Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-31
Correspondence of the Herald ]
JOiIiugS of Europ an Travel.

GENEVA, Switzerland, JULY, 1878.
Edjtor Rutland HeraH. My last
communication to- your columns closed
with brief description of the magnifi-
cence of the Bruniq pass and the beau
ties of the Grcssbach falls In this |
must content myself with hasty sketch
of the grandeur Of the overland scenery.
On the morning of July /, in drcnch-
ing rain storm, left Intcrlaken and its
sumptu0us hotels for climb among the
Alps. My route lay along the deep.
narrow and fertile valley of the Black
Lutshine for about twelve miles, 10 the
scattered village of Grindelwald, the
headquarters of the mountaineers, where
horses and guides are procured, and the
real hard work of Alpine travel begins.
After a substantial dinner at the viii
lage hotel, started for the Glaciers,
which are the chief attractions Of this
locality, and which descend far into the
valley.
After an hours hard walking up a
most uncomfortable bride path, stood
in front of the upper glacier, which is
the highest and grandest of the group,
being at the base 1852 feet above the
sea level, and judging by the aid of the
glass, should say fully 500 feet wide,
by 100 feet thick ON the outer edge ;
but being anxious for a closer and more
satisfactory inspection, | followed my
guide into the grotto that has been cut
through the ice 228 feet into the very
heart of the glacier; it is impossible to
convey to your readers any appreciate
idea of the purity and beauty OF this
crystalline grotto, but as you may well
suppose, cold enough to compel the
buttoning up of Overcoats and the pro-
lection of throats.
These Glaciers lie between three
mighty monarch mountains-the Eigey,
1905 feet, the Maettenberg, 10, 443
feet, and the Wetterhorn, 10, 149 feet,
whose heads, overlapping the clouds,
are crowned with eternal SHOWS.
The guides blew the Alpine horn and
fired the cannon, the echoes of which
were wonderful, as they were repeated
from the clefts of the mountains, Gre
vases of the Glacier, and all along the
Mer De Glace.
Descending from this wild and wlntry
scene to the hotel, where | passed the
night, afforded me an opportunity to
study the social habits of this Alpine
people, and my impressions were in
their favor. The night was so cold that
l lost hours of sleep, though snugly en-
sconced beneath a bed of elder down.
At an early hour on the morning of
the Cd inst. / procured guide and AL
penstach, and started on a pedestrian
tour over the Wengern (Vengern) Alps,
from which point the very best view of
Jungfrau can be obtained. No carriage
can pass this Alp, there being only a
very long and most difficult bride path.
1t is most fashionable for tourists to go
on horseback, or be carried in sedan
chairs, but all who wish to heartily
enjoy this Alpine scenery and be
benefited by the exercise will walk. /
chose the latter course, and in three and
a half hours reached the summit and was
rewarded with such a view of sublime
grandeur as | never before beheld, and
never expect to behold again, only in a
similar visit at some possible distant day.
The Jungfrau Yu1aatrau) hotel, on the
summit of Wengern ALP, where | dined,
is 6,175 feet above the sea, and just
across a narrow, deep valley, or gorge,
with nothing to intercept the vision,
rises JunQt3Gu, 10, GIL feet, covered with
an eternal shroud of snow, with S5I6er-
horn to her right (12, 100 feet, and the
Schneehorn to the left Q1,204 feet,
stand as the silent companions of this
masterpiece of infinite power and skill.
While at this lofty hight | happened
to remember great weakness of the
publisher of the HERALD, and in q very
slioht degree subscribed to that weak
ness. After rest and hearty dinner,
we commenced the difficult descent of
the opposite slope of the Alps, and in
two hours reached Lanterbrunnen, but
while vet three thousand feet above the
village. and looking down analmost per-
pendicular precipice, a scene OF beauty
presented itself sufficiently grand to
drive a true lover of nature crazy with
delight. 10 the extreme left and bound
ing the deep valley were the snowy
peaks of Jungfrau and Silberhorn,; to
the right were towering nights OF calcer-
GUS rocks crowding so close together as
to form very narrow and romantic de-