21st September.
Rain from dawn to sunset, and now a terrific thunder-storm, more disconsolate travellers arrived on foot or inchaises à porteurs; carriages left perforce at theSimplon.
22nd.
Prince William of Prussia, the king’s second son, just now driven into the yard with his princess, and in a cart; they slept last night atIsella. They have been in an amusing dilemma; for by some mistake he had no passport, and was in consequence about to be detained, as he is travellingincognito, when being a remarkable looking soldier-like man, he was recognized by one of the authorities. We were agreeably surprised by the apparition of our comrade of the Simmenthal, who has just been toBex,hoping to find a battle there, and as theValaisansare more talkative than terrible, and he heard theSimplonroad was broken, came on to see its damages, and good naturedly to look for us here. Our friend Mr. H—— and his family are at theSimplonwaiting till the road shall be so far repaired as to render the carrying over of their heavy carriages possible; we hope to meet them at Florence.
Mr. D—— went to visit Fanny, and after an hour’s stay, started to walk back to the inn on theSimplon.