Equipment for walking-Observations on 'wide-awake' hat-Purchase one à la mode-Chasseur boots-The glove trade at Grenoble- Start for Bourg d'Oysans-Miserable diligence-Talkative priest- Vizille-Cradle of French Revolution-Scene of Neff's ministry- Combe de Gavet-Great inundation-Bourg d'Oysans-The Dragon and the dragoness Start in rickety diligence Infernets-Long galleries-Road made by Bonaparte-The Saut de la Pucelle-Le Dauphin-Combe de Malval-Termination of road -Obliged to walk-Glacier of Mont Lens-Sublime scenery— Progress of constructing the road-Foolhardiness of the labourers -La Grave-Dinner-Felix Neff His visit to the valley of Early reveille-Drum-beating extraordinary-Appearance of Briançon -Call on commandant-Receive permission to visit the fortress- Complicated nature of the fortifications-Their enormous extent― Defile of Clairée-Mont Infernet-Great expense of the works- Inscription over the town gates-Louis Philippe's name erased— Passport demanded—A fair travelling companion-Her touching history -Walk up Mont Genèvre-Wild flowers-Clouds of insects- Enter Piedmont-Obelisk-Hospice on summit of Col de Genèvre -Entertained by a priest-Dogana-Savoyard's organ-Conductor's Italian associations-Vespers-Our maiden companion-Ancient arch ages - Mont Cenis Hospice - Early start Our guide, Jaques Trag-Lans le Villard — Bessans- Midnight row-Morning toilet-Promised a déjeûner à la fourchette— A hare-Turns out to be a tom cat-The midnight disturbance explained - Our bill-Leave Tigues Lovely weather-Grand scenery Dense pine forests - Fragile causeway-Extraordinary position of a village-Life of the Savoy mountaineers-Their con- tentment-Passage of the Vaudois-Henri Arnaud-St. Foi-Mont Chaffe Quarre-Sketching disappointments-Hints to sketchers- Sketching Mirror-Rocky path-Bourg St. Maurice-Col de Bon- homme-Moutiers-Salt works-Defile of the Doron-Salt springs -Process of evaporation - Ingenious contrivance-Effect of great earthquake of Lisbon on the salt springs-Quantity of salt pro- duced Proceed to l'Hôpital Beautiful scenery -l'Hôpital- Cheating landlord-Château Duing-Lake Annecy-Disappointing walk-Blue colour of the lake-Bishop of Annecy-Superstition of - - Emigrants in Geneva-Luxury of our hotel-Find our portmanteaus- Table d'hôte-Cafés-Patriots-Their conduct-News of France's proposed interference-Its effect on the Genevese-The English church-Destruction of one of the Genevese show-houses-Ferney fallen into the hands of the spoiler-Fragment of paper in Voltaire's AUVERGNE, PIEDMONT, & SAVOY: A SUMMER RAMBLE. IT CHAPTER I. T was with no inconsiderable difficulty that I satisfactorily answered the important question, which I put to myself more than once as the spring of 1849 ripened into summer,-Where shall I spend my vacation? I say important question, for he whose entire life is a holiday of oppressive idleness little knows the happiness which these yearly breathing-times may be made, by judicious management, to confer on the working-man. They give exulting elasticity to the spirits; destroy incipient disease, so often engendered by too sedentary a life; and are, as it were, a species of winding up of the clockwork of human machinery, which enables it to perform its functions. smoothly for another cycle. Democritus Junior wisely said, 'Although our ordinary air be good, yet it is not amiss to alter it: no better physic than change of air and variety of places. For peregrination charms our senses with such unspeakable and sweet variety, that some count him unhappy that |