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on a Rhine boat. Cologne is one of the most famous towns on the Rhine, and travellers stop there to admire the beautiful cathedral, which was begun more than 700 years ago, and is not yet finished. From Cologne comes the sweet-smelling water called Cologne water, which can be bought in English chemists' and perfumers' shops.

Rivers of Germany.—The Rhine, Oder, Elbe.
The Mountains are not very high.

Religion.-Chiefly Protestant, some Roman Catholics. All religions allowed.

Government.-An emperor.

All men in Prussia are obliged to serve in the army for some years, so the Prussians are a nation of soldiers. They have lately beaten the Danes, Austrians, and French, and have made themselves one of the most powerful nations of Europe.

SWITZERLAND.

SWITZERLAND is the most beautiful country in Europe it is nearly all mountains and lakes. It is impossible for any book to give you the least idea of the beauty of those mountains and those lakes. They are like looking-glasses set in frames of green grass. One mountain, Mont Blanc, is so called because blanc means white, and never has it been seen excepting covered with snow, even on the hottest day in summer. It looks like the white top to cakes in pastrycooks' shops, only high up in

the air.

There are some lines written about Mont

Blanc which will make you remember it :

"Mont Blanc is the monarch of mountains,
They crowned him long ago.

On a throne of rocks, in a robe of clouds,
With a diadem of snow."

All the bottom of the mountain is rock. Then comes clouds; but Mont Blanc's head, with his crown of snow, is above the clouds, higher than the balloons you have sometimes seen; and at sunset the light of the setting sun makes the white snow look a lovely rose colour.

For many years no one ever tried to climb to the top; but lately people have succeeded in getting there, by sleeping half-way up amongst the rocks. Travellers tie themselves together with ropes, so if one falls another pulls him up. They take guides with them, who cut steps in the ice with a hatchet; but many dreadful accidents have happened. Sometimes the rope has broken, and once the whole party slipped down a precipice, that is, a steep place, fifty times higher than any wall you ever saw; and sometimes snow slips down the mountain, and covers a village, and everybody is shut up in it until they can be dug out, and that is not always while they are alive.

Did you ever see a great handsome dog called, a St. Bernard? If you did, he was named after one of the Swiss mounta'ns. On that mountain a number of good monks live, on purpose to rescue travellers who get lost in the snow. Large dogs live there, too, and are sent by the priests to dig

out travellers, who, but for the dogs' help, must die. It is so fearfully cold that no one can live for very long together on this mountain, and the same priests are rarely able to remain more than four years; but during that four years they and their dogs save a great many lives.

The lakes of Switzerland are of a beautiful bright deep blue; sometimes so calm that they are like looking-glasses; but sometimes the wind rushes down the mountains, and makes the water very rough, like the sea.

The Swiss are very industrious good people. They make many of the watches sold in London, and numbers of wooden toys. They are specially clever in wood-carving. They work hard in other ways also; they make capital roads, and are fond of gardening. Indeed, they cultivate every bit of ground they can get at.

Chief Towns. Berne, a very handsome oldfashioned town, with beautiful views of the Alps; Geneva, a handsome town on the Lake of Geneva, but not as interesting as Berne. Many travellers go there on their way to the mountains, and it is full of hotels. Many watches are made there.

Mountains.--The Alps.

Lakes.-Geneva, Lucerne.
Government.-Republican.

Religion. In some cantons, as the counties of Switzerland are called, the people are Roman Catholics, in others Protestants.

RUSSIA.

You will easily find great big Russia on the map. It looks big enough to swallow up all the other countries of Europe. However, large as Russia is, the Emperor of that big country owns other land besides. Do you see little Poland? Part of it was seized by Russia some years ago. Every now and then the Poles try to get back their freedom; but the Russians will not hear of that, and many a Pole has lost his life in the attempt.

In the map of Asia you will see a great big tract of land to the north, called Siberia, which belongs to Russia. But although the Emperor of Russia has so much ground, he has not so very many subjects as you would expect. Russia is a very cold barren country, and not many people live there in proportion to its size.

However, we will suppose that you do not mind a little cold, and so are going to spend a few months in Russia. I shall be happy to show you the way. I think that you had better go from Hull, in Yorkshire, by a steamboat, which will take you to St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia. Directly you arrive you must go and buy some furs, or you will be very cold. If you cannot afford furs, you must imitate the Russian peasants, and dress in sheep

skins.

All the books you bring with you will be looked at, for fear that there should be anything in them against the Emperor; and if there should be, it is likely that you will be punished, by being sent to Siberia, and

there made to work hard for some years, and treated little better than an animal. At least, such is the punishment received by a Russian if he has any books or papers which speak ill of the Emperor, and I do not know that an Englishman would get off better.

But we will suppose that you take no books or papers at all; that you have bought yourself some furs, and are all ready to see St. Petersburg.

First of all you had better have a look at the "Winter Palace," the largest palace in Europe. When the Emperor and his attendants are there it is said to contain seven thousand people. Then you might see a most splendid church, with a gold cross at the top. It cost enormous sums of money to build this church. And then you can walk about the wide streets of St. Petersburg and admire the shops. Take care to rub your nose every now and then with snow, or it may freeze off. You will not be very cold inside the houses, for they are warmed by great stoves, which throw out a great deal of heat, but make the air feel stifling, and soon, I think will make you long for a bright English fire.

At night the poorest people will lie down to sleep on the top of their stove, in order to get a little warmth into their bones.

You will not care for the food which the poor people eat. One thing which they like very much is a kind of cake dipped in green oil.

Perhaps, while you are at St. Petersburg, you will like to make an excursion to lake Ladoga, the most beautiful lake in Russia.

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