Germany), and for its manufactures of linen. Its meadows are of the brightest verdure; the cottages neat and substantial, with pretty gardens before them. The Emme, which traverses it, and its tributaries, at times commit serious devastations, by inundating their banks and overspreading them with gravel and débris. Railway from Langnau to Berne, 3 trains daily in 1 hr. The Ilfis is crossed, and afterwards the Emme, before reaching Signau Stat.-(Inn: Ours, tolerable) a pretty village, with a ruined castle above it. Next follows Zäziwyl, Konolfingen, Tägertsche Stats., and Worb Stat., an industrious village, with a Gothic castle above it. Gümling Junct. Stat. is on the rly. from Berne to Thun (Rte. 25A). BERNE Terminus (in Rte. 24). Lucerne to Olten. (See Rte. 4.) Olten to Berne. (See Rte. 5.) BERNE.-Inns: three large houses near the rly. and close to the Federal Hall Zähringerhof and Schweizerhof, clean, good, and moderate; Bernerhof, first-class, fine view of the Alps; *H. Bellevue (Oswald), well managed and quite comfortable; H. de l'Europe, good. In the centre of the town are the Falke (Faucon), Br. 13 fr.; tea, do.; B. 2 fr.; table-d'hôte at 1, 3 fr.; at 5, 4 fr.);-H. du Maure (Zum Mohren), clean, good, and moderate; H. des Boulangers (Pfistern). The Abbayes, or houses of the guilds, such as the Distelzwang,* or Abbaye aux Gentilshommes, and the Abbaye du Singe, afford comfortable, quiet, and moderate accommodation to travellers. There are several Pensions, of which the Pension Jaggi at la Villette is well recommended. The sights of Berne may be taken in a walk through the town in the following order :- Starting from the rly. stat., walk E., and straight down the principal street (called in consecutive portions of its length Spitalgasse, Marktgasse, Klamgasse, and Gerichtigkeitsgasse), along its arcades and under its clock towers, to the Nydeck Bridge, and over it to the Bears (14 m. from the rly. stat.). In returning diverge 200 yards to the 1., to see the Münster platz (Minster and view), and again to the Bundes Rathhaus (Federal Assembly). The Münster is halfway between the rly. stat. and the Bears, and the Bundes Rathhaus is close to the stat. Finally, crossing the Aar, ascend to the Schänzli, the best point of view near Berne, and return by the new Botanic Garden and rly. bridge to the station. Berne, capital of the largest of the Swiss cantons (Pop. 467,141; all but 58,319 are Protestants), and, since 1849, permanent seat of the Swiss Government and Diet, and residence of most of the foreign ministers, contains 29,016 Inhab. Berne is built on a lofty sandstone promontory, formed by the winding course of the Aar, which nearly surrounds it, flowing at the bottom of a deep gully, with steep and in places precipitous sides (stalden). The inconvenient ascent and descent by which the town could alone be reached from the E. formerly, has been remedied by a lofty Bridge (Pont de Nydeck), partly of granite, derived from erratic blocks lying on the Kirchet hill, thrown over this gully. It is 900 ft. long, and the central arch over the Aar 150 ft. wide and 93 ft. high. The distant aspect of the town, planted on this elevated platform, * Zwang, a local word for guild: Distel, thistle, the emblem of the gentlemen who held their meetings or club under this sign. [Switz.] 1700 ft. above the sea, is imposing, and there is something striking in its interior, from the houses all being built of massive stone. It has this peculiarity, that almost all the houses rest upon arcades (Lauben), which furnish covered walks on each side of the streets, and are lined with shops and stalls, like "the Rows" in the city of Chester. The lowness of the arches, however, and the solidity of the buttresses supporting them, render these colonnades gloomy and close. The chief street of shops and business runs through the town, along the top of the ridge. Overhanging the Aar, and removed from the main streets, are the more aristocratic residences of the exclusive patricians, which look really like "gentlemen's houses." Rills of water are carried through the streets to purify them, and they are abundantly furnished with Fountains, each surmounted by some quaint effigy. One of these, the Kinderfresser-Brunnen (Ogre's-fountain), on the Corn-house-square, receives its name from a figure (probably Saturn) devouring a child, with others stuck in his girdles and pockets ready for consumption. Some bear the figures of armed warriors, such as David: another is surmounted by a female figure; but the favourite device is the Bear. Thus, the upper fountain in the principal street is surmounted by a bear in armour, with breast-plate, thigh-pieces, and helmet, a sword at his side, and a banner in his paw. The Schützen Brunnen is the figure of a Swiss cross-bowman of former days, attended by a young bear as squire; and two stone bears, larger than life, stand as sentinels on either side of the Morat gate. Along the line of the principal street, which extends from the Rly. Stat. to the Nydeck Bridge over the Aar, are 2 antique watch-towers and the Käficht Thurm (cage tower), now used as a prison. The Clock-tower (Zeitglockenthurm) stands nearly in the centre of the town, though, when originally built, in 1191, by Berchtold V. of Zähringen, it guarded the E outer wall. Its droll clockwork pup- | pets are objects of wonder to an admiring crowd of gaping idlers. A minute before the hour strikes, first a wooden cock appears, crows twice, and flaps his wings; and while a puppet strikes the hour on a bell, a procession of bears issues out, and passes in front of a figure on a throne, who marks the hour by gaping, reversing an hourglass, and by lowering his sceptre. of 1421, and finished 1457, from designs The great charm of Berne is the view of the Bernese Alps, which the town and every eminence in its neigh-rior is not remarkable; but the Organ bourhood command in clear weather From the *Münster Platz, a lofty terrace, planted with shady rows of trees, overlooking the Aar, behind the Minster, six snowy peaks of the great chain are visible, and from the Enghe terrace, outside of the town, at least a dozen rise into view; they appear in the following order, beginning from the E.:-1. Wetterhorn; 2. Schreckhorn; 3. Finster-Aarhorn; 4. Eigher; 5. Mönch; 6. Jungfrau; 8. Gletscherhorn; 9. Mittaghorn; 10. Blumlis Alp; 11. In the middle distance, Niessen; 12. Stockhorn. (See Woodcut.) There cannot be a more sublime sight than this view at sunset; especially at times when, from a peculiar state of the atmosphere, the slanting rays are reflected from the Alpine snows in hues of glowing pink. It is hardly possible to gaze on these Alps and glaciers without desiring to explore their recesses, which enclose some of the most magnificent scenery in Switzerland. The Platform itself, supported by a massive wall of masonry, rises 108 ft. above the Aar; yet an inscription on the parapet records that a young student, mounted on a spirited horse, which had been frightened by some children, leaped the precipice, and reached the bottom with no other hurt than a few broken ribs. The horse was killed on the spot. The rider became minister of Kerzerz, and lived to a good old age! Here is placed a bronze Statue of Berchtold V. of Zähringen, founder of Berne, by Tscharner of Munich. The *Minster, a fine Gothic building in the Flamboyant style, was begun in is fine, and is played on daily. In the windows, and on the roof, are the coats of arms of the aristocratic burghers of Berne. 3 tall windows of very fine painted glass in the choir deserve notice; (date, end of 15th cnty.), e. g. the so-called "wafers-window," with a symbolical representation of the Eucharist. The stalls in the choir (1512) are well carved with figures of the Apostles on one side, and prophets on the other. Along the walls are tablets, bearing the names of 18 officers and 683 soldiers, citizens of Berne, who fell fighting against the French, at Grauholz, near Zollikofen, 1798. There is also a monument erected by the town, in 1600, to Berchtold of Zähringen, founder of Berne. On the Münster Platz, opposite the W. door of the cathedral, has been erected a bronze Monumental Statue of Rudolph v. Erlach, the conqueror at Laupen, with 4 bears at the corners. The Museum contains one of the best collections of the natural productions of Switzerland to be found in the country. It is open to the public 3 times a week: strangers may obtain admittance at all times by paying 1 fr. for 1 to 3 persons. In the zoological department there are stuffed specimens of the bear at all ages. Two young cubs, about the size of kittens, respectively 8 and 21 days old-hideous and uncouth monsters-enable one easily to discover the origin of the vulgar error that the bear was licked into shape by its mother. The lynx of the Alps, and the steinbock, both from the Bernese chain, are interesting from their rarity; these animals have nearly disappeared from Europe. Here is deservedly preserved the skin of Barry, one of the dogs of St. Bernard, who is recorded to have saved the lives of 15 human beings by his sagacity. A chamois with three horns, one growing out of the nose; a specimen of a cross breed between the steinbock and domestic goat, which lived 7 years; a wild boar, of gigantic size and bristling mien, are also worth notice. In the Ornithological department are the lämmergeyer (vulture of lambs), the feathered monarch of the Alps, and inferior in size to the condor alone among birds. It breeds only on the highest mountains. In addition to the native birds of Switzerland, there are specimens of several foreign and tropical birds which have found their way into Switzerland by accident; viz., a flamingo, killed near the lake of Morat, and a pelican from Constance. The geology of Switzerland may be well studied in the very complete series of fossils collected by M. Studer and others. There are a number of beautiful specimens of all the rarest and finest minerals from St. Gothard. The illustration of Swiss Botany is equally complete. Several plans in relief of various parts of Switzerland will prove equally instructive to the student of geography and geology. Antiquities. Obs. some Roman antiquities dug up in Switzerland; the Prie Dieu of Charles the Bold, and part of his tent hangings, captured by the Bernese at Grandson; the pointed shoes worn by the Bernese nobles in the 16th century; some dresses, &c. from the South Sea Islands, brought over by Weber, the artist, who accompanied the expedition, who was of Swiss origin. The Town Library is a good collection of 40,000 volumes, and is well stored with Swiss history. Haller, who was born at Berne, was librarian. The butter-market is held beneath this building. On the N. side of the town is the Roman Catholic Church, by the architects Deperthes of Rheims and Müller of Freiburg, of rich Gothic; lined inside with marbles. The Bundes - Rathhaus or Federal Council Hall, built 1857, near the Casino, overlooking the Aar, at the S.W. corner of the town, by far the largest and handsomest building in the town (Studer, architect), includes all the departments of the Swiss Legislature, the Diet, and the various Public Offices. The Diet (Bundesversammlung) consists of 2 bodies, the Stände-rath (44 Deputies of the Cantons) and National-rath, who meet generally in July, in 2 separate halls. The debates are open to the public. At other times the building is shown by the doorkeeper. In the upper story is the Picture Gallery. It contains some good modern paintings by Swiss and French artists, Robert, Calame, Diday, Girardet, &c. In front is a marble fountain, with statues in bronze of Berna, the Four Seasons, and 4 swans. Berne is celebrated for the number and excellence of its Charitable Institutions: they are, perhaps, more carefully attended to than any in Europe. There is a public granary in case of scarcity, two orphan-houses, an Infirmary, and an extensive Hospital, bearing the inscription "Christo in pau peribus." The new Prison and Penitentiary is an enormous building and said to be well conducted. English Church service on Sunday, at 11 and 3 o'clock, in the chapel of the Burger Spital. Since 1834 a University or high school has been established at Berne. The bear forms the armorial badge of the town, the word "bern" signifying "bear" in old German, and he is as great a favourite here as in the house of Bradwardine. Not only is his effigy on sign-posts, fountains, and buildings, but for several hundred years living specimens of the favourite were maintained by the town, until the French revolutionary army took possession of Berne, 1798, and the bears were led away captives, and deposited in the Jardin des Plantes, where one of them, the celebrated |