10

LUCERNE TO STACHELBERG

noisiest of Sunday resting-places!) at six o’clock onMonday, August 5th, we reached the lake beforeeleven, and were soon joined at the Schweitzer Hofby Couttet, who was waiting our arrival. The heatand glare of the mid-day sun offered no inducementto linger, and after a few necessary purchases, wewere ready to leave, by the steamer up the lake, attwo o’clock. On either side, Pilatus and the Eighiraised their now rival crests against the cloudlesssky. A new hotel has lately been built just belowthe summit of Pilatus , and the extended panoramacommanded by its greater height will probablyattract many who would otherwise have been satisfiedby a night on the Eighi. The access, particularlyfrom the side of Alpnach , is quite easy and safe onhorseback. Two routes to Stachelberg were open tous from Lucerne . The most direct would have beento leave the lake at Brunnen , and, after passingthrough Schweitz , to sleep at Muotta. There is ahorse-path up the valley from thence as far as Eigen,whence a foot-path traverses the Bisithal, and makesa rapid descent down the mountain side, and throughthe woods, above the baths of Stachelberg. We hadalready been as far as Muotta, on our way by thePragel Pass to Glarus , but of the further portion ofthe route we could obtain no information, and not