The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-12-06
TIE GIEsBAOH.

tifhl Alpine cascades, rs II was seen nj
night l,y the mid of artificial illumination.
We spent tho night at this celebrated
spot, which dnws daily two or three hum
dred visitors of their route 10 witness the
illumination Of the Falls. About ten miles
from Interlachcn and nearly opposite tho
town Of Brienz, on the lake Of that name,
torrent prccipira,cs itself, by series Of fvo
heaps, into the lake, over finely wooded
Int most abrupt mountain face Of perhaps
1900 feet in height. The fall is very pretty,
seen from the lake, where, however, only q
small portion Of il Is visible. About two
hundred feet above the lake an unexpected
plateau Of charming shape opens, on which
the Steamboat company have erected
large hotel, inaccessible 10y any carriage
roa, along tho shore. hut to which they
furnished very pleasant conveyance in their
steamer. Here, amid delight inl prospects
and well arranged groun,ls, Is resort Of
unique description, so enchanting that 1t
forces continued stream of travel from It's
course, to make a, least the pilgrimage Of a
night to this o,lt.of.the.wny spot.
The falls themselves, by daylight, arc
beautiful, but by no means more so than
twenty others IN Switzerland. They nre
neither more copous, bol,l, lofty, nor finely
situated than several IN the valley Of Mcy-
rngen, close by. A steep climb of halfan
hour carries the cnlerprisng visitor to their
top. giving him pleasant views Of The lake
below, and Of each shoot, passing him Ill.
rectly behind the finest, which looks moro
like n violent snow storm Than anything
else, seen from its rear. The tug up the
hill, over roots an'l rocks. especially in the
twilight, when we made il, hardly reward.
cd our painstnkng, except asa preparation
for the succeeding illumination.
At about half.past eight, Of the moonlcss
evening, when heavy clouds added special
darkness to the night, tho three hundred
visitors who had assembled nt the proper
point of view-most conveniently furnisl,-
ell near the restaurant, twenty rods below
the hotel-bcgan to SEQ mysterious lights
moving briskly by zig.mg routes up tho
face oftle hlack precipice before them. Tho
ihintest ghost ofthe fall could Just be made
ont in the gloom, by n broken line of less
perfect blackness on the ihcc ofthc noun
tain. Al lenst u half hour passed while we
watched these human wil.o'. 1.-The wisps
that were titinlly dancing IN the forest and
establishing by degrees line Of lights from
the bottom to the top of the falls. Care.
fully shaded rs the lanterns were until tho
proper moment, enough Of their benns cs.
capc,l to mark out the course of the fall. A
grcat hush Of expectation came over The
company. Suddenly u signal rocket blnzr,l
ou,from the very top. A minute later il
was answered. by another from the very
bottom, and, half minute later, by a sim.
ultaneous firing Of l'engaly lights, there
opened upon us a more surprising specta.
Gle Of fhiry.like, Ir must not say heavenly,
beauty than ever saw hciore. The fyc
shoots, and indeed The whole clasm for n
thousand feet long and hundred broad,
were In a blaze Of light, exceeding tho
brightness Of noon day, while absolute
darkness buried everything else. Tho
wnicr seemed visible in every drop-iho
whole series Of falls in perfect view at
oncc-and ! can compare tho magical
effect only To stnirnse such ms might
open from the gate Of heaven ITSELF on
whose successive flights rloirs Of angels
here in garments of white. and thee Of
blue and then Of rose nnh grcen-wcrc
posted, to welcome the unexpected guests.
Jacobs ladder could not have been moro
lovely in his dream. In fact, the ecstacy
ofihis prospect wns almost painful.
found myself expecting Tint something
in me would give way under VISION Of
such supernatural beauty. and was airaid,
as men have lesn aiiail. when angelic
messengers hn'c appeared to them. ]
cannot say that the many rolored lights
aided TO the effect. The lint minute, when
only pure whits light Illuminated the
whole series Of falls was really by Car the
most effective. Falls III rsl win. or green
yitriol aru not natural enough m please,
ami il was impossible not iO he little vex.
ed with memories Of s,nse.sIecIacle, when
red and green lights inirnlc into scenes
which Heaven itself has fashioned. But
will not complain OF my pnr oi q vision
which gave me such exquisite pleasure
while it lasted. Il was flong enough, nl-
though believe the witch rePoncd only
three minutes duration. The lights wero
skillhlly made to die ont "i The successive
shoots rapidly. In, IN s'rcrsson beginning
with the lowest. Onc 10y one, those hcay.
enly gates closed The highest, which
wus red Us blood, closed last. nnd with u
long interval. we were sliu, out nnd len IN
IN. darkness! I would not for The worlJ
have hal the spectacle repeated! IL would
have become theatrical The next time, and
] dnro say hateful after Few repeti'ions;
bu, Il has leii an image on my senses AMI
my Imagination so vivid und 80 enchanting
that ir I should live a thousand years l
could never forget IL. expect TO have Il
return IN my dreams, aud should not won.
der II, IN the shadow Of expiring nainrr, il
presented itself ss fore showing of'ihc
glory tina, is to be revealed.
A correspondent tells Of q lake In Mort,ns.