476 



BERN. 



Bern. the growth of cotton was attempted, but with little 

 -~-* success ; and in 1800, there were not more than 200 

 acres applied to that purpose. Sec Piukerton's ( ,- 

 grapliy, vol. ii. p. 631. Edward's Hist, of West 

 Indies, vol. i. p. ,51(i. Raynal's Hist, of IVest 

 Indies, vol. v. p. 52. Modem Univ. Hist. vol. xli. 

 p. 339. (?) 



BERN, the largest and most important of the 

 thirteen cantons of Swisserland, is bounded on the 

 north by the cantons of Soleure and Basle, and the 

 Austrian forest towns ; on the east by the cantons of 

 Uri, Underwalden, Lucrrn, and the county of Baden ; 

 on the south by the Valais, the lake of Geneva, and 

 the duchy of Savoy ; and on the west by the canton 

 of Soleure, the county of Bienne, and part of France. 

 Its extent embraces about one-third of Swisserland, 

 and contains one-fourth of the whole population ; yet 

 it held only the second rank among the cantons, fol- 

 lowing immediately after Zurich. This canton is di- 

 vided into two large branches or districts, called the 

 German district, and the Roman district, or the Pays 

 de Vaud ; the former of which extends from Murat 

 or Murten, to the Rhine ; the latter from Murat to 

 Geneva. 



The rugged and stupendous mountains which en- 

 circle the canton of Bern, its deep and gloomy fo- 

 rests, its lakes and marshes, while they exhibic the 

 most picturesque and varied scenery, seem at first 

 view to promise but little fertility, and to present 

 insuperable obstacles to the operations of agricul- 

 ture. In common years, indeed, its crops are insuf- 

 ficient for the consumption of the inhabitants ; yet 

 there is no country in Swisserland which presents in 

 general a more smiling appearance, and where the 

 triumphs of labour are more strikingly displayed. Its 

 marshes are converted into luxuriant meadows ; the 

 sides of its mountains are covered with vineyards ; 

 and rich harvests are extorted from every portion of 

 the soil where it is possible to guide the plough, or 

 to carry the spade. Previous to its subjugation by 

 the French, Bern was one of the happiest countries 

 in the world. With the exception of the nobility, 

 who disdained to engage in any business but the go- 

 vernment of the state, every hand was employed in 

 industry; a general air of prosperity prevailed through- 

 out the land ; and the hut, even of the lowest pea- 

 sant, was the abode of comfort and content. 



To give our readers an idea of the general appear- 

 ance of this once-favoured country, we shall conduct 

 him through its different provinces in an excursion from 

 the capital, directing his view, as we pass, to the ob- 

 jects most attractive in its scenery, or most important 

 as characterising the progress of improvement, the re- 

 sources of the state, or the manners of the people. 

 The small district immediately surrounding the capi- 

 tal, though by no means naturally fertile, is extremely 

 interesting from the activity of its numerous popula- 

 tion, animated by the facilities which the town affords 

 for disposing of the fruits of their labour, to the most 

 eager diligence in cultivating their fields. By far the 

 most beautiful part of this district, is the valley be- 

 tween Bern and Thun. It is refreshed and enlivened 

 by the river Aar, on the banks of which are many 

 handsome villages ; and the lowest parts of the moun- 

 tains which bound the valley are adorned with castles 

 and villas, equally delightful by the views which they 



command, the richness of their domain, ad the num- 

 ber of their living springs. The rest of the province 

 is occupied by mountains ; on the heights, and 

 reverse of which, are seen forests of fir trees, mingled 

 with beeches and oaks. 



To the south of this district is Oberland, or the pro- 

 vince of the Alps, which branches out into several val- 

 lies from the lake of Thun to the Glaciers. Nothing 

 in the scenery of Swisserland is finer than the situation 

 of the castle and town ot Thun. They stand near 

 the brink, of a charming basin, which is formed by a 

 lake surrounded by mountains in the form of an am- 

 phitheatre, above which appear in distant perspective, 

 the aerial summits of the Alps, clad in everlasting 

 snow3. The banks of the lake are covered with vine- 

 yards, which, though not remarkable for their luxu- 

 riance or their quality, add much to the beauty of the 

 scenery. Above these the country is rugged and 

 high, sprinkled with sonfe trees, and enlivened in sum- 

 mer by the herds and Hocks that browze on its herb- 

 age. The valley which lies between the lake of Thun 

 and the lake of Brientz, narrowed on each side by ap- 

 proximating mountains, has been aptly termed the 

 vestibule of the Alps : It is formed entirely of stones 

 rolled down by torrents from the mountains, and 

 seems to have been interposed in some dreadful con- 

 vulsion, as a barrier to the once united lakes which 

 it now separates. 



From the extremity of the lake of Brientz, the val- 

 ley stretches for nine or ten leagues, regularly ascend- 

 ing till its meets the foot of the Grimsel, which forms 

 a branch of the lofty ridge of St Gothard. This track, 

 called the country of Hassle, is frequently inundated 

 by the Aar, which, taking its source under the Gla- 

 ciers, forms, before its fall into the lakes, a most impe- 

 tuous and destructive torrent. The whole of this cold 

 and sequestered vale is cheerless and ill-peopled ; and 

 as their herds form the only resource of its inhabitants, 

 they seldom rise above poverty and want. The small 

 valley between the two lakes presents a very different 

 scene. Its temperate climate induces all the shep- 

 herds of the neighbouring Alps to assemble here in 

 winter with their families ; and in the extent of about 

 two square leagues, it contains two towns, each the 

 residence of a bailiff, and is covered with villages, cot- 

 tages, and orchards. From thence we pass through 

 the mouth of very savage mountains, into two insu- 

 lated vallies. That of Lauterbruunen on the right, 

 terminating at the foot of the enormous glaciers of 

 the Virgin, is remarkable for the cascade of the rivu- 

 let of Staubach, which, swelled by the rain, falls 

 from a perpendicular height of eleven hundred feet. 

 On the left, the very elevated valley of Grindelwald, 

 presents, amidst the horrors of a desert, the interest- 

 ing picture of an Alpine colony, inhabiting a fertile 

 and well cultivated spot of ground, terminated on the 

 south by abysses ot eternal ice. It was from these 

 singular countries that the immortal poet of the Alps 

 took the originals ot his pictures. 



To the south and south-east of the lake of Thun, 

 extend the bailliages of Frontinguen and Siebenthal. 

 The first forms a very wide and fertile valley in the 

 lower part, which becomes narrower and wilder aa 

 the land is more elevated. At the southern extremi- 

 ty, a road is cut out of the rock which overhangs, the 

 precipices, conducting to the baths of Leuk, famous 



Bent. 



