The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-08
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.
Scenes In switzorlAnd-An Old Castle, with
its Dungeon Horrors The LovelIest Of
Swiss Lakes Geneva wnSherwomen
u; Work, ETC., etc.


where we arrived about 1870 p. NJ. Hav.
ing to wait till o'clock for the train to
Chillon, we went to the Hotel Gibbon,
where We had lunch. Looking out of the
windows, we could see the garden in
which Gibbon, the historian, wrote the
concluding portion of his great work over
eighty years ago.
The day was hot, the streets filled with
q lime-like dust, and not being able to
find a carriage, had to walk up the steep
bill to the principal portion of the town
We visited the Cathedral, which is gothic
edifce of simple and massive construction,
and had fine view of Lake Leman aud
the vicinity from the tower. We wan.
dercd around the place until the train
started, and at $50 p. NJ, were at the
depot at Veytauz, Chillon.
We sent our trunks up to the Hotel DIES
Alps, and walked down the track to the
Castle of Chillon, which was about an
eighth of a mile distant. Crossing the
bridge leading from the main land to the
Castle, we were met by a guide, who
took us through the different portions of
It. Few objects in Switzerland are more
familiar, and might also say, hackneyed,
than this same Castle; so often has IL
been described by the poet, painted by
the artist, and written about by every
traveller who has been within It's walls.
The Castle itself, is not a striking object;
it is neither massive, nor very picturesque,
and the beauty Of the site is greatly d..
minishcd by the railway which runs close
to it. But the sad story Of Downward,
the prisoner Of Chillon, and the innumer-
able poetical associations which cluster
around its antique walls, will make it
always an object of deep and perpetual
interest The interior Of the Castle Is
well worth Il visit There is quite gar.
risOn attached to it, and when we went in
the courtyard, We found one Of the drill
sergeants putting 4 company of raw re.
cruits, through the "goo'e stcp,n Over
the principal entrance are the following
words inscribed by the Bernesc in 1913 /:
"Gott der Herr segne den Elm md Aus.
gang CMay God bless all who come in
and go ouD. We were shown number
of dungeons cut out of the solid rock, in
which the early reformers and subse.
Quently prisoners Of state were confined /;
across one Of the vaults, We noticed
beam blackcncd by age, on which, the
guide said, the condemned prisoners were
formerly hung. In the dungeons are eight
pillars, one of which Is half built into the
wall TO these pillars the prisoners were
chained, and on the rocky pavement, the
steps of Downward and other illustrious
prisoners have left their footprints
Among the thousands OF names inscribed
on the pillars, We saw those of Byron and
Dumas. "A short distance from the Castle
is the Isle de Paix, small spot on which
three trees now flourish. Downward speaks
oft as follows;
And then there was a little isle
| Which IN my very face did smile;
| Tic only one In wow
We then returned to the hotel, where
We passed the evening viewing the lake
and the exquisite sun set, than which
nothing could he more beautiful. The
sky was covered with rosy light, which
gave to tho summit of the mountains
most lovely appearance, which was re.
Elected in the calm mirror like surface Of
the lake, which lay at our feet. should
think one Of the most agreeable WAYS Of
spending summer delightfully."-, would be
to put up at one OF the frst-class hotels
You lind on Lake Leman, and from there
make excursions to different parts of
Switzerland.
During the summer, the Swiss hotels
are always crowded, and the stream of
travel often becomes torrent hence the
necessity of telegraphing for rooms. The
tourists are of all degrees and languages,
but the English and Americans seem to
be the majority after the natives them
selves; my own countrymen, am happy
to say, being generally popular, on aC.
count OF the lbCralty of their opinions,
their lavish expenditures, and the courtesy
Of their manners. Large as is the travel
on the Continent, and superior MS are the
Accommodations, nothing is more apparent
than that the people do not enjoy the
same advantages in their intercourse with
each other, rs they do in the United States.
The wealthy classes alone, constitute The
Continental tourist, and YOU can quickly
notice the difference between q watering
place in Switzerland, and watering place
in America, At the latter all is good
humor, hustle, and an absence Of caste
whereas at the former, all is cold, silent,
courtly aud slow, each group or clique
keeping to itself; and even Americans
may live in the same hotel for q month
without making an acquaintance. One
of the most noticeable things we have
seen, is the fine appearance and good ad.
dress Of the walters ut the hotels. They
are the smartcst looking. aud best dressed
men we meet, and are always very atten.
tive, and usually speak two or three Ian.
guages.
At $40 4. N. on the following day, we
left by steamboat for Geneva, stopping OF
various towns and villages on the north |
shore of the lake to land aud take on pas.
scngers.
Lake Leman is the largest in Switzer.
land, and in some respects, the most beau.
timl. It's beautiful blue color is only to
be compared with that of the Blue GTotto
in the Bay Of Naples. 1t has for centuries
been a theme for writer's in all countries.
Its connection with some of the greatest
names Of modern times is universally
known. Voltairo and Goethe speak of It |
with enthusiasm; Rosscau makes it the
scene OF his imprisoned romance, the