26 SPARKS FROM A GEOLOGIST'S HAMMER. 



form fades by degrees into the dull hue of the back- 

 ground sky. The snowy range is no longer discernible 

 vanished from mortal eyes into the very heaven to which 

 its supernal glories seemed to belong. It is sunset 

 it is twilight it is evening; and we turn with a feel- 

 ing of revulsion and discontent from the splendors of 

 Nature to the jargon of the babbling throng in the 

 street. 



The highway from Geneva to Chamonix is a finely 

 macadamized turnpike. Communication is maintained 

 during the summer by means of lines of daily stages 

 known as " diligences. 1 ' Between the proprietors of 

 these a sharp competition exists for the patronage of 

 the traveling public, whose plethoric but ever-bleeding 

 purses sustain not only the lines of diligences, but also 

 half the other business of the city. English-speaking 

 travelers are a chief reliance of Genevese tradespeople 

 and proprietors of means of conveyance. But of all 

 nationalities, the American is regarded as the fattest 

 and most lawful game; and the vultures of trade gather 

 around him with an attentiveness which may be very flat- 

 tering, though certainly very expensive. The idea ob- 

 tains that the purse of the American is alwa} r s aching 

 with distension, and that he is perfectly willing to re- 

 ceive politely offered relief. It is naively admitted by 

 Genevese tradespeople that they have four prices in as- 

 cending order: the first for citizens; the second for 

 Germans and Italians; the third for the English, and 

 the fourth for Americans, whom they declare it right 

 to tax one hundred per cent above the citizen. 



Accordingly, the agents of the several lines of dili- 

 gences posted before the doors of their offices, along 



