INTRODUCTORY.

13

Swiss Boy, the first we had seen: he was very dirtyand lubberly, had a large goitre, and was half-witted.The Alpine maidens, also, we encountered put usmore in mind of Poor Law Unions than Annuals andBallads : indeed, the Swiss villagers may be classedwith Troubadours , Minstrel Pages, Shepherdesses,Rovers' Brides , and other fabulous pets of small poetsand vocalists. We made a halt at Servoz, where weeach bought a long pole, with a chamois’ horn at thetop, of the man at the inn. We also had breakfastthere, for which he sent on our knapsacks in someone else’s char to Chamouni, where we arrived athalf-past-one—as soon as those who had ridden, andnot half so much bumped about and shaken. Ourbed-room, being high, had a far better view over thevalley than any of the others; and our “ repast”appeared just as good as the table-d’hote dinner, withthe advantage of having it to ourselves. In theafternoon we went out in the fields, and sat on theflax-bundles, buving some bread and honey for supper,and finishing our cognac. Mont Blanc does not look tobe so very high from Chamouni, by reason of every-thing around it being on a gigantic scale; in fact, theFrenchman offered to wager that he would walk upit in a day. Certainly, if anybody could have doneit, he would have been the man.

Thursday, 27 th .—We started at seven for the Mer