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two miles wide, almost entirely inclosed by the land and a long pier on either side.

We left Genoa about eight o'clock on the morning of the 17th, and arrived at Turin at half past twelve. We spent the afternoon in another survey of portions of the city, embracing occasion to exchange what Italian money we had for gold. While in Italy we sold our gold at from six to eight per cent. for paper. Preferring to travel by the day line, we stopped over night in Turin. The ground here was covered with two or three inches of snow, and the weather was so cold that, although we had a good supply of wood, we found it almost impossible to keep from freezing in our rooms, and were only made comfortable by jugs of hot water in our beds. The rooms of the hotel appear to have been constructed to admit the cold in instead of excluding it; and the fireplaces are sunk as far into the wall as possible, allowing nearly all the heat to go up the chimney. Leaving at nine the next morning, we arrived at Geneva, by the way of the Mont Cenis Tunnel, at half past eight in the evening, happy to be so far toward home.

CHAPTER LVI.

PARIS, MARCH 15.-Now behold us in the grand

capital of "La Belle France." We did not hasten hither, because we were comfortably situated at Geneva for recuperation, and we were advised that the season here, owing to almost constant rains, was very unpleasant. Nor, we are bound to say, had Geneva much to brag of in this respect, for during all the time we tarried there, from the 18th of February to the 14th of March, we saw very few fair days. One of these was availed of to visit Coppet, the residence of Madame de Staël, situated on Lake Leman, nine miles northeast of the city. Her house is quite palatial and all its surroundings are charming. Only some half dozen rooms are shown to visitors. In one of these is her portrait and others of her family; and the old furniture is also preserved, just as she left it at her death. Everybody, of course, knows that she was the daughter of Monsieur Necker, the distinguished French statesman, and that she was exiled and otherwise persecuted on account of her opposition to Napoleon Bonaparte. She, however, returned to Paris, where she died on the 14th of July, 1817; and, in accordance with her expressed desire, her remains were brought to Coppet and buried by the side of those of her father, to whom she was devotedly attached. Among her last words, she said to her daughter: "My father is waiting for me in the other world, and I shall soon go to him." Two days before her death, she read and commented on Byron's "Manfred," then just published, and on the morning of her death she pointed to these passages:

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Before dismissing Geneva, we should not forget to say that this is a good place to get crystals, carved wood, and almost every kind of fancy articles; and Bruel, on rue des Allemands, who deals in these goods, is recommended to us by Mrs. Consul Upton as obliging and honest, and as having always dealt fairly with Americans. For watches, she referred us to Messrs. Patek and Philippe and Mr. Magnin. The Patek firm, she said, have been ever kind and attentive to Americans, rendering the most valuable services at all times.

As in traveling from Turin to Geneva, a long day's ride, we found it desirable to take the firstclass cars, so, in starting from Geneva at half past three in the afternoon, to travel all night to Paris, we chose the express train, in which only first-class cars are run. It rained when we started, and the night was raw and cold; but our compartment, warmed by hot water in long flat or partially oval vessels under our feet, was very comfortable. The water in these cylindrical brass or copper vessels, two of which reached across the car, was changed once or twice on the passage. We had it in contemplation to stop at Fontainebleau; but when we reached there about daylight, the weather was so wretchedly uninviting that we decided to go on, and it was half

past seven when we arrived at the Grand Hôtel du Louvre, where we staid while in Paris. For miles between Fontainebleau and Paris, we saw a sight such as we have sometimes seen in dreams, but never expected to behold in reality. From the overflow of the Seine, owing to long continued and heavy rains, the country for miles around was under water. What was naturally dry land under cultivation and dotted with dwelling houses was now a broad lake, or series of lakes, the waves of which came rolling up to the railroad track; and but for the scattering trees and buildings in the midst of the waters, a stranger would have had no thought other than that he was journeying along by a permanent lake. The inhabitants were passing from house to house in boats and entering or leaving their dwellings by the windows of the second stories. It was an extraordinary sight indeed.

Before entering upon a hasty view of the great capital, we have a mind to give a brief description of a trip the writer made, with his son Henry, in October, 1867, from Genoa via Nice, Toulon, Marseilles, Arles, Nismes, Lyons, Dijon, and Fontainebleau to Paris. This was before the railroad was built between Spezzia and Nice, and we traveled by diligence over what is called the Conechee Road. It took us along over high hills and mountains and into deep valleys, through endless forests of chestnut trees, literally bowing under their abundance of fruit, and figs also were quite plenty on some portions of the route, selling, dried, at two cents a pound. The chestnuts are twice the size but not nearly so sweet as those of our country. Olives, too, were in abundance. The olive is about the size and shape of an apple tree, and in the

shape and size of its branches and leaves much resembles our swamp willow. It was a hard ride from Genoa to Nice, occupying from nine o'clock one evening till the same hour the next evening, twenty-four hours, with only short stops to change horses. On some portions of the way we were near the shore, the waves of the Mediterranean breaking at our feet; but, for the most part, we were high up on the mountains, which, with those also between Genoa and Spezzia, were then being tunneled for a railroad. Not far from the line between Italy and France we were much interested in looking from our high position on the mountains off upon the city of Monaco, the smallest principality in the world. It lies on the Mediterranean, and when we passed early in the evening it was brilliantly illuminated.

We rested over night at Nice, the well known place of winter resort, provided with many elegant hotels and handsome boarding houses. At Toulon we remained over one train for dinner, feasting on fresh sardines, which are nearly as luscious as brook trout. After dinner we took a walk around town, visiting one or two churches, saw the convict hulks in the harbor, and glimpses of many other sights. Fore street was filled with sailors, and everything had the appearance of an active business

town.

A ride of about two hours brought us to Marseilles, of which city we obtained a fine view from a high ledge overlooking it, and on which stands the Church of Nôtre Dame de la Garde. In this Church there are many curious paintings, but none possessing very much merit. At the entrance of the harbor are three or four small islands, which

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