[Meyringen—Friday, 9 September 1859]
Friday 9th Lingered in Meyringen the day was so beautiful, went to see the Swiss carvings &c. then started for the Rosenlaui Glacier. Of this long day upon the mountains I can write nothing, but years of blessed enjoyment in these glorious heaven-born mountains were laid up then. The Swiss men sang to us. I walked most of the way by the side of my chaise when it was too steep to ride. The glaciers lay before us in their cold grandeur, the river ran clear and busily at our side while wooded precipices rose over our heads. Late in the day we returned to Meyringen and took horses for Brienz. They carried [us] swiftly across the Hasli Valley all yellow in the setting-sun. The snow-mountains blushed as the Sun forsook them, the nearer hills glowed with their own rich purple tints and the lake of Brienz before us mirrored all in its clear depths—and then—just then and never more we saw the Snowy mountains far in the west and far in the east at once as if this precious emerald valley of Hasli must be protected by their chrystal barriers. The night was too fine to go in. We threw ourselves into a row-boat and soon pushed out into the middle of the lake. There was no sight or sound of men. All the earth was filled with the unspeakable glory of the Infinite. Slept at the little paradise of Giessbach.
