The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-09-15

marked by the question which, on two
different occasions, he first asked Of
the engineer sent to him to report
progress -"La Canon grand pourra-
TIL passer M SimplonY
The asccn. Of this wonderful and
extraordinary road and pass began
when we left our vile breakfast As
the scenery changes every half mile
with the ascent, the turns and the zig
Gags of the road, and as the diligence
makes but three miles an hour during
seven hours, that man must be an
invalid, n cripple or should be left
behind who would not walk up or as
cend on horse or mule-back and enjoy,
as did, every moment and perch of
the ascent.
fear sometimes weary you with
writing so much about precipices, ra-
vines, glaciers, cascades, peaks, passes,
valleys etc, but until get fairly into
Italy, / cannot, if | would (ond /
uould not if Icould') pass their con
stantly varying attractions. l confess
myself at the start, utterly incompe-
tent to describe in fitting terms, the inn
prossions which the scenes produce on
one who has any love or appreciation
Of SO much that is beautiful, grand or
sublime in Nature The Pass Of
the Simplon can scarcely fail to
arouse any person, even but a degree
above cretin, into a state of constant
excitement and enthusiasm
A short distance from Brieg, the
road leaves the lofty covered bridge
over the Saline and makes a wide
sweep towards the Breithorn, passing
bill dotted with cottages and white
chapels and crowned 10y calvary, a
charming sight, viewed from above.
The road soon approaches the gorge
of the Saline and winds around the
mountain on the verge of procipice,
at the bottom of which, the torrent is
seen and heard at a vast depth, rush
ing through dark and iutting forms of
slate rocks which seem torn and shat
tered by some fearful conyulsion of
Mother Earth. Higher up the Brei-
thorn, a giant pile. 5000 feet high, on
the opposite side Of the valley Of the
Guntha, rises nearer and seemingly
higher than when at Brieg it appeared
but an hours walk distant; its steep
gray sides and savage aspect, contrast
ing finely with the snow peaks behind
aud above and the ever green slopes
below it. This fine hill remains in full
view from three of the four cardinal
points Of the compass during the jour
ney from the valley TO Simplon on the
southern descent, and we never tired
Of looking at its ever varying, always
grand outlines.
From the second refuge, looking
back, the view is beautiful indeed
The valley of the Rhone the river it.
self reduced to mere thread as far
as Furtman, distant so miles, with
Brieg and Matters at the foot of the
mountain range. is spread out like Il
map at ones feet; the variously shaped
fields of ripening grain, meadow and
cultivated portions of different hues
looking not unlike huge, faded bed
quilt old enough to celebrate a golden
wedding with
At height Of 1000 feet above the
valley, the road disappears in a tunnel
cut through ragged spur in the
mountain nearly 100 feet A hundred
yards beyond, l turned and recognized
at glance the picture of the same,
painted by Clifford, that I had often
coveted in his studio. The road from
this point bends around the gorge of
the Gunther at the upper end Of
which it passes under the foot of gla-
ciers, past the paths of ayalanches
and across lofty bridge over a tor
rent fed 10y melting snow and glaciers.
"This bridge is left uncovered from the
fear entertained by engineers that the
terrific gusts or currents of air which
follow an avalanche, might blow the
arch entirely away, We're much resist
ance Of flat timber work presented. "
After passing the bridge the road
turns down the opposite side and as
cends by zig-zags to a third refuge
called Beresal, an Inn consisting of
two buildings connected by a roof
across the pass where post horses are
kept. From this point and all the
way to the next refuge, the view is
grand beyond description Through
and over the gorge the eye finally rests
upon the valley, from behind which
rise high ranges of noble mountains
and beyond and above these latter
loom mn nrondlv the Bernese Aims