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 progress 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.