Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-04-20
gailg empire
Written expressly for the Dayton Rmplrel
SUMNER IN EUROPE.

~ ~ " hA AAA - ~ 81 = AN ~ " ~ " NE
t- ,Frf NO. XLIX.I rF1v-r'
MoNTANvERT-MrR DE GLAoR-MAuvAIs PAS.
We were perfectly willing to remain quietly
at the hotel the next day to get the "tited"
out of our bones, but the guide said we could
At least make the little excursion TO the Mer
de Glace, which he pointed out to us. II
seemed SO near and SO easy, that we aequiesced
in his suggestion, and once more started of.
We crossed the river and the valley aud wound
slowly along up the side Of the Moutanvert.
The ascent is almost equal to the Col de
Balmc, but it is more gradual and less fright
full The zig-sags are longer and the path
less precipitnte. and we fet little Of that aense
of danger here which adds 50 much TO the
vwidnoss ofones srecollsctions Of the sublime.
We we're becoming little experienced, too,
in mountain climbing, and could pRss without
shudder, along . pathway which avalanehes
had in many places shorn Of half its marrow
width. W "
As far as our eyes could reach, up and
down, we conld trace the tracks which these
frightfa things made for themselves In .heir
furious course to the valley. Nothing with
stands them Great treesi are torn from their
places, cottages crushed 10 second, and
great boulders are pulverised to powder. We
would not pass so composedly along here in
the winter, | am sure
We climb sixty.three hundred feet and there
find little chalet on the high banks of the
Sea of Ice II is called sea, but il is more
like river. We can see easily enough the
moontain-sido which is it's further bank, aud
looking mp, we can trace its course winding
downward among the peaks from far aboys the
clouds. r... {.-4 ,5
The variety Of the scene from this point is
wonderful. At our left We looked down, over
the tops of the pine trees to the green pas
lures, and smiling fields and the little hamlets
where are tender women and laughing chill.
dren. In front, aud to the right, we're the
stiifened and dead. ice billows, aad the gray
crags GeaVing heaven as if they were wedges
to split it open. We descend to the silent
shore, and there, blooming on the very verge
of the everlasting ice, are aowers as delicate
in leaf and in hue as ever raised their faces
anywhere on earth, in alteration to their Gre.
1 ator. gwen -n' '' 71I "'N' tL-,'
Preceded BY our guSsas, who carried little
axes in their hands TO est steps for us in The
sloping sides OF the masses OF ice, we crossed
10 the other side. We elinbed hills and de.
seended into valleys Of ioes looked up to pin
naeles shooting like needles into the air, and
pesred cautiously dowu into fssures Which
extended downwards to depth which our eyes
could not iathom. The hsat Of the sun was
intense, and little rivalets were coursing over
the surface, hurrying TO the deep abyssea 70
find their way through hidden caverns until,
joining with thousands Of others, they form the
roaring river which springs out from below,
as did Minerva from the brain of Joys---iulI
grown from the moment of birth, The
breadth Of the ice stream is at least a, mile.
Gaining the other side we passed down over
the debris Of the mountain which the slow
moving, butresistless mass had torn OF, as by
q mighty plowshare, until we reached the verge
Of the precipice over which Ii pours into the
valley. Nothing in ali the world furnishes =
comparison for this wonder but Niagara. Tn,
agine, il you can, the whole river above The
falls, unbroken BY any Islands, dakhiDg down
a much sleeper descent than that of the Amer
can rapids, with its waves thrown forty, fifty,
. hundred feet high, and Into shapes infiai.e.
" fantastical, and then every drop made mo.
tioaless and solid by word from the Omnip.
Otsnt, and the Mer de GIaee, above the verge
Of It's preeipiee, is before you. We have stood
amazed at Niagara leaplng into its depth, but
the ice torrents plunge mnst be measured Bg
thousands instead Of hundreds OF feet And
then lis awful silehee-how uRliks Niagara
i II sends not a sound up 70 our ears, except
when, IT Intervals a stone lOOseBed from ita
resting place by the suns heat, goes rumbling
into the unfathomed depths below God has
laid his hand upon ii, aAd IL Is still lla1 ali 3
"Ye silent caiaraetsi sdec aisry
4 Who made you glorious as the gates OF Heaven
bspeash yop Keen iai naeea Who tadet tbs sun. sla
of ioveest lane, spEsad Earlsnds at your fossi 81
God let the torrents, like = shout OF nations
Ahsyeri apd lee the iss'plAins echo, Godi 3g" sfe
ye living flowers thst skr The eternal fsosff aGns
le Wild eoatsspoIting roand the eagles nest
We lghtnlngs, the dread arrows Of the oloudsi
leHEps aud wonders 0f the elements ilN
Utter forth God and an the hils vllh prsissi 50
so sang CoIeridge, and with the torrents
the flowers, the eagles, sad the II iEhtnings ev
cry sonl Of man which the world has not made
s,olid aud brutal viii, in this place utter forth