The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-11-24
ND e r T II e 8 N o w
IN TWO PORTIONS.
FART J..

FART j.
Although Switzerland is famous, all the
world over, for its lofty mountains, still, In
foreign countries, many lads OF my age, and III
nv station of llte may not exactly kuo" that
the Jura is a chain OF mountains formed by
several parallel chains which extend from
Basic In Switzerland, q ute up to France and
little way into II, running IN the direction
from northeast 10 southwest. The length OF
the Jura is about one hundred and seventy
miles, and its breadth from thirty-flge TO forty
miles. 1t contains great number OF deep
valleys and several mountains whose sum-
mite are very lofty.
order that you may better understan what
happened TO me; for it is, in great measure,
the Inference of the height of the mountains
which renders them more or less habiabie.--
The higher they are the sharper is the cold
there, the shorter Is the summer, the scantier
IS the vegetation, and the earlier does the snow
cover it. Some of these mountains are even so
lofty that the snow on their tops is never en-
tiIeIy ana completely melted, but remains in
patches in the nollows. Nevertheless, all the
mountains OF the Jura lose their upper gar
nleut OF snow every year; some sort of her
biga springs on the highes, SUBMITS al many
points they are clothed with magnificent
woods g beech, oak, and especially frs: whilst
other parts afford excellent, pasture-ground
on which very HE cattle are reared, and par
TiCuiariy oxen, COWS, ana goats N0twith-
standing which, these beautiful mountains are
scarcely hahrabie more than five months in
the wear. from May or June IN til the begin
Aing otOc'obar
AS soon as the SHOWS are melted and the
6umulils are clothed again With green, cur
villages. which are all built in the valleys
on the lower slopes, send their herds up the
mountain. This departure is quite a holiday;
and yet we ferdsmen have to spend the whole
summer away from our families, leading
hard working ife,with many priyations. We
live almost entirely ON 4 milk land cheese diet
which we call by a general name, laitass, hay-
ing often nothing else to drink by way of a
change but water from the spring. We spend
in rra Vi pIar hard
those large aud handsome cheeses which are
known AZ GruysTe.
Every herdsman has, up in the mountain a
chalet, which is wretched place for human
habl tation, although mostly Dnilt of stone 1t
is rooted with small deal plaEks called bar
dsGnk heavy stones, laid in rows upon them
press them down, and prevent the storms from
stripping Them on. The interior of a chalet is
divided Ito three apartments; welI.closed
stable or courthouse, 10 lodge the cattle At
night; narrow and cool dairy, where the
milk is kept in broad wooden bowls; and a
Kitchen, which also serves as q bedroom, where
the herdsman not unfreq uently sleeps on bed
of straw. The kitchen is furnished with a
yast chimney, in which hangs an enormous
caldron, for warming the milk and helping TO
conrert. Il into cheese. As the chalet is our
Tesideu the whole summer long, we are
obliged 10 store ii with many little articles of
necessity, 10 save having 10 go down TO the
valley TO fe tch them when wanted unexpect.
eddy.
Oar season hardly finishes before ST. Deniss
", GH
mountain, az ain making u holiday, delighted
10 return 10 cur families. Bat we do not lead
Idle life l. the village any more than we
did at the cnalet. We are accustomed to de-
pead upon urselves, and are obliged to turn
our hands 10 everything. We make house
hold utensils TOOLS and furniture; we carve
wood into fancy articles, which after
wards dispersed all over Europe. But, what
is of the greatest importance, the winter
allows us spare time for our education. If the
path to the school is not always open, the
children are made TO learn their lessons at
home. The art OF writing is not forgotten;
and by reading aloud, we amuse and instruct
others as we'll as ourselves. II was a good
thing for me that was so brought up. II had
not had these resources in my trou Bile know
not what would have become of me- Oce
thing at least Is clear: the journal which fol-
lows could not have existed. Although only
SWISS country-iad have been able To write
some sort OF a history. Here 1t is as l was
BILE 70 note II down from day to day
NorembG 22.--Siuce IL Is the will OF God
that and my grandfather should be impri.
soned in this chalet, intend To record in writ
Ing what happened to Us. If we are destined
10 perish here, our relations and friends will
learn how our last days were spent il we are
delivered this journal Will preserve the recol-
loetons Jour dangers and our sufferipgs 1t
Is also my grandtathers wish that l should
undertake II.
The day before yesterday, In the village we
hao oeen expecting my father for several
weeks past. ST. DenIs's day was over alI the
NERDS mad come down from the moun tain. to-
gether win their keepers MY IA her alone
Ia , 10 make MS appearance, and we began 10
1sk, p" nat can possibly detain him lp / Iost
my mother three years ago; but IN a N cles nd
aunts assured me that need not m Ave m ysa,s
uneasy that probably there remained sasna
grass 70 be eaten, and that was why NV fathsr
kept the herd little later up the mountaIn
Al last my grandfather became alarmed He
saio Will go my self and see why Franeois
uoss NO. come. shall not be sorry To see the
cua1t once more. Who knows whether 1
eua'i ue aoie TO viEitit next summer1 viii
y9u nhe 70 come with me ~
~ WAS Ins very req uest was going to ma NO
Ior, a nave no mother, we ara s1most 81
ways together. Ne were SOC, rsss a', s al
We mounted slowly, somet,mss y, 70 sMr@
narrow gorgss. sometimes skir,ing ~ V u
Of deep precipices. About a aa.rsa. n.nA
league before we came 10 the chalet 7 a,. =. .
iracted by curiosity TO the edge OF a ysr~ 49, nv
rock Ny grandfather, who had told me morpp
than once that be did not like my doinr SO
fastened forward ~ pull me back but iarsss
store, rolling backwards rs he stepped upon
~, canssd him 10 sprain his foo. and put him
10 considerable pain But in 4 few mimi
he felt better, and We hoped that no lad con-
seqaeae~s would snsns. With the help Of his
st,st holly stick, and by leaning on nv shout.
sss. - vss se's V ssss himself o. far - this
ny satlss AS sizes W s-sseissd To s,s Ne.
Ms wa- hasy rffrsfiaF fps ~ sU~eAAsIs "a
tsst - rae peis.ls Yat tssi Il ssss.s a.ss ssk