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d'hote to be leaning over the balcony that ran round the house and
passed our bedroom door； when a man and a girl came out with two
large pails in their hands； and we watched them proceed to a cart
with a barrel in it； which was in a corner of the yard； we had been
wondering what was in the barrel and were glad to see them commence
tapping it； when lo！ out spouted the blood…red wine with which they
actually half filled their pails before they left the spot。 This
was as Italy should be。 After dinner； too； as we stroll in the
showy Italian sort of piazza near the inn； the florid music which
fills the whole square； accompanied by a female voice of some
pretensions； again thoroughly Italianises the scene； and when she
struck up our English national anthem （with such a bass
accompaniment！） nothing could be imagined more incongruous。
Sleeping at La Tour at the hotel kept by M。 Gai （which is very good；
clean； and cheap）； we left next morning； i。e。 Tuesday； June 16； at
four by diligence for Pinerolo； thence by rail to Turin where we
spent the day。 It was wet and we saw no vestiges of the Alps。
Turin is a very handsome city； very regularly built； the streets
running nearly all parallel to and at right angles with each other；
there are no suburbs； and the consequence is that at the end of
every street one sees the country； the Alps surround the city like a
horseshoe； and hence many of the streets seem actually walled in
with a snowy mountain。 Nowhere are the Alps seen to greater
advantage than from Turin。 I speak from the experience； not of the
journey I am describing； but of a previous one。 From the Superga
the view is magnificent； but from the hospital for soldiers just
above the Po on the eastern side of the city the view is very
similar； and the city seen to greater advantage。 The Po is a fine
river； but very muddy； not like the Ticino which has the advantage
of getting washed in the Lago Maggiore。 On the whole Turin is well
worth seeing。 Leaving it； however； on Wednesday morning we arrived
at Arona about half…past eleven： the country between the two places
is flat； but rich and well cultivated： much rice is grown； and in
consequence the whole country easily capable of being laid under
water； a thing which I should imagine the Piedmontese would not be
slow to avail themselves of； we ought to have had the Alps as a
background to the view； but they were still veiled。 It was here
that a countryman； seeing me with one or two funny little pipes
which I had bought in Turin； asked me if I was a fabricante di pipi…
…a pipe…maker。
By the time that we were at Arona the sun had appeared； and the
clouds were gone； here； too； we determined to halt for half a day；
neither of us being quite the thing； so after a visit to the
colossal statue of San Carlo； which is very fine and imposing； we
laid ourselves down under the shade of some chestnut trees above the
lake； and enjoyed the extreme beauty of everything around us； until
we fell fast asleep； and yet even in sleep we seemed to retain a
consciousness of the unsurpassable beauty of the scene。 After
dinner （we were stopping at the Hotel de la Poste； a very nice inn
indeed） we took a boat and went across the lake to Angera； a little
town just opposite； it was in the Austrian territory； but they made
no delay about admitting us； the reason of our excursion was； that
we might go and explore the old castle there； which is seated on an
inconsiderable eminence above the lake。 It affords an excellent
example of Italian domestic Gothic of the Middle Ages； San Carlo was
born and resided here； and； indeed； if saintliness were to depend
upon beauty of natural scenery； no wonder at his having been a
saint。
The castle is only tenanted by an old man who keeps the place； we
found him cooking his supper over a small crackling fire of sticks；
which he had lighted in the main hall； his feeble old voice chirps
about San Carlo this and San Carlo that as we go from room to room。
We have no carpets hereplain honest brick floorsthe chairs；
indeed； have once been covered with velvet； but they are now so worn
that one can scarcely detect that they have been so； the tables
warped and worm…eaten； the few； that is； that remained there； the
shutters cracked and dry with the sun and summer of so many hundred
yearsno Renaissance work here； yet for all that there was
something about it which made it to me the only really pleasurable
nobleman's mansion that I have ever been over； the view from the top
is superb； and then the row home to Arona； the twinkling lights
softly gleaming in the lake； the bells jangling from the tall and
gaudy campaniles； the stillness of the summer nightso warm and yet
so refreshing on the water； hush； there are some people singinghow
sweetly their voices are borne to us upon the slight breath of wind
that alone is stirring； oh； it is a cruel thing to think of war in
connection with such a spot as this； and yet from this very Angera
to this very Arona it is that the Austrians have been crossing to
commence their attack on Sardinia。 I fear these next summer nights
will not be broken with the voice of much singing and that we shall
have to hush for the roaring of cannon。
I never knew before how melodiously frogs can croakthere is a
sweet guttural about some of these that I never heard in England：
before going to bed； I remember particularly one amorous batrachian
courting malgre sa maman regaled us with a lusciously deep rich
croak； that served as a good accompaniment for the shrill whizzing
sound of the cigales。
My space is getting short； but fortunately we are getting on to
ground better known； I will therefore content myself with sketching
out the remainder of our tour and leaving the reader to Murray for
descriptions。
We left Arona with regret on Thursday morning （June 18）； took
steamer to the Isola Bella； which is an example of how far human
extravagance and folly can spoil a rock； which had it been left
alone would have been very beautiful； and thence by a little boat
went to Baveno； thence we took diligence for Domo d'Ossola； the
weather clouded towards evening and big raindrops beginning to
descend we thought it better to proceed at once by the same
diligence over the Simplon； we did not care to walk the pass in wet；
therefore leaving Domo d'Ossola at ten o'clock that night we arrived
at Iselle about two； the weather clearing we saw the gorge of Gondo
and walked a good way up the pass in the early morning by the
diligence； breakfasted at Simplon at four o'clock in the morning；
and without waiting a moment as soon as we got out at Brieg set off
for Visp； which we reached at twelve on foot； we washed and dressed
there； dined and advanced to Leuk； and thence up the most
exquisitely beautiful road to Leukerbad； which we reached at about
eight o'clock after a very fatiguing day。 The Hotel de la France is
clean and cheap。 Next morning we left at half…past five and；
crossing the Gemini； got to Frutigen at half…past one； took an open
trap after dinner and drove to Interlaken； which we reached on the
Saturday night at eight o'clock； the weather first rate； Sunday we
rested at Interlaken； on Monday we assailed the Wengern Alp； but the
weather being pouring wet we halted on the top and spent the night
there； being rewarded by the most transcendent evening view of the
Jungfrau； Eiger； and Monch in the clear cold air seen through a thin
veil of semi…transparent cloud that was continually scudding across
them。
Next morning early we descended to Grindelwald； thence past the
upper glacier under the Wetterhorn over the Scheidegg to Rosenlaui；
where we dined and saw the glacier； after dinner； descending the
valley we visited the falls of Reichenbach （which the reader need
not do if he means to see those of the Aar at Handegg）； and leaving
Meyringen on our left we recommenced an ascent of the valley of the
Aar； sleeping at Guttannen； about ten miles farther on。
Next day； i。e。 Wednesday； June 24； leaving Guttannen very early；
passing the falls of Handegg； which are first rate； we reached the
hospice at nine； had some wine there； and crawled on through the
snow and up the rocks to the summit of the passhere we met an old
lady； in a blue ugly； with a pair of green spectacles； carried in a
chaise a porteur； she had taken it into her head in her old age that
she would like to see a little of the world； and here she was。 We
had seen her lady's maid at the hospice； concerning whom we were
told that she was 〃bien sage；〃 and did not scream at the precipices。
On the top of the Gemini； too； at half…past seven in the morning； we
had met a somewhat similar lady walking alone with a blue parasol
over the snow； about half an hour after we met some porters carrying
her luggage； and found that she was an invalid lady of Berne； who
was walking over to the baths at Leukerbad for the benefit of her
healthwe scarcely thought there could be much occasionleaving
these two good ladies then； let us descend the Grimsel to the bottom
of the glacier of the Rhone； and then ascend the Furkaa stiff
pull； we got there by two o'clock； dined （Italian is spoken here
again）； and finally re