The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-12-07

furnished, containing bunk OF hay. table
and benches, stovo and cooking utensils, q
bit of looking glass. (for even philosophers have
their foiblcs) Instruments for boring the ice.
and coil of rope for tho ascent of difficult
peaks. Tho names of the observers, and the
dates of their visits, are recorded upon the
naked beams. ta
After dinner we stood long upon the little ia.
bic between the cabin and the verge of the
cliff, to enjoy such view as ono sees only in
Switzerland. Every element of II was now TO
me From beneath our feet extended for
miles tho sea ofice, SCARED with crevasses and
pent within its grim moranes; opposite was a
hugo mountain ofgranite, bare and steep, down
whose sides at intervals crawled smaller ela-
ciers TO unite with the large one below Be-
tween these, numerous cascades hung like
whito threads against the dark surface. Now
and then distant crash and light rising col
umn of snow-dust announced the fall Of an a.
valanche, hidden from view in some ravine.--
Beyond tho wall of rock, lowered immense
snowy peaks, and higher than all the Finster-
aarhorn pierced the very heavens with its
sharp needle-like points.
The snow which covers these SUBMITS is of
brilliant whiteness. its edges sharp and clearly
defined, and rejecting tine full splendor of the
sun. seems almost to forbid human gaze
To the right and quite separate, stands an
other 'scrred" rank, and among them rules the
Shreckhorn, "peak of terror" its top covered
with crown of cloud, ever changing its shape
but never lifting for an instant to disclose tho
august head that bears it.
The Unteraar glacier is the product of two
minor glaciers, tho one forming in the Finster-
aarhorn, the other in the valley north ofthe
Shreckhorn. From our position we could SEQ
about three miles TO the north the confluence
of these two glaciers, whence, joining their
burdens of earth and rock, thcy march slowly
down together; shouldering and pushing each
other IL to ridges where the valley contracts,
and subsding 10 a peaceful level, where there
is spacc enough orbo,h.
This double origin produces hero the pccu-
liarty ofa central moraine, made up of the con-
| fluent glaciers. For some distance it rests up
| on the centre of the main glacier, but is gradu-
ally thrust toward the right side, and finally
joins The lateral moraine near its ext, entity.
We gazcd for an hour on these Alpine go-
rics. and then. descending TO tho ice we again
marched up the glacier. A half an hour bro't
us to tho ruins of the "hotel Nenchatclois," a
rough hut built many years ago on rho central
moraire, for the accommodation of Professor
| Agassiz during hls observations here. Moth
ing remains of il now but two huge rocks,
which are said 10 have formed two of its sides,
bnt which we were told had been since over
turned by the movement Of the glacier.
| Here we halted, rs our guides told us there
was only time to return to tho bospec comfor-
tably before nightfal, but one of our student
| friends n orc enthusiastic than the rest of US,
made hurried visit alone to the junction OF
the glaciers. 1t was now after three o'clock and
the snn already touched tho western peaks
fringing the white surfaces with gold. A sharp
line of shadow fell along tho centre of the gla-
cler. half of which glstened in the sunlight,
"-1 t-if--~- --Prs-i ~ ti'v ss,,vuu IF min z.
We turned our backs unwilingly upon such
a scene as ono has right to enjoy but onco in
| a lifetime. and set our faces homoward. not
without frequent pauses TO watch the fading
g'ories ofthc picture, as peak after peak, lost
its glow; and stood cold and white against the
heavens.
At seven o'clock We had reached the cheer
FIJI fireside Of tho hospice, too much excited by
the pleasures ofthe day to feel the fatigue OF
what had really been bard days work.
S. S. G..