montory, stands an old castle, said to have been built by Attila.

Some distance along on the north side of the lake, is the Cave of St. Beatus, beneath which a cascade falls into the lake. Passengers by steamer land at Neuhaus, about two miles from INTERLAKEN (32 miles from Berne). (For description of Interlaken, see Route 82.)

ROUTE 95.

THUN TO LEUK, BY THE

GEMMI PASS.

The

HE distance to Leukerbad is 46 miles. fare to Frutigen, by diligence, is 2.20 francs, by carriage 22 francs, including a customary charge of two francs to the driver. The whole charge by carriage to Kandersteg, and thence by a horse along the bridleroad to Leukerbad, is 50 francs. The distance from Leukerbad to Leuk is 84 miles; the fare by diligence is 6 francs.

We proceed along the shore of the lake till we reach the tower of Strattlingen, when we cross the Kander, and passing WYLER (five miles), we enter the valley of Frütigen. Passing MUHLINEN (10 miles), we reach

FRUTIGEN (14 miles, Hotels: Helvetia, Post), a village of about 3,500 inhabitants. We may obtain guides and mules here for the Gemmi Pass. We next pass the Castle of Tellenburg, cross the Kander, and follow its right bank to

KANDERSTEG (22 miles, Hotels de l'Ours, Victoria). From this place the actual ascent of the Gemmi commences, and the remainder of the distance to Leu

kerbad must be done on horseback or on foot. The path ascends through forests to the boundary between the Cantons of Berne and Valais: it then proceeds in zigzags for some distance, affording a fine view of the valley of Gasteren, and emerging upon a tract of pasture land covered with broken pieces of rock, which have been brought down by an avalanche from the heights above, reaches the inn of Schwarenbach, about two miles from which is the Dauben See, a small lake, formed entirely by the melting of the mountain snows. The scenery around is remarkably wild and desolate.

The summit of the Pass is 7,540 ft. above the sea. It is about one hour's journey from the inn of Schwarenbach. The view, extending to the range of the Alps beyond the Rhone, is one of the finest to be seen in Switzerland. The principal peaks seen from this point are those of the Collon, the Pigne d'Arolla, the Dent Blanche, the Dent d'Erin, the Cervin, the Weisshorn (the highest of all), and the Saas Grat.

On commencing the descent we reach a precipice 1,600 ft. in depth and apparently perpendicular. The road is cut in zig-zags along its face, and in some places is along a ledge which overhangs the road below. Invalids are carried by bearers to the baths of Leuk.

LEUKERBAD (46 miles, Hotels: des Alpes, Bellevue, de France). It is situated about 4,600 ft. above the sea, in a valley surrounded by abrupt and lofty precipices. The springs are ten in number, the temperature varying from 117 to 124 degrees Fahr. The principal one-that of St. Laurence is of considerable size at its source, and is one of the

In the neighbourhood of Leukerbad rises the Torrenthorn, 9,760 ft. above the sea. The view from the summit takes in the Alpine range from Mont Blanc to the Simplon.

Above the steep cliffs at the foot of which Leukerbad is situated, is the village of Albinen. The sole means of direct access are ladders, in tiers, by which the people of Albinen descend to the baths and return. The path to these ladders, one mile and a half distant, lies through a wood, along the gorge of the torrent called the Dala.

From Leukerbad there is a carriage road to Leuk, 544 miles from Thun. It proceeds through the beautiful gorge of the Dala, by several zig-zags, and crosses

the stream over a bridge 420 ft. above the water.

LEUK (Hotel: Couronne) is situated on the right bank of the Rhone, near the point of influx of the Dala. It has a population of about 1,100. It is connected with the Simplon road (see Route 87) by a covered bridge across the Rhone. Above it are the ruins of two ancient castles.

Sierre, 12 miles distant, on the Simplon road, may be reached by a bridle-road along the west side of the valley of the Dala. The road is carried high above the torrent past Inden, where a beautiful view is afforded us of the valley of the Rhone. Beyond Inden we pass beneath an immense precipice which completely overhangs the road,which is partly protected by roofing from the danger of falling masses of rock. Beneath the narrow ledge along which we pass, a precipice descends to the Dala. This pass is called the Galerie. It was stoutly defended by the inhabitants of Valais against the French, in 1799. From this point it takes about an hour and a half to Sierre (see Route 87).

ERMANY is the general name of the country occupied by a considerable number of sovereign and independent states, and a people speaking one language, which has played, from the earliest times to the present, one of the most important parts in history. It is bounded on the north by the German Ocean, Schleswig, and the Baltic; on the west by Holland, Belgium, and France; on the south by Switzerland and Austrian territories; and on the east by Hungary, Gallicia, Poland, and Prussia.

These boundaries embrace 600 miles of latitude, and nearly 700

113. FRANKFORT TO MUNICH 114. FRANKFORT TO BALE. 470 115. MUNICH TO RATISBON 476 116. AUGSBURG TO LINDAU 478 117. MUNICH TO VERONA. 479 118. MUNICH TO VIENNA 482 119. VIENNA TO DRESDEN. 492 120. PRAGUE TO NUREM

BURG AND RATISBON 501 121. VIENNA TO TRIESTE AND VENICE

122. VIENNA TO PESTH.

503

507

miles of longitude, the total area being little less than a quarter of a million of square miles (206,575).

Within this extensive range the people are nearly all German, and with some minor modifications, the language, customs, usages, and manners, are the same. The northern part of Germany, towards the shores of the Baltic and the North sea is a level plain, but, the greater part of the country, the middle and western portions are hilly, and the southern parts mountainous.

The most important ranges are the Black Forest, parallel to the course of the Rhine, the "Giant Mountains," on the borders of Bohemia and Saxony, the Steiger

the

Wald, the Spessart, Thuringer Wald, the Taunus, Harz Mountains, &c. The higher summits of the Schwarz Wald, fall little short of 5,000 feet, and are covered with dense forests, while the lower slopes are covered with vineyards and fertile fields. The mountain chains that lie around the plains of Bohemia, enclosing the valley of the Upper Elbe, rise in their highest points to upwards of 5,000 ft. The Harz, which are on the southern border of Hanover, form the outlying range of the German mountainsystem to the northward, and advance far into the great plain that extends along the Baltic coasts. Both the Eiz-gebirge, on borders of Saxony and Bohemia, and the Harz mountains, are celebrated for their metalliferous wealth. The latter group is also remarkable for an atmospheric illusion, the famous spectre of the Brocken. The chief rivers are the Danube and the Rhine, which belong to Southern and Western Germany: the Oder, the Elbe, the Weser, and the Ems to Northern Germany. The mineral wealth of Germany is very considerable. Gold is found in Austria and Baden; silver in Saxony and Hanover; copper, iron, and tin, in Prussia and Austria; antimony and bismuth in Austria; mercury in Austria and Bavaria. Coal, marble, zinc, kaolin, sulphur, arsenic, &c. have also been found in various localities. The coal fields of Germany are chiefly within the Prussian and Austrian territories. The principal localities are near the Rhine in Westphalia; on the Saare a tributary of the Moselle; in Bohemia; and in Silesia. Of these, Silesia contains very valuable and extensive deposits of coal. The quality is chiefly bituminous, the beds few in number, but very

thick, amounting in some cases to 20 ft. Anthracite is also found. Bohemia is even more richly provided than Silesia, and the banks of the Ruhr, a small tributary to the Rhine, also furnish extensive coal fields. According to the census of December 3, 1867, the population of the various states of Germany proper was as follows: Prussia, 24,043,902; Saxony, 2,423,586; Mecklenburg. Schwerin, 560,618; Oldenburg, 315,622; Brunswick, 302,792; Saxe Weimar, 283,044; Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 98,770; Saxe-Meiningen, 180,335; Anhalt, 197,041; Saxe Coburg Gotha Saxe-Altenburg, 141,426; Waldeck, 111,352; Lippe Detmold, 111,352; Schwarzburg-Rudolstadl, 75,074; Schwarzburg - Sondershausen, 67,454; Reuss-Schleiz, 88,097; Schaumburg-Lippe, 31,186; Reuss-Greiz, 43,889; Hamburg, 305,196; Lubeck, 48,538; Bremen, 109,572; Bavaria, 4,824,421, Wurtemberg, 1,778,479: Baden; 1,434,970; Hesse, 823,138; Lichtenstein, 8,320.-Total,38,522,366. The population of the Austrian Empire in 1867 was 34,706,460.

Germany occupies the middle degrees of the north temperate zone; but the climate varies greatly with the different elevations above the sea, and the more or less mountainous nature of the districts; it is on the whole, however, temperate and healthy. In both Upper and Middle Germany, the climates of which are alike, the vine ripens, but the flat or northern portion has unpropitious seasons, long winters, and frequent fogs.

The soil of Germany is generally productive. Even among the sandy plains in the north there are fertile tracts bordering on the rivers; and the beautiful valleys and enclosed plains among the

hilly regions often rival in fertility the best alluvial soils of other countries. The territory bordering on the east bank of the Rhine has a warmer climate and richer soil than any other part of Germany.

MONEY. For table showing the value of the different coins of the German States in the money of Great Britain and the United States, see the last page of the Introductory Information.

ROUTE 96.

COLOGNE TO HANOVER

AND BERLIN.

394 miles; 1st class (express), 21 th. 14 sgr.; 2nd, 14th. 9 sgr.; 3rd, 10 th. 22 sgr.

(For description of Cologne, see Route 56.)

EAVING Cologne we pass Mülheim (2 miles), a manufacturing town with 6,500 inhabitants, and several unimportant places before reaching DUSSELDORF (231 miles). (See Route 74.) Passing in succession Calcum (30 miles), and DUISBURG (39 miles), a busy town of 18,000 inhabitants, we reach OBERHAUSEN (43 miles), where there are branch lines to Emmerich, and to Aix-la-Chapelle by Ruhrort. We next reach ESSEN (51 miles), a town of about 20,000 inhabitants. Here is Krupp's celebrated manufactory of steel guns. The fine cathedral contains a bronze candelabrum of seven branches, said to have been presented in 998 by the sister of the Emperor Otho III. The next stoppage is at DORTMUND (74) miles), ( Hotels: Römischer Kaiser, Belle

vue), population 23,400. Near the station is a lime-tree under which the secret tribunal of the Vehme held its sittings. In 1429 the Emperor Sigismund was here admitted into this remarkable association, which then numbered 100,000 members. The Reinoldikirche (Church of St. Reinhold), built 1421-50, contains some fine old stained glass and wood carvings. Passing HAMM (934 miles), a town of about 10,000 inhabitants, we cross the River Ems and reach BIELEFELD (135 miles), (Hotels: Dreikronen, Ravensberger Hof), population 15,000. This town is celebrated for its linen trade-the largest in Westphalia.

HERFORD (143 miles) is a manufacturing town of 10,000 inhabitants, situated on the Werra, near its confluence with the Aa. It contains some curious old churches. Its abbey is said to have been founded in 830 by Wittekind, King of the Saxons, whose tomb is in the church of the neighbouring village of Engern.

Passing Rehme (near which are some salt works and saline baths) and other unimportant places we reach MINDEN (163 miles), (Hotels: Eisenbahngasthof, Twietmayer's), population 15,500. It is a garrison town, and a place of some commercial importance. Its fortifications were destroyed by Frederick the Great at the close of the Thirty Years' War, but have since been rebuilt on a larger scale.

Passing Bückeburg, the chief town of the principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, which has a large palace with fine grounds, Haste, and WUNSTORF, from which latter place the line to Bremen branches off, we reach

HANOVER (200 miles), (Hotels: British, Royal, de Russie, de Hannovre), population 76,000. The