1-1 



RERK. 



I'.KKN*. 



loci 



that of Ijikc NeuchAtel. It in 217 and it abound* in fish. 



The Tbirle traverses it in it> whole length, and emerging from its 

 north-eastern extremity, runs into Uie Aar a few miles below the lake. 

 The small ulnnd of St.-Pierre, on which Rousseau resided for two 

 months in 17G5, is in the Lake of Bieune. At the eastern end of the 

 Ink. . n little above the mouth of the Buse, stands the little town of 

 Bif*M, which is defended by walls and towers, and haa about 8000 

 inhabitants. The Cbaaseral-Gestler Mountains, a high ridge of the 

 Jnra system, separates the Lake of Bienne from the Ergurl -tlml, 

 through which the Suse runs nearly in on eastern direction, anil th. u 

 turning at the eastern extremity of the Chaaaeral, runs south-south- 

 eactward to the north-eastern extremity of the lake. The Chasseral 

 is 290 feet above the sea ; there are magnificent views from it* crest 

 in clear weather. At the point where the Thiele issues from the lake 

 is the little town and castle of A've/au. The castle in flanked by 

 round towers and surmounted by a tall keep ; the family to whom 

 it belonged is extinct, and this castle is now used as a cantonal salt- 

 store. On the lake-shore near the Neuchatel frontier ia AV 

 small town of 1200 inhabitants ; and on the opposite side of the lake 

 is Erloch, with 500 inhabitant* and an old castle now used as n : 



The lakes of Brienz and Thun are expansions of the Aar. They 

 are separated by the fertile and picturesque district of Interlaken or 

 Interlachen. LaJct Briaa, celebrated for its fine mountain scenery, 

 is about 6 miles long and 2 miles broad in ita widest part. Its depth 

 varies from 600 feet near the mouth of the Qiessbach (which enters 

 the lake on its south-eastern shore, and is famous for its cascades down 

 the pine-clad mountains) to 2100 feet Its surface is 10 feet above 

 that of Lake Thun, and 850 feet above the level of the sea. The lake 

 abounds in fish ; one sort, called ' brieuz-ling,' are salted for the sup- 

 ply of the neighbouring districts. It is entirely surrounded by high 

 mountains except towards the south west : the Fanlhora, on the 

 south side of the lake, forms a magnificent object in the panorama. 

 The Aar enters Ha eastern end after traversing the valley of Hasli ; a 

 little way from the lake, on the left bank of the river, are H 

 celebrated falls of Reichenbach, by which the little river of Reichen- 

 bach descends nearly 2000 feet by a succession of leaps. A)><mt a 

 mile higher up the river is Meiriiiyrn, the chief place in the valley of 

 Hasli, with a population of about 700, and famous for Ha fine alpine 

 scenery, precipitous mountains, hanging woods, foaming cascades, and 

 snowy peaks. The fall of the Alpbach, celebrated for its triple circu- 

 lar iris when the morning sun shines upon it, is near Heiringen. The 

 Alpbach is subject to sudden and impetuous floods, which, sweeping 

 long vast quantities of disintegrated lias and marl from the strata 

 along its bed, has frequently done great damage in the valley. To 

 guard against ita disastrous inundations, a stone dyke 1000 feet long 

 and 8 feet wide has been constructed across the valley. The men of 

 Hasli have been always famous for their strength and skill in wrest- 

 ling : the women are lew ugly than those of many other Swiss valleys. 

 At the east end of the Lake of Brienz, on a narrow ledge at the foot 

 of the mountains, is the little town of Bricnz : population, 3000. A 

 road leads up the Aar to tha Orimsel Pass. Above the beautiful 

 green valley of Ober-Haxli the Aar forms perha|M the finest cataract 

 in Switzerland, falling more than 1 00 feet at one dash down a gloomy 

 gorge fringed with dark forests of fir. The Erlenbach, another stream 

 pouring in from the right, takes the same leap, and mingles its waters 

 in mid-air with those of the Aar. 



The Aar on emerging from the Bricnzer-see runs through the dis- 

 trict of I utcrlachen in a south-west direction for about three miles, and 

 then enters the Thuner-see or lake of Thun. The village of Interlaken 

 or Inieriudit*, prettily situated in a little plain between the two lakes, 

 with a distant view of the Jungfrau and within easy distance of some 

 of the finest views in Switzerland, consists of straggling whitewashed 

 lodging-booses and several boarding-houses, the resort of great num- 

 bers uf foreigners in summer. It took it* name from the Augustinian 

 monastery of Intcr-bcus ('between the lakes'), now suppressed. 

 Interlacben is the centre whence the beauties of the valleys of I.utr- 

 hrunnen and Orindelwald are usually explored. The neigh b-> 

 of the village Heelf is very pretty, and clothed with magi 

 walnut-trees. At a short distance west from Interlnchen, on th.- 

 right bank of the Aar, is Cntrr-tte* (which name means ' midway 

 between the lakes'), an old Swim village composed entirely of 

 wooden houaes mellowed and browned with age; m>ui" of tl. 

 900 yean old : population, 1000. The only stone buildings in Unter- 

 eeo are the castle and the town-hall. The Laic of Thun is about 

 12 miles long and about 2 miles wide. The shores along its north- 

 western part are laid out in villa and garden-gr" .intern 

 part of the north shore, which is skirted by the carriage-road from 

 Thun to luterlachen, is precipitous. Prom the south shore fine views 

 are obtained of the Stockholm, with Ha sharp projecting peak like .-. 

 horn, and of the pyramid of Nieesen surmounted by it* cone. At the 

 nv.tith of the Kander is an interesting deltoid formation, several 

 hundred acres in extent, formed within a century and a half by tlir 

 deposit* of the river round the termination of an artificial bed opened 

 rat in 1714. Iron steam-boats ply on Lake Thun. Th 

 AMU, pictiinwjnely situated on the right bank of the Aar, n little 

 below the point when the crystal river emerges from Lake Thun, has 

 about 6000 inhabitants. Its most remarkable structures are the 

 church, the feudal castle, which is said to have been built above 700 



years, and the town-hall. The town has some silk-manufactories, and 



is a favourite place of residence on account of its beuutiful ei. 



In summer the population in largely increased by visitors and t 



to the Bernese Oberland. The Swiss Confederation maintain 



tary school at Thun. The views of the lake and the Alp 



snows, glaciers, woods, and glens, from Tliun and ita neighbourhood, 



are themes of universal approval and delight. 



tie, Produce, <tc. The climate and produce vary greatly 

 according to the nature of the ground and the. position of the valleys. 

 The Oberland, or southern port, is very o-M in win forms 



the chief property uf the inhabitants. 'I u thai in tl 



valley in this district. The ceutml part of the c-auton. near Bern, the 

 country between the Anr and the Kmmen, and the district east of tha 

 latter river towards Luzeni constitute the finest and most !' 

 the canton, and produce corn, fruita, and rich pastures. The fan 

 extensive, the farmers wealthy, and their houses, built mostly ot 

 are roomy and comfortable. This is the richest agricultural >. 

 in Switzerland. 



The farm-houses in the Emmen-thal have more even than the usual 

 amplitude of roof, and appear to contain within their wooden li- 

 lies, and the supplementary space over which the immense thatch 

 spreads itself, every kind of country comfort aud all the rustic and 

 appropriate litter of the Bernese cottages : milk-pails freshly sc 

 and ranged in the sun ; wood piled up, or herbs spread out to dry 

 an array of bee-hives, there on accumulation of rakes, barrows, and 

 all the implements of husbandry ; and everywhere a profu,- 

 marguerites and hollyhocks, giving to the little gardens a gay > 

 There is in this country a prodigality of horned cattle, and, what a 

 passer-by can better appreciate, pleasant villages. Cream, honey, and 

 butter are the overflowings of the land. 



The canton of Bern produces corn and potatoes, though not 

 sufficient for the consumptiou of the, population, but fruit in 

 abundance, especially apples, pears, plums, uuta, and cherries. From 

 tic cherries the spirit railed kii.-ehwa.-ser }> made, which, as well as 

 the extract from absinth or wormwood, are articles of common use in 

 Switzerland. Beer and cider ore made in the country. The. vine 

 thrives in a few districts, chiefly in that of Kydau near the Lake of 

 Bienne, where wine ia made. Hemp and flax are also among the 

 products of the soil ; but cattle and the produce of the dairy coiioti- 

 tutc the chief wealth of the country ; cheese is made iu abundance for 

 exportation, especially in the valley hal, Simmv u-thal, and 



Qessenai, or Saanen. Irrigation aud the making of artificial meadows 

 are much followed in the valleys, and the mountain* afford summer 

 pasture in abundance. There are dairies in common, where the milk 

 put together and made into butter and cheese. 

 The numbers of horned cattle and pigs are very large. Horses are 

 not numerous ; those of the Emnion-thal are considered the beet The 

 chief mineral products are iron, lead, copper, granite, limestone, 

 marble, gypsum, freestone, marl, Ac. There arc numerous mineral 

 springs. 



The canton of Bern is nut, properly speaking, a manufacturing 

 country. Linen, leather, some silks, coarse woollens, aud paper; 

 mathematical instruments, watches, jewellery, firearms, and gun- 

 powder are made. In the valleys of the Jura, there are i ion -works and 

 foundries, the iron-ore being found in abundance in the mountains. 

 Wooden wares and toys are exclusively made in the Oberland and tho 

 Jura region. Timber for building and fuel are nipplnd by the 

 mountain forests, and from other woods in several parts of the low- 

 hinds. Tho principal timber-trees in the mountains arc pines 

 and beech. 



Education of the masses is well attended to; and for superior 

 instruction there are numerous and excellent establishments, com- 

 prising the in i Bern, several normal schools, and a literary 

 and industrial institution at Hofwyl. 



Animal*. The lakes of Bienne and Thun and the river Aar abound 

 with trout and salmon. Hares, chamois, marmots, and partridges are 

 tin- principal game. Bears and wolves are found in 

 but in small numbers. Among the In fi the l,a; 



geyer, the great vulture of the Alps, is 1 '* not very 



common : some are of very great size, and will carry oil' a lamb to the 

 mountains, from which circumstance their name is derived. 



Communic<tti,,ni.-'nn' roads through the canton of Rern are 

 wide, well constructed, and kept in excellent repair. Kvcn in the 

 valleys of th. roads are practicable for the car- 



riages of the country. The mails and singe-coached are also MTV well 

 organiiv-d. Tl inn- on the road are good. It has been obf 

 that the rood,- and the public buildings are the only magnificent works 

 in the canton of Bern. The most important roads are those from Hern 

 to Zurich, t RAsel, and to Geneva; from the Zurich route a road 

 lead* up tin- Kininen-thal through Burgdorf, and from Bern two roads 

 hward, one up each bank of the Aar to Thun. whence other 

 line* branch off along the lakes and to the valleys of the Oberlnnd. 

 A system of railways has been projected, of which Bern is the centre. 

 One great line is to run westward from Bern along the Hiuthcrn shores 

 of lakes Morat and Neuchatel to Iverdun, whence it will proceed south 

 by west to the north shore of the Lake of Geneva and along that lake to 

 Coppet A north-eastern line to connect Bern with Basel crosses the 

 canton to the Lower Einmcn, then along the valley of the Aar to 



