though it was crowded with noisy Topers, enveloped in clouds of smoke.

Next morning we rose with the lark, walked through Berne before the easy Cits had left their beds, breakfasted, on the banks of the Aar, upon a loaf of bread, and a bottle of wine; and brandishing our oaken staffs, went on again with fresh spirits for Thun. But, as it often happens with occasional walkers, we had by this time overdone our strength, and about ten o'clock we condescended to embrace the friendly relief of a Swiss light-waggon, in which five or six People are conveniently drawn by a single horse.

By this means we reached the place we aimed at, before noon, where, a passageboat for the other end of the lake being ready

ready for us by the time we had dined, we embarked for the village of Unterseen, ten or twelve miles distant.

We sailed it in a few hours, and toward evening, landed upon the narrow isthmus which separates the lakes of Thun and Brientz-Grey rocks close it up on one side, and on the other the stupendous peak of Jungfrauhorn-the Virgin summit, that has never yet been scaled by the most adventurous Hunters, in pursuit of the bounding Marmot, or the flying Chamois.

I regretted that time would not permit our visiting the Glaciers in the vicinity, though I had seen those of the valley of Chamouni, when I was first in Switzer

land.

These accumulated masses of

H

snow

snow, congealed to solid ice, by the alternate operations of thawing and freezing, occupy the upper vallies, like so many frozen lakes, the surface of which is riven into unfathomable fissures, by the occasional variations of the atmosphere.

The town of Unterseen that occupies this sequestered nook, is in perfect unison with the Alpine scenery with which it is overhung. Its timber hovels, covered with grey moss, stand, in and out, back or edge, as if they had grown out of the rocks, or been huddled together, in haste, for mutual shelter, around the jagged eaves, and forked pinnacles, of a gaunt Town-house. Large stones, piled upon the roofs to prevent their being blown away, bespeak the violence of the wintry winds; and projecting eaves, indicate

the

the concomitant danger of being overwhelmed in drifted snow.

The meagre Inhabitants of this Alpine valley, reconnoitered our straggling Party from every peep hole; and whole crowds of Women and Children followed us through the town, to satisfy their famished curiosity with the outlandish sight.

I could have spent an hour or two in fixing upon my memory the characteristic appendages of a place so romantically wild: but night approached, and a second boat was waiting for us, on the lake of Brientz to convey ùs to the valley of Hassli.

The lake of Brientz is not so wide as that of Thun, being hemmed in by stupendous precipices, that descend almost perpendicularly

perpendicularly to the water's edge, and render the navigation of it both difficult, and dangerous.

Dark clouds had already begun to roll round the loftiest peaks, and as they descended along the ravines, in whelming tornadoes, the last gleam of sun-shine, pale and colourless, shot a sinister ray athwart impending horrors. Night closed upon us by degrees, and we dashed from wave to wave, in gloomy silence, till the moon arose in clouded majesty over the eastern ridges, and lighted us to the place of our destination.

The next day we laid by till afternoon, and then, procuring a Guide to conduct us over the heights, we walked through a mountain village, and return

ed,