The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1886-08-07
NUMBER A
AMONG THE ALPS.
A TRIP THROUGH THE sIMPLo1'
PASS IN JUNE.

0f1IG near the SuI0WlG Oh L00 k9lI0HlOU
The crest of the heap rose above the top Of
our carriage. This was surprise, but MOI
disagrecable On the Italian, OF south sids
! Of the Alps the weather had been quite warm
and even enervating Although the sky was
overcast and rain fell at intervals becams
unpleasantly heated whenever walked TO
ease the herses and pick flowers. But the
moment we began to descend from the ex-
treme height Of over G, 500 feet q cold wind
struck US in front and flank. Rugs and
shawls which had been carefully strapped up
were unbound and put to use. The road was
| as good as when Napoleon made it, and the
| horses were fresh from nights rest at the
halfway inn of Isella. The carriage ratified
down the steep grade, the driver cracking his
/ whip 1nerrily and making echoes in the deep
and narrow gorges We knew that few
hours Of this pace would bring US to Brieg
and warmth never before realized the fun
| difference between q northern and q southern
| aspect. AS we made the gradual ascent from
| Domo d'Ossola snow had been occasionally
! seen, but always far above u.s. Il filed
crevices at the height of I, zoo feet OF crowned
the very peaks. --z
DANGERS FROM AvALANcHEa y,
/ But when we passed the little village ok
Simplon and neared the Hospice there was
snow in patches far below US. And from the
road upward it still covered largo tracts, and
at times threatened avalanches Theae, how
ever are Of rare occurrence ON the SimploQ
In the first week Of June. Rude crosses mark
the spots where travellers had been swept into
the profound gulf which yawned on our left
At one place, the driver said, four men had
been carried to that awful but instant death,
An enduring crucifx Of bronze had been
firmly set in a stone socket, just where they
were overtaken. This Is the part Of ~
road where SO many "refugesn have been
provided. Those places Of shelter, q wsn a
the moro comfortable Hospice, have saved
the lives of many persons crossing the pas
in tho fall, winter and String. The 4osr-
mente, or whirlwind oc snow. Il q cause Of
more deaths than a'yalAnches In the high
Alps. They are bitterly cold and binding,
and IN few minutes raise mounds Of mow
through which ha1sek and men can hardly
make their way. We were glad to know
that these icy plas nes were out Of season at
tho time of our acr ossin1. -
The waterfalls among the greatest charms
OF the SlmploJ, .pass--were at their best. Tho
rains had beel heavy for some days, and the
sun was meT~E lg the snow in all but its high.
est lodsmont s. The white peaks Of noun
tains, ranisir .gfrom 9,o0O to 11,0OO feet shove
the sea, 'se 70 sublime and beautiful Ono
never uy cs of gazing at them, and using soms
more fomii iiiar mountain ut 1h.,fnesas-aseet8k-
measuIIn scale In order to form q better idea
OF their height Americans are in the habit
OF reca' ling their impressions Of Washington.
Map sft ed, Graylock OF the Catskills for this
pnrpo "a In the Alps, however, this plan
dos rot help US much, for some Of the mos$
ma1f site of the range have their bases at a
~ <ooA 60
seenk to be as high by several thousand feet n
they really are A mountain Of much lee,
stature would look just as towering sprineiu9
from foundation nearer the sea level.
BEAUTIES OF THE wArERFALLs.
But when no grand mountains arc In sight
then ones spirit Is refreshed by the waterfsih
never before conceived the widely difYerenk
forms which falling water could assume. We
passed hundreds Of cascades between Domo
d'Ossolo and Brieg, and NO two were altka
They resemblsd each other as little In ahana.
as in size. Some were simple mill streama
They came rushing down the mountains ia.
great volume to turn the wheels But they
found no corn to grind or logs to saw Thsy-
were only conducted of through culverts be-
meath tho roadbed, where they could do.
neither harm nor good. What might be
called lace patterns were innumerable They
were fiat waterfalls, thin and very wide. slim
ping gently over smooth rocks Of easy slopes.
Wary bands OF lines made the breadth Of
these falls look in the distance exactly IKE
snow-white lace Bridal wells Of tho most ex-
qulslte texture were common Some kept
their symmetry In leaps Of at least 500 feet
There were falls which reminded ono Of the
dropping Of brilliants from fireworks hi9h In
the air. Each flashing wavelet seemed to pro-
servo its unity as it fell over the precipice.
and to come down slowly till broken up BY
some jutting rock below.
A fall that always pleased US was one that
broke into powerful vapor AMI sparkled In
the sunshine like cascade Of diamonds
This is the sort Of fall that Swiss innkeepess
are said to manufacture In the dry season
It only needs a small boy with few paib Of
water. He is out Of sght on tho heights1snd
turns on the fall when he sees a carriage
coming through the paA There were too
many falls of this kind to make u question
their genuineness. Another style that never
tired came down In numerous short leans.
Tho effect was that Of stars made Of silver.
Sometimes they wore solid-as one mieht
say-and made So little spray1that they
seemed to be shining steps leading from the
gloomy depths of the ravine to the white and
serene land abovo-Switzerland Cor. Jour
nal Of Commerce.