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DIRECTIONS FOR TRAVELLERS.
berg and Bale; or you may proceed as far as Mannheim in the steamer—thence by railto Heidelberg and Bale.
By the mail train, via Calais , from London to Paris , as well as the special tidal service,rid Folks tone to Boulogne—your luggage is passed through to Paris unopened.
In Switzerland there is but one very short railroad between Baden and Zurich . Dili-gences run to all parts, and are admirably managed by the government. If the diligencois full, a supplement is put on, and follows the diligence. The rate of travelling isabout six miles an hour, at a charge of from one to two francs per hour.
Post-horses may bo procured on the principal roads, but they are not allowed to crossthe frontier.
Carriages for hire, of various descriptions, may be met with in every town and villagewhere there is an hotel, and the charges are moderate ; but bargains should invariablybe made respecting the “ pour boire,” or “ trinJ>gelo,” and the back-fare, which is alwayscharged unless the man be returning home. Char-a-bancs, or, as they have beencalled, “ sofas on wheels,” may sometimes bo met with, though they seem to bogradually giving way to better vehicles. On the mountains, where there are no clearroads, mules and horses are the only modes of conveyance. They are slow but sure,and will carry very heavy loads along the worst of paths, and by the side of the mostfrightful precipices. The charge at Chamouni is six francs a day, and the same for theguide ; in Switzerland it is nine francs per diem, including the man who takes care of it.Chaises -a-porteurs, or chairs borne by two men, are provided for invalids.
On the lakes of Switzerland and northern Italy steamers run two or three times a day,and touch at various places. The fare is moderate, and very tolerable provisions may behad on board.
In northern Italy there are railroads from Turin through Asti and Novi to Arquata ,about forty miles from Genoa —from Como to Milan —from Milan to Treviglio—and fromVerona and Mantua to Venice .
The charge for luggage is very high on these rails.
Hotels. —In Switzerland the hotels are for the most part comfortable and cleanly. Insome of the large towns they are on a scale hardly surpassed by any in France orGermany . In some a scale of charges is affixed to the bed-room doors. Beds, fromII to 2 francs ; breakfast, without meat or eggs, lfr. 50c., and the same for tea. Tablo-d’hote, at the regular hour, 3fr. and upwards. The second or third table d’hote,intended especially for the English , is 4 or 5fr. ”\Vax candles arc frequently supplied forthe bed-rooms, and charged dearly for. This should be resisted. Service, if not chargedin the bill, is expected at the rate of lfr. per diem. Hot and cold baths may generallybe had.
In northern Italy there is not so much cleanliness nor so much attention to the wantsof the English traveller. However, persons may be very comfortable who will conformto the habits of the country.
Couriers and Guides. —We would strongly advise travellers not to take couriers withthem, unless totally unacquainted with French . Guides, though seldom necessary, willgenerally be found obliging and well-informed, and will, if the traveller be walking,carry his luggage for him. Porters may be obtained at half the expense of guides, andyet will serve as guides.
Money. —English sovereigns and French Napoleons will pass almost all over thecontinent, though the former are not much known in Italy . It is, however, preferablefor a long journey to procure circular notes from some London banker, which can becashed in all chief towns. In Switzerland and Piedmont, French francs and centimesare the usual coin at hotels.
Maxim. —Be civil and submissive to the custom-house officers, and always have thepassport en regie.
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