Tuesday, October 17th 1854 ~ Lucerne

View from Mt. Rigi (Photo: P.R. Lloyd)

Hotel du Cygne ~ I awoke at four o’clock this morning and sprang out of bed with delight at the sight of the moonbeams on the floor; the stars were out and not a cloud in the sky. I could not get asleep again and at five the porter knocked at my door and announced the hour, with the cheering words “il fait bien tempis monsieur.” [“it’s about time sir.”] To us who had waited so long for this sound, that we might see one of the finest views of Switzerland, it was welcome indeed. At six o’clock, we were on our way to “Weggis”, in the little “beautean a vapiur,” from thence to ascend the Rigi. The morning was charming; the tops of the mountains were covered with freshly fallen snow, which was silvered by the rising beams of the sun. The mists of the Lake curled up from the water and hung in the fleecy clouds below the mountain summits, dyed by the sun in rainbow hues. The lake is very narrow and makes very picturesque windings between its high and verdant banks. I shall never forget this scene, the rainbow mist, the shadows of the clouds on lake and mountain, the verdure below and the snow above! One hours steaming brought us to Weggis, where we breakfasted and took horses for the ascent of the mountain. Each horse accompanied by a man to lead him. The path up was conducted along the side of the mountain and gave splendid views of the lake and adjoining mountains at every step. The soil was very fine and vegetation abounded, but as we advanced, it gradually became less fourishing until at the summit we rode through snow six inches deep. The Rigi is only 5600 feet high and therefore never takes snow in the summer. Still the change of temperature is very marked between it and the valley. Below we had summer weather (too warm for overcoats), above they were greatly needed. The view from the Rigi-kulen was magnificent beyond description. Looking Southward a mass of snow covered peaks met our gaze, rising into the air like waves of some polar sea charmed by the cold while in full careen. Among them our guides pointed out the Jung Frau, the Silberhorn, the Bright-horn, the Monk etc., some of the highest mountains in Europe. Looking north a great extent of level country is visible extending as far as the Lake of Zurich, whose waters we saw a shining surface set in green. There is a good hotel on the top of the Rigi, when we took a lunch of petit pains and butter with hot milk punch, a beverage our landlord had never heard of before. We rested there an hour, had a polka in the drawing room and then took up our winding way downwards. We often see clouds below us. The lake of Zug lies on the opposite side of the Rigi from Lake Lucerne, and from the summit both are distinctly seen [louing?] either base. There are half a dozen smaller lakes quite near and within sight. From here a steamer is scarcely seen on Lake Lucerne just at our feet. It is but a mooring spot on the waters and looks like a duck on a mill pond. The ascent of the Rigi requires about two hours and the decent about the same time. We got back to Weggis at four o’clock and there took a row boat back to Lucerne propelled by two strong men. We past in skirting the shore several small islands on one of which was a little chapel dedicated to the patron saint of row boats. A man has been perfectly haunting us this afternoon to allow him to travel with us as a servant and will not take no for an answer, but we do not want him. One great nuisance in traveling on the Continent is to have to wade the importunities of guides, servants, couriers etc. that one does not want…and such importunities!