The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-17
THE PATRIOTIC LEAP.

Before leaving the Vorarlberg, and
while now on its very frontier, I would
wish to keep some record of two very
different but yet very characteristic
actions, Of which this place was the
scene. AS you begin the ascent of the
Arlberg from the westward, the road
makes two very abrupt zigzaes, being
carried along the edge of'a deep preci-
pice: On looking down over the low
battlements that guard the side of the
woy, you discover, Immediately under
you, the spire and roofs of a small vii
lage severalrhundred feet below. The
church,yard, the little gardens, the
narrow streets, and the open "Platz, -
where stands q fountain, are all
mapped out distinctly. This is the
village Of Steuben. A strange spot
you would deem it for any to have
chosen as q dwelling-place, hemmed in
between lofty mountains, on whose
black sides the snow is seen in the very
midsummer, surrounded by wild crags
and yawning clefts, without even pas
turage for anything save q goat; but
your surprise will increase on learning
that twice within the last century has
this village been swept away by falling
avalanches. The first time, the snow,
meeting in its descent from the noun
tains on either side, actually formed a
bridge over the village; and the houses
thus saved wero long regarded as
under the special favor of the Virgin,
with whose image they were most
bountcously decorated. The next ca
lnmity, however, destroyed the pres
tge, for they were mingled in the
common destruction,
It would be difficult for gentlemen
who live at home in ease," TO fancy
any reason for this unaccountable Sc
lection of residence, which. adds the
highest amount of peril to all the woes
OF poverty. But every traveller has
seen many such instances. In every
mountain land they are to be met with,
AMI IN each of the Alpine passes little
groups of houses-they can scarcely
be called villages can be detected in
spots where access is most difficult,
where no feature around indicates any
means of supporting life, and where
the precautions-simple and effectnal
enough--agaiqst avalanches, show that
danger to be among their calculations.
How explain this? By what associa-
tions have these dreary spots become
hallowed into homes? Possibly the
isolated lives of these little families of
men give them the same distaste to
mixing with their brethren of the great
world, that is felt by 6 solitary recluse
to entering. into society. Mayhap,
too, the sense of peril itself has its
share in the attraction. There is no
saying how far this feeling may go, so
strange and waywerd are the caprices
of human nature.
If you enter any of these villages,
the narratives of snow storms, of fall
ing precipices, and "lavines," Us ava
lanches are called, meet you at every
step. They are the great topics of
these communities, as the movements
of politics or the vascillations Of the
Bourse are elsewhere. Scarcely one
who has reached the middle term OF
life has not been, at least once, in the
most imminent peril; and these things
are talked of as the common accidents
of existence, the natural risks of hu.
manity! Very strange does it sound
to us who discuss so eagerly the perils
Of the Russ pavement in our thorough.
fares!.
It is curious, too, to hear, ns one
may, most authentically, the length o1
time life can be preserved beneath the
SNOW. Individuals have been buried
so long as three entire days, and ye1
taken out alive. The cold, of which
it would be supposed they had suffered
dreadfully, seems scarcely very great
and the porous nature of the snow
and possibly the chinks and creyices
left between falling masses, have usu