Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-09-24

board and ascerained that they were
all English After pleasant repast and some prime
WINE. followed BY music on fne-toned piano which
party OF lady vsters to the monks few wears
ago as souvenir OF their hospitality we retired
"We were awakened in the morning by the wild nelan-
choy music OF the celebration of mass as the swelling
pssls from the organ swept through the long corridor on
which our room opened from the chapel into the gallery
OF which IL led Dressing FASTENED to be present nj
the service. The chapel is quite handsome room az mo-
derate dimensions like the interior Of small church
On side is small altar, which contains under glass
extremely beautiful figure, life sze of the dead
Virgin, in graceful recumbent posture. On the oppo
site side there is marble monument erected by Napo-
leon TO the memory Of General Dessaix who fell in the
battle of Marengo. Near the monument is tronc or
box for the reception Of the donations that yisers may
please to place in it, in return for the kind hospitality
which is 50 profusely extended alike to all corners.
After breakfast visited the Morgue, small stone
building of story, few steps from the Hospce This
building is the receptacle of the deadhe unfortunate
victims who have persisted by the storms or the ava
lanches while attempting to the Pass. AS in its
namesake at Paris the bodies Of the victims arc placed
here the identification of friends but with this diff
ference that here il not claimed the bodies remain for
In consequence Of the rapid evaporation that takes
place this great elevation the bodies dry up without
the disgusting and offensive eiuya which usually ac-
companies their dissoluon for which cause and on ac-
of the rocky and frozen nature of the locality the
bodies permitted to lie here in cold oblivion without
the customary interment.
'sThere are buttwo apartments in this building One
quite narrow, and separated from the larger one by
stone WALL contains the skulls and bones of bodies care
lessy heaped around that have been inmates of this
anchoy carnal house for centuries The whole floor
thickly covered with them Two email square windows
about four feet from the ground in each end of the
building, covered with an iron grating and in line with
them opening in the wall that separates the two apart
ments admit free circulation Of air. and the only
apertures in the building The bodies carried through
of these windows into the larger of the two apart
ments In the centre of this room, narrow inclined
bench lies the last visiter to this gloomy abiding place
and VIII fba
early days of spring soened his icy winding and
revealed him, they conveyed him here for recognition
we's affection could not define him now, poor fellow as
he lies there with his yellow cheekbones covered above
with blsckened integuments and his whered hands yis
BILE through the dngy drapery At the end of the
bench on the ground is his shruhken SHOE which
has fallen down with the bones of of his feet Placed
against the wall around this room opposite the window
are about fifteen bodies yet preserving an upright posture
In CHASTITY rigid stinesshe former unknown occupants
OF the solitary bench Many Of them have stood there
for more than twenty years One, mother ia strange
state OF preservation, with her crumbing infant still held
70 her SIDE occupies one of this sad abode Her
lace partly covered with long dusty hair is stretched
forward anxousy the fixed expression of her uncover
ed eyebals gazing nteny after hoped-for aid; but it
failed to come, and they placed her here us they found
her when the storm had passed away
turned away IN sorrow from this melancholy scene
ana soed along the road which winds around the lakes
near the Hopce and gathered some vioets and forget
-nots which grow in uxuriant profusion upon the
green patches the brow of the mountain near the stone
q
Valols After short stroll returned to the Hospice
The Hospce is large strongly constructed stone
building situated on the summit of the Pass about pht
feet above the level of the 1t founded
oy 81 Bernard IN the year 962 flight of steps leads
to the principal entrance 1t afford accommodation
with beds, to about eighty travellers On the opposite
side Of the road there is smaller building constructed
chiefly believe, place of refuge in case of fire
There at present monks and three brethren r
siding IN the Hospce and they have several omesties
who have charge Of the household The monks belong
to the order Of St Augustnc their dress is distinguish
ell by long robe of black CLOTH buttoned all the way
down in front with small buttons close together and
around the neck they white cord or narrow white
band end of which brought down over the breast
and fastened to the grde or belt around the waist
Black silk stockings with shoes and small black cap
complete the costume
" The hospitality of this institution is of worldwide
fame and well deserved Travellers the poor as well as
the reh are permitted TO remain here for three DAYS
and partake of its generous hospitality and if for scien
tfc purposes longer soourn is desired it is ALWAYS
cheeruy accorded by the Principal The number of ira
eers over this Pass at times great that many
ceay thousand have been known to it during the
course OF single year The average estimate is rather
more than half Of that number. The principal travel
over II = early IN the spring. when the poor inhabitants
OF the valleys go into Italy to seek for work and
late IN the autumn when they return with their gains
One OF the most interesting features Of the many that
belong TO the Hospce Of the Great ST. Bernard Is the
wdey-celebrated breed Of dogs that has for so long
time been connected with this institution and of whose
proves and sagacity many marvellous stories have
been related have the stuffed skin of one of these
dogs, named Barry in the museum Berne where II
has been preserved for more than twenty years This
noble dog is said to have saved the lives of fifteen
beings by his astonishing sagacy There are at the Hos
pce now two old dogs and bitch two pups about ten
months old, and two pups that are quite young They
are all alike In color and form The color is tawny vel
lowish brown, muzzle and black white streak up
the face foot and tip Of the tail white They are very
large and powerful in FORM moderately active and have
short but thick coat Of hair. The breed has been
crossed several times and although the present prevail
Ing color may have been varied yet the short hair has
Always prevailed The two old dogs at the Hospce
are splendid specimens Of the breed. Barry was
white dog marked with large spots Of brinde The duty
Of these dogs to accompany the brotherhood or their
assistants in search of the wearied or overwhelmed ira
veer and their Of smell is SO keen Il is
mat they can perceive the presence Of traveller when
nearly three miles distant Their instinct is SO great that
they can distinguish the path when covered over by
or when enyeloped in the darkness of
night Owing to the rheumatic affections which here az
ic the brute as well as man, the age Of these animals
never exceeds nine years
AT ten o'clock after bidding nm aFect;onote tforo
we'll to very hosptabe entertainers We mounted our
mules and retracing our steps by the terrific path We
bad ayersed the previous night we arrived in about two
hours at the Canine de PROF. II was lovely morning
ne storm had entirely passed away, and the sky was
ary days OF autumn and butterflies were fitting over
path.
"Resuming our char-abanc we arrived in two hours
more at Lddes, where halted TO rest and feed the
Mules and refreshed ourselves with some luncheon We
artea again at o'clock and passing through the val
OF the Drance shuddered on beholdng the rayages
made In the valley by the storm Of the night before I'm
trees we're torn up by the roots We reached Mar
lgny about seven o'clock. The next morning having
na1e an arrangement with guide to provide us with
mules and accompany us to Chamounx, we started ut
wo O'Clock n Journey the mountafna Tho no