THE LAKE OF CONSTANZ, ETC.

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Lake, and came originally from the canton of St. Gall;(2), tlie Rhcetiaw, occupying the wliole of the_ south-easternbanks by Rorschach, and who were formerly an importantrace in Italy, and inhabit'ed, under the name of Etruscans,the country between the Tiber and the Apennines; and. (3), the Vindelicians, (the Augsburgers) who possessed thegreater part of the northern banks by Bregenz and Lindau,and originally came, it is said, from Illyria. Under theRomans, the Swiss bank of the lake was called " Rhcetiaprima" and the Swabian (or Baden)bank, "Rhcetia secunda."

The Romans not only greatly improved the country, buttaught the people how to cultivate the land, and planted thefirst fruit-trees on the banks. At Arbon (aneiently called"Arborfelix") the first Roman Castle was built upon the shore.The Romans remained in the neighbourhood tili the middle ofthe third Century, when the Alemanni appeared upon thebanks and overran the country, being afterwards joined bythe Suevi (Swabians). Both of these tribes settled onthe borders of the Lake, and continued in possession of thecountry until the end of the fifth Century, when they wereconquered by the Franks and became the subjects of KingClovis.

• The Lake has but few picturesque charms in comparisonwith those of Geneva or Lucerne. Rs banks are flat, or atbest but slightly sloping, and (except at the end, by Bregenz,where the Vorarlberg mountains are seen looming like along, low cloud, just above the horizon) it is devoid of anypeculiarly Alpine features. Indeed, the sight of the countryround about Constanz seldom fails to disappoint the visitor,who comes there elate with the notion of getting bis first peepat Swiss scenery. He finds, however, merely a huge poolof blue water, environed with landscapes that by no means