The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-01-29

~" '""uiS. ~ IL saiu 10 ce one OF TIT
highest habitations in Europe. Here W,
were united and our companion went t,
bed. The German soon arrived, and ",
saw about three others who had ascendec
the Breith0rn and were sick.
The rest Of our party were not sick, bu
We were all thoroughly sunhurnt. w,
sat about OH the icy rocks and contem
plated the great Matterhorn and tn,
Brelthnrn, and drank coffee the most
miserable have ever tasted.
/ Al length our companion became well
enough t" descend, AMI we we've again
r"rcd together for the tonr down the
upper Theodule glacier. After few
hours we arrived at Zerma,l about three
or four o'clock in the afternoon.
The next morning we walked down ia
Nisp in The Rhone valley, and went 10y
rail to Marligny.
From Martigny we went on foo, Ia
! Chamonix.
As we arrived nj Chamonix the Mt.
i''"'S S"i'h WIS hiu from our view DS
the clouds, but on the following morning
they began I" rise up from the valley
and we ascended "lc Breven,," a
mountain just opposite Mt. Blanc on
the other side of the valley, from who>e
summit the finest view of The Mt. Blanc
chain is obtained. Upon the Brcvent
Il e., a.
we had attained the summit, the clouds
had almost entirely disappeared and we
again had most magnificent view.
Toward the South and West the pano.
rama WAS extensive and embraced Grand
Paradis etc. {: but the chief attraction was
the Mt Blame range, just across the
narrow valley of Chamonix. 1t il diff
cult to compare the rival views Of the
Berncse Oberland from the Faulhorn and
OF the chain Of Mt. Blame from "le
Brcvent"; and the valleys of Grindcl.
valid aud Chamonix contest the palm for
charm. The scenery of the MI. Blame
range IS, however, more pointed The
serratcd piunnccs (called in French
"aiguilles" meaning ''needlcs") rise alolt
with Il fantastic charm which the view of
the Bernese Oberland does not possess.
The view of MI. Blanc, with his snow.
covered dome rising above all surrounding
mountains, was ve:y grand, Lu, hardly so
Impressive rs That Of the Mattcrhorn,
near Iernla!t. Nj. Blanc is the highest
OF continuous chain OF high peaks,
Closely connected, and has large dimcn.
slons. Ills broad summit is gruced with
snow. But not so with the Ma,tcrhorr.
It's slender, pyramidal spirc, too steep for
the SHOWS to find resting place, rises on
high III bare and rugged magnificence
fom field of glaciers. Thus standing
alone, isolated from surrounding mnun.
tainS, it is !. monument of marvel.
From the Ercvcnt the view ef Channo-
nix in the valley and the glaciers of the
chain, especially The Glacier des Blossoms
and "Mer dc Glacc," is very lovely.
After descending from this mountain
we ascended "le Ficgcrc," from which we
hnd n line view of the immense "Mer dc
Glace." This view gives one ::n idea of
its extent, but is rather too distant,
On the following morning we asccndci
to the Mpntanvert, just above the "Mcr
de Glace."
The survey of this "sea of ice" from this
point is very extensive and fine. This
great ''sea" is several miles long and
over mile broad at the narruwcst mart.
The wave feature Of this great glacier is
best seen in crossing it. As there are no
concealed creviccs at this point, we
crossed without n guide. Upon the first
part Of the route steps are cut in the ice.
When upon tho glacier, amid the frozen
waves of ice, it resembles u "sea" and
hence its name We descended on tn.
farther side by the "mauvai. pass" ('bad
p.s>"), where an iron railing has been
placed to assist the traveller TO the Cha.
peau. AT this point tie frozen mass of
the glacier descends over steep ledge of
rock into the valley, and from the resem.
blance is called the '.Fall."
We had contemplated ascending Mt.
Blanc to the "Grands. Mulets" in the
afternoon, but n rain made further visits
impossible. The "Grands. Mulets" il the
hut where the tourists to the summit of
Mt. Blanc spend the night about two.
thirds OF the way up. Upon the follow
ing day, we walked down to Vernazez in
the Rhone valley where We visited the
great George du Trient." BY means Of
wooden gallery fastened on the rocky
wall, just above the roaring torrent, one
goes far into this narrow gorge, bounded
by its perpendicular walls, several hun.
dred feet high. 1t is similar to the gorge
at the "Grindelwald" glacier.
Montreux, at the head of lake Geneva,
is one of the most beautifully situated
towns on the lake, and commands q
superior view Of The lake and the moun.
tains. The waters Of this lake have a
blue color instead of green, which the
other fine lakes Of Switzerland have.
The castle Of Chillon is about thirty
minutes walk from Montreux. It is stu
ated very beautifully upon rock rising
out of the water not far from the shore,
with which it was connected by a draw
bridge. The reader will remember
Byron's "Prisoner of Chiilon," in which
he describes very finely the prison rooms
of the ancient reformers aud prisoners Of
state. The description begins,