Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-11-12
Sights and sifes in switEerIand.

From the London Society Magasins we
extract the following bit of Swiss gossip:
"While hunting after scenes and sites,
it will be wise TO take warning by the ia
tai accidents which occur amidst the lbs
every summer. Switzerland occupies a
certain small space on the map of Europe:
but practically, Switzerland is duplicate.
There are two Switzerlands, the upper and
the lower, the accessible and the hard of
| access Switzerland on earth and SgitEeP-
| land in the clouds. The one may De
Rgreeably iourneyed through by ladies,
elderly folks, and quiet people in general /;
the other Is the haunt Of lchamois- hunters
and members of the Alpine Club. 5Still
there is an attractive mid-regIon (allowing
near approach to and a closer ew Of
forbidden spots and unattainable wonders1
which may be visited without imprudenee
by persons who viii .relinquish .peFilous
ascents and passages which, even If accom-
plished, lead TO no useful result, either
practical or scientific, but merely add to
the tourists capital of brag. !. ~ - r.,
Every good indications 10 these. wilder
and yet not too hazardous scenes are given
il Bseker's excellent manual. They are
well worth seeing, for description fails to
give any adequate conception of the effect
Of grand mountain scenery. While gazing
at you experience combination of sensu-
al qualification to the eye and intellectual
excitement TO the mind, whichcan no more
be described in words than certain tastes
and certain bodily sensations. The rocky
wilderness is often rendered comfortable
by the wooden hotels, which are on the in
crease. Some Of them are by no means
small; they are not houses butthree-decker
arks, built to remain on dry land instead of
floating. They are ships which are not
prisons, and where there is NO chance of
being drowned. Ths rooms are cabins,
separated from the other cRbins.by wooden
partitions; the ceilings are diaphragms of
woods. Though you do not hear the sea-
waves splash, you may often listen to the
waters rushing and the winds roaring in
the rigging slofE-in the broad expsnse of
root, westhercocks and spouts. These arks
are bsllasted, too, ike other vessels, with
The difference that the load of stones is
placed alott instead Of in the hold, without
fear Of making the ship capsige. s-F
"Amongst the Al ps there is nothing like
wood; everythang( except tes.kettles and
rylng-pans) Is supposed capable OF being
made of wood. Wooden houses, with wood
en- walls aud wooden rOofs, shelter men
who eat with wooden spoons and forks,
and whose virtues ara recorded on wooden
grsvestones. A Swiss dandy wlf even
show his patriotism by wearing wooden
buttons on Sunday clothes. When the
carriage-ro2 ceases in the Alps there are
two side ways of travelling farther-on
foot and in chairs carried by relays of men
The latter Is expensive, and viii hsrdlyjbe
employed for long distances. Saddle
horses snd mules are to be had in plenty
They will often carry you well and safely,
bul viii occasionally y fail you at the most
critical point, especially if you are not
used to thG:- ways and weaknesses. When
the stream Of tourists is at its fullest rush,
a horse which has performed affair journey
in harness, and has been so employed for
weeks, with no rest but rainy days, viii
be taken out of carriage, fitted with a
saddle and forthwith placed at your SER
vice. : What can you expect from such q
hack as that p II