and then by rail to Basle. But by this route there is at present a long and dreary space to be travelled, by the dearest, and dirtiest, and most tiresome of diligences. Indeed, until the railway lines are completed, Switzerland cannot be reached from England through France without a long stage by diligence-a thing always to be avoided, if possible, by those who travel for pleasure and health; when considerations will enter into the traveller's decision in choosing the road to Switzerland, all of which may more or less influence him in proportion to his continental experience. If he has never been abroad before, or seldom before, he may safely adopt one rule. It is this: Better go fifty miles round by railway than venture upon the track of a diligence. Hence, when visiting Switzerland for the first time, it is best to go by railway to Cologne; then by steam up the Rhine to Mayence; thence by railway to Basle.

It will afford an idea of the cost of this route, to quote here the tariff issued by the South-Eastern Railway. Travellers may purchase, at the Booking-offices of that Company at London Bridge Railway Station, Through-Tickets as follows: London to Cologne, vid Calais, first-class, 31. 6s. 4d.; second-class, 21. 7s. 8d. London to Cologne, vid Dover and Ostend, first-class, 37. 5s.; second-class, 21. 8s. 3d.; performing the journey to Cologne in about twenty-one hours."

Tourists who wish to avoid the salt water and its sickness as much as possible, may go by way of Dover and Calais. By so doing, the sea passage is reduced to less than two hours, whereas by Dover and Ostend it is always four hours, and generally more. Going by way of Calais, the tourist passes through Lille.

The route by Ramsgate is sometimes adopted, on the theory of a short sea-passage to Ostend, but is not to be recommended, as the time of leaving Ramsgate is regulated by tide, and unless tide at Ramsgate and tide at Ostend

both suit each other, the tourist may be detained, and lose several hours and much patience, both places having tidal harbours.*

On landing at Ostend, the traveller who has too much luggage begins to find out the mistake he has made-by the increased expense on rail, increased porterage, and also the need for a Commissionnaire to get it through the little Custom-house quickly. The employment of a Commissionnaire at the Ostend Custom-house is not unwise, if there be ladies and much luggage: he opens your boxes for you, tells you the weight in English, says what you have to pay, and saves much trouble. If you have a sac de nuit only, such assistance will not be requisite.

When going direct to Belgium by way of Calais, baggage is not examined by the Custom-house officers, but merely weighed, ticketed, and deposited in the train, for search at the Belgian frontier. The steamboat lands the traveller close to the Calais station, where he will find a good refreshmentroom, and close to that (in the same building) the desk where passports are visé. Calais, like Ostend, is not a place to remain in longer than absolutely requisite. The Calais innkeepers have a reputation for extortionate charges.

The carriage of much luggage virtually doubles the traveller's fare on all Continental lines. The baggage is weighed, and in Belgium every ounce above twenty kilogrammes (about forty-four pounds) rigorously charged for. A ticket containing a number is pasted on each article, and a corresponding one is given to the owner, and at the end of the journey great is the bustle, noise, and confusion, when English travellers are numerous, and English portmanteaus and carpet-bags are in course of delivery to their respective proprietors. Luggage must be at the station a quarter of an hour before the departure of the train.

When about to depart by railway, the traveller will find all

* Bogue's Guides for Travellers: "Belgium and the Rhine."

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his baggage taken possession of by the officials attached to the station, who, as already stated, paste separate numbered tickets on each trunk, &c., giving the owner a correspondingly numbered ticket, with the name of each article of baggage (as "malle," sac de nuit," &c.). On no account should the traveller take into the carriage with him any box, parcel, or bag, unless it is thought desirable to carry any slight refreshments. Any package taken into the railway-carriage will be taken from its owner as he passes out of the Belgian into the Prussian territory, and although quite safe, it is difficult to obtain again: in fact, the owner may be detained until all the other baggage is examined before he can get such packages restored to him.

INNS IN SWITZERLAND.

Switzerland has, probably, some of the best inns in the world. The Three Kings at Basle, the Schweizerhof at Lucerne, the Hôtel Baur at Zurich, are great establishments, replete with all that can yield convenience and comfort. But the smaller houses are, as a rule, to be esteemed good, while really bad inns are very rarely met with. The usual charges at the larger establishments are: Beds, from 2 francs (French) upwards; dinner, at one, with wine, 3 francs; at four, 4 francs; breakfast, with tea, coffee, bread, butter, and honey, 1 franc in the Speisesaale, or salle à manger, and 2 franes in a private room; wax-candles, 1 franc; servants, 1 franc. It is not usual to sup à la carte ; at least, it is not cheaper than to order a supper,

In the smaller houses, the customary charge for a bed is from six to ten batzen; breakfast, four to six; and dinner, with wine, twelve to fifteen batzen, Candles are not set down in the bill, and the item, "servants," figures at three or four batzen; the charges here are thus one-half those of the great houses. In the following pages particular notice is

taken of these smaller and moderate-priced inns. No fixed rule can be given respecting the choice of houses of public entertainment; at many of the large houses the traveller will be treated as liberally, and may live as cheaply, as in the smaller inns. The specific information given further on under each town will, it is hoped, render the absence of such a rule of less consequence. As a general remark, it may be noticed that the prices charged to the traveller depend in no small degree upon his own comportment. He who, travelling with heavy coffers, arrives at an hôtel with great bustle and importance, finds the viands and wine not to his taste, is dissatisfied with his bed and chamber, has a hundred wants, and sets the bell ringing for each, must not complain if, in the end, he has much to pay. For a traveller of this kind the prices in the list first quoted are probably not too high. But did innkeepers generally rightly understand their own interests, they would not claim of the unostentatious traveller the franc now charged for lights, and would leave the reward of their servants to the discretion of their guest. What a man consumes he wil lingly pays for, especially when it is good; but to charge as much for lights as would fairly pay for a bed is a downright imposition. However, such as the world is the traveller must take it, and not lose his cheerful temper because everything is not just as at home.

GUIDES.

In mountain excursions the assistance of a guide is all but indispensable. Most of the Swiss guides are experienced and well-informed men, and thoroughly acquainted with the country and people. Thun, Interlacken, Lucerne, Arth, Zug, Martigny, and Chamouny, are their principal stations. All the villages on and near the mountain passes also supply guides for those particular districts. The usual pay of a guide, out of which he maintains himself, is four, five, and,

in the height of the season, six (French) francs per diem, besides which they will expect one franc for trinkgeld. In addition to this they demand payment, at the same rate, for the days required for their return to the stations, unless they have an opportunity of making an engagement with some tourist going their way. They are bound to carry from twenty to thirty pounds of luggage, and stand wholly at their employer's disposal; so that they answer, in the course of a journey, the purpose of interpreters, porters, and servants. Meanwhile, a guide is no slight addition to a Swiss excursion. To those, however, who are rather accustomed to consult convenience than to count their francs, a guide is to be strongly recommended. The tourist, thus escorted, sees by the way a hundred things of which the best maps give no intimation, and if of a genial, sociable disposition, picks up pleasantly a little cyclopædia of local and historical information, besides getting a better insight of the character of the people. The little services of an attendant, such as washing the feet with Kirschwasser, looking after linen, &c., have too their worth, when one arrives tired at the resting-place. When two, three, or more tourists journey together, the proportional cost of travelling is considerably lessened, only it is to be remembered that the guide is not bound by the ordinary terms of engagement to carry more than thirty pounds weight of luggage. When the quantity of this is great, it is preferable to hire in common a horse or a mule. In districts much travelled the man who accompanies the animal will often know the way as well as a guide. Lads, quite competent to point out the way, and who may be had for half the amount of the guides' wages, are to be met with in many a well-frequented route; as, for instance, the Rigi, and the Bernese Oberland. Such lads, however, should only be engaged when the luggage is of very moderate weight; with heavy loads the boys want to rest so often, that more is lost in time than is gained in money.