Show NOTES OF TRAVEL in southern elroi tit swiss lale or if lit crne cerne nud it ito surround ina l napoleon noun paries cload the alp arom AN IS SF I am true to my first love lucerne is the loveliest scene of nil all I here two years ago I first saw the gori glori glorious oua alp AP since then I have gazed on many an parts t of the earths earth surf surface ic bu bill t g thia is picture turc transcends transcend s them all the view from the gor i ia maj majestic ettic grand awe in but it is a scano of desolation those snowy peaks and rugged mountains are without life no t tree ree or blade of grass crows grows upon them nor can call animal life exist there man is nn an intruder hero here all the flecta that arc are required to make up a beautiful landscape aro are cem complete tho the range of snowy peaks seen in I the great crescent snowa from right to left from rugged barren Pila tusto lofty rigi green tot to he lie very ru summit in those peaks pierce tho the claud and form a magnificent background lower down a range of hills out of switzerland they would be called mountains covered to tho the topa tops with dark pines reach the whole extent odthe of the crescent and arc are relieved against the rugged alps next tho the soft emerald green lawns sloping into tho the lake all dotted over with villas and chaplets charlets cha and peaceful homes at tho the elevation of the upper windows of the hotel facing tho the lake tho the whole picture is reflected oh its mirror like surface this calm sunda sunday morning and hard would be the fiuman human soul that has no feeling of love and thankfulness for him who mado it all tomorrow to morrow we bid adieu to beautiful switzerland making our exit b by y way of basic basle then parting in g with my company I will go d down 01 n th the nr rhine hine alono alone and reach london before the close of the week this I intend for fora a ninety day trip I shall ishall probably do it within that time reaching home by tho the middle of october tosum to sum up briefly I will recount our experiences after leaving Briguc in the rhone valley ve we crossed into italy by the simplon pas traveling by diligence co to domo dossola dOsa oIa and by carriage from there to stress on lake M maggioro i ore I have often been sir surprised rise that so 50 little has been effin said ill letters of travel about tho the magnificent simp lon ion road built by the first napoleon to secure his conquest of italy at that time england waa was mistress of the seas and no french fleet or transport dare venture on the mediterranean to convey supplies to his arm army in italy the great road was ordered expense or sacrifice of life was nothing in his mind and in in six years it was completed over the alps proper every foot of it is cut through solid rock an army of twenty men abreast could march the whole way over without breaking ranks and so uniform and eo to even is tho the grade that horses harnessed to ordinary car ariage can trat trot from end to end it is eighty years since it was built and it is in as good order as the day it was finished I should explain that to obtain an easy grade it is cut in in zigzags and aud windings to the summit making the actual distance traveled I should think more than twenty times imes the height of the pass after a short sojourn at lakes Slag giore lugano and como we trave traveled ed by rail in one day to venice no one is disappointed with the silent city by the sea its old palaces may look dingy in the glare of sunlight and the noise of traffic is missing but it was our fortune to arrive at full moon and be r rowed owed up the grand canal to our hotel Dani daniali sli near the plaza of saint marcus on a most exquisite moonlight night every night we were nvere rowed in our gondola t to enjoy music rendered in a most unique and pleasing leasing p manner mann er two illuminated gondolas goll dolas freighted with music musicians ans instrumental and vocal would leave the quay of saint ing up the canal they would be joined by a numerous fleet of boata boats in which were the enchanted audience with music and picture galleries visiting the interi interior or as well as the exterior of old palaces and churches and all the rest a delightful week wa was passed in ja venice and wo we packed off to milan but I promised to be brief and will not attempt a description of the cathedral called a miracle wrought in marble the dionio duomo is regarded by tho the milanese as the eighth wonder of the world my opinion is that it is superior in taste and chasteness of design to st peters at rome and only second to it in size the new cemetery contains an immense number of beautiful tombs and designs in marble far exceeding in taste tto anything of the tile kind met with elsewhere but the great arcade named after victor tho most spacious and attractive structure of the kind in ae europe j lias has some special interest for orsan or san franciscans one similar is just what is wanted farour for our windy dusty city it is is a recent buil building ling finished in 1867 and cost about in length it is yards breadth 16 yards hight 94 feet and JS is in the form of a latin cross crosa with an octagon in the center over which discs rises a cupola feet in hei height glit the arcade contains hau handsome csome stores and is lighted in the evening by 2000 gas je jet t no wheel conveyances vey ances are allowed to pass pan through W y i it and day ay and evening it is the resort of fashion and gaiety we have had numberless incorporated corn COM panics formed in san francisco Franc for every conceivable purpose ae now let ft a company compall bo be formed to buy the lets lots and build id such an arcade and the prospects will be a vast deal better for dividends than from many of the bubble enterprises that lave abi absorbed orbed millions millio nj from our citizens from milan we came here when I close this letter and take my homeward journey in conclusion I would say there arc are bonie some matters that might be termed the abrasions of travel that will disconcert one olio unprepared for such annoy annoyance alleea a in switzerland the tarifa fur for hire of carri carriages ageg is is established by law and I has as lately been increased it Is li now noi v su so high that hotel keepers often make reductions duct ions when then remonstrated with and sometimes voluntarily reduce from th e pub asli ad prices the ices m of guides or drivers boire ot raf or drink money are always inaudi in addition to the hire of horses borse and cannot be avoided it is is the custom but the price should be f fixed before starting on the journey you have llave nothing to do with payment for re fresh ments for men or horses at the stopping blaces places it a mistake to con compound P qu with tho the hotel keepers and n d t try r y to avoid shapour boire nuisance it should be paid directly by you to tho guides another annoyance is the disposal of baggage at the railways you most must arrive in time to have every article weighed booked and for your traveling eling ticket docs does not include your baggage for it a separate ticket i is s given if you want to avoid the nu nuisance i an cc cor or perhaps you arrive too late to have your baggage booked you take it into the carriage with you on arrival of the train yo you u must carry it youself outside the station cario no porters arc are allowed inside the elation station the system of checking baggage is unknown in europe the swiss beds havo a mattress liko like a wedge which elevates your head above your feet at an angle of forty five degrees you soon learn to discard it and and ask for a level pillow instead telegraphing is cheap in switzerland and it is always best to telegraph t to llie the hotel you tell are going to one day before bea ore your arrival to secure your bour rooms otherwise guch ouch is the crowd of travel that bcd bedd are often dim cult to procure in italy the fee system is an intolerable nul nuisance i sance worse than in sal switzerland la in both countries service is invariably charged in the bill and invariably the femme dc do chambre the gargon the portier the bootblack and everyone nali wab helps you with your overt overcoat oat holds your stirrup hands you your umbrella or smilingly makes a profound obies sance reminds you of the service rendered and expects compensation the bougie swindle ought to be abolished if three or four are traveling in company two candles are lit in in each bedroom and you find six or eight franca francs in the bill nest next morning isyou if you have burned among you only an inch of candle everywhere you must provide your own soap it is the custom and if you yo u would travel in comfort forget your soap |