The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-07-27
For The Cecil Wing.
NOTES OF FOREIGN TRAVEL.
MOUNT GEMS TUNNEL AND ITS SURROUND
INGS

I Nv Efo VE TOhEtUN ia Ell.
MOUNT GEMS TUNNEL AND ITS SURROUND
INGs.
! can scarcely imagine more wild ant
more delightful scenery than that which is
seen along the route from Turin to Susa
In this country the traveller may look will
wonder upon the beauties of the "horst
shoe bend" on the Pennsylvania railroad
or upon the beautiful pass over and along
90 Cheat river" on the Baltimore 4 Ohio
railroad, yet none of these picturesque
views approach in grandeur the wild
natural and urtamed scenery which is con-
stantly seen along he famous Swiss French
railway. In the opera of {" Der Freis,
chutZe" is representation of the "witches
glen " in the center of the IIartz noun,
tainS, which is represented as being a pas,
sage among the mountains, and fit habi
tation for fairies, hobgoblins and evil spir
its; 50 it is with this railway which winds
around the foot of Mount Gents, darts into
dark tunnels, leaps over roaring water
falls, and creeps up and down frightful
inclined planes. 1t has been constant won
der to me how the people ever got away up
there among the mountains to survey the
road bed; but they did-and more than
that, they run the cars over the road with
us little concern as they do in this country.
If | remember correctly, the cars they use
throughout Switzerland are very similar to
those used in this country. Through Eng
land, France, Germany, and partly in Italy,
the cars in use are generally about one
third less in size than they are in this coun-
try. These cars are generally divided into
three apartments each apartment seating
eight passengers comfortably. Four per-
sons sit facing the same number. The con-
ductor hangs on some where about the car,
and has a little penny whistle hung around
his neck, which he blows, giving sign to
the engineer to proceed will now tell
you how they manage or conduct the Eng
fish railways:
In the first place an Englishman would
not clearly understand you if you men,
toned to him the word railroad;" you
must call it "railway." Now you enter a
depot to take your journey. In the first
place you must know exactly how much it
will cost you to procure your ticket, be-
cause the ticket agent will not make change
for you. You must ask distinctly for the
kind of ticket you desire, whether of the
first, second or third class, and at the time
of asking you must produce the exact
amount of fare. Cards are posted through
out the room furnishing the traveller with
the minutest information as to the rates of
fare. Ii | remember correctly, there are
three distinct waiting rooEs-one for gen
tlemen, another for ladies travelling alone,
and third for gentlemen with their wives.
These rooms are guarded with great care,
and single gentleman travelling alone
would as soon attempt to enter harem as
to intrude himself upon the privacy of these
apartments. The room where you pur-
chase your ticket is open to all; but as soon
as you have purchased your ticket you
ceives punch plumber one from an attend
ant as you pass through the door. This
room is generally opened twenty minutes
before the train starts. After awhile the
looking concern it is; the engine looks like
Il great overgrown template stove, with its
straight pipe, its bumped back and its lit
tie coop for the fireman and engineer, the
said engine dragging along behind it a long
string of coaches joined together with
chain. The whole affair looks funny enough.
The first train of cars ever saw in the old
country was at Queenstown, Ireland. |
could not help thinking of remark made
by Mark Twain while he was away down
South ut one time, who simply asked the
question, when does this string of sec
ondhand collins move out, any how -
When the train arrives, you proceed to
enter the coach or car; not, however, till
man stationed at the door punches your
ticket again. You then meet porter who
examines your ticket in order to know your
destination and the class of the ticket, and
who punches it and conducts you to the
proper apartment of the coach. Finally
another porter comes along after you have
been comfortably seated, examines your
ticket, gives it another punch, closes the
door and locks it, and goes on his way re-
ioicng. When the train is about to start
the train starter comes out and rings din
ner bell, the engineer mounts his engine,
blows the whistle (Which sounds about as
loud as a boys tin whstle), and off we 90,
speeding over the country, darting under
tunnels and flying over bridges and high
ways, at a rate which l had scarcely
dreamed. The railways throughout Eng
land never cross a highway upon the same
Jewel. The public roads are either bridgcd
or tunneled. While at Turin, just before
| started on the journey through the Mount
Gents tunnel, a band Of Arabs had en-
camped near the depot. They are wild,
strange looking class of people, and they
created as much curiosity among the Swiss
as they do iii this country. They had their
tents, their many colored blankets, their
camels with their young. 4 camel, and
especially young camel, is always an OBJ
,jcct of great curiosity to me. We often
hear the expression, Gas patient as a
camel" A falser expression never fell
from the lips of man. The nature of the
camel is vindictive, cross and surly. lie
never permits load to be placed upon his
back without giving out sundry unearthly
grunts and bowls, and he has been known
to bite his keeper fiercely, and to kick him
away up in the air, just because he had
loaded him too heavily or had done some
other thing distateful to his lordshp. But
the greatest curiosity is young camel
They are so very grave in appearance, and
move about with such stiff, ungainly mo-
ton, with such a solemn air that you would
imagine that this fellow had very response
BILE business to attend to, that the cares of
the world were pressing upon him, and
that he had no time to give to relaxation
or pleasure. Young camels occasionally