The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-17
OUR FOREIGN LETTER.
special correspondence of the pnEss.l

ChamouniX is an unique place, and we
hope, if life is spared, to find it unchanged
on our next visit. We humbly felt our own
littleness and the frailty of mans best work,
when we looked up to the monarch of noun
tains, peering into the very heavens, an i'm
perishable monument of spotless marble.
whose side the Almighty hand alone can
reach upon which to inseribe testimonials of
| his greatness. We loved to sit at the win
dow and listen to the tumbling waters of
the Arve, and watch the throng of lilliputian
| figures bustling to and fro in the narrow
street. or creeping down the mountain paths.
The very cowboys and girls leading home
the goats at eventide interested us. They
are all so respectful and independent, having
none Of the time serving and heartless obse-
quiousness, which is so disagreeable in coun-
tries where the lines of social caste are rigid
ly maintained They work for you and eX-
pect to be well paid. and are satisfied at the
end of the bargain. 1t is restful to dwell
among and deal with the Swiss, after hag-
Cling for your rights, and fighting ones way
to guard against imposition from master and
servant alike; and every time being outwit-
ted by the rogues in France and Great Brit
ain. One day was spent indoors, listening
to the voices of a storm, which began in
little cloudy cap on Mont Blanc, and swiftly
spread from peak to peak, until the Alps
themselves were lost to view, and their eXis-
tence only known by the terrific reyerpera-
lions of thunder that rent the ar Inc next
morning dawned bright and clear When we
started on mules up Montanyert to cross the
Mer de Glace.
We had read Fredrika Bremers thrilling
account of her hair-breadth escapes, OF her
intense anxiety paralyzing her limbs with
fear. and cramping her soul so as to deaden
her power TO respond to the illimitable sub
Unity of Gods handiwork. We debated a
long time whether to risk ourselves, much
more our precious charge, to the chance of
some awful catastrophe At last we nerved
ourselves for great adventures and started
with guide for each child.
The ride up Montanvert is along beauti-
full woodland path, where one must be bent
on suicide, to get serious harm, even if a
donkey should fall. A good lunch at the
Montanvert warmed us, so we were ready
for the hazardous crossing of the Mer de
Glace Here we took Alpine stocks, coarse
wooden socks and hob-nailed shoes to fortify
our faltering steps; but all these things were
money thrown away, unless we wished to
make a thrilling story of our perils: and
keep up the fiction of the dangers of Alpine
travels. The Mer de Glaze looked to us like
dirty mill pond, when the mild winds of
spring begin to heaye the ice, and nature gen
orally is stripped of every bit of beauty. We
can see Les Aiguilles at this point; but the
Grand Mulets and Mont Blanc are not in
sight. After reaching the opposite side we
walked leisurely along the shoulder of the
mountain gathering wild flowers, until we
stood beneath the cascade of Mont Blanc, a
silvery thread of water descending from the
overhanging cliff. At this point we descend
upon the Mauyais Pas, which to a. born
westerner, who had never been beyond a
rolling prairie, might appear fearful enter
prise; but to most of us New Englanders,
used to scaling some of the White Hills, like
Kearsarge or Chocorua, it was only good
hours exercise. We almost laughed to scorn
puffy Englishman who went on all fours,
hugging his face to the ground, both hands
clinging for dear life to the iron rail, and
looking like humanized lobster. When our
company gathered in the Chalet on Chapeau
to quench their thirst with milk or beer, ac-
cording to the national taste, he brought up
the rear, painting and sweating, we puzzled
our brains to divine the philosophy of add
ing fuel to his boiling blood in glass of
whiskey, instead of cooling off with cup of
nourshing milk. Here our mules met us,
and carefully took zigZag course down the
side Of Chapeau to enter ChamouniX from
Les Pras. We passed school house, not a
little red one, nestled in the shade of some
dark fir trees just as pedagogue, with all
the consequential air Of his illustrious pred
ecessors. locked the door, lit his pipe. and
leisurely turned h0meward in the midst Of
twenty or more little girls with blue eyes
and flaxen hair, such as Meyer Won Bremen
paints so happily. Ourpatient mules fell in
to line with them and we trudged along in
their company He looked inquiringly at
us, as if in doubt whether we appreciated
his charge or understood their chattering
and singing. We said, Voas dvez uae jo-
lie compagnie la, to which he replied with
great glee, Pas 81 NAL.
The ascent of Flegere and Breyent are ac-
days excursion, and repay much better in
fine views of Mont Blanc Grand Mulets and
the valleys on either SIDE The Glacier de
Blossoms which has slowly been sweeping in
to the valley for the few past severe winters
is really beautiful. An hours climb up the
mountain raises one on a level with the crys-
tai towers and minarets, which are almost
translucent in strong sunlight, giving the
riffs and chasms between the glacial ridges
look of awful blackness.
Many tourists denounce the greed of the
Swiss, but for our part, we could only CON-
mend their industry, when we saw their
hard labor in wringing out of these barren
cliffs comfortable livelihood. Every twig
that their cattle cannot eat is saved for fire.
wood. A woman will walk, knitting work
in hand, livelong day behind COW to make
her eat the grass frugally, and not cut up the
sward by roaming about. When the men
cannot work the soil nor wait upon trav-
oilers, they are searching the mountains for
edelweiss, carnelian, agates and amethysts.
On these hunts they take the boys to train
them for guides. Every blade or tiny gem
like the cats and tigers eyes is garnered
WIN In6 greatest care anu tuIHtu lulu ccu-
times. The barefoot children ran along by
the carriage offering dried edelweiss, which
at first appeared worthless, but careful pres
sing brought out the snowy, downy petals,
and today we prize them as mementoes OF
happy days which may never be repeated
The women work with exquisite taste the
scanty flora of these sterile hills into al
buns for souvenirs of summer in the Alps.
They truly are atomists in their economy,
which is praiseworthy, for it is only by this
method that they have existed, and made the
wilderness to blossom like the rose. To dc
them full justice they should be set by the
side of the Irish, whose lines have been cast
in pleasant places, and yet where are they,
or what are they?
Sunday we attended the English church,
and were highly gratiied to find a most ex-
cellent rector presenting the truth in simple
manner, and earnestly working for his little
flock Everywhere we have met most wor-
thy disciples Of Christ, patiently, and amidst
great discouragements, sowing seed in the
stony ground of Catholic countries. These
are all supported by the English Colonial
and Continental Missionary Society.
MARTIGNY.