39G TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



wished, making leisurely observations and researches. 

 Very little assistance or information is to be had of 

 the inhabitants, who on the whole are not much ac- 

 quainted with the characteristical natural treasures of 

 their country, and it is besides vexatious enough, when 

 they begin to tell of this or that just when one is on the 

 point of pushing on farther, having previously made 

 inquiries in vain regarding the curiosities of the region 

 or gone about looking for them oneself. These people, 

 who naturally concern themselves only about what 

 brings them in a profit, cannot conceive how a stranger 

 might like to know of what to them are customary 

 things ; they think that one has merely come to see 

 their fine country and their fortunate way of life. 

 Moreover the season being late and the time not the 

 most favorable for a mountain-journey, the sum of my 

 observations did not correspond to my wishes or my 

 expectations. My travelling-companion and I had been 

 diligent collectors, had collected everything which came 

 to our notice; but our journey ended, the pleasure of 

 quietly examining what we had brought together was 

 denied us, at least we had not the time to look into 

 everything. The many difficulties we encountered, un- 

 known to us before the event or fancied as of small 

 moment, especially in the item of getting our baggage 

 through the interior of the country, safely and at the 

 right time from place to place, caused us the mortifica- 

 tion of losing much outright and of seeing a great part 

 of the remainder ruined or badly handled. Had we 

 been able to foresee these difficulties (certainly great if 

 through them the particular cherished design of a 

 journey is made idle) we should, doubtless, have hit 

 upon better methods in the avoidance of them. In the 



