The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-08-28
IN FOREIGN LANDS.
Correspondence of the. MteUigrnccr

The result of our deliberations at
Lausanne was q slight change in our
programme, we deciding to 80 on to Rome
at once, by way of Geneva, Genoa and
Pisa, and to leave Mt Blanc, Milan,
Venice and Florence until our return
from the Eternal City. The city of
Lausanne has little to detain the tourist,
but the attractions of the lake near which
it is located are too great to be passed by
withou. notice. "Lake Lemon wooes
me with its crystal face" wrote Byron,
and from the time of Cesar until now, it
has charmed all who have visited its
shores. 1t is about so miles in length
with an extreme width of only nine
miles and depth of 1900 feet. Its
waters are most lovely blue color, diff
fering from the other Swiss lakes, which
have a greenish tingc. The cultivation
of the vine is the principal agricultural
interest of the people clong its shores
and its grapes and vines are famous and
some of the vineyards along its Northern
boundaries arc valued at not less than
$4,000 per acre. At the Eastern end of
the lake is the Castle Of Chillon; whose
stern walls, rising from the waters, were
immortalized by the genius of Byron.
The steamer from Lausanne lands us at
Chillon and walk of about mile brings
usto the castle, which is built upon
rock in the lake and is reached by
drawbridge. After q few moments delay
the attendant conducts us to the dimly
lighted dungeon, whose outer walls rise
from below the water and whose inner
wall is composed of the native rock. 1t is
here we find
There are seven pillars of Gothic mould
And in each pillar there is ring,
And in each ring there is q chain.
The column to which Downward is said
to have been chained has, like the rest,
deep endentations worn in the rock
around it and the massive ring to which
his chain was attached is still seen. 1t
is gloomy spot. Among the rooms
exhibited to visitors is one with huge
rock upon which condemned prisoners
passed their last night. Adjoining this
is the execution room which formerly
had an opening into the lake, by which
the bodies of the victims could DC easily
disposed of. In one of the upper rooms
is wooden pillar to which prisoners
were suspended and tortured by apply.
ing fire to the soles of their feet. Another
contains a deep well or opening leading
down to the depths of the lake, through
which prisoners were sometimes induced
TO try to escape, only to drown them
selves in the blue waters below. Larger
rooms are fitted up for reception halls,
council chambers, ETC., and the entire
building (which is now used as an arsenal,)
is an excellent specimen Of the castles of
the early times in which it was built, it
having been originally erected more than
1000 years ago, but strongly fortified by
Peter OF Savoy in the thirteenth century.
1t arouses no pleasant memories however,
and we were not unwilling to leave its
damp, noisome dungeons aud its forbid.
ding council chambers, with their foul
and bloody history, and 60 out again
into the broad light Of the Summer sun
aud the civilization Of the nineteenth
century. 1t is not true that Byron's
"Prisoner" was the Bonniyard who was
80 long imprisoned here, and in fact we
believe Byron himself speaks of his poem
as "a fable;" but in spite of this, as we
70 out over the drawbridge ne find our
self repeating, almost inyoluntarily, those
familiar lines:
"Chillon thy prison is a holy place,
And thy sad floor al alter-tor twas trod
Until his very steps have made trace,
Worn as if thy cold pavement were u sod,
BY Downward. Let none those marks
eiface
For they appeal from tyranny to God"
Geneva, at the opposite end of the lake,
is hourishing city of over 10000 inhab-
itants and is reached by rail from Laus'
anne in about two hours. 1t is the larg-
est and most prosperous city Of Switzer-
land and although possessing little Of
interest in itself, is associated with many
distinguished names in history. Calvin,
Rousseau, Madame de Stael, Sismondi
d'Augbine and many others resided here.
On Champel Hill, Michael Servetus, Il
Spanish physician, WAS burned at the
stake by Calvin's order, for having dared
to write treatise on the TRINITY, IN
which he differed from the bigoted
rcformer. The city is a favorite resort
for Americans and in fact is quite cosmo'
politan in its character, almost al! nations
being represented on its streets.
Early one morning we take train from
Geneva for the Mt. Gents route into Italy.
We pass through mountainous region,
abounding in lovely views and wild
scenery and after riding 125 miles reach
Modane on the Italian frontier. just
beyond Modane we enter Mt Gents tun-
nei, which was completed fourteen years
ago after thirteen years of work, at j cost
of SIS, 100000. Its eight miles i'll length,
10 feet high, 26 feet wide and about :l,0uO
feet above the sea and $500 feet below
the summit of the mountain. Our train
occupied Just II minutes in passing
through its gloomy depths. beyond the
great tunnel, the wild, barren mountains
tower high above the narrow valley down
which we speed, and numerous spurs OF
the range necessltate dozens OF smaller
tunnels. We reach Turin late in the
afternoon and after lew hours spent in
this modern Italian city, which was The
capital of Italy from 1859 to 1860, We 20
on to Genoa, where we pass the night.
Genoa, La Superba," is familiar
to every American school boy as the
home OF Columbus 1t was an important
city under the Romans, Il strong ccn!.
merciat republic in the middle ages and
has now Il population Of 1000. 1t Is
built on the seaward slope OF the hills,
facing the harbor and from some points
of observation its marble palaces and
superb location seem to merit lis title of
"lue Proud but seen from within, its
narrow streets and crooked and devious