Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-06-22
MONASTERY AND MONKS
OF ST. BERNARD.

1t was neither the Alps nor the his
toric Pass that induced our party &c
go from Martigny direct to Aosta.- =
Upon the whole route, celebrated by
the marches of Hannibal, Charlie
magne and Napolean, we knew ther,
was nothing to compare with the
Sierra Nevada, Arizona, or Yosemite
But we we're curiousto see the monks
and the dogs, the former representing
brave predecessors of nine hundred
years lineage, for the hoSpice of St
Bernard was found in the tenth cen
tury; and the latter, the courage, en-
durance and the skill that looks out o.
the eyes of pure canine breed as the
soul of man does from his. Imprac
ticablc, therefore, as we were told
the ascent was, we set forward-fve
of us-each with his alpenstoclS, a
mule to carry our light luggage, and
a single guide. Crossing a deep
abyss, whore the Drance forces its
way to the valley below; avoiding
the woods Of ST. Pierre, where Napo-
lean encountered his greatest obsta-
cles during that extraordinary expe-
dition of A. d. 1900, and rising by a
new road TO where pines and larches
are stunted from the altitude at
which they grow, wereached the Plan
de ProE, through which avalanches
sweep nine months of every year. The
plain is surrounded by heights. Blocks
ofstone are scattered in confusion. De
bris Of sand, rocky soil, roots and
trunks of dwarf oaks, and hollows of
slumping snow, almost prevent pro.
gress. Beginning from hence to scale
the mountains, vegetation grad ually
disappears. Precipices Of naked
granite are before you Glaciers
stream into valleys far below Fields
of ice, bare black rocks, deop preci.
piccs, wastes without a blade of grass
or tuft Of moss, and desert sterile as
Sahara aud far more horrid, are on
every side.
1t was journey of ten hours. The
sun had set We had left far behind
the begging cretins, those goitered
women and children that disgust one
with the human race tho inhospita
bic cavern whore we stopped to dine,
the last miserable chalet, with its
starving goats,-and a torrent leap.
ing and tumbling in July, under the
ribs of icc,-and were cropping along
stone passages, our clothes soaked
with the rain, our hands benumbed
with the cold, and our respiration
strange from the rarity of an 5000
feet atmosphere, when a shout came
from the guide, LIZ HospIcE LIZ Hos. 1
PICE! Care and weariaess were over, |
and at s o'clock we stood on the por
tai Of the Monastery of St. Bernard.
/ happened to be first at the stone |
steps and found monk on the top |
waiting to receive us. Never had |
/ been more mistaken in my anticipa.
tions. | thought to see a tall, hale,
rough, stern old man but here was
a pleasant, ruddy, smiling, gentle
manly host, about thirty years old,
who gave me his hand and welcome
with the grace Of preur cheualier.
told him we were five, and asked if
all could be accommodated. GAIL"
he replied, "and, werc it necessary, |
ten times as many more. But You
arc wet. Stockings, shirts, and dry
Duter grments, are ready for you ALL"
| thanked him, and replied that we
had changes of garments on our mule.
lie then offered his help to take or our
clothes, or for anything else he could
10, and conducted US at once to our
rooms, giving two with three beds [
IN each The apartments we're long
enough to have the beds lcngthways {
with sufficient space to dress between. s
On the opposite side were three plain ,
-oilet tables, with ancient looking
glasses. The sides and ceiling were /
III deal, without partical Of paint !
At the end was a small window, well {
occurred to bear the storms. The beds q
itood about four feet high from the {
loor, and had each two blankets,
hiok coyorlets, and a 5ou6let, or down q
'ed, TO cover all There was every c
ieediul comfort, but not the least lux g
Try. With the exception ofa prison v
ike atmosphere,-that odor not un- s
ike what one catches upon entering,
Turing the cold season, the double. t
and iurnaco-heated draw. n
ng-room OF Boston mansion. caused !.
" the exclusion Of the fresh, cold air Il
there was everything the most ias II
idious could desire. II
On descending to the common hall. r.
We mingled with dozen other trav. Y
Hers, of all sorts, around large fire, c
Iwaiting supper. 1t consisted Of II
odp, three or four kinds of meat. "
dried fruits, and nuts O