Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1875-07-04

Surrounded by sublimity from their
birth, ever drinking in the inspiration of
grandeur, and reminded on every hand of
the weakness of man and of the omnipo-
tencc of the Creator, is it any wonder
that the Swiss should be as noble, as de-
vout and as generous as they area Swift
zcrland is nearly all mountains and lakes,
and chalets, as cottages are called, are
built in narrow passes two or three thou
sand feet above the sea.
The mountain tops are ever covered
with snow. The solid rocks are often
Jagged and pinnacled. The unceasing ac-
ton of cold and heat--the frost of night
and the suns rays by day-broke piece
after piece away until they became irreg-
ular. The steep sides and the abrupt de-
scents show where the terrible destructive
avalanches come from. The snow collects
--ratheritfalls---upo the summit catching
in the creviccs and lodging on the pro-
jections. The suns heat melts the snow
until its weight loosens its hold upon the
peak, or breaks the restraining rocks, and
a tremendous mass of snow and stone
goes tumbling and crashing down until it
is arrested by broader projections or
plunged into the valley below.
1t is a grand sight to see an avalanche,
and at noontimc any day they are fire.
quent. A faint rumbling noise is heard
in the valley, and looking up one sees a
white cataract Of snow pouring from some
dizzy height, bounding over one, two, or
more jutting rocks, and finally lodging in
some abyss and, perhaps, it tears its way
down to the mountains base, with the
speed of the wind, prostrating trees,
sweeping broad path, crushing in dwell
ings, and loosening huge powders which
follow in the wake and make the destruc-
ton more complete and terrible.
High on the mountain side an avalanche
which, unchecked, could bury in ruins a
whole village, looks but a narrow band
of white, and its awful proportions and
power are not appreciated until its might
is demonstrated in the valley.
Snow melted by the sun and pressed
beneath the weight of the latter accessions
forms the glaciers-those immense seas of
ice-carrying upon their frozen pillows
great masses of rock wrenched from bor-
dering cliffs. The tens of thousands of
tuns of snow upon the mountain tops,
aided alternately by frost and warmth,
thrust, at times, the terminal, or end of
the glacier, far down into the green and
fertile valley, while from an icy cavern
flows a muddy stream, which is mere
brook or river according to the size of the
glacier or the time of day. The smaller
glaciers, which rest upon the mountain
heights, pour forth clear streams of de-
lightfully refreshing water.
The cities and villages of Switzerland
are located in valleys and by the side of
some rivulet fed by mountain streams, or
on the shore of some beautiful lake formed
by the rivulets, and in these places the
inhabitants earn livelihood by making
the watches and jewelry so celebrated the
world over, and by manufacturing silk,
cloths, laces, etc. But the sturdy Swiss
of history, they whose bravery has SO often
saved their own and even other countries
from invaders, they who to-day maintain
the distinct characteristics of their noble
ancestors and caused their country to
shine as guiding light upon mountain
top to the other nations of the Old World
they the intelligent, upright, conscien-
tious, just peasants, belong not to the
towns but dwell in such homes as have
been pictured among the wild, grand
mountains and breathe pure invigorating
air, removed from evil associations and
influences, their eyes, steps and mind d.
rected upward.-In-Doors and Out.