Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-10-22
ON The APPS AL the Rhine, a work BY Rev }. T. Head
MacdOnaldis Pass Of the Splurgen.

tue Instant hOtlloui When my guiue interrupted my
musings by pointing to an aged man sitting by his
cottage door. chat man" said he, was one Of
Maedonald's guides that conducted him aud his
my over the Spugen," He Immediately became
an object OF great interest 20 ME, and | went aud
sat down by his side. and drew from him many IN
cidents Of that perilous adventure. ut forty.
three years ago" said he, "when that awful march
was made. was then but twenty iyeiyears age,
but remembered it as if il were bat yesterday.
have made many passes in the Alps, but never one
like that. That Macdonald was an awful man
He looked as if he wanted TO fight the very Alps,
and believed thu; suow-storms could be beaten like
an army of men.
81 believe replied, chat pass was made in
the winter. when even foot travellers found it diff
cult YES; aud the wind blew, and the snow
drove in faces, and the avalanches fell as ifthe
very Alps we're coming down. The snow, too, was
thick at times, that could not see the horses
men ten rods before or behind while the scream
ing, and yelling and cursing, made it ten times
worse. Why, SIR, it did good to cry take care
for no body could take care. There we we're, up
TO our arms in snow, amid oxen, and horses and
cannon and soldiers, aud compelled to stand for
hours, without getting one rod ahead oh 1t was
dreadful 10 see the poor soldiers. Onen | would
hear an avalanche coming from above, aud turn to
see where it fell. when il would come laundering
straight on 10 the army and cut it clean in two.
leaving great gap IN the lines. few feathers
tossing amid the snow, musket or two flying over
the brink and away went men and all into the gulf
below. Oh, sir, these poor soldiers looked as if
they would fight sgan--so downcast and
frightened. II did no good 10 have courage there
for what could courage do against an avalanche -
When God fights with man, it does good to
sist." la this manner. though not in the precise
words. the old man ratified on and il was evident
could get nothing from him except separate inci-
dent which gave life and vivdness to the whole
picture. The falling OF a single comrade by his
side or the struggles Of a single war horse as he
houndered in the OF snow that hurried him
irressiibly towards the gulf made more distinct
impression on him than the general movements OF
the army. The deep beds Of snow and the walls OF
ice he and the peasants were compelled to cut
through, were more important to him than the or.
der OF march, or the discipline Of the troops How
different is the effect produced powerful and a
common mind By such sene as this = One dwes
on the impression made By the whole The moral
and physical grandeur surrounding 1.-THE obsta-
ces, aud the resolution that overcome them-the
savageness of nature, and the siernness that dared
look it in the face combine to make the impress
sion he carries with him through life The weak
mind, on the other hand, never seems to reach TO
these generaliiies-never gets to the outer circle.
but is occupied with details and incidents.
To understand this march of Macdonald over
the Splugen feat greater by far than Bonaparte's
famous passage ofthe ST. Bernard imagine an aw.
full de6le leading up the height Of six thousand
fue hundred feet towards heaven-ln summer a
mere path, aud IN winter a mass Of ayaanches, and
you will have some conception of the awful pass
through which Macdonald determined to lead h'
teen thousand men. The road follows the Rhine
here a mere rivuet which has cut its channel deep
in the mountains that rise frequently TO the height
Il. Al ,r,I feet - ha
pieces that over hang this turbulent torrent the pail
is cut in the solid rock, now huggng the mountain
wall like a mere thread and now shooting in
single arch the gorge that sinks three hundred
feet below. Strangely silent snow.peaks pierce the
heavens in every direction, while dark preclplces
lean out on every side over the abyss. This merC
path crosses and re-crosses again this gorge, anC
often so high above IT, that the Of the mad tor
rent below can scarcely be heard; and final,
strikes off on to the bare face Of the mountain ant
Chambers up to the summit. This is the old roar
in summer time Now imagine this same gorg'
swept by a hurricane of snow, aud filled with thu
awful sound ofthe falling avalanches blending thel
heavy shock with the dull roar Of the giant pines
that wave along the precpices, while half way u
from the bottom 10 the Alpine top are hanging lki
an army Of insects. fifteen thousand French sol
diers; aud you will approach TO some knowledge o
this win,ry pass and this desperate march. Bu
il you have never been in an Alpine gorge, an'
stood, awe.struck amid the mighty forms that towe
away on every side around you, you can have NJ
true conception of a scene like the one we are t.
! describe Rocks, going like one solid wall stragh
up 10 heaven-pinnacles shooting like church spire
! above the clouds-loomy ravines where the thun
! der-clouds burst, and the torrent raves-still ga
/ ciers and solemn snow-felds aud leaplng ayalanch
/ es, combine to render au Alpine gorge one oiih
most terrific things in naiure-adIed to all thi:
/ you feel so small amid the mighty forms aroun'
you--so utterly helpless and worthless, amid thes
! great exhibitions of Gods power that the heart
often utterly overwhelmed with the feelings thu
struggle in vain for uuerance
There is nov a carriage road over the Spluger
Gu, in sixteen zigzags along the breasts OF III
mountain. This was not IN existence when Ma,
donald made the pass, and there was nothing but
bride path going through the gorge ofthe Card
nh Over such pass was Macdonald ordered /
Napoleon to march his army in the latter part
November, Just when the winlry storms are seuIu
: in with the greatest violence. Bonaparte wishe
Macdonald 10 form the eh wing OF his army
: Italy, and had therefore ordered him 10 a.tem
the passage Macdonald, though no drawer or be
: der man ever lived, felt that it a hopeless u
2 deHakng, and Immediately despatched Gener
: Dumas 10 represent 10 him the insupefable obst
t Giles in the way. DonHparie heard him through
representations, and then replied, with his usu
reckessness Of other peoples sufierings or deaf
J 81 will make no change in my dispositions. Relu
: quickly, and tell Macdonald that an army can
ways pass in every season, where two men can pla
their feet"
Macdonald, Of course, could do no otherwi
D than obey commands, aud Immediately commences
the necessary preparations for his desperate nndS
, taking. Ii was the Goth Of November, and d
frequent storms had covered the entire Alps, pa