xx Switzerland

Ports of call! Far at the world then, strange fascinating lands beckoneth, bid us rebel and their exotic spenders.

Come with us as we head for port of call! No lashing storms of a mighty ocean ravaged the shores of the nation, which is to be our port of call this time. No broad, white-sanded beaches sweep the boundaries of this land, but we are going inland on this journey to a country entirely surrounded by land,

A country people by men and women in whose hearts has burned the unextinguishable fire of liberty for more than five centuries. A land of butious, awe-inspiring mountain crags of crystalline glaciers, bird and forests, lustrous lakes of burnish silver.

A nation situated in the middle of the European continent. Come with us as we journey to this enticing port of call, Switzerland. We have crossed placid Lake Magiore from the Italian side, and now we're in Lacono, the niece of Switzerland.

We bore the continental train and prepared to view for the first time the glory of the Swiss Alps. On to Balenzona, the ancient town of the Canton of Tequino. Here it was that a Roman army was met and vanquished by Hannibal, the Carthaginian, with his host of infantry, cavalry and the forty war elephants, which he had led across the

Alps. Up, ever up, we crossed the Tequino Mountains. So far we have heard only Italians spoken, mingled with the garlic-centered English of our conductor, Porter, and guides. Now we arrive at a stragning little village, and we meet for the first time in another language, one of Switzerland's three tons, French, Italian, and German.

Here German is spoken, and the town bears the Teutonic name of Altor. Why have we come here? What the possible interest can we find in this sleepy little hamlet? You see that big pran statue of Wilhelm Tel?