the
river Rhone emerges from the lake, forming a favorite watering-place
with large and admirable hotels, but many of the streets are steep,
narrow, and crooked. The Rhone separates the town into two parts, and is
here crossed by eight bridges. We get from Geneva a superb view of the
Mont Blanc group, and the relative height of the several peaks is better
realized than from a nearer point. Mont Blanc is upwards of fifteen
thousand feet in height.

Geneva has few attractions except its position and scenery, being in the
vicinity of the most famous mountains in Switzerland. The history of the
place is, however, very interesting. Calvin resided here nearly thirty
years. Rousseau was born here in 1712, and it has been the birthplace of
other famous scholars, botanists, naturalists, and philosophers. Necker,
financial minister to Louis XVI., and his daughter, Madame de Stael,
were natives of Geneva. In the environs, say four miles from Geneva,
Voltaire built a famous chateau, making it his home for a number of
years. From here one goes to Chamouni, if disposed for
mountain-climbing,--the immediate region of Mont Blanc.

The Lake of Geneva, or Lake Leman, the name by which it is best known,
is forty-five miles long, varying from two to eight miles in width. We
will cross the lake by steamer to the charming little town of Vevay,
situated on the northern side, and containing some nine thousand
inhabitants. A few miles from this point, where the Rhone enters the
lake, stands the famous Castle of Chillon, connected with the shore by a
drawbridge,--palace, castle, and prison, all in one. Some of its dark
damp cells are hewn out of the solid rock beneath the surface of the
lake. This fortress of the Middle Ages has been rendered familiar to us
by Byron's poetic pen. It was built by Amedeus IV., Count of Savoy, in
1238. Here languished Bonnivard in his underground cell for six years,
during which time he wore a prisoner's chains for his heroic defence of
Genevan liberty.

A short journey northward by railway brings us to Berne, the capital of
Switzerland, and which contains less than forty thousand inhabitants. It
is situated upon a lofty promontory above the winding Aar, which nearly
surrounds it, and is crossed here by two stone bridges. The view of the
snow-capped Bernese Alps from Berne is remarkably fine and
comprehensive. The town has all the usual charitable and educational
organizations, with a public library containing f