Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1862 Excerpt:...so that we forgot the robbers and every other unpleasant subject, and when at broad daylight we regained our senses, we found ourselves very near Berne, the capital of the canton of that name, and at seven o'clock passed through the city gates, and rejoiced in the opportunity once more afforded us of stretching our cramped-up limbs. But we had been more than compensated for all our toils, and I would urge my reader, if he should ever have the opportunity of going from Basle to Berne, by all means to take the Delemont route in preference to any other, if he wishes for scenery both beautiful and bold. Berne is a most picturesque place, affording the traveller everything conducive to pleasure and comfort. 'The Falcon Hotel' is a house where a man may soon feel himself at home; unobtrusive attention and good fare there await him. Old Bruin seems to have special honour done to him in this place: bears living or dead, everywhere abound; you see them on the city gates, on dangling signs, on coins, on fountains, on poles, on almost everything. Tradition says, that on the day when the foundations of the city were laid, an enormous bear was slain on the spot. This was looked upon as a good omen, and thenceforth the 'bear' was constituted the city arms. The streets are kept delightfully pure, by rills of water running through them, and in the centre are many fountains, ornamented with effigies, some of them of a very comical character: for instance, on one is the figure of an ugly ogre, in the act of devouring a little child, with several others stuck in his girdle, as a reserve for a future mouthful. In the centre of the town, there is a tower with a curious clock, the works of which are made to perform some extraordinary feats. A minute before the hour strikes, an o...