ELEVENTH LETTER. 



found real winter weather when we reached 

 Switzerland. There had been a very heavy fall 

 of snow just about the time of our leaving Milan, where 

 it came in the form of rain. The avalanches were 

 giving the railways a good deal of trouble, and caused 

 the death of sever.il men. Clearing the track for our 

 train, seven poor fellows were buried up in an 

 avalanche and killed, just at the entrance to St. 

 Gothard tunnel. The passengers on our train, learn- 

 ing of the painful accident, made a collection for the 

 suffering families, which we handed over to the station 

 authorities for distribution among those whose bread- 

 winners had been so suddenly taken from them. 



After passing the beautiful Lake Como, along whose 

 pretty shore we ran for several miles, we were obliged 

 to halt at Lugano, and remain there for over twenty- 

 four hours till the track could be cleared for us. In 

 passing through these Alps we are reminded of the 

 saying, " God made the country, man made the town." 

 Nature is still ahead. What tongue or pen can 



