The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-09-19 00:00:00

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the mountable. The effect of this was positively thrilling.
It so delighted the whole company that the guides became
an object of marked, but, as the result proved, injudicious,
attention and kindness. Vilne ad libitum was ordered far
our muleteers at the various places where we halted. While
we were touching glasses, she.; ing hands, and exclaiming 4.,i !
entre rant," inside. Borne of ow madeeters seated in the 1
sheds outside were lawn, ing on the proceedings of their
betters. After the second or third stage, one or two of them
became hopelessly tip", Riot described figures even more
zig/ag than the paths which or rens ascending . . . .
ro speak in anything like detail of the grand scenery
th:ough wnieh we passed on the way to Leak,rioni would
be only to repeat what rimy he found by any one in .1i urjan
Bditeker, and to describe what most English people who
I have made a swiss tour are acquainted with. The day was
o,,eion, ; the circumstances under which the excursion was
made were altogether out of the common, and the company
were well mannered, cheerful, and bent upon making the
day a merry one. Arrived at Leukerbad, the baths were
visited. Next, there was a & joiner, and then. at Oast tone
o'elock, it was propoced that we should resume our journey
to the Gemini, hit when we sought our guides a ditli-
culty—unexpeeted by those who hail not travelled in
Switzerland before. but which had been anticipated
hy k min rity of the party —suddenl; presented itself. .
The guides hoot had too much to drink, and they objected
to going any furthcr. They had met a number of
other muleteers at Leukerbad, and there wee a regular
carouse going on when the horses and mules were again de-
manded. so the large room of a restaurant. weir our hotel,
the guides had ;:zsembled for a merrymaking they were
emia•acing one another, drinking to everybody 's health, and
singin4 in French, German, and /fallen, according to the
nationality of the vocalist, a song the sentiment of which
was ''We won't go hon.e till morning." But AL La Yalette
would not be put down. Ills programme was the Gemnii,
and to the Gennui he woiild have his guests conveyed
After much threatening by word and geeticulation the
mules were produced, and the cararki: left Leuker-
-1 bad at s little before live o'clock to make Os ascent
of the lofty an,: ladder-like pass. No SOODer,
over, hail hail we reached the beginning of the in ifig
portiim of the ascent than the e:reet, of the kind but
injudicious treatment the guide had receive,: splisared with
eniliarrassing obstinacy. One French gentlenum eucesaded
in making ids Ming the mule to the •unimit. The other
excursionists were less successful, and the mules were kept
below. Several of us got on the inimmit just :is the sun was
setting, and enjoyed the magnificent spectacle of seeing It
east its last rays from a sky of complete clearness over the
.now-eovered peaks of that grandest of Alpine challis of winch
the siatterhi on and Monte Rosa form two of the great links.
We had just turned to make the descent w hcli darkness came
on with almost instantaneous suddenness. The last rays of the
sun visible to us were so brilliant as ti: light every mountain
for miles around, hot immediately it had sunk behind the
great Matterhorn range all ground us was black, for stars
which subsequently came out in myriads were not yet
visible. This was a somewhat embarrassing circumstance,
but it was the cause of a very: picturesque effect. Lanterns
and torches were sent out front the village, and a-hen those
who bore them reached the higher paths of the Gemini, the
tnoUntaill presented an appearance highly suggestive of
spirits from the other world and of these diabolical ineanta-
tions which the genius of German poets has all but converted
' into realities. It was late before all the excursionists hail
again reached Leukerbad, where we slept.
Yesterday morning some of the excursionists who had not
achieved the ascent of the Gemmi On Monday night went up
there, but the greater number joined in the bathing, and
many who did not visited the baths to see those ladies and
gentlemen who, sohmring in Leukerbad, form an Hermetic
society which spends half its day in the hot water that rises
in the local spring. Numerous breakfasts are served on
floating tables in the great baths, and ladies mid gentlemen,
while enjoying their bath in common, read the newspapers,
which are placed on floating stands, and joists the current
gossip.