We now enter the valley of the Ergolz, and proceed through a pleasant country to LIESTAL (8 miles), (Hotels: Falke, Schlüssel), population, 3,400. The CouncilHouse is adorned with curious paintings. It contains the cup of Charles the Bold, found after the battle of Nancy. The railway gradually ascends for a con siderable distance. Near Bukten, on the left, are the ruins of the Castle of Homburg. Near LAUFELFINGEN (18 miles), we pass through a tunnel, 2,700 yards long, cut through the mountain below the Laufelfingen Pass. The view from the latter is extensive, comprising the chain of the Alps. As we proceed, we obtain, in clear weather, a view of the Bernese Alps from the railway. We cross the Aar, and reach OLTEN (23 miles), (Hotel de la Gare). On an eminence to the left is the Castle of Neu-Wartburg. Here lines branch off to Lucerne and to the west. We keep along the right bank of the Aar to AARAU (31 miles), (Hotel: Wilder Mann), population, 5,153. The manufacture of cutlery is extensively carried on here. Several ruined castles are seen in the neighbourhood. The Baths of Schintznach, a few miles distant, are celebrated for their efficacy in cases of rheumatism, cutaneous disorders, &c., (Hotel: Grosser Gasthof). We next reach BRUGG (42 miles), situated near the confluence of the Aar, the Reuss, and the Limmat. At this point once stood the Roman town of Vindonissa. Some remains of it have been found from time to time. The Schwarze Thurm (Black Tower) is a Roman structure, of the time of the Lower Empire. Zimmermann, author of the Treatise on Solitude," was a native of Brugg. About 2 miles to the south-east, is the Abbey of Königsfelden, founded in 1310, by the Empress Elizabeth, and Queen Agnes of Hungary, in memory of the Emperor Albert, who was assassinated on the spot a short time previously. It contains some stained-glass windows, and old portraits. Crossing the Reuss, we reach TURGI JUNCTION (44 miles), whence there is a branch to Waldshut. We keep along the left bank of the Limmat to BADEN (47 miles). The Castle was formerly the residence of the Austrian princes. The Baths (Hotels: Stadthof, Limmathof), about a quarter of a mile from the station, were known to the Romans. They are still much frequented, and the neighbourhood affords many pleasant excursions. After passing through a tunnel under the hill, on which the castle stands, we see, on the left, the Cistercian Abbey of Wettingen, now a college. In the church adjoining it, is the tomb once containing the remains of the Emperor Albert; also some good wood-carvings and stained windows. The landscape becomes more striking as we proceed. The Alps are finely in view on the right as we approach ZURICH (63 miles). For a description of this place, see Route 76. ROUTE 79. ZURICH TO LUCERNE. 38 miles; first class, 6·50 francs; second, 4:55 francs; third, 25 francs. EAVING Zürich, we reach AFFOLTERN (15 miles), near which, on the left, is the Lake of Türl. Crossing the Lorze, which flows out of the Lake of Egeri, we of the lake, and entering the valley of the Reuss, reach LUCERNE (38 miles), (Hotels: Schweizer Hof, Luzerner Hof, Englischer Hof, du Rigi, Schwann, Balances), population 11,600. It is situated on both banks of the Reuss, at the point where that river leaves the Lake. Its position is extremely picturesque, having the Lake of Lucerne spreading before it, Mount Pilate on the right, and the beautiful district of the Rigi in front, across the northern arm of the Lake. nished with paintings of "The Dance of Death;" the Reussbrücke is not covered, like the rest, and is accessible to carriages; the Kappellbrücke, crossing the mouth of the Reuss, is adorned, on one side, with paintings representing scenes in the lives of St. Leger and St. Maurice, and commemorating the heroic deeds of the Swiss. Wordsworth thus writes of this last-mentioned bridge: "Long may these homely works, devised of old, These simple efforts of Helvetian skill, Aid, with congenial influence, to uphold The state-the country's destiny to mould; Turning, for them who pass, the com- Of servile opportunity to gold; The beautiful, the brave, the holy, and The Cathedral contains some good paintings, and a fine new organ. In the Arsenal is preserved the banner of the Canton, stained with the blood of the Avoyer of Gundoldingen, who fell in its defence at the battle of Sempach, in 1386; the coat of mail of Leopold of Austria; and the spiked collar destined for the neck of the Avoyer, in case the Austrians had gained the victory and taken him alive. The chief object of interest in Lucerne is the colossal LION Sculptured on rock in a garden adjoining the town, in commemoration of the Swiss guards, who may be said to have suffered martyrdom in defence of their master, the King of France, at the beginning of the French Revolution. "It is a magnificent work of art, admirable in conception and execution." It is cut in high relief on the face of the living rock, and represents a lion wounded by a spear and dying, yet still seeking to protect the shield of France. The figure is of immense size, 28 ft. by 18 ft. The original idea of the monument was suggested by General Pfyffer, one of the surviving Swiss, but it was modelled by Thorwaldsen. Above the sculpture is inscribed the motto, "Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti," and below it the names of the officers who fell, and the few survivors. Lucerne is the residence of the Papal Nuncio. It has no manufactures, and its business is re stricted to the traffic in corn which is carried on weekly, the cornmarket being one of the largest in Switzerland. The Lake of Lucerne is universally admitted to be the finest of all the Swiss lakes. It is of very irregular form, and its shores present a diversity of imposing and delightful scenery. Steamers ply from Lucerne to Flüelen several times a day, touching at intermediate places. (A pleasant way of reaching Lucerne in fine weather is by steamer from Zürich to Horgen, on the Lake of Zürich, 9 miles; thence to Zug by diligence or carriage; thence by steamer over the beautiful Lake of Zug to Immensee; thence by diligence or carriage to Küssnacht, whence steamer may be taken to Lucerne. The entire distance by this route is 35 miles, time 7 hours. Küssnacht is a convenient starting point for the ascent of the Rigi. Many tourists proceed from Zug by steamer to Arth and thence by carriage to Goldau, from which latter place there is a good bridlepath to the Rigi-Kulm.) ROUTE 80. THE ASCENT OF THE RAVELLERS would do well to telegraph from Lucerne or Zurich to the proprietor of the hotel at the Rigi-Kulm to secure rooms, as in summer the hotel is much crowded. The simplest and most direct way of reaching the Kulm of the Rigi from Lucerne is by the lake to Weggis, thence ascending the mountain. A mountain railway is to be opened this year (1870) by which the Rigi can be slowly ascended, and the carriages are each to contain seventy persons. The ascent from Küssnacht is not so convenient, though greatly frequented. Many travellers ascend from Arth, on the opposite side of the mountain. The drive from Lucerne to Arth by Küssnacht, a distance of about 13 miles, is very pleasant, a good road lying on the banks of the Lakes of Lucerne and Zug, nearly the whole distance; and the tourist intending to return from the Rigi to Lucerne by Weggis, may vary his excursion by taking the road. The ascent of the mountain from Arth, however, is far more toilsome than from Weggis. The Flüelen steamers touch at Weggis six times a day. Sailing boats with two rowers may also be hired at Lucerne, at prices regulated by an official tariff exhibited in every inn. By steamboat the lake is crossed in about three-quarters of an hour; for a sailing-boat, another hour should be allowed. From Weggis to Rigi-Kulm is about 3 hours; from the Kulm to Arth, 24 hours. From Arth to Zug there is a good carriage-road; distance about 7 miles. From Küssnacht the ascent is made in about 3 hours. Tariff for horses same at both places, 10 francs each for the ascent, and 10 francs for the descent, if made on the next day. To see the sun rise is, of course, the great object of the tourist, for which purpose it is necessary to sleep on the mountain. In the height of the season, travellers who are not prepared to take their chance of accommodation in the crowded inn on the summit must send and engage a bed. The view, after all, is extremely un certain. An ordinarily fine morning will not suffice, the sky must be clear the moment the sun rises into it. If there happen to be a stripe or bank of clouds lying along the eastern horizon, the great spectacle is lost. The fog, which sometimes rises in fine weather, is still more obnoxious. By taking care to gain the summit before sunset, a chance of a view only second to that of the morning is secured. Weggis is a small clean village, standing on a little platform at the base of the Rigi, where the pitch of the mountain slope is less than ordinary. In 1795 a torrent of mud descended from the Rigi, and swept away a great portion of the village. Horses and chaises-à-porteur are kept ready at Weggis for parties making the ascent. The terms of hiring are fixed by an official tariff. The guides that offer themselves here can only render the services of porters, as the mule track cannot possibly be mistaken. All the way up there is an agreeable variety of lake, woodland, and mountain scenery. A little chapel, dedicated to the Holy Cross, is passed shortly after leaving Weggis; beyond it is the Felsenthor, or Rocky Gate, a curious arrangement of two blocks of pudding-stone, through which the traveller must pass. Not far beyond this is the Rigi Kaltbud, a spacious and well-kept hotel, with accommodation for 150 guests. It is much resorted to for the pure air of the neighbourhood, and for its fine views over the lake and the opposite mountain ranges. The chief inn on the Rigi stands a few steps down the slope below the Kulm. The cold here is very intense, the mountain being 5,900 ft. in height above the sea level, and travellers have need of all their garments. In the morning this want is especially felt, and travellers occasionally endeavour to insure warmth by wrapping themselves in the blankets under which they have slept-a practice which has given rise to the warning, to be found in every room, that those who carry off the bed coverings shall pay a small fine. The author of A Physician's Holiday" says of the view:"What most struck us were the snowy mountains towards the south-west, including, I believe, the Rothhorn and the higher mountains of the chain which join on to Mount Pilatus, and the lakes of Lucerne and Zug. Both of these lakes washed the base of our mountain, but on different sides; the latter lay almost immediately below us, the portion of the Rigi on which we stood rising sheer up from its waters. Several light, airy clouds, perfectly white, floated in mid-air between us and the lake, and added much to the beauty and picturesqueness of the scene. To the north of Mount Pilatus, but in a westerly direction, in the line of the setting sun, there was also an extensive prospect of wide plains and distant hills, spreading out in a sunny but indistinct haze, and losing themselves in the horizon. To the south, at an immense distance, we had the enormous snowy peaks of the Bernese Alps, indistinctly seen in the evening, but very clear in the morning, and rising high above the clouds. We also saw, in the morning, the snowy range of Alps to the east and south-east of us, including the mountains of Glarus, the Tödi, and the Glärnish. Close to us, in the same direction, is the Rossberg, and far beyond it a snowy peak, which is said to be Mount Sentis, in the distant canton of Appenzel. "There can be no doubt of the grandeur of this view; yet, while fully admitting its magnificence and splendour, it appeared to me, on comparing it with some others, to lose in impressiveness from its very extent and variety. The mind seemed somewhat distracted by the great number of the objects it had to contemplate, one after another, and in every direction; and the consequent impression was less profound than if the observation had been more concentrated. Yet most assuredly, no one who has seen the sun rise on the Rigi, or, I should rather say, who has looked round the horizon as it was rising, will ever regret having made the ascent." The actual vertical height of the Rigi-Kulm is estimated at 5,900 ft. above the sea, and about 4,400 above the lake of Zug. Persons making the ascent from Küssnacht may include Tell's Chapel in the route, by making a detour of a few minutes. There is nothing of especial interest on the way to the Kulm. The path leads, for the most part, through forests. Views of Lake Lucerne may be had from many points in the ascent. ROUTE 81. THE LAKE OF LUCERNE, FLUELEN, AND THE ST. GOTHARD PASS, TO COMO AND THE LAGO MAGGIORE. HE Lake of Lucerne is universally allowed to be the finest in Switzerland for the beauty and grandeur of its scenery. It is called Vierwaldstätter-See, "The Lake of the four Forest Cantons," |