The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24

"a, 1890.
ago Their existence may Be traced 70 the nrst
thousand years before Christ
These dwellings, were made Of wicker-work
clay and straw, and stood upon q row Of piles
driven firmly into the bed Of the lake and Joined
together by wooden planks. II In not quito clear
whether these singular habitatons were devised
by the inhabitants for the sake Of nahlng or from
the necessity Of defending themselves against
wild beasts and savage tribes Distinct picture
however. Of the mode Of life OF the deniDens has
been handed down by the numbcrless utensils
implements and animal and vegetable remains
which have been found on the sites Of such lake
dwellings, deeply embedded under layers Of peat
or in the beds Of lakes These articles justify the
inference that the pile builders had already takon
tho FIRST step toward higher civilization; they
were no longer in tho primitive condition Of moro
hunters and fishers, but were already engaged in
cattle farming and agriculture; they kept oxen,
sheep, goats and pigs they planted barley. wheat
and fax, and wero acquainted with fruit trees, II
they did not cultivate Thorn. For these purposes
they used implements skilfully fashioned out OF
stone, bono, wood and horn. such - knives hatch
cts, chisels, avis and needles When, later prob
ably by means Of barter they became acquainted
with tho metals bronze and iron, thoy turned
these moro pliable and moro durable materials 70
account and thus made their Implements much
moro perfect From tho pile dwellings, Of tho Lakes
OF Neuchatel and Bienne We ind that this prog
ress was first made in western Switzerland. which
lay nearer to the advanced civiliIaonof tho Rhone
district Little by little mon forsook their lake
dwellings, some Of which seem TO have boon pre-
served as late as ths tina Of the Romans and ect-
tied themselves on the mainland in tho vicinity.
Most OF the pile buildings were destroyed by hro,
and II has been proved THAT many wore forsaken
In very early times. even before the discovery 81
metals.
number Of diderent Tribes than occupied che
lands the Anobroges around Geneva; the Scquaui
around the Lakes Of Neuohatoi and Benne the
Raurid around Basic; the Rhotians q mingled
raco Of Celts and Etruscans throughout the
Alpine districts Of the southeast, az far as tho
Lake OF Tug, the upper lake Of Zurich and tho
Lake OF Conscience the Veragh and Seguini in
Valais More noteworthy than any Of these
were tho Hevetians who originally occupied
southern Germany as far az tho Main, beside
Central Switzerland, and whose power surpassed
that Of any other Celtic tribe. They were divided
into almost Independent sub-trbcs or counties.
tho county assemblies managing local affairs
Possessed OF many elements Of higher civili-
zation, such as a gold coinage and Greek al
phabet, they were also as Cesar their conqueror,
said, the bravest people Of the Gauls" Whom
the great migration had begun with tho invasion
OF Roman territory by tho Cimbri and Toutons,
part Of the Helvetians had followed tho
general course toward the south, and in
tho year B. C. 1O7 had totally defeated
the Romans at Agen on the Garonne and
had forced them 10 pass under the yoke Failing to
follow their victory fhev had heep To
retreat after the greater part Of them had bean do
feated (B. C. 10D. together with the Gmbri, by
Marius In the plains OF Lombardy. Tho Celts
did not remain Independent much longer; the
gradual advance Of tho Roman eagles across tho
Alps threatened their freedom; scattered, divided
and incapable Of founding any durable state,
they became easy prey to the conquerors Of
the world. The Romans had already found
footing at Geneva, by conquering tho country
Of the Allobroges when the Helvetians. remember
ing the sunny lands Of southern Gaul, wishing
TO avoid the continual aggressons mado upon
them by Teutonio hordes from tho north. and
also melted by their ambitious chief Oreetorix.
migrated atresh In March. B. c. 50, after having
set fire 10 all their twelve towns and four hundred
villages Notwithstanding their stout resistance,
they wore defeated by Cesar then eng aged in the
conquest OF Gaul. at Bibracte. identified with
Mount Beuvrais. west Of Autun The survivors
sent back by him as Roman subjects 10 rebuild
their burned dwellings,, and to defend the Rhine
frontier against tho Teutons. In tho following
year. Valais was brought into subsection by ono
Of Cnsars Generals. and about forty yoars later
the wild Rhntian tribes, which had frequently
ravaged the valley Of tho Po succumbed to tho
Roman legions The Cets Of Switzerland were
thus subjected to the Romans and their own ma.
tional development was entirely arrested. They
have left. however. a heritage behind them in the
shape Of proper names A number OF places
which have now grown into fourishing towns
owe their origin TO them as, for instance. Geneva
Lausanne, Zurich Basic Avenches Soleuro and
Coire; many mountains and rivers also received
their present name from tho Celts as the Jura
Albis, Kamor and Sents; the Rhine Rhone
Reuss, Thur and Toss
III.
With the exception of one uprising Of the Hell
vetans during the civil war which followed Nero's
death CA. d. 6s-o9) the vanquished peoples OF
Switzerland seem TO have enjoyed for some three
centuries almost unbroken peace They were not,
on tho whole, oppressed, and tho Romans did
their utmost to accommodate their regulations 10
existing conditions They brought with them.
however more refined civilization which the pro-
longed tranquility permitted TO take deep root
To meet tho military requirements workshops
inns and towns were established. Discharged
officers and soldiers built themselves villas or
country houses after the Roman style with mo
safes, frescoes and baths. Al Aqun Baden
Baden). public baths were constructed Of erect
size and maGnifccnce. which became much fro
quented. Romans betook themselves thither in
numbers. The miserable conditions OF the Celtic
period vanished by degrees before Roman civili-
zation; roads were made across tho Alps, namely,
over the Julier. Splugen, Septima and St Der
81. No.
Of the Rheintal and around tho Lake of Constance,
a broad highway was made Commerce dcvel-
oped rapidly: various products found their way
from the north Of France and Germany to Switzer-
land and Italy and the products Of the last named
country which were most esteemed by the Romans,
such as cheese. wax. honey. pine wood and resin,
were likewise exported. The wares OF tho south
such as oil. oysters and wine were imported in
return. and vineyards planted around tho
Lake Of Geneva and in the Pays dc Vaud With
their civilization. the Romans introduced their
Stata rel oion ruda ritaa nj Celtc