The Press., 1899-11-02
Geneva. switzerland. octt. 9Th. 1899.

Geneva, Switzerland, Octt 9th, 1899.
Dear Brother Henry My last letter
was closed hurriedly at Bern, the capital
of Canton Bern, and since 1848 the rest
of the Swiss government, city of about
so 600 inhabitants The city has a pic
turesque situation on high peninsula
formed by series of bends In the river
Sare, which flows in deep channel 100
feet below the higher streets. The pc
ninsula is table-land whose sides slope
rapidly to the river. The table-land is
solidiy built over, and houses extend
down the steep sides to the rivers bank,
giving picturesque appearance to the
city. The streets in the old part Of the
town are fianked with arcades, furnishing
thus covered footways for pedestrians.
All old streets have many fountains along
the middle of the street and between and
under them are covered channels for sur
face drainage to conduct any surplus wa
ter from the fountain. The water used
in the houses is carried by hand from
these fountains. Arriving in Be soon
after noon we do the city before night,
visi il g the famous old clock tower (once
the west gate but now near the center of
the city,, with its cock growing to an
nounce the striking of the hour, which Is
followed by the rushing of q cavalcade of
armed knights and bears on horseback
around an alcove at one corner Of the
tower, the corn exchange, the rath house
Cor city halD and the old munster, from
whose broad platz behind is fine view
of the river and the country east and
north. We visited the bear-pit, too,
where we found crowd of people con.
gregated, as Is usual on holidays, throw
ing food of various kinds to the big black
fellows for the pleasure of seeing them
lie on their backs and catch what is
thrown. Clumsy as they look, they are
adept catchers, seldom making muff.
Leaving Berne the next morning, we
ride towards Louranne on the Friboury,
road, and ten miles from the latter city q
broken handle bar spreads one rider out
in the mud across the load, and compels
him to walk beside his wheel into th<
city, where We have to wait for repair
wheel till next morning. This gives a
an unexpected half day in Fribouq
Here we find the same geological form
tion as at Bern sandstone rock Il
river, the Larine, far below tho ~
streets of the town, as at Bern, and
steep slopes to the river built upon mud
more densely than at Bern. The o.
medieval walls and towers are In god
preservation and give picturesque as.
pect to the town. Here, as at Bern, two
fine suspension bridges, of recent con
struction connect the upper town with the
high bank across the river, and two fine
old stone bridges at the river side con-
meet the lower parts of the old town.
The next morning we are a-wheel again
hoping to reach Louranne before night
fall, but disappointment again awaits US
Barely half the distance is covered wher
pelting rain-storm drives us to shelter
at Romont, picturesque town of 1.FO(
inhabitants, perched on high isolated
hill overlooking beautiful valley. This
too, we should have missed in our haste
to Louranne, had not the storm overtaker
US. SO our disasters and disappointments
turned into blessings. An interesting ole
palace-castle, SURF ounded by high wall
stands on the hill top in the center of the