Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-06-11
pretty safe to average its duration from
November 18th To Nav 1Sf.

/ pretty safe to average its duration from
November 18th toMay 1st
The .'snowing-in" period is often
supposed to be an extremely objection
| able and almost intolerable time. Like
30 many other things, it is not so bad
AZ it is painted. No doubt the thaw-
ing of freshfallen snow is not pleasant.
| and the large quantity which often falls
tends to make 1t still more disagree
able; butin q high-lying place, like St
Moritz. for instance, the water quickly
runs of, and owing to the extreme dry
ness OF the air large quantities of mois-
ture speedily evapOrate. This transit
ton period does not last long. A few
days of unsettled weather lead, as q
rule, to the heavy downfall, and then
spell OF calm, cloudIess DAYS will
usually follow. Wheel vehicles are re-
placed by sledges. snow CATERS are put
on. and visitors. as we'll as natives,
give themselves up to the pleasures Of
tobogganning. The tobaggan is
small sledge, about forty-two inches
long, by fourteen inches wide, on
iron runners. The rider dracs il to
the top of a steep snow slope, ON
which the snow has been beaten down
so as to become hard, sits astride it
with feet slightly projecting in front.
and allows himself to slide. Soon he
is rushing through the air at ire
mendous pace; all his attention is
bent on turning the corners neatly
and with the least possible inter-
ference with the motion Of the
machine. Faster and faster he goes
down the steep incline, with a cry of
''Achtung ~ to warn any one off the
course; at the same time he keeps a
sharp lookout for dangers ahead. until
he reaches the long piece on the level
which ends his journey. Strange to
say, there are very few accidents. al
though the speed is considerable. often
amounting to more than twenty-five
miles an hour. The mode of guiding q
toboggan is either by pressing lightly
with the heels on the side toward which
one wishes to go, or by using one Of
two sticks held in the hands. By press
ing both feet the brake is applied and
the machine readily stopped, except
when the upper surface of the track is
glazed with ice; in this case halt is
made by running off the course into
the soft snow on either hand.
As a winter amusement skating, of
course, holds high place: At the be-
ginning of winter the Kinks. of which
DIT SU. mOIlLL tuCIC dIO tulCC dAo
one each at Samaden, Pontre-
with people, old and young, men,
women, and children, the majority of
whom appear never to have been on
skates before. The difficulties of ball
anc:ng on two props, which long ex-
perience has enabled us to manage
without even conscious effort on ordi-
nary ground, are very much increased
when the surfaces in contact are re-
duced to two narrow edges of steel;
and the beginner on these Kinks has the
misfortune of having all his tumbles on
the hard, unyielding surface of solid
mass of ice. But these difficulties are
speedily overcome, and much good skat-
ing can be seen on the Kinks. So highly
is the amusement appreciated that
many persons come from England for
short holiday of month or six weeks
about Christmas in order to enjoy it.
1t sometimes happens that no snow
| falls while the five lakes in the Enga-
| dine are freezing over, and, in conse-
quence, skating on them is possible.
Such has been the case for several
weeks this year. Many of the winter
| visitors, hale and invalid alike, spend
the whole day, from sunrise to sunset,
| on the r.nkS, and this Tor the greater
part of the four months during which
| the water continues frozen. Lunch is
partaken of on benches on the ice, and
although surrounded by snow, people
! are warmed. and even scorched, by the
fierce heat of the sun, which is not only
poured down d ,rectly on them, but also
reflected from the surface of the snow
and ice around. 1t is thus that SO many
invalids are here enabled to regain
their strength. The power of the SUMS
action is shown by the bronzed appear
ance of those who leave the Engadine
in the spring whose countenances ex-
cite much attention and surprise from
the pale-faced inhabitants of the plains.
Very often persons skating find it nec-
essary to hold up umbrellas and para
soils to shelter them from the heat of
the sun-a curious and unwonted sight.
-Fortniqhtly RevieO.