Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-04-19
LETTER FROM EUROPE.
NO XIV.
PARIS. Dec. %. 1859.

PARIS. Dec. %, 1859.
After spending a short time at
Martigny we left by Railroad for
Lake Geneva, at which place we soon
arrived. The first thing to be seen
was the Castle Of Chilon so celebra.
ted ia Swiss history, and immortal
lied by Byron in his prisoner Of
Chillon.'' The poets description is
wildly true. This castle Was built
in 1888 aud used as a prison by the
Dukes of -Savory during their OPP
pressive rule over this country.
Like most of the castles of that pc.
Iriod it has its dungeons, racks of tor
ture, hanging posts and Oubliette.
The Oubliette is a dungeon usually
with trap door; but in this castle
there are three steps, down which
the prisoner was led, and finding no
fourth step, the poor victim was pre-
cipitsted to an inconceivable depth
below, and crushed to atoms. We
examined the dungeon of Downward,
the hero Of Byron, with much inter-
est-saw the pillar and the iron ring
TO which he was chained for long
years, and the impression worn in
the stone floor by his walking to
and fro in the circle permitted by
his chain.
The little ISL 10 the lake men,
toned in the "Prisoner Of Chillon,
still exists with its "Tbree tail trees"
flourislipg and green. | think they
are oak. After examining the castle
we were soon on board of steamer
bound for Geneva. The scenery of
Lake Geneva is emphatical!y grand
and beautiful. / think no lake In
Switzerland presents mare diversity
and grandeur, or such fine and ex-
tended landscape. Evening brought
US to Geneva. This is the largest
and most Interesting town in Swltz-
erland = beautifully situated on the
bor'er Of the lake, and divided into
upper and lower town by the river
Rhone, whose deep blue waters run
through it with the speed Of an arrow.
The en,irons of Geneva are sur
passed for beauty by no CITY 10 Eu.
rope. l visited Diodati some two
miles out-noted as having been the
residence of Ecrd Byron IN 1916.
Here he composed some Of bis best
productions. Geneva is particularly
celebrated for its watches, jewelry
and shops of Swiss curiosities. -Four
thousand persons are employed here
In the manufacture Of watches, and
one hundred thousand are made an
nually; seventy five thousand ounces
of gold, five thousand marks Of silver,
and precious stones to the. value OF
half Ii million of dollars.
Geneva was the field Of action for
the great reformtrs. Here WAS preach
ed and propagated the principles Of
the reformation under Calvin aud
Knox. Here John Calvin lived and
died. Here be held spiritual and
temporal sway for twenty-;hrea years
I-promulgating doctrines that have
extended nearly over the civilized
world. The canopy, in one of the
principal Churches, is the identical
one under which he preached, tbun-
dering forth bis doctrines in opposi
ton to Catholici and in defiance
of the Bulls Of the Pope of Rome.
But We must hasten on. Rail-
road and diligence soon brought US
to Berne. the Swiss Capitol. Here
We stopped for some time to see this
quaint old town and attend 10 the
regulation ofpassports. Whilestroll-
irg about the streets, waiting the
hour Of departure, We encountered a
long line o. coaches in Royal trap.
pings followed by an immense crowd,
proceeding to the Railroad depot.
Curiosity induced us to join the pro.
cession, and, on inquiry, we learned
that the Empress Of Russia was a.
bout to arrive on her way to south
ern Italy. Soon after we reached
the depot her arrival was announced
| was fortunate enough to be nesr her
person about an hour-a6ording an
opportunity to mark we'll her gener-
al appearance. She is the mother
Empress mother Of the present EN-.
peror. She is quite an old lady--va-
ry plain looking--exhibiting the in.
firmities Of age,and resembles, in fact,
other old ladies' to be met with in
most countries. 1t is the pomp and
surroundings of Royalty that render
it so grand and imposing.
LAFAYETTE.