Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-09-04

with ant certainty how many lives were
LOST by this: in Mariiyny iisclr, probably
not above fifty; in tn cher villages Of the
valley sbonid think great manJ more.
bit nothing is yet known ifoin them, as II
mas been Impossible 70 zpProach them. |
.u,de great -eYeftinn- g. Climb over the
mountains and reach the lake, but the foe.
came up so thick could no, go on, nd with
a.fficuiy found my way back IL was
without guide, noth person, in the village
having courage enough to approach towards
the scene CT ter or. In fact. so great was
the fright, that the first messenger who was
sen, TO know il the lake was entirely dis
charged, instead Of gcn- to the very spot
to ascertain the fact, perched himself upon
the top OF muurtan savera! miles Of.
from which he sped with glas. the re-
mains Of the glacier, am some lille water
in tke lake, and immediately sent word
that repetition ot he same was 20 be ey.
pccted, IN consequence Of which all the in
hsbitan:s Of Mirtlgny fed 10 the mountains.
SO that found but single house inhabited
On my arrival there. A second messenger
was sem, who had more Courage than The
first. and brought back account that The lake
was completely emptied, and thus Quoted
lie aiarrs. II ! had no, Leen kept at
Geneva, to attend a boys exhibition.
Sou! have boil The satisfaction of witness
Ing this grand scene in the moment OF il,
repre- sent ton; had set out Oh Sunday
morning, as Intended, should have reach
edthere exactly in time 10 have seen the an
roach OF this liOod OF waters. | DO not
know o! any thing which could he more
sublime, than the rapid strides with which
il advanced, aGd the giant force i, exercised
in sweeping away the obstacles which re-
sisted II, would not have had il take
place for my pleasure, but as it did take
place, would have given the world to have
been spectator OF it. II is melancholy 10
look upon The ruins which DESTROYING ele-
ment has caused; but there is nothing
grandrrin nature, than the sight Of its
march, while it is doing its work OF destruc.
ton: Lots wife Showed natural taste,
when she looked back upon Sodom and
Gomorrah.
This is a curious place, from which |
write 10 you sulpher spring was disco
vered here some centuries ago, which has
since had the reputation of great virtues in
cuticular complaints. and on that account
much rcsorted to during the summer, not.
withstandine he rswness of the climate,
and the difficulty OF access; it lies 5000 feet
above the level of the sea, in one of the
chasms of the Alps, and in the immediate
neighbourhOod OF some immense glaciers,
which make it extreme y cold, even in mid
summer. would moi have you think have
come here for my health, never was bet
Ter in my life than now am; il is upon The
route which leads from the VaIais into the
Canton of Berne, and very near the pass Of
the Gemmi, which is my particular object.
stopt to have fair weather TO reach this
summit, Oh account Of the grand view which
it commands. Bathing here is upon very
social establishment; all ages, ranks and
sexes enter The baths together, which are
very large, sufficient for hundred or more
at a time the invalids spend half a dozen
hours in day in them; where by the aid Of
a little floating table, they receive breakfast,
dinner, &c. which serves also for books,
newspapers, writing implements, or any
thing they may use TO divert or employ
them. have been in them this morning,
but as it was very early, did not End
above fifty there, who received me very
civilly, and even politely, into their society,
in which one simple uniform OF long white
robe destroyed a distinctions.
While Lave been writing, the clouds
have begun TO disperse, and have yet
twenty miles over the mountains before [
find another Testing place.
Renders,eg, 7P..M
The fair promises which the weather
made Just as | was closing the foregoing
part Of my letter all proved deceptive. |
got away from the Baths at one, and began
10 ascend the Gemm in high spirits, all
my hopes being fixed upon the magnificent
view should have Of the southern chain Of
the Alps, from Mount Blanc to Rosa. A.
ter toll of two hours, | found myself at
the summit, prepared for the highest costa,
cies, when TO my great modification and
disappointment, before ] had hardly taken
a peep, boundless field Of fog came tr.
wing over the mountains, and shut every
thing from my view and the only pleasure
| have since had, was to pursue my way by
the side of frozen lake, through miles Of
snow, in as drenching rain as ever FELL
With all these difficulties, walked the
90 miles in less than hours. and never felt
hotter than do AT the end of them