THE

MOUNTAINS AND LAKES

OF

SWITZERLAND,

ETC.

LETTER XIII.

TO A. J. KEMPE, ESQ., F.S. A.

Zug to Arth. Arth. The Church, &c. One of the Party sets off for the Righi. - Road from Arth to Lucerne. Approach to Lucerne. Ruined Tower.- Magnificent Scenery. The Lake.The City. - Pilatus.-Feelings inspired by the Mountain. - Legend of Pilatus.- Conrad Gessner. Arrival at Lucerne. Swan Hotel. -The Hofbrücke. - St. Leodegar.- Old Tower.

Feudal Walls. Antiquated Bridges. River Reuss. -Mill Bridge. - Dance of Death. - Ancient Fortifications. Old Houses. The Fountains: one most curious. Nobles of Crusaders. The Inn. Travellers Continental Windows: how fastened,

Lucerne. sketched.

VOL. II.

B

Bells. Beds and Domestics. — English Company: of what Class and Kind. - Travelled Coxcombs. Return of the Traveller from the Righi. The Guide. Going to Church.

My dear Brother,

FROM Zug we directed our course to Arth the station whence my nephew intended to ascend the Righi, whilst we continued our route to Lucerne, where he was afterwards to join us. Much as I wished to ascend the mountain with him, I did not yet find myself strong enough to undertake an adventure of so much. labour. I reserved myself, therefore, for some future occasion.

Of our route to Arth, partaking as it did of all those characteristics of the country already described, I shall say little more than that it was delightful. We drove along the side of the lake all the way; the scene was in perpetual change, and opened upon us with a succession of the most beautiful objects to be found in

nature.

We arrived at Arth in time for the table d'hôte, where a numerous and motley company

was assembled, all bent on one purpose the ascent of the Righi. They were to set out soon after dinner, in order to gain the summit before it was quite dark, where an inn, raised by the indefatigable exertions of the Swiss, afforded shelter and accommodation to such travellers as were anxious to witness the rising of the sun from the top of the mountain. Should you feel desirous to learn any further particulars, as I did not see the spectacle myself, I must refer you to Murray's "Hand-book," where he gives a very lively account of the whole scene the travellers, the mountains, and the sun.

We dined at Arth at the Black Eagle, or rather we there paid for what was called a dinner; for surely such a detestable assortment of nauseous dishes was never before laid out for a hungry traveller - even the foreigners seemed to have very little relish for it. The meal was speedily finished, and then commenced the bustle of preparation for the ascent of the Righi. Every body provided himself with an Alpine stock, that is, a pole about seven

or eight feet in length, shod with an iron spike at the end. This kind of pole, as I afterwards experienced, is absolutely necessary to enable the mountaineer or the stranger to get up and down the slippery, rocky, and precipitous paths of the mountains. My nephew engaged a very civil and intelligent old man, a native of Arth, to accompany him as guide in his excursion, as he was determined to walk up the Righi, in preference to the mule method of conveyance, The ascent was to occupy four hours.

The Righi is no great height, being only 5700 feet high, -no extraordinary elevation for a Swiss mountain. But it is its situation which confers on it such celebrity, and gives it such an air of command, as it stands alone in the midst of some of the noblest scenery in Europe.

I ought to have told you, that before dinner we went with the good old man already named to see the church of Arth, where he assured u with a feeling of pride for the honour of his native place, that we should see such a collection of dresses for the priests, as was very

seldom to be met with in a church among the mountains. He did, indeed, speak truth; they were quite showy enough for a pageant at Covent Garden or Drury Lane Theatre. Here we saw also, among other curiosities and pieces of church plate, the ancient silver crucifix and chalice, both of the most costly workmanship, that had belonged to Charles, Duke of Burgundy, and were taken by the Swiss, on the field of battle, after the discomfiture of the duke, who had left his baggage behind him in his flight.

I made a very slight sketch, from the back of the church-yard, of two most extraordinarily shaped mountains, called the Mitres: they stood apart, though near each other, in the finest manner that could possibly be conceived. They were about five thousand feet in height. I la mented I had not leisure for a more regular drawing of a subject so remarkable.

After dinner we took leave of my nephew, who, clad in a light linen coat, his travelling straw-hat upon his head, and his Alpine stock in hand, prepared to follow his guide up the Righi.