantic valley, in two hours more. Baggage sent by diligence must be at the office the previous night. If going without the owner, the keys must be sent, else it will be stopped at St. Marco or Iselle, the frontier Italian town. The Simplon, after the Brenner, was the first of the great Alpine routes, and owes its construction to the genius and energy of Napoleon I. After the battle of Marengo, with the difficulties experienced in crossing the Great St. Bernard still fresh in his memory, he determined to have a great military road into Italy. An order was accordingly issued to that effect, and the execution of the work was intrusted to In four hours the town of Châtillon is M. Céard, one of the most celebrated enreached, Hôtel de Londre. This is the cap-gineers of the day. The work was comital of an Italian district, is beautifully sit-menced on the Italian side in 1800, and on uated, and altogether a pleasant town, containing 3000 inhabitants. ROUTE 14.-From St. Maurice and Martigny to Domo d'Ossola and Arona, on Lake Maggiore. By the Valley of the Rhone, Gorge de Trient, Martigny, Saxen-les-Bains, Sion, Sierre, Leuk, Vispach, Brieg, and the Pass of the Simplon to Pallanza and the Borromean Islands. For a description of the towns in the Rhone valley, viz., St. Maurice to Brieg, see Route 42.. The railway is finished as far as Sierre; time from St. Maurice, 2 hours; fare, 6 frs. 85 c. Diligence from Sierre to Brieg in 3 hours. Railway from Lausanne to Sierre in four hours. Sierre (Hôtel Bellevue, near the station). Railway in progress to Brieg. See Route 42. Brieg (see Route 42), Hôtel Trois Cou ronnes. From Brieg to Domo d'Ossola; diligence twice a day, in ten hours; fare in coupé, 13 frs. 15 c.; other places, 11 frs. 50. Diligence from Domo to Pallanza, on Lake the Swiss in 1801, and was finished in six years. It cost about three and a half million of dollars. France paid one half the cost and the Cisalpine Republic the other. It was commenced three years before the road over Mont Cenis, and finished four years sooner, and was considered at that period one of the wonders of the age. At one time there were over thirty thousand men employed upon the work. It commenced at Geneva and ended at Milan, and at no one point is the grade over one in thirteen; and the whole distance it is twenty-five feet wide-some places even over. From Brieg to Simplon, or the summit of the pass, occupies six hours. The ascent commences immediately after leaving the town, and, passing through green meadows, it approaches the gorge of Saltine, where the torrent is seen rushing down the valley amid bristling rocks and rugged embankments. Passing the First Refuge, whence a beautiful view of the Rhone valley is seen, two and a half miles farther the Second Refuge is passed. The road now bends around the valley of the Ganter and crosses the Ganter Bridge, which is so much exposed to avalanches and fearful gusts of wind that it is left uncovered for fear that it might be carried away during the winter storms. The road now ascends in winding curves, and arrives at Berisal, the Third Refuge, nine miles from Brieg, where posthorses are kept. Passing through the first gallery, and crossing the Frombach and Weissbach, the Fourth Refuge is passed; and, clearing the forest, a magnificent view of the Rhone valley and the Bernese Alps attracts the attention of the traveler. At the Fifth Refuge a picture of rugged and barren desolation surrounds the traveler, vegetation has almost ceased, and the eye roams from rock to glacier, while the roaring cataract fills up the picture of barren and fantastic grandeur. From this point to the summit is the most dangerous portion of the route, on account of avalanche and storm, and a hospice and six houses of refuge within a distance of two miles display the care taken by the builder to shelter the weary traveler.. To protect one part of the road, three galleries have been constructed, which serve both as bridge and aqueduct, to carry off the torrents issuing from the glaciers, and protect the road from avalanches. At the Sixth Refuge a cross marks the highest point of the pass, 6628 feet above the level of the sea. About half a mile beyond the Hospice is reached, a similar establishment to that of the Great St. Bernard, founded by Napoleon I. Entertainment is gratuitous, but visitors are expected to put as much, if not more, into the poor-box than a similar entertainment would cost him at an inn. The house, which contains some thirty beds, is kept by a few monks of the Order of St. Augustine, who belong to the same fraternity as the St. Bernard monks. In addition to the bedrooms, there is a drawingroom, with a piano, and a refectory and chapel. After passing the hospice, the road crosses a valley of considerable extent, bounded by mountain peaks and glaciers, and, descending past the Seventh Refuge, we arrive at Simplon. Inns, Post and Des Alps. After passing through a deep valley, which leads to the entrance of the Gallery of Algaby, the road enters the Gorge of Gondo, one of the wildest and most rugged to be found on all the Alps. The roaring Diveria has detached huge masses of rock, with which its bed is filled, while overhanging mountains threaten to crush the passing tourist. The road now passes through the Gallery of Gondo, over 700 feet in length, hewn out of the solid rock. This is the longest tunnel in the whole line of the Simplon. Opposite one of the openings made to light the interior is the inscription, "Ære Italo, 1805. Nap. Imp." As the traveler passes through this gallery he will notice the savage and roaring fall of Fressinone, which is carried across an elegant bridge. On either side of the gorge the rocks rise almost perpendicularly to the height of 2000 feet. After passing over a bridge (a previous structure was carried away in 1834 by a fearful storm that did great damage to the Simplon road), Gondo, the last Swiss village, is reached. An old tower, erected before the construction of the Simplon road for the accommodation of travelers, is now used as an inn. About an hour's walk down the valley leads to Zurich-Bergen, a former gold mine, not now worked. A granite column on the left of the road marks the Italian frontier, and soon St. Marco, the first Italian village, is reached, where passengers' luggage is examined. A short distance farther the town of Iselle is passed. Hôtel Posta. On every hand evidence of the fearful storms of 1834 is apparent: for miles every vestige of the road disappeared, and bridges were swept away without leaving a stone to mark the spot on which they stood. The Diveria is now crossed, the gallery of Crevola traversed (the last on the route), and the traveler suddenly finds himself transferred as if by magic from savage, wild, and rugged grandeur to trellised vines, green chestnuts, gray olives, and balmy air; passing through the Val d'Ossola, the town of Domo d'Ossola is reached. Grand Hôtel de Ville. Nine miles from Domo, Vogogna is passed, situated on the Tosa. There is little to interest the trav eler here. Diligence daily to Pallanza, on Lake Maggiore; fare, 6 frs. This is a lovely spot to make a short stay. It is the principal town of the district, and contains a fine hotel-the Grand Hôtel de Pallanza— surrounded by beautiful gardens, and immediately in front of the Borromean Islands. Steamers several times per day to Arona, Luino, etc. See ITALY, vol. ii. In going from Italy to Brieg the time is eleven hours. One can return by Route 15 to the starting-point of Route 13. ROUTE 15.- From Vergona to Vispach, via Macugnaga and the Pass of Monte Moro and Saas, passing through the Val Anzasca. This is a difficult route for ladies, and many, after having crossed by some other pass, go up the valley from Pallanza or Baveno, and stop for some days at Macugnaga (Zum Strich), to enjoy the unparalleled view of Monte Rosa from his base, and make the different excursions in the vicinity. The position is one which combines all that is beautiful in the Italian and strikingly grand in the Swiss scenery. The time occupied is twenty-one hours, viz.: seven hours to Macugnaga; to the summit of the Moro Pass, five; descent to Saas, four and a half; and Saas to Vispach, five and a half. This last distance is over a carriage-road, and on the other side there is a carriage-road from Vogogna to Ceppo Morelli, a distance of thirteen miles. Carriages should be taken from Pallanza or Baveno as far as Ceppo Morelli. The road is the same as that coming from Domo d'Ossola as far as Vogogna, where it turns to the left, entering the lovely valley of Anzasca, at the village of Pié di Mulera. As the road passes through the tunnels it commands a succession of magnificent views. As it ascends the vine-clad slopes, Monte Rosa, in all its beauty, faces the traveler the entire distance, while the views of the Valley of Ossola, as he turns and looks back, are truly fascinating. Near Castiglione, at Calasca, there is a very picturesque waterfall, which bursts out of the Val Bianca and descends to the Anza. Passing over the Ponte Grande (village of the same name), whence roads lead to the Passes of Barranca to Fobello in four and a half hours, and the Col d'Egua to Rimasco in seven hours, the road reaches Vanzone Hôtel des Chasseurs du Mont Rose -which is the principal village in the valley. Passing a chapel on the right, which commands a glorious view of Monte Rosa, the traveler reaches Ceppo Morelli, the terminus of the carriage-road. Crossing over a rather fantastic bridge, the most wonderful of all the views of the mountain may be obtained. A spur of Monte della Caccia here divides the Val Anzasca from Macugnaga, and at Campiolli the path crosses the Anza, ascends a rugged slope, and arrives at Pastarena-Hôtel des Alps-the last village in the valley where Italian is spoken. In this locality, the female population being compelled to do men's work in the fields and on the mountains, have adopted and wear the nether garments of the lords of creation. Macugnaga consists of six different villages, of which Zum Strich is the principal; Hôtel Monte Rosa, the landlord of which is one of the best guides in the valley. If he can not act himself, he will recommend a good one. These villages are splendidly situated in an amphitheatre, surrounded on every side by towering Alps, snow-capped from base to summit. The valley is studded with villages built to the very edge of the glaciers. Numerous excursions can be made from this position: To the Belvidere, guide, 4 francs; to Pedriolo, 6 francs; to the Loderhorn, 7 francs; to Pizzio Banco, 10 francs (fatiguing); to Zermatt, over the Weissthor, two guides, 25 francs each; time, 11 hours. The guides at Macugnaga will point out the different points of view whence Monte Rosa can be seen to the best advantage. Guide from Macugnaga to Saas, 10 francs. From Macugnaga to the summit of Moro Pass occupies about 4 hours. It is a fatiguing path, over stones, snow, and rocks. A cross marks the summit of the mountain, which spot commands a magnificent view of the plains of Lombardy and the Italian lakes on one side, and the not particularly attractive valley of the Saas on the other. The descent from the summit to Saas occupies 4 hours. Passing the MattmarkAlp and the lake of the same name, and traversing through a rocky wilderness, the path arrives at the chapel of Im Lerch, which commands a view of the Allalin Glacier, the fountain-head of the River Visp. Continuing through Furgge valley, and passing the beautiful waterfall of Almagel, the village of Saas is reached; Hôtel Monte Rosa. There is a good carriage-road from Saas to Vispach, passing through the village of Stalden-Hôtel Traube-situated in a fertile district, but containing nothing of importance to the traveler. ROUTE 16.-From Geneva to Basle, via Lausanne, Yverdon, Neufchatel, Biel, Solothurn, and Olten. Time,7 h. 32 m. express; fare, 27 frs. 60 c. 35 c. Several trains daily. The 11.32 A.M. and 6 P.M. are the quickest trains. To Lausanne, time, 1 h. 23 m.; fare, 6 frs. | surrounding trees, drowning hundreds in the lake. [Charles has been dead some years, and we think it hard on his memory that history should say the castle was given up through treachery, and that the Coppet, Nyon, Rolle, Morges, and Lausanne are described in Route 1. Lausanne to Neufchatel; time, 2 h. 6 m.; conqueror butchered the garrison "contrafare, 13 frs. 15 c. The road passes through the picturesque ravine of the Vénoge, which is connected with the Toile by a canal, and past the village of Cossonay - Hôtel d'Angleterre which is connected with Vallorbe by rail, and arrives at Yverdon-Hôtel de Londressituated at the southern end of Lake Neufchatel, and containing 6000 inhabitants. Yverdon was for twenty years the residence of the celebrated philosopher and savant, Pestalozzi, whose system of education has furnished a model for the rest of Europe. He kept his school in an ancient castle erected by one of the counts of Zähringen in the 12th century. The building is now used as a museum of antiquities, and for the public library. Yverdon is also the seat of an excellent deaf and dumb asylum. Contiguous to the town there is a noted sulphur bath, well recommended. There is a diligence daily over the Jura to St. Croix, celebrated for the manufacture of musical boxes, 60,000 of which are annually exported. An excursion can be made from Yverdon to the Lac de Joux. See Route 46. Six minutes from Yverdon, the train arrives at the station of Grandson, a town of 900 inhabitants; Hôtel Lion d'Or. This town is celebrated as the scene of the battle of Grandson, when the Swiss, with 20,000 men, completely routed the army of Charles, duke of Burgundy, of 50,000. The duke, with five followers, saved his life by escaping across the mountains. The Swiss were at that time (March, 1476) invading the territory of the dukes of Burgundy and Savoy, but the garrison of Grandson was surrounded by the troops of the latter, and its castle, now used as a snuff factory, resisted for ten days the assaults and artillery of the duke's army. The garrison, reduced by loss and famine, surrendered with the understanding that it should have free pardon, but Charles (so history says), contrary to stipulation, stripped them naked, and hung them on the ry to stipulation." If they did not intend to give up the garrison, why did they stipulate?] But two days afterward he was surprised in an unsafe position (the castle of Vauxmarcus) and signally defeated. The spoils of the camp, which were immense, fell into the hands of the Swiss. They consisted of 600 standards, 120 pieces of artillery, large quantities of stores, ammunition, etc., with a large supply of gold, diamonds, and other jewels. Two celebrated stones, one of which is now in the papal crown, the other in the French, were among the number. At Concise, twelve minutes from Grandson, a large number of antique flint axes, chisels, saws, and other relics, were found in the lake in 1811. Neufchatel, the capital of the canton of the same name, is situated high above the lake, in the form of an amphitheatre, and contains 13,321 inhabitants. Principal hotels: Grand Hôtel du Lac and Mont Blanc. Restaurant in the Palais Rougemont. Neufchatel was originally a French province, belonging to the house of Chalons; when that house became extinct in 1707, it descended to the King of Prussia as the most direct heir. In 1806 it was ceded by Napoleon to Marshal Alexander Berthier, with the title of Prince of Neufchatel: he remained in possession until 1814, when it again reverted to the King of Prussia. It entered into the Helvetic Confederation in 1814; and at the Treaty of Paris, May 26, 1857, the King of Prussia renounced all his rights to the canton. The old castle on the heights behind the town was originally the residence of the princes, and is now the seat of the canton authorities. The church adjoining is worthy a visit. The College, or Museum of Natural History, a modern edifice, situated on the borders of the lake, owes its fine collection to the late Professor Agassiz, who, at the time of his death, was a professor at Harvard College. There is a very good collection of modern paintings in the Hôtel Dupeyson, for merly Palais Rougemont, and in the Museum Challande, which adjoins, is a fine collection of stuffed animals. The charitable institutions of Neufchatel are numerous and well endowed. Watches are one of the principal branches of industry. There is an Observatory, erected by the watch-manufacturers, in telegraphic communication with Chaux-de-Fonds. Steamers to Yverdon daily. oldest cities on this side of the Alps. It entered the confederation in 1481. Hôtel Krone; population, 7054. In the 17th century it was one of the strongest cities in Europe. Its fortifications were removed in 1835. The cathedral church of St. Ursus was erected between 1762 and 1773. The clock-tower is the oldest edifice of Soleure. A German inscription puts its date 500 years before the birth of Christ! The Arsenal, which contains nearly 900 suits of armor, as well as a large assortment of offensive weapons, is well worth a On entering the door of the second floor, an imitation sentinel presents arms to you. The Museum contains a fine collection of Jura fossils, and is rich in minerals. An excursion should be made to the summit of the Chaumont; time, by carriage, 1 hours. The view from this point is most magnificent. A drive should be taken through the Gorge of the Seyon, a deep fis-visit. sure through the Jura Mountains, through which the River Seyon escapes into Lake Neufchatel. A visit to the celebrated boulder-stone called Pierre à Bot, or toad-stone, should also be made. This is a granite boulder, containing about 14,000 cubic feet, supposed to have been floated on glaciers from the top of the Alps to the Jura Mountains, the latter being a limestone formation, lying about two miles above the town. From Neufchatel to Berne. See Route 44. In thirty minutes from Neufchatel Landeron station is reached. This is a fine old Swiss town, situated on the River Thièle, through which the waters of Lake Neufchatel flow into the small lake of Bienne, being much higher than the latter. The former lake is 24 miles long, and averages five miles wide, with a maximum depth of 500 feet. It is subject to a rise and fall of six feet. Lake Bienne (German, Biel), is ten miles long and two wide, with an average depth of 250 feet, and three feet lower than that of Neufchatel, with which it is connected by the Thièle. Passing the town of Neuveville, with 1300 inhabitants, situated on Lake Bienne, the town of the same name is reached, where travelers change cars for Berne, Thun, and Interlaken. Bienne is situated about one mile from the head of the lake, and at the foot of the Jura range. It contains a little over 6000 inhabitants, of whom 700 are Catholics. Hôtel de Jura. There is an interesting collection of antiquities, called the Schwab Collection, which can be visited. Fourteen miles farther is situated Soleure or Solothurn, the capital of the canton, the Solodurum of the Romans, and one of the The house No. 5 Rue de Bienne was inhabited during the last years of his life by Thaddeus Kosciusko, the celebrated Polish patriot: the "Thaddeus of Warsaw" of our youth, the adjutant of General Washington, the hero of Dubienk, the Russian prisoner at St. Petersburg, a citizen of the French republic, a founder of schools for the instruction of negroes in Americawhat an eventful life, and what American would not stand by his last resting-place. His entrails were interred in the churchyard of Zuchwyl, a mile distant, on the other side of the Aar; his body was conveyed to Cracovie, where it lies in the cathedral, close to those of his friends Poniatowski and Sobieski. A very beautiful excursion in the vicinity of Soleure is that to the Weissenstein, a mountain about 4000 feet above the level of the sea. It requires about three hours to make the ascent. There is a very good hotel at the top, and many invalids remain there during the entire summer, on account of the delightful air and the goats'-whey cure, highly recommended in certain diseases. The view is most magnificent. The chapel of St. Varena should be visited cither going or returning: it is a small cave cut in the rock, representing the Holy Sepulchre. St.Varena, who accompanied the Theban legion, dwelt here after her return. It is said she suffered some temptation from the devil, who repeatedly tried to carry her off. Notice the holes made in the rocks by her finger-nails, with which she clung to her solitary residence! |