h to travel in
Switzerland intelligently or blindly?"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Rollo.

"Why, do you wish to understand something of the general features of the
country first, so as to know always, as we go travelling on, where you
are, and where you are going, and what you are to expect to see, or
would you rather not trouble yourself at all about this, but take things
as they come along, and enjoy them as you see them, without thinking or
caring what is to come next."

"Which is the best way?" asked Rollo.

"Either is a very good way," replied Mr. George. "There is a pleasure in
understanding and anticipating, and there is also a pleasure in
wondering what is to come next and meeting with surprises. You can take
your choice."

Rollo reflected a moment, and then he said that he thought he should
like best to understand.

"Very well," said Mr. George. "Then I will explain to you the general
features of Switzerland. Switzerland--or at least that portion of it
which is the chief scene of the rambles of tourists and
travellers--consists substantially of a long and deep valley, extending
from east to west through the centre, and bordered by a range of
mountains on each side. The range of mountains on the northern side of
this valley is, of course, towards Germany; the one on the southern
side is towards Italy. On the north side of the northern range of
mountains is a broad slope of land, extending a hundred miles towards
the German frontier. On the southern side of the southern range of
mountains is a steep and narrow slope, extending to the Italian
frontier.

"Thus we may say," continued Mr. George, "that Switzerland consists
substantially of a broad northern slope of land and a narrow southern
slope, with a deep valley between them. Do you understand this?"

"Yes," said Rollo. "If I had some damp sand, and a little wooden shovel,
I think I could make it."

"People do make models of the Swiss valleys and mountains," said Mr.
George. "In fact, they have maps of Switzerland, embossed with all the
mountains in relief; and I wish very much that we had one here to look
at."

"There is one here," said Rollo, his face brightening up very luminously
as he spoke. "I saw it hanging up in the gallery, and I did not know
what it was. It must be that. I'll go and show it to you after
breakfast."

"I am very glad," said Mr. George. "I wished to see one very much. We
will go and see it immediately after breakfast