Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-10-22


commencement Of the Splugen pass The cannon
we're taken from their carriages and put on sleds,
TO which oxen were harnessed The ammunition
divided about the back OF mules, while
every soldier had to carry, besides his usual arms,
five days provision. The guides went in advance,
and stuck down long poles to indicate the course
OF the path beneath, while behind them came the
wofkmen clearing away the snow, and behind them
still the mounted dragons. with The most power.
iul horses of the army, TO beat down the track
Ga the Goth Of November, the first company left
Spugen, and began the ascent The pass from
Spugen to Isoia is about fifteen miles IN length
and the advance company had, after the most vast
ing toll and exhausing effort, made nearly half Of
II, and were approaching the hospice on the sum
mi, when a low moaning heard among the hills,
like the voice of the before storm. The
guides understood too well lis meaning, aud gazed
on each other with alarm. The ominous sound
grew louder every moment, and suddenly the fierce
Alpine blast swept in a cloud Of snow over the
mountain. aud howled, like an unclaimed demon,
through the gorge below. Ia an instant ali was
confusion aud blindness, aud uncertainty. The
very heavens were bloited out, and the frightened
column stood and listened TO the rayng tempest
that made the pine trees above it sway and groan
as II lifted from their rock rooted places. But
suddenly another still more alarming sound was
heard-"An avalanche an avalanche" shrieked
the guides. and the next moment awful white
form came leaping down the mountain, aud sirik-
ing the column that was struggling along the path
passed siraigh, through into the gulf below,
rying thirty Dragons and their horses nth il in It's
wild plunge. The black form OF sieed aud its
rider were suspended for a moment in mid
heavens, amid clouds Of snow, and the next mo-.
meni they fell among the ice and rocks below,
crushed out of the very form Of humanity. The
head ufihe column reached the hospice in safety.
The other part, struck dumb by this sudden ap-
partition crossing their path in such lightning like
velocity. bearing such awful death their brave
comrades, refused to proceed, and turned back TO
/ the village Of Splugen. For three days the storm
"a red amid tie Alps filling the heavens with snow,
and hurting avaanches into the path illi It became
so filed up that the guides declared il would take
fifteen days to open again 50 as 10 make IT At oil
passable But fifteen days Macdonald could no,
spare. Independent Of the urgency Of his CON.
mands. there was no way to provision his army IN
these Alpine soliIudes, and he must proceed He
ordered four Of the strongest oxen that could be
found TO be led in advance BY the best guides
Forty peasants followed behind, clearing away nd
+. beating down the snow and two companies Of sap
pers came after give still greater consistency to
the track while their heels marched the remnant
of The company OF dragons, part Of which had
been borne away three days before BY the ava.
lanche. The post of danger given them al
their own request. Scarcely bad they begun the
dangerous enterprise, when one of the noble oxen
slipped from the precipce, and with convulsiye
fling Of his huge frame, went bounding from point
10 point Of Jagged rocks to the deep, dark torrent
below.
Il was a strange sight for winiry day Those
three oxen, with their horns just peer.ng above the
snow, tolied slowly on, pushing their unwleld,
bodies through the drills looking Ike mere speeS'
on the breas, OF the mountain, while the soldiers
up TO Their breasts, struggled behind. moi drun
or bugle note eheered the solitude, or awoke the
echoes OF those savage peaks The loot TALL gave
back no sound IN the son snow, and the words o
command seemed smothered IN the very atmos
pierre Silently and nolselessly the mighty but DIS
ordered column toiled forward, with naughi ''
break the holy stiffness Of nature, save the hefe'
paintings Of the horses and animals, as win feeAnE
SIDES lhey strained up the ascent. now and theh
earlul cry startled the eagle on his high circuit, a
a whole company slipped together, and with the
muskets IN their hands lell INTO the all de'ouI'nl
: gorge that yawned hundreds OF ieet below then
path 1t was Wild sighi, the plunge oil a s'ee'
aud his rider over the preciPice. One noble hors'
slipped Just as the Dragon had dismouniea' ana a
he dar'ed OIL with his empty saddle, and Tor mo
ment hung suspended 70 ma heaven II IS sAid' ~
uttered one oil those fearful oloou-ireez'ng efie'
the wounded war-norse Is known sometimes 70 9"
forth on the neid OF oau'e. Inc roar Of the hol
after his prey, and the m'dnighi howl Of Inc wo'
that has missed his evening IePast oil blood is
gentle sound compared to II. Once hearo'
! lives IN the memory and BRAIN forever
To understand the route Of the army better, on
should divide the pass into three parts. Firs
comes the dark, deep defile, with the path cut i
The side Of the mountain, aud crossing backward
i over the gorge, on bridges Of single arch, an
often two aud three hundred feet high. The scene
i nv in this gorge is horrible. II seems as il natur