The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-12-22
The Ho.p,ce efss. lseraarl.

| No AaVSRACO ~ - 0bs o0E W0HOs
correspondents, writing from Switzerland i
gives the following interesting dsscriptio,
of . visit to the celebrated Hospice of St
| Barnard
have made one trip since wrote, winch
has interested me much, to "the Hospital Of
| st. Bernard" Il is place which from
childhood have .st curious to see, aud all
summer have waited fer an opportunity TO
60 there, but the season was 90 for advan ed
that had about given up the idea, when =
few days ago Mr. ?. "a young gentleman who
has boarded her irough the summsr) pro-
posed that shoa.d go with him AID n party
Of bis friencs. leaving Lausanne Wednes-
day noon, we arrived at Martigny al night,
and taking al an wagon tho next morning
ut seven o'cloc:, We arrived at place called
"Cantine Pros about half past ,hree in the
afternoon from there We took mules and a
ride OF two hours up a rocky, rough ascent,
brought us TO the Hospice," little alter
suGdown. W. were received in the most
courteous manner by one Of the monks and
shown ar once to our rooms. They ware COM
fortably furnished with clean beds, washing
apparatus, aud all necessary things, but of
cour.c at that height (be.wcsn 5000 and
5000 feer,) ons djes not expect to find any
Injuries l felt the extreme elevation in
difficulty of breathing, and an unpleasant
sensation in my mind. We suffered very
much from cold the mercury never rises
there above 6S degrees, and it freezes there
ever night.
Sooa after we arrived dinner was served,
and the evening was spent in conversation
and music, the sciie -NInyer serves al the
sans time for psrlor, and Ill visitors assem-
Die there for the evening. We had fire.
bat the warmth was more nominal than rea.
There IS not a tree or shrub growing within
two hours ride of - the Ho.pce," and every
stick of wood has 10 be transported on the
back OF mules; consequently great economy
mus; DO observed in using 1t !; IN addition To
that, evaporation Is SO great al tha, height
that water boils al l9J degrees, aud what
could be cooked IN three hours ordinarily
requires five there. Few Of the monks eau
stand the climate many Years, and are
Obliged ~ leave al about forty years cf age
ard their places are supplied by younger
ones. When | went - bed, ''the host" light,
ed my candle, and asked me If would lie
TO have my bel wArcIed? ?" l ,Eoughs not,
but rather repentca wncn | fund myself
j. bsI. | arose al haIfpasi hse,
dressed, and a. that N nomrut heard the dogs
under my window. Ga look!ug out there
were some eight or ten, largo and small
calling tor their breakfast They are splca>
did telIow.. bat ~: quito 50 large ss | ex>
p cicd - iIh lAeIn. Inc race ki. so.ne-
what dessaer-leI, | 4n told and once or
twice they have nearly lost tho breed,
on-c By tire. another time by being buried
und an srsa.che. They a;e good temper
Cd. g,ut.e aHi courageous, and are very use>
fa, IS you know, ia faiin. lost travellers,
the scent ol human b-ings bang 80 acute that
they tnd per.ons buried under the snow,
where no Hunan ey. sees any trace Of them.
Many time, the dos, disappear entirely ex-
cepl portion of tLe tail, Ia msking this
search. ] wouj Ike u take ore home with
me; noS sld then they sell one, but no. very
often. About six o clJek We went into the
chapel 70 sse mass performed, bl: the cold
soon drove is back to The FIRE about sevea
oc'ock breakfast was served (bread and
coffee oIiy1 and then we were shown the
chapel. Iner- Nc deposited our donations;
there Is 40 ca-rs- whatever male for enter
tainmeul, bd, each visitor places, il able,
sam o! Mo Iey ia the Frame dos Aumones,"
OF course there are thousands who are poor
and give nothing. Last year 81, 900 slept at
the "hJsp!ce' 10 pa sing over the ST. Bern
ard. Alter visiting the chapel, We vent into
the library, wLers are 5000 volumes, mostly
in French and Latin also n fair collection
oi coins ancient and modern, and some re-
mains. which had been found from time 10
time among the mountains. Dat OF the
iibr.ry-room lead, 4 smaller one, containing
= few pictures, gifts of .isitors ,ns them
m engraving Of Washington. From the
library We ven. 10 q .nAll baildiny called
lie Maisou de Morris 1t is a small stone
house, erected many years since In which |
from time, time ave been placed the bodies
OF tho>e who have psrshed in the snow You
look through grated 1dow, without glas.,
and III a moment the mess dispellsd. and
you see dl-,inctly al ri;hiu the building.
There ars skeleton ii different pastures,
just as they were foI1d. blackened by lime,
bu. rot having decs7st owing to the ex-
IRENE dryness an s1id evaporation of The
air-they have sn. dried sup; the last
one, placed ther. tc- years ago, i.as sill so't
beautiful olack h,g n the head, probably a
woman. The floor covered with bones of
the human body, bleschet aud whitened b. |
fr 1st and time to me it WAS '' the thing 10 |
see there, though mani persons shrahk from
the idea; bat 1t gave me . better idea OF
what the Hospice hai been to wayiarcrs,
tran anything else. While these had perish |
Cd. thousands of others hau b.en rescued and |
saved. One dog alone, tie famous Barry, |
has saved ,venty>eisht liYes. He is now
dead.