Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-04-16
.ailg Gmpire.
written expressly for The Dayton EmpireI
A SUMNER in EUROPE.
NO. 2SLvIII.
AILHER dLAoIKK-oHAMouNY.

ged and precipitous, than the ascent from
Martigny, The mules had been refreshed with
q whisp Of hay aud were ready for their bur
dens again, but for one was not ready for
them. Their tedious movements were endu.
rabe when the alternative was climbing the
steep mountain side on foot, but they were
not TO bo thought Of nOw that our path led
down grasscovered slope, SO in company
with some pleasant Englishmen, started on
ahead Of my friends, making "short cuts
from one zig gag to another when the decliVi.
" was not too steep, steadying myself with the
long iron-shod pole, which every traveller in
Switzerland buys, whether he needs it or not,
called the Alpenstoek. After descending
about an hour deemed myself far 10 advance
Of my party, but far down the mountain saw
a familiar form, and on approaching it, found
It wearing the grinninR face of our German
speaking guide whom ! had left with my
friends at the top. He knew shorter cuts
thaR did, and got down in advance Of me
from pure mischief, and he very heartily en-
joyed my establishment
Just at the foot Of the mountain is the Sill.
yer glacier | never had any clearly defined
idea of glacier, until saw this one. but ex-
pected to see, something really amazing; out
Of the common order Of things mysterious
manifestation Of unknown powers n nature
aud all that But my first impression was that
Of the matter-offact Irishmen who, upon be.
ing called upon by an enthusiastic fellow trav
eer to wonder at the immense volume Of wa.
ter pitching over the Falls at Niagara, re-
sponded very cody: ''Rn what's to hinder
itY The snow falls on the steep side Of two
mouptains which slope towards each other,
and slides down into tho gorge between them,
and becomes q solid mass. This makes
glacier, and there is nothing in the world that
appears more matter-ofcourse. These gor-
ges which separte adjoining peaks, are some
times filled With these rivers OF ice from the
top Of the range down into the level vallies,
and the weight Of the ice, is forever gradual
y pushing it farther and farther down. This
again, is so natural and easily comprshsnded
that Il does not surprise US BIT. But while
it is true that glaciers are no mysteries any
more than the mountains, the caves or the
waterfalls, they have sublimity equal to al
most anything else in Natures entire realm,
This Silver glacier is unlike most Of those wo
could see 10 It's vicinity, in that, instead o.
sweeping with gentle curve into the valley,
its front seemed to be an upright wall Of ice,
am afraid to guess how high Some Of the
party who flung themselves with us down mp.
on the grass to rest and gaze at 1t, said il was
thousand feet high--othsrs we're positive it
could not be an inch less than three thousand,
and for my part could mot say which was
nearest right Ordinary standards for eye
measurements are missing here, and although
every thing is gigantic, there is such perfec.
harmony Of all the parts, that the unexPerien-
ced are utterly at fault upoa questions Of
height and distance The ice Of this glacier
s Of dazzling whiteness, and purity, ami
looking up it from below, 10 seems like q
great cloudbanner, hung out Of the heavens
and sweepiug the earth.
All summer long the sun comes down apon
these masses Of ice, and they slowly sink uh-
der his attacks until the winter comes again
and restores their wontsd greatness. Allsnm-
mer long, their life-bloOd comes gushing forth
In hmpid torrents, and flies 6nvards aud down.
wards, never resting until it reaches the sea.
The MEETINGS of this glacier is the beginning
of the river ArYe, whose junction with the
Rhons we saw mile below Geneva. Not.
WithstaRding this inoessant drain 10 the sum.
mer, the bulk Of the glaciers ia not sensibly
diminished, and one Of the most impressive
thoughts concerning them is, that they are 50
immortal as the mountains between which
they he-.hat they are to-day what they have
been for four thousand yeArs-lhat photo
graph Of one Of them taken today, s an Ae-
eurate representative Of What il viii bs on tho
day which ushsrs In the new heaven aud the
new earth
Our pathway down the valley was upon the
banks Of the Arve, and its rapids, cascades
and whirpools, were almost as attractive As the
mountains When Swiss wants mill ali be
has 70 do is 10 make wheel like those the
boys set running in cutters, and project il over
the bank Of = torrent ike this, 40 that the eur.
rent can touch Il and his ''power" is obtained.
There is enough force 10 the stream Of the
Arve, TO turn all the min wheels IN New Eng.