and stones piled up here and there
upon them. In fact, the Swiss cottager has his house, and barn, and
sheds, and outhouses all under one roof; and what there is not room for
within he stores without upon these platforms.

These houses were situated in the midst of the most beautiful fields and
gardens, the whole forming a series of very charming landscapes. The
view, too, as seen in many places along the road, was bounded at the
south by a long line of snow-covered mountains, which glittered
brilliantly in the sun and imparted an inexpressible fascination to the
prospect.

The diligence arrived at the city of Berne near night, and Mr. George
and Rollo remained in that city until the next day at noon. Rollo was
extremely interested in walking about the streets in the morning. In
almost all the streets of Berne the second stories of the houses are
extended over the sidewalks, the superincumbent masonry being supported
by massive square pillars, built up from the edge of the sidewalk
below, and by arches above. Of course, in going along the sidewalk the
passenger is sheltered by the roof above him, and in the worst weather
he can go all over the city without being exposed to the rain excepting
at the street crossings. This arrangement is a very convenient one,
certainly, for rainy weather; but it gives the streets a very gloomy and
forbidding appearance at other times.

Still Rollo was very much amused in walking along under these arcades;
the more so because, in addition to the shops in the buildings
themselves, there were usually stalls and stands, between and around the
pillars, filled with curious things of all sorts, which were for sale;
so that in walking along he had a display of goods on both sides of him.
These goods consisted of toys, books, pictures, tools, implements, and
curiosities, including a multitude of things which Rollo had never seen
or heard of before.

Berne is famous for bears. The bear is, in fact, the emblem of the city,
and of the canton, or province, in which Berne is situated. There is a
story that in very ancient times, when Berchtold, the original founder
of the city, was beginning to build the walls, a monstrous bear came out
of the woods to attack him. Berchtold, with the assistance of the men
who were at work with him on the walls, killed the bear. They gloried
greatly in this exploit, and they preserved the skin and claws of the
bear for a long time as the trophy of their victory. A