Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-04-27
From tho Mid.ilssury Rss.ssr.
THE LAST LECTURE.

auditory. The lecturer made /
a flying trip from Rome 10 Switzerland, /
The first object Of interest was the |
Sinplon road-,he one NaPoleo,, cut
for his troops TO pass over the Alps. /
From 1901 to 1906, 10000 men worked
on it its estimated cost Is $4,000 per |
mile--a low estimate 1t has 600 0bridg- |
IS in 20 miles he turned aside for no
obstacle. church, even. was cut IN two
for the road to pass, and noble fir tree
was the only thing for which he made
the least deviation, he turned aside for
that, and the tree is yet standing grad
ually the traveller goes up aed op until
he reaches great hight; in the Gorge
OF Condo, through which the road passes
is wonderful gallery $50 feet long cut
through solid granite; it took 100 men
IS months TO excavate il; the highest
point Of this road is 6,57s feet above
the sea level, 100 feet higher than Mount
Washington, n. H.. here he found the
hospice, where the Monks If 81. Angus
tin and their famous ST. Bernard dogs
dwell TO render succor 70 lost and help
less travellers. From this point the
valley of the Rhone is clearly in view
to behold it is 100 miles long, from 2
to 2 broad. dotted with romantic villages;
two singular diseases are peculiar to
those living in this valley, viz the goitre,
which is an enlargement of the glands
OF the throat, and the crstiH, an enlarge
ment of the head idiocy results from the
latter-cretin prevails among the child
ren of those subject 10 the goitre.
Martena, the Octodorus OF the Romans,
is the spot where Napoleon marshalled
his troops to cross the Alps by the bride
PATH as it is called, up which his engin-
eer told him it was only possible for
troops to go--'go on them, said the little
Corporal; the cannon were placed in
hollow logs and dragged up this noun
tain. and when the troops reached the
hosyice, on the top, each received crusi
of bread and a drink OF wine. The
lecturer said that the recovered bodies
OF those buried in storms and snow slides
are placed in a house on the mountain
and so pure is the air that they keeF
for years, and can be recognized for ter
! years after by friends. Took steamer
, for Lake Geneva, the azure blue o
whose water is remarkable, and its scene
ry rare and beautiful; villages dot IL
, shores, vineyards ornament its hillsides
! visited the residence Of Madam de Stael
Voltaire, Calvin, Byron, D'Aubigne
: Gibboa, &c. Geneva is not remarkable
: save for its watch manufactures. Startr'
= on an expedition to Mer de Glace ri
Chamouni, which is BAGS feet above th
= level Of the sea here were people com
ing and going; all languages mingi
together: Mount Blanc is the princi2a
object Of interest; our highest mountai
Is Mount Washington, 6.422 feet high
Mansfield 4,279; the Adrondacks 2
GOO. but Mount Blanc is 1860 f.,
above sea level. Prot. Souzon fir
aseended il for scientific purposes
French lady assembled il, and in order I
IS be able 10 boast that she had been highe
;, than any one in Europe. bad her euid
+ hold her up as high as he could, while q
d the highest point.
k The lecturer then described an avalaI
che and a glacier, and il was dor
graph eally, too a glacier is strea
OF ice passing down the mountain
= moves 500 feet a year they vary
o thickness from 100 to 500 feet. II
= Swiss erect KIDD Of wedge-like pr
y lection in the rear Of their churches
y keep them from being overwhelmed
o, ayalaBclies. Some Of them are psi
al odical, and the Shepherds provide sgain
u them.
% As Marshal M'Donaid was passii
:" over these mountains 10 1900, with /!
600 troops an avalanche swept a~i
whole company, and among them
little drummer boy, who beat bis dru
Z as be lay ia the lrighifal abyss below, {
beyond all help, il mournfal echo di'
away 81 last. and be ass left 20 die d
= .now tails here in powdered stale, o
ia liakes, and as fha sua melts i, il
called tirn, or snow 10 5 transition sia
Of this glaciers ara formed, they oeesl
the region Of eternal desolaiion 6
lecturer referred 10 the ice period
:. gsologisis, and spoke of the dangero
:, assures ia the glaeierastravellsrs are OF
:. lost IN them bis asesnG u the moants
iss peril, the guides, glle scenery. all, y,
described 10 8 natural, easy ard "