Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-11-14
EUROPEAN LETTER.
The Swiss Lakes.
From our own Correspondent.


From Baden ride of about two
hours brings US to Slrassburg, where
we stop long enough to pay hasty
visit to the Cathedral and ita won.
derful clock. If one has the ambition
to climb up the $50 feet of the cath.
edIal spire, he will be re awarded with
a particularly fine view of beauti-
ful and fertile country. The astron-
omical clock which is within the
church and is built on the floor, is re-
markable for the number Of things
which it indicates, and for the many
figures which are in motion when
the clock strikes. In the city We
notice particularly the great number
Of awkward storks, which, being pro.
tected by law, are permitted to build
their nests on the roofs and Chin
neys of the houses. The same thing
is noticabls in the neighboring city
of Bale. Strassburg. which is large
and we'll fortified, is the capital of
the provinces taken from the French
during the late war, and was until
recently nearly on the boundary be-
tween Germany, France and Switz.
e-lapd.
We make brief stop at Bale, not.
ed as being the residence for time
of Erasmus the friend Of Luther.
In It's cathedral is all that remains of
Holebein's celebrated frescoes of
"Tbe Dance of Death.
Our next stopping place was Schaff-
hansen a. the falls Of the Rhine,
which is one of the finest cascades in
Europe. Neither in heighth of fall
or volume of wateris il TO Se COM
pared with Niagara, and yet it is
well worth visit. The river is high
est in June aud July when the snow
among the Alps is melting. At this
time the current is full and strong,
and the water is dashed into foam as
it is hurled over the rocks, and if the
traveller is favored with the light of
clear full moon he will carry away
with him picture which he will re-
call often with pleasure. Our hotel
here was the first in which the wait.
ers were girls. They wore Co.'S
tune which, as in many places in
Switzerland and Germany, is pecu-
liar to the locality. 1t consists of q
black velvet bodice, cut square in the
neck. laced at the sides, and fasten-
ed with large silver clasps connected
with large silver chains. The bodice
also has wide white sleeves. The
costume is quite pretty which / am
sorry is more than can be said of the
girls who wore it.
On our way to Lucerne we stop at
Zurich which is one of the most
fiourishing of the Swiss cities, noted
for its manufactures of silk and cot
ton, its world renowned Polytechnic
Institute and for its unrivalled loca.
ton. Situated at the foot of Lake
Zurich it has from nearly every part
of the city superb view of the lake
whose green shores are dotted on
each side with villages and summer
hotels, while the snow capped Alps
rise in the distant back ground. The
| settlement of the place antedates Ro-
man times and indeed any authentic
history. In the museum here is pre-
served the finest known collection oil
| relics from the ancient lake dwellers
who have been as great mystery
to the antiquarians as our mound
builders, and about whom next to
| nothing is as yet known. In the old
armory the traveller will be shown
one of the numerous cross bows
| which claim the distinction of having
once belonged to William Tell, if in
deed our cold blooded historians de
not decide that such person never
lived.
Leaving Zurich we soon reach lake
Tug, beautiful little sheet of water
nine miles long by three 10 breadth
which is deeply set in between greer
mountain slopes, while toward th'
south towers the lofty Mt. Regi which
is here visible from base to summit
| Shortly after, we reach Lucern'
which is located at the foot OF q lax,
of the same name, and is favorit
resort of tourists. A clear, darl