to take notice thus of the manner in which
the sun shines in different parts of the day, in planning excursions
among the Alps.

The middle of the day is a very exciting and animating time on the quay
at Geneva. It is then that the boats which left the other end of the
lake in the morning are expected to arrive; and a great concourse of
porters, guides, postilions, and bystanders of all sorts assemble to
receive the travellers. As the boats come in, it is very amusing to sit
on the balconies, or at the windows of the hotels which overlook the
quay, and watch the procession of tourists as they come over the plank
to land. There are family groups consisting of fathers, mothers, and
children, followed by porters bearing immense trunks, while they
themselves are loaded with shawls, cloaks, umbrellas, and carpet bags;
and parties of students, with all their travelling effects in knapsacks
on their backs; and schoolboys who have been making a tour of the Alps
with their teacher; and young brides, almost equally proud of their
husbands, of the new dignity of their own position, and of the grandeur
of an Alpine bridal tour. All these people, and the hundreds of
spectators that assemble to see them, fill the quay, and form a very
animated and exciting spectacle.

When the time approaches for a boat to sail, which is in half an hour
after she arrives, we have a counterpart of this scene, the direction of
the current only being reversed. The tourists now go to the boat, the
porters, with their baggage, preceding them. A soldier stands at the
entrance to the plank, to look at the passports. Lines of officials on
each side guard the way. On the deck of the steamer, as soon as you get
on board, you find a great variety of picturesque looking groups, all,
however, having the air of being travellers for pleasure. Some are
arranging themselves in good seats for seeing the scenery. Others take
out their maps and guide books, and prepare to read the descriptions of
the places that they are going to see. Here and there children are to be
seen--the boys with little knapsacks, and the girls wearing very
broad-brimmed Swiss hats--neither paying any attention to the scenery,
but amusing themselves with whatever they find at hand to play with--one
with a little dog, another with a doll which has been bought for her at
Geneva, and a third, perhaps, with a whip, or a little wagon.

Rollo took his seat by the side of his father and mother, in th