nected with Pilatus is that Pontius Pilate, when he was banished from Galilee, took refuge on this mountain, where, in a fit of remorse, he threw himself into its lake.

ROUTE 106.

THE LAKE OF LUCERNE.

Steamers 7 or 8 times daily from Lucerne to Fluelen, in (express) 24 hours; to Vitznau (for Rigi Railway) in 55 minutes. Fare to Fluelen 4.50 francs, return tickets a fare and a-half; to Vitznau, 2 francs,

HE Lake of Lucerne is universally allowed to be the finest in Switzerland for the beauty and grandeur of its scenery. It is called Vierwaldstatter-See, "The Lake of the four Forest Cantons," by which it is bounded, viz., Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, and Lucerne. It derives additional interest from its historical associations with the name of William Tell. Its shape somewhat resembles that of a cross, of which the bay of Lucerne represents the head, those of Kussnacht and Alpnach the arms, and the lake of Uri and bay of Buochs the foot. The length from Lucerne to Fluelen is 27 miles; the width varies from 1 to 4 miles, except between the extremities of the bays of Kussnacht and Alpnach, where it is 15 miles.

Leaving Lucerne by steamer, we have a fine view of the town and its picturesque neighbourhood. To the left we see the Rigi, and Mount Pilate on the right; between them appear the

Burgenstock, or Burgenberg, and the Stanser Horn; in the distance, on the right, rise the Bernese Alps. The small island on the left is Altstad. It formerly marked the boundary of the lake in this direction, whence its name, "Old Shore.' Passing the promontory of Meggenhorn we see the bay of Kussnacht on the left, and that of Stansstad on the right. Near the bay of Kussnacht we observe the ruined castle of Neu-Habsburg. There are good views from this part of the lake of Mount Pilate and the Burgenstock. On the left are the ruins of the castle of Hertenstein, behind which, in the far distance, rises the Scheerhorn. We now reach WEGGIS, a convenient spot from which to ascend the Rigi by the bridle path. It abounds in fruit trees of all kinds, and is called "the garden of Lucerne." We then proceed to VITZNAU, the landing place for passengers going up the Rigi by rail. The two promontories reaching into the lake at this point are called Nasen, "the noses. Passing the bay of Buochs we reach BECKENRIED, opposite to which is GERSAU, (Hotel: Muller). (From near this point the great hotel at the Rigi Scheideck is visible.) It appears hemmed in by rocks, and has a most picturesque appearance, with its numerous orchards, and groves of chestnuts. From its sheltered position it is a favourite winter residence for invalids. For upwards of 400 years it was an independent community, until the French obtained possession of it in 1798. The town-hall has an inscription as follows:-"Received into the Confederacy 1315, purchased its freedom 1390, assigned to the Canton of Schwyz 1818." The peaks of the Mythen (Mitres) come into view here; below them is BRUNNEN, at the

mouth of the Muotta (Hotel: Waldstatterhof), the port of the Canton of Schwyz. The large hotels Axenstein and Axenfels, above Brunnen, are conspicuous objects in the distance. Before landing at Brunnen the steamer crosses the lake to the village of TREIB, the landing place for the village of Seelisberg, on the hill above-where is the large hotel and pension called the Kurhaus Sonnenberg. The bay of Uri, which we now reach, is surrounded by lofty precipitous cliffs, through the ravines of which occasional glimpses of the mountains behind them may be had. Here we see the huge isolated rock, in the form of a cone or pyramid, called the Wytenstein, on which is engraved an inscription in honour of Schiller. Some distance further is the Rütli-platte, a meadow where the patriots of 1307 met at midnight to plan the liberation of their country from the yoke of Austria. We next reach Tell'splatte, and the Chapel of Tell. The former is a ledge of rock, which derives its name from the following incident:

Tell was being conveyed in a boat to the dungeon of Kussnacht, under the direction of Gessler, who had ordered his permanent incarceration there. A storm arose which threatened to engulf the alarmed bailiff and his crew, when Tell, who was well used to such storms, to promote the general safety, was unbound and placed at the helm. Between Sissigen and Fluelen are two mountains, the great and lesser Achsenberg. Towards these the boat was steered, and as the prow of the vessel was directed inland, Tell perceived a solitary table rock, and called aloud to the rowers to redouble their efforts till they should have passed this rock. At the instant they came

abreast of the spot, Tell turned the helm suddenly towards it, seized his bow, which lay at his feet, and, with an effort which sent the boat back into the lake, sprang lightly on shore, scaled the mountain, and fled into Schwyz.

The chapel is erected just above the ledge of rock, in a niche of the cliff. The old chapel stated to have been built within thirty years after Tell's death (?) was taken down, and a new and more pretentious structure has recently been erected on the spot where it stood. The following remark of La Trobe, written in reference to this very spot, is most just, and every one who travels in the land of Schwyz and Uri will feel its force: it is but a repetition of the feelings that influenced Johnson at the ruins of Iona, and which must haunt even the most thoughtless, amid scenes which have been consecrated by the great deeds, or yet greater thoughts, of the heroes of the olden time:

"There is something in the grandeur and magnificence of the scenes which surround you in this classic country, which gently but irresistibly opens the heart to a belief in the truth of the page upon which the events which have hallowed them are recorded. Whatever a man may think, and however he may be inclined to question the strength of the evidence upon which the relation of these facts rests, while in his closet, I should think there are but few sufficiently insensible and dogmatical to stand firm and bar their hearts against the credulity which steals over them while contemplating the spots themselves."

From this point there is a good carriage road to FLUELEN (see "HOTEL LIST"), which presently appears in sight. Tourists who

wish to visit the St Gothard Pass disembark at Fluelen. The steamers convey carriages from Lucerne.

ROUTE 107.

LUCERNE TO LAKES MAGGIORE AND COMO, OVER THE ST GOTHARD PASS.

Three services daily from Lucerne to BIASCA (railway station); time, 16 hours; fare, 26.65 francs; coupé, 3.35 Francs extra. Extra post from Fluelen to Biasca, two horses, 150.10 francs; three horses, 212.50 francs. Fare from Fluelen to Locarno, 28.80 francs; to Lugano, 32.35 francs; to Milan, 44.50 francs. Private carriage, two horses, Fluelen to Biasca, 150 francs.

The ordinary first-class places in the interior of the diligences are unfit for ladies, for whom places should be taken in the coupé. The conductors, who are always indifferent to the comfort of passengers, and sometimes uncivil, and over whom the administration exercises but a lax control, are

allowed to take railway labourers, and even intoxicated persons, as passengers in the interior. Several well authenticated complaints of such treatment have come to the knowledge of

the Editor. It would be much better for parties of more than three persons to take a private carriage, controlling their own time, and avoiding the annoyances incident to the trip by diligence.

EAVING Fluelen, the first place is ALTORF (2 miles). It is celebrated as the scene of William Tell's exploit of shooting the apple from the head of his son at the command of the tyrant Gessler. The place where the tree stood to which his son was bound, and on which Gessler's hat was placed, is covered by a handsome fountain. There is here a lofty tower, ornamented

with frescoes representing incidents in the careers of Gessler and Tell. Beyond Altorf we proceed through a pleasant country to AMSTEG (8 miles), (Hotel: Croix Blanche). Here we cross the Reuss, and the ascent of the Pass commences. The river rushes impetuously through a deep channel on the left, and above it rises the Bristenstock, its sides consisting of precipices ranged one over another. Passing Inschi (9 miles), Wasen (18 miles), and Wattingen (20 miles), we reach GOSCHENEN, where the great St Gothard tunnel begins. Up to this point the St Gothard Railway is crossed several times, and an excellent opportunity is had of estimating the enormous difficulties encountered in its construction. We then pass through a ravine called the Schollenen, over which the rocks ascend perpendicularly to a great height, while the Reuss is heard rushing through its narrow channel at a considerable depth below. The road passes by a huge block of granite, dislodged from the cliffs, called the Teufelstein, from a tradition that it was thrown down by Satan. Parts of the road about here are roofed over with stone, and niches are cut in the rock to protect travellers from the avalanches, which occasionally descend in the spring. We repeatedly cross and recross the river by a zig-zag route over many bridges, and presently arrive at THE DEVIL'S BRIDGE, constructed originally, it is stated, in 1118, by Giraldus, abbot of Einsiedeln. The span of the arch is 26 feet, and its height from the surface of the water to the keystone about 70; but as the arch spans a cataract almost vertical in its descent, the bridge thus acquires an elevation of nearly 200 feet. The whole scene is full of savage grandeur.

The granite rocks rise sheer and unbroken from the water's edge, and present a steep and sterile grandeur, which artists of many countries have in vain striven adequately to delineate.

The new bridge, even while we stand on its centre-itself 27 feet higher than the old one-seems forgotten, amidst the awful

accessories with which it is surrounded; yet, in the solidity of its structure, boldness of its design, and the airy expanse of its arch, it affords impressive evidence that the constructive genius of man can triumph over the most formidable natural obstacles.

On the 25th September 1799, the Russian army, under the command of Suwarrow, entered the village of Andermatt. Forced to retire before the Russians, the French, in effecting their retreat, blew up part of the Urnerloch, SO as to impede the enemy's advance, and destroyed the principal part of the Devil's Bridge, by which means the communication, for a time, was effectually cut off. The Russians nevertheless cleared the gallery of the Urnerloch, and restored the communication across the chasm by means of beams of wood, lashed together with the officers' sashes; but in thus forcing the passage, several hundreds were plunged headlong into the gulf. Our army," says the general in his despatch, "penetrated the dark mountain cavern of Urseren, and made themselves masters of a bridge which connects two mountains, and justly bears the name of the Devil's Bridge. Though the enemy had destroyed it, the progress of our victorious soldiers was not impeded. Planks were tied together with the officers' sashes, and along that bridge they threw themselves from the precipices into tremen

dous abysses, and, falling in with the enemy, defeated them wherever they met. It now remained for our troops to climb a mountain, the summit of which is covered with eternal snow, ice, and clay, by which numbers of men and horses were impelled down the yawning caverns, where some found their graves, and others escaped with the greatest difficulty." "It is beyond the power of language," he concludes, to paint this awful spectacle in all its horrors."

Beyond the Devil's Bridge the road passes through a tunnel of 180 ft., called Urnerloch or Hole of Uri, and enters the valley of Urseren, 4356 feet above the sea. We next reach

ANDERMATT (24 miles), (Hotels: Bellevue, du St Gothard). It is celebrated for the honey and cheese produced in the neighbourhood, and for the trout found in the Oberalp See. Many curious minerals, found in the neighbourhood, may be obtained here, and at several other of the villages on the route. Here passengers by the diligence dine (20 minutes).

HOSPENTHAL (26 miles), (Hotel: Meyerhof), is a better stopping place than ANDERMATT. Guides, horses, and carriages may be procured here. [From Hospenthal a carriage road over the Furca Pass leads to the Rhone glacier and Grimsel.] From this point the road leaves the valley of Urseren, and proceeds by zigzags to make the ascent to the summit of the St Gothard. Before reaching the Pass we finally cross the Reuss, near its source in a small lake called the Lucendro, on the right. The bridge marks the boundary between the cantons of Uri and Ticino. The Pass is 6808 feet above the sea, and forms a valley or ravine, on each side of which rise mountains to a

height of 8000 or 10,000 feet. Just below the summit, near the post-house, is the HOSPICE (34 miles). There was a hospice here as early as the 13th century. In the 17th century a larger one was constructed, but was swept away by an avalanche in 1775; it was succeeded by a third, which is still used, though the large building now called the hospice is of a much more recent date. This last is fitted up as an inn, under the control of a priest, and contains 15 beds. During the winter months the snow is sometimes driven into masses 40 feet high, and avalanches are not infrequent. Scarcely a year passes without lives being lost in making the passage.

The descent on the Italian side is much steeper than on the other. The road is carried along 28 sloping terraces. Near the highest we may see engraved on the rock the words "SUWARROW VICTOR," recording the victory of the Russian army under Suwarrow, over the French, who opposed them, at the Pass, in 1799. This part of the road is called Val Tremola, from the alarmingly steep descent. There is nothing upon any of the great Alpine routes more striking than the descent from the top of this pass, by the numerous zigzags, to Airolo. Looking down over the route from the upper terraces one is inclined to regard the descent in a heavy diligence as hazardous, but is speedily reassured by recalling the fact that no serious accident has ever occurred here. A beautiful mineral called Tremolite is found in

the neighbourhood. We pro

ceed to

AIROLO (42 miles), (Hotel Post). Here is the southern end of the St Gothard Tunnel. The town was almost wholly destroyed y fire in 1877. At the entrance

of the valley of Stalvedro is a Lombard tower. A short distance further we come to the picturesque gorge called Dazio Grande, along which our route extends; at the lower end is a fine waterfall; and there is another at FAIDO (52 miles), a small village surrounded with vineyards. Chestnut trees are abundant in the neighbourhood. At Giornico, a short distance from Faido, are two curious Romanesque churches, of great antiquity: one (San Nicholas da Mira) is said to have been a Roman temple; the church of Santa Maria di Castello appears to be built on the site of a fort. On the way to Bodio (61 miles) is a heap of rocks, designed to commemorate a victory gained by the Milanese over the Swiss in 1478.

BIASCA (67 miles). Here the railway begins. Station one mile beyond the town. There is a tolerable restaurant in the station. Passengers generally have about an hour before the departure of the train for Bellinzona and Locarno. The Hotel de la Gare, opposite the station, is clean and comfortable.

Twelve miles farther by rail is BELLINZONA, a town of about 2400 inhabitants, situated on the left bank of the Ticino, and the seat of the provincial government alternately with Lugano and Locarno (Hotel de la Ville).

It was strongly fortified in the middle ages, and was the key to the route from Lombardy to Germany. The fortifications have been partially restored.

Its three picturesque Castles, now partially in ruins, were the residences of the three Swiss bailiffs. Each possessed a small armament and a few troops. The largest, called the Castello Grande, on the west, belonged to Uri. Of the two on the east, the lower