The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-01-22
LETTER FROM GERMANY.
BERLIN, October 25. 1888

concluded to write something of my ex.
perlence in that interesting country, hop.
Ing that what say may not prove devoid
OF interest to the reader. On the fifth
day of August, last, at the close of the
Summer Semester Of the University OF
LelPzlg, in company with three other
American stu9ents, took the train for
Switzerland, via Nuremberg and Munich.
These cities are extremely interesting.
The lloyer of art finds rery much to
inteEeat him in Munich, which is beau
tiful city but at present, l wiz speak
rather. of our excursions among the Alps.
than Of the attractions Of the cities which
visited. As it would be impossible for
me to relate In detail the many interest
ing features of our tour. have concluded
to give more detailed account of our
ascent upon the B.eithorn, one of the
high .mountains OF the Alps, after
mentioning some Of the most interesting
points of our excursion.
From Munich we went TO Lindau. at
the head of lake Constance, and took the
boat 10 Constance. The scenery upon
this lake is lovely, but not grand, and
but for view of the snow clad Sentis in
the distance, one could hardly imagine
himself to be so near the giant mountains
of the Alps.
The Falls of the Rhine near Schaff.
hansen are wild and grand. The volume
of water is uery considerable, and though
the height of the three falls, which are
not perpendicular, is but about fifty or
sixty feet, yet, tho wild dashing of the
green water, the rain. bows and the
picturesque sur. oundings form very
superior picture.
From the Falls We went by rail to
Zurich. We ascended the Uetliberg, q
mountain, near Zurich, about 1854 feet
high (tLe heights of the mountains are
always given above sea, ,level). From
this small mountain the view 10 very
lovely, embracing, on the one side, the
city aud part of the lake of Zurich, which
lie about 1900 feet below the spectator.
Towards the South rise the Rigi and Mt.
PiIatus in the foreground and the great
chain Of the Alps in the background.
The Jura and the Vosges Mts., and even
the Black Forest may be seen.
There is q railroad running to the top
of this mountain from Zurich.
The boat excursion from Zug to Artb
is very charming. The Rigi, which rises
abruptly from the lake, is constantly be.
fore US during the voyage, and as We ap.
proach Arth, the reddish, rocky pima.
cies ofthe Mythen add their magnifcence
to the scenery of this charming little
lake. ,--
The Rigi t5,sOe ft.) is justly considered
one Of the finest points of Switzerland.
Situated between the lakes of Zug and
Lucerne, above which its summit towers
4,472 feet, it commands magnificent
view 0i tie great snow peaks Of the Eer-
nese Oberland and affords a panorama,
which, in point of loveliness, cap hardly
be excelled
A railroad runs to the ,Rigi Kuhn (tbe
name Of the highest peak of the noun.
tain).
We were upon The Rigi on the llth
and 18th Of August, and found it very
cold, as the wind came to us from the
great snow fields of the Bernese Alps,
which are not very distant.
1t is the variety as well as the grandeur
of the surrounding scenery which makes
the view from the Rigi 80 fine. We are
not high enough to look down upon the
snow-delds of the Alps, but the snow
capped peaks of the highest. and most
interesting o. the Herness Oberland are
visible, and tower so high as to exclude
the more distant yiew.in their direction.
The lake Of Llcerne with the city of
Lucerne and the little village of Kuess.
nacht (made famous by Srhiller's evil,
helm Tell"l upon its shores, is one of the
principal attractions of the view; but the
several other lakes which arc 10 be seen,
among them the lovely lake Of Zug,
together with the Swiss villages, present
likewise many charms to the beholder.
Far in the distance may be seen the
Black Forest, the Jura and the Vosges.
The suqsst ION the evening Of the 1lth
was very grand, and evep when darkness
had veiledthe distant view, and the charms
OF the lakes and towns below were gone.
there was still much to interest. Az the
intervening objects faded from view the
dark forms of the Bernese Obsrland.
with their mantles of snow, seemed to
draw:mtch nearer to usiand presented a
very dismal, yet grand appearance. The
lights, too, of the little villages below
aud Of the beautifully ai.uated city Of
LuceEne added much charm and variety
to the picture. .,..n.
Upon the following morning we rose
early to witness the sunrise. The guests
in tho hotels were walked and company
of about fifty were upon the summit to
see the imposing spectacle. Some time
before the rising Of the sun one of the
Swiss blew horn and sung the peculiar
melody of the "Kuhreihen," or co,o herds
melody, which. seems 10 be. peculiar TO-
the Swiss. The "Kuhreihen" does not
possess the fixed nature Of song, sna
the melody may be much varied. It's
detetnipauye character sopsists} lin ths
character Of tie tome, which is through