We left Lucerne August 2, and crossed the Brünig Pass as far as
Sarnen, where the horses were watered. We only stopped there
fifteen minutes. The next place we slopped at was Lungern, and we
reached Brienz for the night. We took a funny big row-boat, and two
men to row it across to Giessbach Falls, and reached Interlachen
August 3. We drove to Grindelwald, and saw two glaciers; and August
11 we came to Berne, saw the Bears' Den, the distant snow
mountains, and the Cathedral clock. We heard the organ, which was
the finest I ever heard, more beautiful than the organ in Lucerne.
We drove one afternoon in the woods, and saw some chamois that are
kept by the city. We left Berne, and came back to Lucerne. There we
staid till the snow fell on all the mountains near the lake, and it
was very cold.
September 1, we left Lucerne, and came to Bâle. On the journey,
part of the way the train went in the water, for it had rained a
long time, and the country was flooded. The peasants stood about
talking and trying to save their gardens and fences. Two or three
little children at one of the houses were being carried along over
the water on a big horse. There was one little village saved from
flooding by their cutting large drains through the principal roads.
When we reached Bâle the river Rhine was overflowing its banks, and
it was rushing down and carrying great trees, parts of houses,
fences, etc., along with it. There was great fear that it would
carry away the old bridge, and the firemen of the city put large
piles of railroad irons to weight it down, so that it should not be
floated down the river, and carried away from its supports. The
cellar of one of the buildings was full of stores, iron safes,
etc., and they bricked up the doors to keep out the water. One
street was so flooded that they made a board plank-walk above the
water.
We saw the Münster, and the cloister walk, and curiosities in the
tower of the Münster. In one room they had old musical instruments,
and books, with the music in them written in all the old ways. In
the Museum we saw Holbein's sketches. He was born in Bâle, and they
are proud of his pictures. We liked a sketch of two lambs and a
bat. At the Zoological Gardens we saw a fish-otter. He twirled
round and round in the water, would dive and swim and turn
somersaults.
September 4, we left Bâle by the night train for Troyes, France.
There we got into a funny little "'bus," drove to a little hotel,
and had our coffee and milk. We saw the Cathedral, and then took
the train for Foutainebleau.