01Jul1864, Travel Plans Get Complicated

ENGELBERG, Friday, July 1st, 1864.
—We had meant to leave Lucerne at 5.15 and go by the passes of Furca and Grimsel to Mayenwand, but soon after four the voice of dear Holffmann was heard at the door, announcing that the weather wouldn't do ; and as it was hideous to think of going such an expedition in pouring rain, we gave it up : and after yesterday's proceedings did not break our hearts at having 3 hours more in bed. By breakfast time, complication upon complication arose upon us. In the 1st place, behold Morgan upset by her travels and pronounced by the quizzical little doctor unfit to move till Monday ; in the next place, Fred at last getting hold of a Times only 2 days old, discovers that the motion of vote of want of confidence isn't to come off till Monday, which leaves us pretty safe till this day week, and makes it necessary for us to re-cast all the arrangements for next week ; in the 3rd place we had let slip the early steamboats, and it seemed impossible to get away from Lucerne so as to fit in a church-going place for Sunday. Under these cheerful circumstances, I sat composedly down to write to At. C., while old Fred, whose head never fails, evolved ideal plans by slow degrees out of Murray and Bradshaw. The upshot is, that we leave Morgan to get well under the auspices of Holffmann and the doctor, and come here alone with 2 bags, i.e., Engelberg. We drove from Stanz, all up a most glorious valley, towered over by mighty mountains. No rooms in the inn but 2 tiny unpainted garrets at the top of the house, which we are now occupying, F. conjuring up horrible visions of fleas, and imagining scores running over his legs already.