^T. 28.] JOURNAL. 251 



stopped raining the youngster and I started together ; 

 I transferred my knapsack to his shoulders, and a 

 franc and a half to his pocket, to the great satisfaction 

 of both parties. He proved a very useful little fellow, 

 though I could not understand much of what he said ; 

 he showed me some waterfalls and curious things that 

 I should otherwise have missed. With the true spirit 

 of his nation, ever ready to improve an opportunity, 

 he told me he had a brother who spoke French, who 

 would be my guide for the next day. It rained most of 

 the way, but I was compensated for the partial wetting 

 by the views of the most beautiful waterfalls, which 

 fell into the valley in great profusion from the high 

 precipices on each side. I could sometimes see twenty 

 at one view. After a long and weary descent we came 

 at last near the bottom, where this valley, and two 

 others almost at the same point, fell into the main 

 valley of the Aar, and I could look at the same 

 moment up four deep and wild mountain valleys. 

 Then skirting along the side of the mountain, we soon 

 descended to Meyringen, deep in the main valley of 

 the Aar, with two fine cascades behind it, and another 

 very fine one, the cascade of the Reichenbach, on 

 the opposite side of the valley. Glad enough was 

 I when we reached the door of the humble auberge, 

 and great was the havoc I made with the eatables 

 which the kind landlady provided in abundance and 

 of excellent quality. I sat down on a sofa in my 

 chamber to read a little, but fell asleep instantly ; 

 slept until eleven, then took my bed and slept imtil 

 half past seven in the morning. 



I can say, with Sancho Panza, " Blest be the man 

 who first invented sleep." In the evening, what with 

 my great fatigue and blistered feet, I supposed I 



