The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-04-01
The Upper Rhine.

the world in certain lines of strength
Cor. San francisco Chronicle.
e
The Upper Rhine.
Nobody knows why SO MANY Rhine
tourists-American Rhine tourists, at
least-stop short at Mayence or Basic.
1t may be that they are too fond of
comfort, though it must be admitted
that the little boats that ply between
the Rhine Falls and the Lake of Con-
stance are not the equals of the boats
on the Lower Rhine. As to the scenery
along what might be called the Swiss
Rhine, at least above the Lake of Con-
stance, it is certainly much grander
than that about which the painters,
poets and tourists rave, as seen any,
where between Frankfort and the sands
Of Holland. Neither will the Upper
Rhine be outdone in the way of castled
hills and rocks, picturesque towns and
strange legends of fierce knights and
fair damseIs.
There is half notion prevalent that
the navigable possibilities of the river
end somewhere just about Bingen. At
least we usually get off there, jump into
the cars, and whirl away from the
classic stream before we have become
half acquainted with it.
There is legend that the Rhine has
its source in an unapproachable cloud
that hangs somewhere over the Via
Mala. Tourists seem to have accepted
the legend-at least, few tire their legs
in looking out the real source of the
Off hnt l.
blessed of the gods.
What strange source it has, in fact!
To be exact, however, there are three
sources to the baby Rhine; they are
born triplets, but before getting far
down the mountains they clasp arms
and wander as one
"Down, down to the weary sea-
One of these baby Rhines is born in
the tiny Lake of Toma, about dozen
miles above the old mountain convent
of Disentis. This dark green lake is
surrounded by dreary rocks and ice
clad mountains. It is seven thousand
six hundred and ninety fees above the
sea level.
Between it and the Disentis convent
and village there are pleasant pastures.
and the traveller may feast on the best
cheese of the Alps and most luscious
white honey. As a corollary to the
honey, bears abound in the woods
skirting the valley. So do the chamois
and the mountain fox. The people are
extremely poor. They are all good
Catholics. and here is spoken that
Queerest of modern languages, the
Romansch. 1t is, in fact, the original
Latin, as spoken by the Roman peas
antry. The ancestors of these villagers
came from Tuscany.
The habits of this pastoral people are
singular, and such as will not be met
with elsewhere in the whole course of
the Rhine.
Drippings of glaciers and snow
fields and wrecked avalanches unite
themselves in little brooks, and skip
across the meadows to join the river in
its hurry to the sea. At Disentis the
little stream known as the Medelser, or
Middle Rhine, leaps and laughs to join
its sister down one of the prettiest and
widest valleys of the Alps. There are
cataracts and falls and rapids all the
way, while on each side the mountains
are superlatively grand. Even the
well. known Via-Mala is not considered
SO strangely picturesque and romantic
as is this unvisited valley of the Medel-
ser. In these Upper Rhine regions ex-
listed the strange republics known as
the Gray League, the Ten Jurisdic-
tons, and the League of the House of
God. They were founded as long ago
as 1896, and were later united as one
republic, intended to protect their peo-
pie against the tyranny of great num-
Der Of petty lords and noblemen, whose
ruined castles still ornament almost
every eminence of the Upper Rhine.
These stern old republicans had the
| beautiful town of 1lanz for their capi-
tai. They were heroic set of men,
and history nowhere records greater
sacrifices than were made by these
people to preserve their liberty. At
the little town of Irons q few people
met in 1896, and swore q solemn oath,
as their Swiss neighbors had done at
the Ruth fifty years before, to devote
their whole lives singly to the attain
ment of liberty. They succeeded, and
the republic lasted four hundred years,
when it was allied with Switzerland.
Through what strange countries, and
by what changing kingdoms, the beau
tiful Rhine flowed in all those CEN
turtles after leaving the free land of its
birth! llanz, their old capital, still
stands, novel and picturesque picture
of past ages. The views of the Rhine,
both up and down, are very fine from
Ilanz. One may enjoy between Ilanz
and Irons the most varied scenery Of
the Alps-bright meadows, dark
forests, lofty mountains, snow-fields
edged by smiling villages, ruined
castles, and, sweeping along through
its bed of dolomite, the winding Rhine.
There is no more interesting picture on
the whole Rhine road to Holland.-S.
II. N. Byers, in Harpers Magazine for
Anril.