Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-01-12

The Great saint Bernard = The
Gorpses OF the Lost Preserved :
Pf0us work of the MONKS of ST.
Bernard.
From the London telegraph
Three travellers, il is stated, have just
lost their lives on the Great Bernard
Mountain. They had been travelling
from Msrtigny toward the Italian from
tier, with the intention of resting for the
night in the famous Hospice that stands
almost on the boundary line between
| Switzerland and Italy. BY seven O. clock
in the evening they had reached little
inn on the way to the Monastery; they
had still to journey for seven toisome
miles before reaching the monkish place
of welcome; aud, since the night was
dark and stormy, the innkeeper besought
them to wait until the morning. Being
poor they refused. They belonged to
that class of poverty-stricken pilgrims
who are constantly passing between
Switzerland and Italy, and who carry all
their worldly goods in knapsack OF un-
tanned deer skin. A few minutes will
suffice to take such travellers from any
part Of the great Canton Valais to Aosta.
They shun inns with horror, as places OF
unscrupulous extortion; and their aim
is to break the journey at the Hospice,
where they get food and lodging for the
night free of charge, and in the morning
are provided with the necessaries OF
travel on the same benevolent terms.
Hence, although the night was pitchy
dark, and the wind was coming down
with hurricane-like gusts from the great
mountains that shut ia the valley, the
three travellers resolved that they would
push on to the Hospice. Soon after leav-
ing the csnteen they began TO ascend a
winding, rocky, and steep path, which
overhangs a bowling torrent and leads to
the Monastery. The road is perhaps one
of the toughest in Europe. SO many
rocks jut out, 80 sharp are the turns
round the course fthe brook, and 80 steep
are some of the sscents, that even mule
might be pardoned for slipping When
the night is dark and the mists come
down, the path could hardly be kept, even
by man who had daily traversed it tor
years; and the only safe guide would be
the roaring of the torrent The ascent
is so steep that, after couple OF hoars
climbing, the traveller Gnds himself sew
eral thousand feet above the level of the
sea; and at that elevation, even af'er the
hottest day in August, the cold is at
nightfall often intense. On the night OF
the fatal accident all those perils were
combined. So black was the sky that
the wayfarers had slowly to grope along
by means of the precipice which hens
in the side of the path farthest from the
torrent.
81 ad the moon been up they might
have been guided by the poles which the
monks have planted in direct line from
the Hospics to the valley, TO indicate the
direction when the path is buried under
the snow, and the torrent is frozen. But
in the pitchy darkness, the friendly bea-
cops were obscured. Hence the travellers
seem to have again and again been
brought to a stand still, before reaching
that ford of the brook at which the road
dips. and then goes up with one swift
spring to the spot where the great bar
rack.like Hospice guides and cheers the
beuigbted traveller by its beacon-hght.
The poor pilgrims were so near to the
blaze, that, had they baen able to exert
themselves for few minutes longer, they
would have been safe But the toll and
cold had so paralyzed their faculties,
that they could not proceed one step
further; they were overcome by that
craving for sleep, for rest, which
ia the effect of intense cold; and in sight
of the friendly CLEAN that beckoned to
them overhead, all three travellers laid
down and died.
On the great ST. Bernard the winter
season begins soon and ends late A.
ready it is winter beside the mountain
dwelling, and during the long months,
when the snow covers the ground, or the
cold makes travelling perilous, 1t is the
daily custom Of The good monks 10 jour
new as far as the bottom of the pass in
order that they may lend assistance to
any traveller who may have dropped oy
the way. Glad 10 their long, black serge
gowns and brosd-brimmed bats, accom-
pauied by attendants, who carry WINE
and provisions for the restoration OF the
wearied or iainling travellers, ana guIoed
by the famous St. Bernard dogs which
do the work of pointers, two or three
monks daily make the seven miles jour
Iey to the valley below. Until the oc,
curreuce Of the late accident, they bad
moi fsr aoue years found any traveller
dead or beyeud tie aid Of resioratives.
Gradually, indeed, tbs pesils OF the terri
bic pass have become 40 fully sPpTsci-
ated that even the poorest traveller
Shrinks from attempting the ascent
10 the Monastery after nightfal # the
gronnd Is covered vits crow, or It the
esss, storm gusts blow down iroT the
bills, the three who have last fallen yie,,
tins, hOweyss, ysFs less discreet, and
next morning, when tbs sssTshing PeEV
al monks had proceeded to shosi ais
tsuee from the Hospice. they found the
BODIES stiff aud Geld They we're take1
to tie ii,lls e4orgue," which IS situated ,,,s
a short DISTANCE 6oz the pTinclpal ouiio,
ing Of the moBssisrF, spd 70 LA. HaE. 4
mausoleum the remains viii soiae v;t6
other relics of mortality, unless elsiBed
l. re kissf5ik of ;he lost. IL Is n Etln
resting plscc. 10 that small hut, pe,ehed
among the wintsy nouuiains, dwell the
skelstous Of the men ans Eomen aud
children vho. in the course OF many sen