FL1225560

[Page 199]

Monnets Hotel, Vevay [possibly Vevey] 1st July 1856

My dear James

I want to write you a line or two
but can scarcely bring myself to set about it, it
is so hot & close. The thermometer in my room where I write
is at 80° & thunder clouds about, no breese stirring.
I left Paris yesterday week, Monday, for Dijon spent Tuesday
& Wednesday with Comte Liger Belair (one of the fine
Burgundy proprietors and of old family) amongst the
most recognised vineyards and tasting the fine growths
of the wine. There is far more affinity in their [indecipherable]
to one produce than in Bordeaux wines, but I
do not like them so well as the fine qualities of
that district; in commoner wines I think the
Cote d'Or has the advantages. They gave me
Montrachet of 1815 so like a sherry that I should
certainly have mistaken it for a fine old unbrandied
sherry if I had not been told what it was. The best
wines are much less costly than the best Clarets. I
am to have about 6 dozn. of the best growths of
No. 48 to take out to N.S.W. I left my hospitable
[indecipherable] on Wednesday aftn. & went on by
rail to Dole to sleep having taken a place by the
"Male Post" to Geneva (about 100 miles). Started
at 4 a.m. on Thursday from the railway station being perched
aloft in the banquette, fertile country with
a great deal of forest for 25 or 30 miles, then began
to ascend the Jura ridges. After a time the road
[indecipherable] the whole way enters a wild and interesting
country snowed up six months in the year. [Continued on Page 200]

[Cross-hatched writing]

I scrambled about collecting flowers for two hours or more, and at
10 we commenced our descent. The sun having become most scorching &
powerful, when we got to the Chalet we got into the midst of thousands
of large & stinging flies like those we have in Autumn after much
moist heat. I never saw such plagues. I could not ride the mule
down they almost made him mad with pain and he would run me
against every thing in the way to send them off. The heat was most
oppressive in the sun, and I was glad when we got back to the cool woods
through which the lower portion of the road pass. I am very glad I
made the excursion. How much higher the mountains appear
now than they used to do, and how much more formidable the
climbing. I am stiff today with the exertion particularly the down
hill which I never used to mind. But instead of high healed boots one
wants flat healed shoes with spikes to keep you from the constant
slipping over the hard limestone fragments; I wore only a flannel
shirt and light coat. Both were wet through when we reached the
Inn at Glion just at noon. After a comfortable wash I dressed
dined at the Table d'hote dispatched another bottle of [indecipherable] wine