I remained at Geneva longer than I had at first intended, and at last quitted it with regret. I shall ever recollect the time I spent there with pleasure; but the period allotted for my tour would not permit me to remain any longer stationary; and I therefore set off for the mountains of Jura, celebrated for the extensive and varied prospects which they afford of the Alps, &c. I was much pleased with the scenery of the little lake and valley of Joux, shut out by mountains from the rest of the Canton of Vaud. At Coponex I met two gentlemen, who were indebted to their horse for having escaped being robbed the evening before. They were travelling slowly in an open carriage, when suddenly they were ordered to stop by several men of French appearance, who were thought to be disbanded soldiers. This adventure made a great noise in a neighbourhood, where highway robbery is extremely unusual. We breakfasted at a neat inn in the village of Lassera, and afterwards went to see the chief curiosity of the place, the separation of a rivulet into two branches, one of which falls into the Lake of Neufchâtel, and eventually through the rivers Aar and Rhine into the German Ocean; the other runs into the Lake of Geneva, and by means of the Rhone at length reaches the Mediterranean. This singularity proves the facility with which the Lakes of Neufchâtel and Geneva might be made to communicate with each other. Accordingly, a canal has long since been commenced; but its projectors have made little p>rogress in their undertaking. The little town of Orbe, is nearly surrounded by a river of the same name; it bears evident marks of antiquity, and from its position, must have been in former times a place of considerable strength. The ancient kings of Burgundy had a residence here.
This part of the country is highly varied, and presents a most picturesque appearance.
Land in the Pays de Vaud, I found, generally sells for about twenty-five years purchase; and 3½ or 4 per cent, is thought sufficient interest for money invested in it. Travelling and living are much dearer in this country than in France, as although the inhabitants have few superfluities, yet they have to fetch them from a distance, Switzerland not affording a sufficient supply of food for the support of its inhabitants.
Yverdun was our next stage; it is after Lausanne and Vevay the most considerable town in the canton. It is situated close to the Lake of Neufchâtel, and is surrounded by water. It consists of three parallel streets, terminating in a square, in which are the church and townhouse, both neat structures. The population is about 5000. The castle is flanked by numerous turrets, and has a venerable appearance. The promenade presents a sort of sea view, as the extremity of the lake (which is about nine leagues in length, by two in breadth) is hid from the eye by the convexity of its waters, and the view is terminated by the sky. At a little distance from the town, is a mineral spring, with a large building containing baths and a pump-room.
I found the waters were strongly impregnated with sulphur. Here is a celebrated school, containing about 250 boys; the annual expense for each boarder is not less than fifty louis.
We proceeded in the diligence to Neufchâtel, through the towns of Granson, St. Aubin, and Boudri. The banks of the lake present a continued succession of vineyards, which afford the best red wine in Switzerland. The conductor of our voiture amused us a good deal by his eccentricity. He seemed thoroughly happy and contented; and when an old gentleman of the party wished for a bag of crowns that were put into the carriage, to be conveyed to Berne, the conductor declared, he was not like Napoleon, and wished for nothing he had not. We found that the establishment of a game licence had occasioned some discontent in this country. The quantity of game is said to have greatly diminished. One gentleman told me, they sometimes hunted wild boars on the mountains near France. The roads here have been much shortened by a new line of communication which has been lately opened, and the bridge at Serrier of a single arch over a deep valley, (which formerly obliged travellers to make a considerable circuit) has a very handsome as well as useful effect. The town of Neufchâtel contains between 4 and 5,000 inhabitants; it is partly built on a hill, where stand the church and castle, and partly on a plain near the lake, on the borders of which are handsome public walks and further improvements are carrying on. The elegant appearance of many of the private houses proves the wealth of their owners.
Neufchâtel is without fortifications, but is in general well built; it is said to present a perspective, resembling, in miniature, the distant view of Naples. The lake is not deep, but seldom freezes, although it is thirty-one toises more elevated than that of Geneva.
The principalities of Neufchâtel and Vallingen are about twelve leagues long, by eight at the broadest part; the soil is far from fertile, but the industry of the inhabitants renders it astonishingly productive. Any person having a certificate of his general good conduct may settle here, and enjoy every essential privilege of the native subjects. This is perhaps the only country in Europe exempt from taxes; for the payment of a few sous annually from every householder cannot be considered as a tax. This circumstance lessens our astonishment at the commercial activity which prevails in this little state, the population of which exceeds 40,000. The villages of Chaux de Fond and Locle, with their districts, contain about 600 inhabitants, and furnish annually 10,000 watches in gold and silver, besides clocks. There are also numerous engravers and enamellers. The country is celebrated for its wild beauty; and our excursion, which occupied a day, was pleasant.
The Protestant is the established religion of the state, with the exception of the little town of Landeron, where the Roman Catholic religion is maintained. It is recorded, that the inhabitants, having assembled to deliberate, which of the two forms of worship should be acknowledged, the numbers were equally divided. It being however discovered, that a shepherd was absent, he was sent for, and having given his vote, that the Roman Catholic religion should be continued, it was decided accordingly.
The town of Neufchâtel is much indebted to one of its citizens, David Riri, who expended three or four millions of livres in works of public utility. Another individual built the town-house, which is a handsome edifice of the Corinthian order.