This morning at ten o'clock, mounted on mules, and the guides on foot leading them, we ascended Montanvert to see the celebrated Mer de Glace. The bridle-path was excellent, and no danger, though it was fearful to look down in many places. We were two hours going up to the little inn on the top, from whence you descend two hundred and eighty feet to the Mer de Glace. I was never so disappointed in my life; it looks so white in the distance, and now there was one enormous mass of ice, looking like the dirty ice piled up on the sides of our rivers and creeks in the spring, only this dirty ice was six miles long, and in some places more than a mile wide. It was as if the whole Clove road was filled up with ice. I sat down on a boulder and actually pouted. To descend to the glacier, you had to go down a steep path, now on stones, and then what looked like pulverized lime and sand. I would not go. But there were numbers going down, and among them some clumsy, helpless-looking ladies. Providing an extra guide, a stout-looking young man, I consented to let the one of our party who wished to go venture it. The courier and I sat looking on, and were amused at seeing that it was as much as the two guides could do to keep up with the one they were sent to help. We had a good fieldglass and saw the gaping crevasses, looking green in some places, and almost as blue as indigo in others. When the party came up, one of the guides, who had been to the top of Mont Blanc thirty-two times, said to me, "Mademoiselle should go up Mont Blanc. She is like a young chamois." We went into the inn, took a lunch, and after giving another look at the sharp needles, which seem to stand sentinels around the Mer de Glace, we turned towards Chamounix. The courier walked all the way down the mountain. We walked a part of the way, and then, when tired, mounted our mules again. The road seemed steeper going down than when we ascended. I asked my guide how much he made in the course of the season. He said if he made as much as twenty dollars he thought he had done well. Every now and then I saw women and girls sitting under the trees knitting, and looking after their cows or goats, and thought to them the tinkling of the bells must sound pleasantly. We

reached the hotel a little before sunset, fatigued and hungry enough to relish our dinner and to sleep soundly.

HOTEL DE LA PAIX, GENEVA, August 30.-We returned from Chamounix yesterday in the diligence in much less time than we took to go up there. Both going and coming the tourists were consulting their guide-books, while we only had to ask our courier, who knew all the points of interest. The weather has been exceedingly fair, and no accidents have happened this season thus far. I should think there would be danger if there should chance to be much rain. Those needles must have become thus sharp from the snow falling on them, melting, and sliding off. To me they seemed most wonderful. At Montanvert, where I stood, I was six thousand three hundred and two feet above the level of the sea; the Aiguille du Dru, I was told, was seven thousand feet higher than I was, while the Charmoz was six thousand one hundred feet higher than the Dru. I wish I could get a good picture of them.

At dinner yesterday we met two acquaintances traveling with an elderly lady. They came from Paris yesterday, and are making the tour of Switzerland. They invited one of us to take a row on the lake with them. From the balcony of our parlor we saw the elder lady go on the pier, engage the boat, and as soon as they were seated one of the young ladies took a pair of oars as well as the boatmen, and off they went. They have no gentleman nor courier with them. I believe in my heart that people are more afraid of elderly ladies than they are of gentlemen or couriers. General said he could manage an army and face an enemy, but he could never manage his wife, and owned to having some fear of facing her when she was not in a good humor.

I showed our letter of introduction to our courier. He said, "You keep that with you. I don't imagine you will need it ; but still it is a power." It would take an enormous deal of time in unpacking and dressing and hiring carriages to call on all our officials on the continent. People begin it, but give it up Gentlemen traveling alone may

very soon, saying it don't pay.

do it to pass the time, or because they are lonesome, and have nowhere to go.

Everywhere we meet ladies traveling alone. Even the prinky, single English ladies travel only with a maid who speaks French and German. Last night was a bright and moonlight night, and the lake looked perfectly resplendent. Ladies, unattended, were walking unconcernedly in every direction along the shore. Had the pleasure of receiving letters from home this afternoon. We go to Vevay from here; it is only a two hours' sail. The apartments we occupy are engaged for the son of the Viceroy of Egypt, Hassan Bey, who is expected in a day or two. From Vevay we shall make an excursion to the castle of Chillon. We are all in good health, and thankful that all are well at home.

GRAND HOTEL DE VEVAY, September 2.—We left Geneva in the steamer Bonnivard (named after the patriot who was chained six years to a pillar in the castle of Chillon), and had a delightful sail up the lake. As we were leaving Geneva I stood on the deck admiring the beauty of its situation and thinking of its history when it joined the Helvetic Confederation in 1519; when the Duke of Savoy tried to conquer it in 1602; when Calvin established himself there in 1536, where also he died in 1554, leaving it the capital of a new religious world," Protestant Rome." Napoleon found Geneva united to France, and kept it, like a piece of golden embroidery, on the corner of his imperial mantle. In 1814, when the kings were distributing the countries he had attached to his empire, giving Belgium to the King of Holland, Savoy and Piedmont to the King of Sardinia, Italy to the Emperor of Austria, unwilling to allow France to keep Geneva, they made a present of it to Switzerland. Who can keep track of all the changes of the cities and countries in central Europe? I must keep my wits about me, and remember that I was in France when I was in Chamounix, and in Switzerland when I was in Geneva, and find out whose dominions I am going into now. Do not remember any customhouse, however, either in going or returning. But, then, what contraband could be carried to the peasants there, and what