The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-09-06
Rschmonders Among inc !. Alps.

4 MARrIaSY. July 49, 1878,
1 Dear Dispatch: While all the good l,eo
plo of Richmond are sweltering. amid the
/ ninetics a cooling note from these Alpine
| heights may not be unwelconle, and may al
| least divert their thoughts for moment
| from their warm surroundings. and hence
/ will give you brief extract from any
clog"
Thursday morning arose early and en-.
loved a good breakfast, and then found our
mules and guide at the door. 1t was quito
| NEW EXPERIENCE,
but we mounted hravely. Ferguson, on the
"ya,ler mule" led the train, and said mule
/ was called "Allegretto." Next came j. on
a brown, with short, quick steps, and hence
named "Staccato," while the bay, ridden by
w. Jagged fearfully and was called Ritar-
| do" This "rluSical" crew, with the guide
on foot, wound its tortuops way up the
steep mountain-sides and through wild
gorces: then on shelf-like paths. with the
bold and ragged face OF the mountain rising
| far above you 10 the very clouds, and at
Your feet the sheer face OF the precipice
losing itself in the depths below. Thus we
zigzagged along, sometimes in the sunshine,
then in the clouds and pouring rain; but
being we'll wrapped in my waterproof, !
did not suffer.
can never describe the grand. wild
scenes through which we passed this day.
| About noon we halted for rest at 1ete Ell
| NOire. in the midst OF the most majestic
Anime scenery, and lunched on 1uttinG
rock oyerhanglng fearful gorge, through
| which roared foaming mountain torrent.
Then our ascent began again. upward ana
onward; once through n tunnel and along
the mounta,n-sides, and then down, down,
until we reached the sweet
VALE OF cHAMoUN1x.
Passing the Mer de Gldce, where fields OF
snow and ice stretched far away up anna
the heights, and from which issued streams
OF lev water, we reached the quaint village
OF Chamouniy itself, nestled snugly amid
tho everlasting hills OH every side, with
neerless Mount Blanc in all its snow-clad
rlorics rising grandiy up in front. Have
been in the saddle for nearly ten hours to-
doy. but so filled with wonder and awe at
all we have beheld that we scarcely 1ecl
weary.
After locating ourselves at the hotel, we
strolicd part way up the mollntaln-slde ana
rot refreshments at pretty swiss cottage
by the roaGside-frcsh milk, coffee, cheese,
bread. and honcy-the last item being con-
sidered an indispensable on all Swiss tables.
,rhcn we waited Tor the fogs and clouds to
lit from Mount Blanc, and our patience
was most amply rewarded, for | feel sure
| that no one ever bad more Striking view
As we watched, Il creamy-giided dome, as
Of some vast temple, emerged from the
clouds away up III the distance,
| STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL
and awe-inspiring. Then the vapors fold
ed themselves away, and the grandest
HEIGHTS OF the mountain, all clad in pnrest
snow and ice, shonc forth in wondrous
Glory. all oildcd over with the soft rays o!
the declining sun, while peak after peak
spranr forth like mighty hosts OF armed
men, lifting their rugged heads far up into
the heavens. Would that l could describe
this nlatchiess vision. but my pen fails. AS
we passed over the mountains to-day we
saw many
| WAYSIDE CRCCIF1XES,
some to mark the spot where travellers hau
persisted in the snow, and others, with the
virgin and child, in niche. for passing
worShlppcrs. Met many Swiss women
driving very small doukeys, heaped up with
immense louds of bay and grass; other Wo'
men with great hampers on their own Dacks
filled with grass OF faggotS; ana no malle1
how these poor women were engaged, theE
were alnays knitting. Saw many SWISS
cottages and chaets along the way, DuC
am satisfied that they are more poetic ana
romantic in appearance than comfortaOle
within. Toward evening we couid near
the musical tinkle OF the bells on the cows
and goats scattered through the woods
and on the sides Of the craSs us they were
gathering home for the night. Met many
OF the peasantry during the day, and was
struck with their universal politenesS; even
tie boys and girls always tdEing OF me"
hats as they cheeriiy call out Bon Jour-
iMoSsieur." Friday morning was brlgh,
and glorious, and our view OF Mount Blanc
was almost perfect. Afler breakfast W.
took passage in the diligence for Geneva
where we will join him on Saturday, Wnllt
j. and Ferguson began an Alpine chmo VI
the mountain-sidcs. Part OF our walk Wa'
through
A CAVERN OF ICE.
and in its chilly depths we gathered grow
, ing leaves and .f0,cerS. About 10 A. VI
we returned to our hotel, where we mounted
!. our intrepid mules for another days ride
back TO Martigny. but by 4 different route
than that by which we came. AsWe logged
along through the charming valley Of
Chamouniy, the skies were clear, the sun
uerYhot and the towering hills and noun
tains covered with ice and snow all around
us. At II o'clock we began the ascent GA
Co! de Blaine, and we had no wagon-roadS
such Is we passed over yesterday, hut sim
, ply narrow mule path, sometimes not oVei
f1celre inches ,c$de, along dizzy heights anc
fields of ice; and sometimes in the narrow
bed of some dry mountain stream, fleo
with loose stones, and scarcely pcrccpt'
BILE spot for our beasts to put foot down
Thus we assembled up, and still upward
until we reached the summit, some 5000
feet high, where, in one
MAGNIFICENT VIEW,
we took in the entire Chain OF Mount
Blame and The surrounding mountains OF
Ainuillcs de Tour, de Argenticre, &c, Will
the mighty glaciers extending down into
the green valley, making a panorama won
drous beyond comparison. On the top We
found rude chalet and refreshments. ant
tourists going either way, while the cold
blasts OF winter fairly how!ed around us
After lunch and resting awhile we walked
on ahead Of our muleteer, resolved to make
the descent on foot. The path was wild
narrow. and tortuous, and it seemed impos
sible for our mules ever to get down tht
sleeps which we encountered. We paSScC
over fields OF ice and pure white snow, anc
F.! could not resist the temptation to lie down
and roll in it, and finally to have two OF
| three ''bouis" OF
oLD-FAsIIIONED SNOW-BALLING.
| Then wp started a huge boulder from lis