State Library of NSW
[Page 92]
Lucerne 21st July 1861
My dear William
We seem to have lived a life since I last wrote to you from Milan - & I must try to give you a clear summary of our travels - leaving as usual details to Eth. The heat drove us out of Milan - & we proceeded to Como by railway after admiring the Cathedral by moonlight - & ascending its dizzy height at sunset. It was so hot that I always indulged in the Italian fashion of walking about with a fan. At Como the lake is scarcely visible - but the next day we proceeded by Steamer from one extremity to the other - taking up our lodging half way at Cadenabbia. It was certainly very pretty but do not think I should ever have G. Macleay's [Indecipherable] desire to make it my home. Perhaps I was a little disappointed in the Italian lakes & it might be that the weather was too hot - & very possibly if I remained some time, the scenery would grow upon me - but as it was I thought Como too shut in & the water not half blue enough - the blueness of the lakes is either quite a misrepresentation
[Cross written] Master [Indecipherable] Marquis was busy making Kirschwasser. We lingered over the beautiful view from the terrace, & made our way to the water side at Clarens to catch the Steamer - we wanted to ascend Mt Ney[?] but the weather was cloudy so we turned our [Indecipherable] by the Vevayse [Veveyse] to Freyburg [possibly Fribourg] & Berne [also spelt Bern]. At the former we heard the magnificent old organ - & saw the Bridges & the quaint old town. At the latter we visited the various sights the Bears among the number but we had no view of the Bernese Alps - it was all cloud & from hence to Thun we had continued rain - From Thun we went to the Giesback [Giessbach] falls - to Interlaken - & then to Lauterbrunnen - over the Wengen Alp to Grindelwald - over the [Leheidech?] to Meyrerigen [possibly Meiringen]- & thence to Brienz where we were very glad to rest for a night & morning. We have only wanted you dear William to have one
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