generally sells for about
twenty-five years purchase; and 31/2 or 4 per cent, is thought sufficient
interest for money invested in it. Travelling and living are much dearer
in this country than in France, as although the inhabitants have few
superfluities, yet they have to fetch them from a distance, Switzerland
not affording a sufficient supply of food for the support of its
inhabitants.

Yverdun was our next stage; it is after Lausanne and Vevay the most
considerable town in the canton. It is situated close to the Lake of
Neufchatel, and is surrounded by water. It consists of three parallel
streets, terminating in a square, in which are the church and townhouse,
both neat structures. The population is about 5000. The castle is
flanked by numerous turrets, and has a venerable appearance. The
promenade presents a sort of _sea view_, as the extremity of the lake
(which is about nine leagues in length, by two in breadth) is hid from
the eye by the convexity of its waters, and the view is terminated by
the sky. At a little distance from the town, is a mineral spring, with
a large building containing baths and a pump-room.

I found the waters were strongly impregnated with sulphur. Here is a
celebrated school, containing about 250 boys; the annual expense for
each boarder is not less than fifty louis.

We proceeded in the diligence to Neufchatel, through the towns of
Granson, St. Aubin, and Boudri. The banks of the lake present a
continued succession of vineyards, which afford the best red wine in
Switzerland. The conductor of our voiture amused us a good deal by his
eccentricity. He seemed thoroughly happy and contented; and when an old
gentleman of the party wished for a bag of crowns that were put into the
carriage, to be conveyed to Berne, the conductor declared, _he was not
like Napoleon, and wished for nothing he had not_. We found that the
establishment of a game licence had occasioned some discontent in this
country. The quantity of game is said to have greatly diminished. One
gentleman told me, they sometimes hunted wild boars on the mountains
near France. The roads here have been much shortened by a new line of
communication which has been lately opened, and the bridge at Serrier of
a single arch over a deep valley, (which formerly obliged travellers to
make a considerable circuit) has a very handsome as well as useful
effect. The town of Neufchatel contains between 4 and 5,000 inhabitants;
it is partly built o