Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-12-12

and French, one-fourth; and of the Ger
mans, one-half The principal topic ofcon-
tersation was not the scenery, but the mer-
its of different hotels heard q rudy Lon
doner recomend a certain house because the
tea-eups had handles to them, and another
was delighted with Lueerne because he had
found good eonfectioners shop there.-
The principal test of hotel, however as l
learned from the confidential recommenda
tions of several gentlemen, was one of SO
ludierous character, that | regret being
unable to state it. h't.a -a 81
We fell in, nevertheless with some very
pleasant people, and | could not help no
ticing that the English are becoming more
malleable and traetable of late years..
Those who had cast their insular shell met
us with Continental freedom and cordility.
One experiment with made turned out
unsueeessfully, to my regret. Going down
the valley of the Aar, 1 saw approaching me
a German gentleman and lady, followed at
a little distance by an English party. i
bowed to the former, and was repaid by a
ready and gracious acknowledgment. l
then repeated the process to the English Ia
dies, who deliberately a.s
-1g 'Gorgonized me from headto foot 90
WithastOny British stare .5- -.Ll
Many American ladies, let me confess, would
have done the same thing. 1 kept statis-
ties of female politeRess for some months
in the Sixth-ayenue cars, and found that
not more than one lady in twenty thanked
me fer giving up my seat to her.
From Interiacken we went to Berne,
(where | was fortunate enough to make the
acquaintance of Mr.. Fay, Freyburg and We
way. At the latter place, as well as Geneva,
all the hotels were filed to Overlooking, and
we had some difficulty in getting quarters.
The cost of travel in Europe is much in
creased this year, partly by the increase Of
travellers, and partly by the rise of provis-
ions. l was glad to find, however, that
there are fewer attempts at extortion than
formerly; the hotel business is syStematized
and regulated, and the rates, though high,
are tolerably uniform all over the Continent
$50 that, if Traveller suffers serious impo-
sitions, it is probably owing to his own care
lessness or verdancy.
On entering the valley of Chamouni |
recognized the rocks of the Grand Mulets,
lust under the caves of the clouds which
concealed the dome of Mount Blame, from
Their resemblance to Albert Smiths panora-
ma; but an English tourist, familiar with
the valley, declared | was mistaken ap-
tpealed- to,a sun-burnt, grizzly-headed Old
fellow, who was walking beside us. "They
are the Grand Muets,' said he, "and
ought to know, for | have been fourteen
times on the top of Mount Blanc" He was
the noted guide Coutet At the hotel, a
limping waiter showed us to our rooms. 81
have Just come down from Mount Blame,
he said, ALPHABETICALLY, sand am very tired
aud sore."1 He bad employed the greater
part of bis Summers earnings ir hiring two
guides, with whom he had gone as far as
the Rochers, when they were driven back
by storm. Nothing daunted, he had made
up his mind to try again so soon as the
weather should be favorable Such Is the
fascination of the mighty Mountain. '
We had bad weather, and only succeed
ed in crossing the Mer de Giace, from the
Chapeau to Montanyert, where we waited
twenty four hours, in a snow-sto-1n, intend
ing to push on to Jaraih, spot of green il
the midst Of an eternal ice, 10000 fee
Iabove the sea; but we were compelled Il
give up. Crossing the pass of the Tete Noirc
to Martigny, VIC took the diligence over tllC
Simplon, and descended to Lago MaggiorC
on the second day. Except the gorge o
Condo, on the Italian side, which for pic
turesque effect, is one of the finest things il
the Alps, the Simplon road is less striking
than that over the St. Gothard. In one re-
Ispect, however, it should be preferred by
those who cross the Alps for the first time
E-the transition from Swiss to Italian seen
cry is sudden and complete. A few miles
Eof bare rocky defile, and YOU exchange The
fir for the chesnut, mulberry and fig-tht
mountain chalet for the vine-covered We
randas of bright, southern country houses
MY holiday time was getting short, and
[ could only indulge my companions with {
flying trip through Italy. We spent day
in Milan, and then set out in heavy rain
for Venice. Radetsky, with his staff left al
the same time for Verona, and at Coccaglio
where we waited an hour for the train from
Brescia, we came together The old Mar.
shal and his company took possession of the
refreshmeht room, keeping the rest of us
who were very hungry out of it until they
had finished Nothing could have been
more politely done The guards begged
our pardon, asked us as a special favor not
to 90 in, and admitted us even before Ra-
detsky had retired. I looked at the old
veteran with much interest. He is now
Fwithin three or four years of ninety, yet still
performs his duties as Military Governor Of
Austrian Italy He has at length been
obliged to give up his horse, and now re-
views his troops in an open carriage. He is
a Short thick-set man, walks rather slowly,
but firmly, and has face full of Vitality
His short, white hair, thick, white mustache,
heavy brows, prominent eheek-bones and
square jaws, give him the precise expression
of an old bullterrier. Such courage, reso-
lution and unyieldiug tenaeity of purpose
never saw in any old mans face before. If
he gets his teeth set once, you may be sure
he will holdon Such man was Caravaial,
Pizarro's magnificent old warrior. .'a
In Venice, we had four cloudless DAYS,
land four nights ina gondola, under the full
moon. Such days and nights are dreams,