Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-10-17

: Monk Eiger, and other sharply out
s lined horns, and domes, on the oppo
r site side of the narrow chasm-likt
Y valley, I found i5iiJOA
A VILLAGE CALLED MURREN,
containing forty families, actually
located several hundred feet above
T the limit of the growth of the pine
They were obliged to descend a con
$ siderable distance to get fuel. They
: subsisted chiefly on cattle and goats
4 which found pasture on the sunny
r side of the mountain, and picked uI
2 little gold acting as guides and
| carriers for tourists. l saw numer
> GUS patches of potatoes up there,
| growing luxuriantly, while women
, were clipping grass with hooked
knives where the mountain was SO
steep that l felt dizzy in looking
over the brow of the declivity down
to where they were clinging and cut
ting. Over on the opposite side of
the chasm, which seemed only a
pistol-shot off, but was really three
miles-the depth of the valley be-
ing considerably more than mile
the snow and ice hung in vast masses
on the crags and jutting rocks, fNly
1000 feet below the level of the
village of Murren, where l stood.
Every now and then a crashing,
rumbling sound, like that of distant
thunder, would issue from the icy
caverns and crags or the mighty
Jungfrau, accompanied by rush of
prodigous mass of snow and ice far
down the sides of the mountain
The avalanches in the spring-time,
after warm rain, are so immense
in bulk, and have so much pressure
from behind, as sometimes to pro-
iect themselves into the valleys be-
low, burying up whole villages and
destroying the inhabitants in their
pathway.
Switzerland is used as
THEPUBLIe PARK OF EUROPE.
Tens of thousands of tourists swarm
over it continually from the middle
of May till the middle of Septem-
Der each year. During these four
months the crowds of sight-seers
and seekers after better health are
so great that nearly the whole Swiss
population seem to be employed
in one way or another IN waiting on
them-feeding, sheltering, convey
ing, and guiding them. The num-
Der of visitors this year is estimated
to exceed 100000, and the money
left behind them in the country will
amount to more than $SO,o0e,OOo.
Experience has demonstrated that
no medicine or mineral waters are
equal in efficacy in removing such
ailments as dyspepsia, languor, and
general debility and restoring sound
sleep and good digestion, strength to
the limbs and bloom toithe cheek,
as foot. or mule-back tour up hill
and down dale in the pure, bracing
air of Switzerland. Wherever l go
among these mountains and valleys
l meet crowds of men and women on
foot, climbing up and down steep
mule-paths, hunting for glaciers,
and high difficult out-looks. (They
are mostly English and Germans.)
Mixed among this streaming multi
tude are people1of- feebler strength
from age or disease, making their
pilgrimage on 5mule-back. 1t Is per
fectly astonishing to see the number
of English ladies clambering over
these lofty mountains, "Alpen
stocks" in hand, keeping step with
their robust male relations. They
think nothing of tramp of Is or
20 miles in day, half up and the
other hall down a steep mountain,
on narrow difficult mule-paths.
Whenever 1 meet woman carried
on a sedan chair by four Switzers
up. mountain to see a glacier, an
avalanche, or a cascade, it is not ne
cessary to look at her prodigous
mass of black hair to know that she
is not English,
r.. BUT AMERICAN.
Sometimes English women-those
not in good health-ride horses or
mules on these hard mountain-ex-
cursions, but never saw one car
ried on chair mounted on mems
shoulders. This mode of convey
ance is peculiarly American. There
is another difference; the English
men carry with them about one
quarter, and their women one-tenth,
as much 'luggage" as the American
men and women drag round with |
them. The former travel light, and |
consequently swiftly and economic
ally in comparison with the Ameri
cans. i
Next to the British, the Germans |
are the most numerous and saga |
eious, as well as the boldest Alpine
climbers. Since their late successful
war with the French they seem to |
be flush of "gelt" for some reason,
and swarm over Switzerland, note
book in hand, studying the geology,
botany, and topography of the coun-
try in their methodical and system
attic way. They feel !
QUITE AT HOME i
in Switzerland, as most of the ma
tives are their countrymen, speaking
the same language, belonging to the
same race, studying the same itera-,
ture, and holding similar views IN
politics, science, and religion. 1t
will not be many years before the
Germans will visit Switzerland in
even greater crowds than do the
English, as the taste for travel is
becoming a national passion, and
Switzerland adjoins their own Terri
tory. ;snd can !.se visited with little
loss of time and at very small ex-
pense. 4
Next to- the Germans, the Italians
appear to be the most numerous, al
though the Russians stay longer, be.
cause they have farther to come.
The Italians have quite caught the
English spirit of Alpine climbing;
and have organized Alp Clubs in all
the chief cities; tire Rome Club mum; mum;
bers 500 men. o Soue of the mos I,,5
difficult ascents made last season p't itn~