GERMANY, THROUGH SWITZERLAND, TO ITALY. 87 



more desirable residence could hardly be wished. Mr. and Mrs. 

 Brannan kindly invited me to remain some time at their villa ; 

 but this offer I was obliged to decline, as my duty called me to 

 work in other parts. Mr. Brannan visited me at the hotel, and we 

 together went to visit Mrs. Ilitchcock. On arriving at her resi- 

 dence we found that Mrs. 11. was absent, but were received by 

 Miss Hitchcock. With this young lady's graceful reception and 

 accomplished manners we were very much struck. But time pre- 

 vented us from enjoying long the pleasure of her company, as we 

 were obliged to make haste to take the cars, which conveyed us 

 to St. Jean de Moreno. 



The road runs a long time on the banks of the Eiver Rhone, 

 and at the foot of a range of hills, which are planted thickly with 

 vines. I noticed that some of them were planted four feet apart, 

 and without sticks, as mine are in Sonoma. The vines were not 

 pruned, and were well filled with grapes for this country. Occa- 

 sionally I saw some staked vineyards, as if opinions differed as to 

 the best mode ; but the unstaked were the most prevalent. 



On reaching the French line we were stopped, and got out to 

 have our trunks and passports examined ; but as I passed the ofiS.- 

 cial without even giving him a look, he allowed me to go on with- 

 out a question. The trunks of my i^arty were merely brought in 

 and taken out without the slightest investigation. This being 

 the limit of the Sardinian territory lately annexed by Napoleon 

 to France, we soon saw something of the Italian mode of culti- 

 vating the vine, which is planted by a small tree, and allowed to 

 run entirely over it, making it resemble a diminutive haystack. 

 The rows are about 100 to 120 feet apart. In this space is plant- 

 ed grain or Indian corn, of which much is here raised. On the 

 lake side vines are extensively raised in the manner before de- 

 scribed. Mulberry-trees also begin to make their appearance, 

 sometimes with grapes running over them, and sometimes fur- 

 nishing food for the si Ik- worm. 



Night soon set in, and nothing could be seen but a few lights 

 dancing about on the towering mountains at whose base we pass- 

 ed. At half past eight o'clock we arrived at St. Jean, which is 

 the terminus of the present railroad. The hotel at which we 

 stopped was only a few minutes' walk from the station, but the 

 town itself is a quarter of an hour's walk. 



September 4. — Early this morning I went to hire a carriage to 

 take us across the Alps. I succeeded, and we started at seven 



