The Portland daily press., 1892-01-15
GENEVA AND SURROUNDINGS.
Lake Geneva and villas on its Banks
Madame DeStaePs Old Mansion-The
City of Geneva and the Points of Inter-
est-The Prison of Chillon.
Especial correspondence

BALE, SWITZERLAND, Dec. Is, 1892.
We naturally associate every country
with some particular characteristic city.
Paris is France, London is England,
Vienna is Austria, Berlinis Germany and
Switzerland is either Geneva OF Lucerne.
In summer the wide open door of travel
beckons to each and all of these countries
but when the chill nights and chillier
days of Autumn approach, the facilities
for travel contract, and eligible places
begin to grow less.
The question then arises, where is the
most delightful place for autumn ram
bles. Where can one best catch the
sheen Of October glories, the crisp air the
bright sunshine and brilliant foliage.
Where can one most comfortably breathe
the expiring breath of the year as it
hastens on to meet it's successor.
A little later Nice, Algiers and Cairo
open their arms to habitrlal guests and
Italy is the fair field for winter travel,
but there are only a few places which vie
with each other in autumn. Among the
finest of these is Lake Geneva, and the
choice retreats on it's banks, whose season
! commences the last of September.
People have been passing through
Geneva all summer on the way, by post
route, to Cham ounie, to see and visit Mt
Blanc, and thence to Martigny, which
connects with comparatively new rail
road routes to the Rhone Glacier and
Zermatt But now they stop and linger
and explore the interesting places on the
Lake.
THE LAKE OF GENEVA.
It has ever been the favorite theme of
poets and has always helped to make up
the rhythm of song. Goethe wrote of it
with enthusiasm and Byron sang in ma
jestic strains of Chillon. The places on
it's banks have been the chosen scene of
! fiction and the battle-ground of creeds,
ever since Rousseau wrote his impas-
stoned novels and Voltaire expounded
his irreligious thought.
The Lake of Geneva is very propitious
! in its form as well as classic in its sur
roundings AS the boat glides over its
|
| the form of a crescent there is q constant
excitement kept up of pleasurable kind
about Mt. Blanc, glimpses of which are
caught at Morges, Nym, ROLES and Cop
pet, and also along the way the Jura and
Savoy mountains help to form a piano.
rama, which is stamped indelibly upon
the mind.
THE LATEEN SAIL.
The little pleasure boats with the
lateen sail, come coquettishly into view
and numerous waterfowl follow the
steamers trail, in such charming COM
partnership, that it seems as if it were for
acquaintance, instead of the means they
have, of gathering nourishment for their
young.
This lateen sail is perhaps 4he most
| picturesque feature of the lake. 1t seems
to shove the boat along as its oriental
outline and Egyptian form is made by
the canvass at right angle across the bow
of the boat.
Each Of these boats as it appears is a
new artistic surprise.
THE VILLAS ON TIE BANK.
AS one approaches Geneva and the
horn of the crescent bends he passes the
loveliest villas with enchanting grounds.
A Morayian school here for boys was
once the home of Bonaparte and in a
smaller villa Jerome Bonaparte died a
few months ago. In the foreground OF
this villa, near the shore of the lake is an
elegant chateau now owned by a wealthy
Englishman, to whom it was sold by the
impecunious Jerome to meet current ex-
penses and cancel his debts, for like all