The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-28
THE DAILY STAR
THE PROFESSORS ADVENTURE


object was not amusement but study.
occupy professors chair, and | was en-
gagged in the collection OF materials for
work on the Flora of the higher Alps,
and. to this end, travelled chiefly on foot.
NV route lay far from the beaten paths
and passes ! often journeyed for days
through regions where there were neither
inns nor villages. l often wandered from
dawn till dusk among sterile sleeps un-
known even to the herdsmen of the up
per pasturages, and untrodden save by
the chamois and the hunter. / thought
myself fortunate, at those times, if
toward evening l succeeded in steering
rny way down to the nearest chalet,
where, in company with half savage
nountaineer aud herd of mich goats,
| might find the shelter of raftered
roof and a supper of black bread and
whey. .r. ..r
On one particular evening had gone
further than usual, in pursuit of the
Senecio uniforis; rare plant which /
had hitherto believed indigenous to the
southern valleys of Monte Rosa, but of
which here succeeded in finding one or
Two Indifferent specimens. 1t was wild
and barren district, difficult to distinguish
with any degree of precision on the map;
but lying among the upper defiles of the
Val de Bagnes, between the Mount
Pleureur and the Grand Combin. On
the waste of the rock-strewn moss to
which I had climbed, there was no sign
of human habitation. Above me lay the
great ice fields of Corbassiere, sllrmounted
by the silver SUBMITS of the Graffeniere
and Combin. To my left the sun was
going down rapidly behind forest of
smaller peaks, the highest of which, as
we'll rs l could judge from Osterwald's
map, was the Mont Blanc de C!leilon. In
ten minutes more, those peaks would be
crimson; in one short half hour it would
be night.
To be benighted on an Alpine plateau
toward the latter end of September is
not desirable position. l knew it by
recent experience and had no wish to re-
peat the experiment. l therefore began
retracing my route as rapidly as | could,
descending in a northwesterly direction,
and keeping a sharp lookout for any
chalet that might offer shelter for the
night. Pushing forward thus l found
myself presently at the head Of little
verdaut ravine, channeled, as it were, in
the face of the plateau. l hesitated. 1t
seemed through the gathering darkness,
as if could discern vague traces of a
path trampled here and there in the deep
grass. 1t also seemed as if the ravine
tended down 'oward the upper pastures
which were my destination. By follow
ing it l could scarcely 60 wrong. Where
there is grass there are generally cattle
and chalet; and l might possibly find 9
nearer resting-place than l had antici
pated. At all events I resolved to try it.
The ravine proved shorter tn / had
expected, and, instead of leading imme-
diately downward, op paned upon second
plateau, through which weIlworn foot
way struck off abruptly to the left. Pur.
suing this footway with. what speed ]
might, came, in the course of few
more minutes, to a sudden slope, at the
bottom of which, in basin almost sur
rounded by gigantic limestone cliffs, lay
a small dark lake, a few fields, and &
chalet. The rose tints had by this tint
come and gone, and the snow had put OF
that glossy gray which precedes the dark
Before I could descend the slope, skir
the lake and mount the little eminenct
on which the house stood, sheltered by it
background Of. rocks, it was already night
and the stars were in the sky.
Invent up to the door and knocked
no one answered. Iopened the door; al
was dark. l paused-held my breath
listened-fancied / could distinguish 1
low sound, as of some one breathing.
knocked again. My second knock wa
followed by a quick noise, like the push
ing back Of chair, and mans voic
said, hoarsely: ,
"Who's thereT
"a traveller" l replied, seeking shel
ter for the night"
A heavy footstep crossed the floor,
sharp flash shot through the darkness
and saw, by the Pickering of finder,
mans face bending over a lantern. Hay
ing lighted it, he said, with scarce
glance toward the door, Enter, trav
eler," and went back to his stool besid
the empty hearth.
entered. The chalet was Of a bette
sort than those usually found at so grea
an altitude, consisting Of dairy an
house-place, with a loft overhead. /
table and three or four wooden stool
occupied the center of the room. Th
rafters were hung with punches Of drie
herbs and long strings of Indian corr
A clock ticked in the corner; kind {
eallet upon trestles stood in a recess bt
side the freplace and through a lattic
at the further end | could hear the COW
feeding in the clubhouse beyond.
Somewhat perplexed by the manner {
my reception, unstrapped my knal
sack and specimen-box, took possessio
of the nearest stool, and asked if ! coul
have supper. :
Ny host looked up with the air of
man intent on other things. repeate
. the inquiry.
"Yes," he said, YEARLY, "you cs
eat, traveller" ne
With this he crossed to the other si'
Of the hearth, stopped over dark objec
which until now [ had not observe