Pilgrimages to the Spas in Pursuit of Health and Recreation: With an inquiry into the comparative merits of different mineral waters: the maladies to which they are applicable, and those in which they are injuriousJohnson, James
Science
Pilgrimages to the Spas in Pursuit of Health and Recreation: With an inquiry into the comparative merits of different mineral waters: the maladies to which they are applicable, and those in which they are injurious
Johnson, James
Balneology; Health resorts; Mineral waters
Zurich, like Geneva, is situated between a placid lake and a crystal
river. Lake Leman, having filtered its waters, discharges them through
the “blue and arrowy Rhone,” into the tideless Mediterranean, not to pass
on to the vast Atlantic, but again to rise in exhalations to the clouds,
and fall—Heaven knows where. The lake of Zurich has a different taste. It
sends its purified waters through the Limmatt, to mingle with the Rhine,
(also freed from impurities in the lake of Constance,) and thence to find
its way to the great Northern Ocean—probably to visit the Thames, the
Ohio, or even the Ganges, before it makes another aerial voyage to the
skies.
The scenery about Zurich is tame and insipid, compared with that about
Geneva, where the Jura and the high Alps in the distance, contrast with
the lovely Pais de Vaud in the vicinity of the lake.
LAKE OF WALLENSTADT.
This lake, which is only a good day’s journey from Zurich, presents, in
my opinion, the finest lake-scenery in Switzerland. The mountains, on
the northern shore, rise almost perpendicularly to the height of five or
six thousand feet, sprinkled with ledges of rock, on which are perched
the shepherd’s chalet, and giving footing and scanty nutriment to the
pine and alpine shrubs and flowers. The mountains on the southern side
are equally high, but not so perpendicular in their descent to the lake;
but the whole circle of scenery is most magnificent. The transit of the
lake is east and west, a distance of some twelve or thirteen miles, and
the passage is usually favoured by a kind of trade wind, which blows from
the westward during one part of the day, and from the eastward during
the other. The little village of WESEN, is the point of embarkation from
the Zurich side, and is situated most romantically under stupendous
mountains. We started at two o’clock, with carriage, horses, and live
lumber, in the passage-boat, which did not convey much idea of safety,
being low, flat, and rigged with a tall frail mast and square sail.
The dangers of the Wallenstadt navigation are, no doubt exaggerated;
but it is evident that, along the whole of the northern board of the
lake there is but one small spot where a boat could put in for safety
in a storm. Along this shore we sailed with a fine breeze, and enjoyed
the prospect of one of the finest scenes in Switzerland. The mountains
on the northern board are so high and precipitous, that I think it is
physically impossible for a gale of wind to blow direct on the shore,
when a boat comes close to the rocks. It could only be by the impulse of
the waves that a boat might be forced amongst the breakers. Accidents,
however, very seldom happen. The afternoon was clear sunshine—the boatmen
abandoned the oars, being wafted along by a fine breeze—the song was
commenced—and the RANZ DE VACHE was returned from the ledges of rock, and
patches of vegetation among the cliffs, by many a blithsome shepherd,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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