The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-01-30

GEMMI Pass, Switzerland.

the little table ana DY the elm HgnL oi D
tallow candle, tired in body and bewll-
dered in mind. attempt to write Of what
[ have seen to-day, the task seems stu
pendous. yet [ must write while the
scenes are warm in my mind or not at
all. The moon has already risen, for it
is already quite late, and is pouring his
Silver rays upon the floor at my feet.
look out of my window and how wild and
awfully grand everything looks, the steep
sides of the cold and barren rocks greet
me on every side, | am Two miles high
On the top Of mountain, yet there lies
a most beautiful little lake not twenty
rods away, how clear and sparkling are its
waters. How beautiful, how lovely how
select it seems. A shining jewel framed
in a massive setting A fit diadem to
grace the brow of the Gemmi, the most
charming of mountains. There is no
sound save tie babbling of the brook
that flows from yonder Lammeren Gla-
cier that lies glistening in the pale light
surrounded by stately snow-capped peaks
and pals Of dark rocks. No living thing
inhabits these craggy precipices. AS l
look around me each crag seems pulpit
and every stone book, Supplying to
my fancy the lessons of the Almighty to
be taught IN these lovely quiet spots
where He alone can dwell. But | must
commence with the morning and drive
away this reverie that seems to hold my
mind from thought and my hand from
writing.
We akfasted at 5 o'clock and were
% the road as the birds began to sing
their early morning hymns. For three
hours the road gradually assembled and
as some of our party got no rest last
night. On account of the feas, we took
the day leisurely. Fleas have ceased to
annoy me. [ got thoroughly used to them
while in Italy, where they form prom
inent part of every household. At linden
we halted to lunch and to my great JOY
found the German language again used,
these distinctions in language are as
manifest and abrupt as the dividing line
of the territory. These two towns are
in sight of each other, yet one cannot
speak the German, the other German
only. The valley of the Rhine has, until
quite recently, been part of the French
Savoy, and the people were obliged to
use its language. The valley of the
Rhine now began to appear in all its
charming magnifcence. The dark forest
of Pflyn with the little white town of
the same name were opposite us toward
the south The huge crater Of Illgraben
ON our left. While we stood upon the
bloody battlefield Of Valais, where the
French army in 1898 vanquished little
band of Swiss soldiers, after siege of
several weeks, and then they were only
overgowered by the statagem of their
superior Generals. who they madly, yet
heroicfy, fought to the very death. AS
we came to the wide deep valley of the
Dole, we were reminded of the Tete
Noire. Here was the same high, steep
mountain side, the same narrow path
round the abrupt cliff. beneath us
gaping abyss, thousands of feet below
the river Dole This is called the Iallerie
and has been strongly fortified. We
stopped under high over hanging preci-
pice and looked back to take another
last look at the valley of the Rhine. How
beautiful everything looked; the swining
acacia cIinging to the rocks seemed to
glow with more beautiful green than [
bad ever seen before. The little sen gster
in the trees never poured forth sweeter
notes, even the bee that gathered honey
from the thyme by my side was clothed
in garment of gold. There, IN the
dark shadow Of the rocks we fingered
and stretched ourselves upon the dowDy
mountain moss. ''Awed by the silence,
and reverendly bordering the ways of
God. We reached the celebrated water
ing place of Lukenhaden In time for
late dinner. The boys were tired and
sleepsy and lay down under the beautl.
ful shade trees in the garden of our hotel
for nap, while [ strolled out insa the
streets to see what | could before we
babe farewell forever to the towD- The
little village is filled with invalids who
came here from all parts of Europe. They
commence by remaining in the water one
hour at time, others are gradually in
creasing to eight hours day. four before
breakfast and four after dinner, to pre-
vent the ennui of such an amphlblous
existence. if spent in solitude. They all
battle together in immense tubs, thirty