Weekly Trinity journal., 1866-02-10
Lost on the Susten Pass.
A PAGE PROM NY DIARY OF TRAVELS IN SWITZERLAND
BY W. T,

Early On dlloEely morning IN tne montn oi Ju-
ly, 1916, our little party, consisting of DR.. Smith,
my brother and myself, at that period medical
student of the University of Freburg, in Ger
many, after good nights rest in the Hotel de
Guillaume Tell, once more sung our knapsacks
over our shoulders, and alpenstock in hand took
our departure from the village of Altdorf, in the
Canton of Cri. insignificant as the little village
may appear to the eye of the tourist, yet it's
name is immortalized in history as the birth
place of Tell, the hero of Switzerland. Two
towers which stand in the Market place comment
crate this spot as the of his celebrated feat
of archery in piercing with an arrow the apple
on his sons head, in compliance with the man.
date of Gessler, the Austrian tyrant.
Our intention was to Gloss over the Susten Pass
to Interlacken, a delightful watering-place stu
ate on the Lake of Thun, at the foot of the
q Yungfrau, or the Virgin, one of the highest
peaks of the Berneese Overland Alpine range,
which rises to an altitude of IA 900 feet crown
ed with diadem of perpetual snow. After lea
wing the village crossed bridge over noun
tain torrent in which Tell is said to have lost his
life in the humane act of endeavoring to rescue
drowning child.
Our path led up the valley of the Renss, thro
a sngularly wild and romantic country. and
though PERCEPTIONS and difficult rendered inter-
esting by those splendid phenomena which no
country exhibits in more astonishing manner
than the mountainous region of Switzerland. The
rocky pass the verdant valley the broad lake ;
A. Il; tbo cbo1a
which little herds of goats grazing the MIN
BILE channels, bounding from crag to crag o err
head the towering Alps, at their base the mag
nfcent vet fearful horrors of the glaciers. Such
scenes greet the eye at every step, filling the
mind with establishment at the diversity Of ma
ture. Our path at times skirted the base of a
mountain, again rising to the summit or wind
ing along a verge of precipces which sank down
perpendicularly to the torrent below. We tray
ersed the Devils Bridge, frail wooden struc-
ture which spans frightful gulph between two
precipices !; a cataract pours from above sshing
its spray over us as it falls with of thun-
der into the abyss beneath The bridge quvers,
and our heads reel as we cross. At other times
our path traverseG spots of milder character :;
delightful green slopes and lowly retired valleys,
affording both pasturage and arabic land, water
ed by small streams winding by the village of
chalets clustered round the fantastic little church.
flowing on to the Lake of Lucern.
Again the scene changes the q Pas Mandit,
or accursed Pass, arrests our steps, presenting
terrors before which many stout tourist recols
with dsmay Skirtng the side of the mountain,
the narrow path seems to terminate abruptly IN
a huge projecting rock overhanging precipice
of more than three hundred feet in depth. On
closer inspection there was a narrow ledge scarce
foot in width, on which, clinging to the rough
1 -far
in order to regain the path the other side. \
little further on we passed the 'Lover's Leap,
precipice over which tradition says lover
leaped when pursued by his enemies, bearing in
his arms his lady love.
Attaining the summit of the mountain splen-
did panorama burst upon our view The Over
land, with its hundred peaks, glittered in the
bright sunshine, mirroring their shadows in the
peaceful waters of the Lake of Lucern. Tower
ing to the clouds, and appearing to rise almost
perpendicularly from the waters edge, Mount
Platre rears its frowning summit Tradition
states that Pontius PLATE, the Proconsul of Ju-
dea after n1ing years in the recesses of this
mountain, at length in remorse and despair
plunged into the dismal lake on the summit of
the mountain which bears his name. His troub
led spirit still haunts the place of his suicide,
and form is at times seen to emerge from the
gloomy waters and 60 through the motion OF
washing Its hanQS. w men tnlS oCCufsf pldCh
clouds of mist gather round the bosom of the
lake yelling the summit in darkness, and presag-
ing a tempest, which invariably follows
At P. NJ, we arrived at the foot of the Sus-
ten Pass. Here we found few chaets, with a
little church, and on inquiring of a peasant for
some house where might obtain refreshments,
were directed to the chalet of the Pastor of this
little community. We were cordially received
by an agreeable gentleman who administered to
our wants. The good Pastor had in this retired
valley devoted his life to his God and the spirit
al welfare of a community of hunters and shep-
herds, who live in a state of primitive simplici-
ty, obtaining from the soil subsistence gained
by the severest labor, following the chamois over
yawning precipices, driving their herds of cows
and goats to scanty pasturage in the vicinity of
eternal snow.
Our repast ended the good Pastor endeavored
to persuade US to remain with him until the NOR
row pleading the late hour and the danger OF be-
ing overtaken by night in wild and dangerous
Pass He pointed to the summit, over when
dark, heavy clouds were hanging, and remarked
that storm was coming party of Engiisn
tourists, consisting of three gentlemen and IA.