Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-04-13
ggailg Gmpirr.
Written expressly for the Dayton Hmprel
A SUMNER IN EUROPE b
- ooL pE aaIrn.

The sunhad probably been shining for some
hours upon the low and commonplace portions
of the earth, when we arose, but we we're still
Ia the twilight Of the dawn, here 10 this love.
" valley, We could sec his rays kindling
red beaeons upon the lofty peaks near by, and
could mark thoir progress downward toward
US as he marched up over the mountain walls
which hemmed us in
When he had aurmounted them, aud looked
down through the clefts in those rocks into
the depths, it was as IL the eye of God had
suddenly opened to discover all the "secret
things" and all the "plaeeS Of darkness" of
the earth t..e. ,5.. ....a
By seven o'clock we were mounted upon
mules and were of for Chemouny. Our way
for mile or two was up the valley of the
Drance upon a smooth road lined with walnut
trees, and then, up the side Of a mountain for
two long hours. In1bour iuexperience, we
Thought the ascent was something tremeud-
Gus, but it was only a gentle elevation, and
the zigzag pathway eve feet broad, smooth,
safe and easy road, compared with others that
We found before the day was done AL the
way up, we were continually passing the lit
tie cottages Of the mountaineers, out Of which
there came hosts Of sturdy little children, Of
fering to sell grapes, and pears, and plums
and other gteatfnl emollieuts for the thirst 0 +
the weary pilgrim, and the. dark verdure, the
graziug cattle and the cottages which we
| found even upon the summit we're evidences
to us that we had not yet attained the unpeo.
pied heights where only the full sublimity Of
the Alps can be seen. After achieving this
height ealledlthe Forclsz, we descended upon
It's other side for half an hour, and then
crossing a torrent, stopped at a little hu
while our guides refreshed themselves with
bread and cheese and some wine, and the
mules nibbled at the tufts of grass
"How are we going to get out Of this val
ley;" said ! 90 we remounted, to the atalwart
fellow who had Us and the mules in his care
---do we follow the course Of the water r.
l"ohl yes" said be, "thAt is beautiful pass
1.-The Tere Noir--and very easy too" Eyes,
but we will come back that way. Where 10
the Col de gBalme q "0h that is very diff.
6cult, very dangerous, and perhaps the clouds
viii come up and you will see nothing. "Bat
where isitg' There, said he, pointing to
what seemed to be a perpendicular wall on
the farther side Of the valley "Do you say
that we can get up there with our mules r. -
He assented, but rather reluctantly, evidently
prefering the other route, but we were unAui-
mously Of the opinion that we must see how
that ascent could be accomplished, and when
we announced our conclusion, he submissive
ly led the way, Like almost everybody else
he liked going round en- obstacle better than
going over IL. s'' .n'a.
We drew near the foot OF the mountain
still seeing no way by which We could
ascend it. and half believing that our
path must lead Us up a side gorge near by, or
else thai there was some invisible machinery
by which We were to be hoisted bodily over IT,
Finally, q turn to the left among the trees
discovered TO us the beginning of zigzag
path, leading over crumbling, rocky frag-
neuts up the almost perpendicular face OF
the mountain. IL the vain builders who
sought to rear a tower upon the plains Of Shi.
mao, from the top Of which they designed to
to take heaven by storm, had lived in the vi
Oinity Of the Alps and made such an asesn,
as this, Holy Writ would never have contained
the record Of their presumption and folly
They could have climbed here, until they were
satisfied consider itnO confession OF weak
ness when | say, hat as the stupid mule walk
ed along upon the very ootmost verge Of the
path, sometimes looked down into the depths,
into whieh,a single false step would send me,
aud drew back with trembling muscles aud
reeling brain II ! attempted to pull the
bruts away from this shrink OF forever" be
would seraPe my legs against the rOoks--hs
knew no msan between the extremes. We
stopped for moment TO rest when we were
about half way up, aud right over our heads
there cane a train Of mules eircling the
moun,aiH side, looking as il they were held
i to il BY some invisible and supernatural pow
er, We passed up against the mountain and
/. let them take the risk Of getting by, on ths
ontside EverY moment expected to SEE
them shp snd fall headlong into the abyss
but their feet chung TO the pathway As II they
were armed with claws like cats and theJ
got safely BY Sometimes, II is said, weak
nerved persons are carried over these heights
with their eyes blindfolded that they may be
unconscious Of the dangers
Z After more than two houre Of this skywart