ber of the latter was only 69 families. Such a state of things naturally gave rise to great discontent among the lower order of citizens, not so much from any abuses of their rulers, who seem to have governed with prudence and honesty, without oppressing or heavily taxing, but from their overbearing haughtiness, exclusiveness, and the secrecy with which all their proceedings were conducted. By the French Revolution this ancient aristocracy lost much of its power; and the events which followed that of July, 1830, have stripped them of the remainder. A new constitution, passed and approved by an assemblage of most of the inhabitants of the canton, now gives to every citizen equal political rights. The hereditary rule and monopoly of the supreme authority by the aristocratic families were thus destroyed, and the people admitted to a share of the government. A newly-appointed supreme council entered upon its duties in Oct. 1831; and considering its want of experience, from the previous exclusion in toto of the popular party from all share in the government, their administration appears to have been respectable. The chief reproach cast upon them is their persecution of the oligarchists, many of whom have since been imprisoned. The new rulers were relieved of much embarrassment in the department of finance, by the discovery, in the exchequer, of the revenue of seven years hoarded up, according to an ancient practice, by their predecessors. Instead of allowing this to lie idle they very wisely turned it to account, in improving the roads of the canton, and in other public works. ROUTE 27. THE BERNESE OBERLAND. BERNE TO THUN,-INTERLACHEN, LAUTERBRUNNEN; OVER THE WENGERN ALP TO GRINDELWALD, · -As 71 CENT OF THE FAULHORN; OVER made in 3 days, Ist to Grindelwald, This agreeable excursion may be 2nd to Meyringen, and returning to Berne on the evening of the 3rd day. Most persons, however, will feel disposed to devote longer time to it. But it is by no means necessary to return to Berne, the passes of the Gemmi (R. 38.), of the Brunig (R. connect the Oberland with the general 19), and of the Grimsel (R. 28), tour of Switzerland. district that Byron "repeopled his It was in this magnificent highland mind from nature," and gathered many of the ideas and images which his tragedy of Manfred: the scene of has so exquisitely interwoven in which lies among the Bernese Alps. He preferred many of the scenes among these mountains and lakes to Chamouni, and calls them “some of the noblest views in the world." Berne to Thun. = 5 stunden 163 English miles. A 3 hours' drive. A Railroad is talked of. A diligence goes twice a day."A voturier charges 18 fr. and drinkmoney (no back fare); a return voiturier 10 or 12 fr. The road is excellent, and in fine weather the snowy Alps are in sight nearly the whole way. The scenery of the valley of the Aar is most pleasing; laid out in pasture lands, with abundance of villages, and substantial farm-houses, with broad roofs, surrounded by neat gardens. The river itself runs at some distance on the rt., and is rarely visible. The principal village passed on the way is 21 Münsingen, memorable in recent Swiss annals as the spot where the great [public meeting of the men of the canton was held in 1831, which adopted the new constitution and overthrew the rule of the oligarchy. The Stockhorn, with its conical peak, and the Niesen, two limestone | mountains, forming, as it were, the advanced guard of the high Alps, posted on the opposite side of the lake, become conspicuous objects before reaching 23 Thun- Inns: H. de Bellevue. Outside the town, and beyond it, a first-rate hotel, well situated in a garden commanding a view of the Aar. It is, however, dear. The Bateau-à-Vapeur, another inn, a few yards farther, and a third new inn, all belong to the same landlord, who is also proprietor of the steamboat plying on the lake. "A new house, under a different proprietor, is likely to be established soon in the neighbourhood, which will undoubtedly be of advantage to travellers, as at present Messrs. Knechtenhofer have nearly a monopoly, and are consequently not disposed on all occasions to be as civil, or moderate, as they ought to be." S. Freyenhof, within the town, formerly the chief inn, but now second-rate; Faucon, said to be good. The Pension Baumgarten is well spoken of, and is usually so full that it is difficult to obtain rooms without long previous application. "The landlady is extremely respectable and civil; the apartments cheerful and pleasant; living good. Charges 5 fr. a-day for each master, and for a servant, everything included."— L. There is not a more picturesque town in Switzerland than Thun, situated about a mile from the lake, upon the river Aar, which here rushes out of it clear as crystal. Preeminent above the other buildings rise a venerable church and a picturesque feudal castle 700 years old. It contains 4876 inhabitants; but within its walls there is nothing worth notice. It is, however, from its position, and its beautiful environs, one of the most agreeable places of residence in Switzerland, and being the starting place for those who visit the Bernese highlands, it is thronged with a constant Lake of Thun. succession of travellers through the whole summer. The view from the Churchyard terrace" along the lake, with its girdle of Alps, fine glaciers, and rocks wooded to the top," is mentioned by Byron. A more extensive prospect is gained from the little pavilion of St. Jacques; but better than either is the view from the grounds of a pretty country-house called the Chartreuse, about mile below the Hotel Bellevue. The Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eigher are visible from hence. M. Knechtenhofer has built a chapel for the English service; the first stone was laid by the British Minister to the Confederation in 1841. Vehicles of various kinds and guides may be hired at Thun. “Travellers often send their carriages from Thun to Lucerne, while they make a tour in the Oberland, beginning and ending with those places. The innkeeper will make the arrangement, and consign it to the inn which the traveller may designate. Baggage may be safely left in it. The charge for a light carriage is 72 francs, every thing included. Probably 1 fr. a-day will be charged for the standing of the carriage as long as it remains at the inn." C. D. The road up the Simmenthal, from the lake of Thun to Vevay is described in Route 41. Lake of Thun Thun to Interlachen. Since 1835, a small iron steam-boat plies on the lake of Thun between Thun (the Hotel du Bateau-à-Vapeur) and Neuhaus. The voyage takes up about 1 hour. The fare is 3 fr., with an abatement for a party if a number of places are taken. The hours of starting are liable to be altered from year to year; travellers should inquire beforehand. By the present arrangement of the trips of the steamer, a traveller may leave Thun at 8, hire a carriage at Neuhaus, see Lauterbrunnen, the Staubbach, and Interlachen, and reach Route 27.- Lake of Thun. Neuhaus at 3, in time for the steamer to Thun. The steamer does not take carriages; but a good carriage-road has been made to Interlachen, along the S. shore of the lake. The distance, about 15 English miles, will be much curtailed by a new line in 1842. The lake is about 10 miles long. The banks of the lake near Thun are occupied with neat villas and cheerful gardens: further on, its N. shore is precipitous, and not very interesting. Among its scanty villages and hamlets, the most important is Oberhof, distinguished by the square tower of its castle. The S. shore is more striking. Here the two remarkable mountains, the Stockhorn, with a sharp peak projecting like a horn, or thorn, and the pyramidal mass of the Niesen, with its conical top, stand sentinels at the entrance of the Kander and Simmenthal. The river Kander, conducted into the lake by an artificial channel formed for it in 1714, has deposited around its mouth, within less than a century and a half, a delta or sand-bank of several hundred acres. The progress and extent of this recent formation, so interesting to geologists, has been ably investigated by Mr. Lyell. S. At the foot of the Niesen, on a projecting tongue of land, stands the picturesque castle of Spietz, founded, according to tradition, by Attila (?), and belonging to the family of Erlach. At Spietzwyler there is a neat inn. N. When about two-thirds over the lake, a projecting promontory of precipitous rock, called the Nose, is passed, and a fine view is obtained of the Eigher and Mönch, which fill up the extremity of the lake with the white mass of their snow. To the rt. of them appear the Jungfrau and Finster Aarhorn. In front of the Nose the lake is 720 feet deep. N. "Behind the village Mertigen runs the Juster Switz. 73 Thal: at a distance of between 2 and 2 hours' walk up it, in the ridge forming its W. boundary, is a cave called Schafloch, which in the height of summer always contains ice. Such ice caverns are not uncommon in the Jura, and in other parts of the world. This cave has 2 branches; that in which the ice occurs runs straight from the entrance for about 60 ft., when it suddenly narrows, and dips down 12 or 15 ft.". - J. D. N. Farther on, in the face of the mountain overhanging the lake, is the Cave of St. Beatus, above a small cascade, which may be seen leaping into the lake. St. Beatus, according to tradition, a native of Britain, converted the inhabitants of this part of Helvetia to Christianity. Being minded to take up his residence on the shores of the lake, he fixed his eyes upon a grot well suited to a hermit's abode, which happened at the time to be occupied by a dragon. The monster, however, was easily ejected without force, and simply by hearing a notice to quit addressed to him by St. Beatus. Among the miracles performed by the anchorite, in addition to the above, must be mentioned that of his crossing the lake on his cloak, which, when spread out on the water, served him instead of a boat. A rivulet issues out of the cave and is subject to sudden rises, which fill the cavern to the roof, and are accompanied by a loud report, like that of a cannon. It may be reached in a quarter of an hour from the shore. At Neuhaus, a solitary cabaret at the end of the lake, about 10 miles from Thun, and about 2 miles from Unterseen, the passengers are landed. A long array of carriages, porters, guides, and horses, will be found awaiting their disembarkation; also a diligence, which runs to Interlachen; fare, 1 fr. N. B. Travellers bound on the tour of the Oberland generally engage an equipage here for the whole journey, and if they find a good stout pair of E horses there is economy in doing so; since, where the carriage-roads cease, the horses are taken out and used for riding. The owner will provide saddles and act as guide. Thus, if the same horses are continued during the whole journey, and brought back to Unterseen, one, or even two days of back fare are saved. Unterseen, a thoroughly Swiss village of 1000 inhabitants, composed (except the Castle on the marketplace, and Rathhaus), of wooden houses, many of them brown from age, being two centuries old. It is situated about half way between the lakes of Thun and Brienz, whence its name, and that of Interlachen, both signifying " between the lakes." "There are several pensions here, where the charge is 3 fr. a-day; but they are not so good as those of Interlachen; in fact, they are altogether inferior establishments, chiefly resorted to by Germans and Swiss, and the hours are more primitive, dinner being served at 1." N. B. Those who wish to make the most of their time, and intend to return to Thun, will turn off at once from Unterseen to Lauterbrunnen, passing through Interlachen (where there is nothing particular to be seen) in returning from Brienz. Interlachen. Inns Hotel de Interlachen, or Landhaus, not very good, H. de Belvedere (Stehely's) excellent. There are at least a dozen pensions, or boarding-houses here, where travellers are now received for one day. Formerly no one was taken in for less than a week. The charges for board and lodging vary between 5 and 6 fr. a-day, exclusive of wine. The principal pensions are Muller's (now kept by Kamer); an English lady was treated with most extreme kindness during a fit of illness by Madame K., who has been in England and speaks English; -the Cassino, Hofstetters; kept by a very obliging landlord, and affords as good accommodation as any in the place. Interlachen. At most of these houses there is a daily table d'hôte and during the season balls are constantly given at one or other. Those who desire to be quiet will find the pension of Jacob Rübin, and Pension Greyerz kept by Ober very comfortable. Interlachen has few sights or lions for the tourist or passing traveller, who need not stop here, unless he require to rest himself. Its beautiful position, however, on a little plain between the lakes, in full view of the Jungfrau, whose snowy summit is seen through a gap in the minor chain of Alps, its vicinity to numerous interesting sites, and some of the most pleasing excursions in Switzerland, together with its exceeding cheapness as a place of residence, have spread its reputation through Europe, and have literally converted it into an English colony, two-thirds of the summer visitors being, on a moderate computation, of our nation, who have converted the place into a sort of Swiss Harrogate. The village itself, a collection of staring, whitewashed lodging-houses, has nothing Swiss in its character. Still, however, though no longer a place of retirement, Interlachen must not be disparaged; its almost endless walks and rides, its boating parties on the two lakes, its picnics and balls, would, in the society of friends, afford amusement for a season. In front of the lodging-houses runs a magnificent avenue of walnut-trees, most inviting from its cool shade. The wooded slopes of the Harder, a hill on the opposite bank of the Aar, rendered accessible by easy paths, commanding a delightful view, and the old castle of Unspunnen are within the distance of a walk even for ladies; while the Giesbach falls, Lauterbrunnen, with the Staubach, and Grindelwald with its glaciers, are within a short morning's row or ride. They are described in the following tour of the Oberland. There is a Subscription Reading-room and Library here, at which “The = From Unterseen, or Interlachen, to Lauterbrunnen, is about 3 stunden, 7 Eng. miles, a drive of 2 hours. The road is practicable for the carriages of the country. After passing a tract of verdant meadowland, on which great wrestlingmatches (one of which has been described by Madame de Staël) are periodically held, the road passes on the rt. the Castle of Unspunnen: it is in a very dilapidated state, but a square tower, with a flanking round turret rise picturesquely above the brushwood surrounding them. It is the reputed residence of Manfred, and its position in front of the high Alps renders it not unlikely that Byron may have had it in his eye. The real owners of the castle were the barons of Unspunnen, a noble and ancient race, who were lords of the whole Oberland, from the Grimsel to the Gemmi. Burkard, the last male descendant of this family, had a beautiful and only daughter, Ida, who was beloved by a young knight attached to the Court of Berchtold of Zähringen, between whom and Burkard a deadly feud had long subsisted. Under such circumstances the youthful Rudolph of Wadens Lauterbrunnen. 75 chwyl, despairing of obtaining the father's consent to their union, scaled the castle-walls by night, carried Ida off, and made her his bride. Many years of bloody strife between the two parties followed this event. At length Rudolph, taking his infant son by Ida along with him, presented himself, unarmed and without attendants, to Burkard, in the midst of his stronghold. Such an appeal to the old man's affections and generosity was irresistible; he melted into tears, forgot his wrongs, and, receiving his children into his bosom, made Rudolph's son the heir of his vast possessions. At the time of the reconciliation, the old baron had said," Let this day be for ever celebrated among us;" and rural games were in consequence, for many years, held on the spot. These were revived in 1805 and 1808, and consisted of gymnastic exercises, wrestling, pitching the stone, &c., in which the natives of the different cantons contended with one another, while spectators from far and near collected on a natural amphitheatre. A huge fragment of rock, weighing 184 lbs., which was hurled 10 ft. by an athlete from Appenzell, may still be seen half buried in the ground. Leaving behind the villages of Wylderschwyl and Mühlinen, whose inhabitants are sadly afflicted with goitre (§ 19.), the road plunges into the narrow and savage gorge of the torrent Lutschine, and "we enter upon a range of scenes beyond all description or previous conception." Not far up, the road passes a spot of evil repute as the scene of a fratricide-"just the place for such a deed." It was marked by an inscription in the face of a projecting rock, called, from the murder, the Evil Stone (Böse Stein), or Brother's Stone. The recent encroachments of the river upon the road have rendered it necessary to blast a portion of the rock in order to widen the carriage-way, in doing which the in |