Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-07-31
FROM THE RiGl KUHN.
a Marvellous Mountain vision-Historic
~Ground-Tha Lion OF Lnzerne.

- 49,
was not all | expected. | looked for some
snow capped peak towering above the
lower range Of mountains, and was in
clined to be disappointed when it re-
solved itself into a bulky mass Of sere
rock and green mountain side, with a
water line Of twenty-five miles in circum-
ference and mt least half a dozen peaks or
crests. one Of which-the furthest to
the east--is the eliminating point, and
takes the name of Kuhn. The next day
when i mounted TO this summit il was
plain why the Rigi Kuhn is the most cele-
brated mountain, probably, in the world,
and why it commands, and will continue
10 command, the homage now paid it. Ii
Is not for itself, but what it reveals. IL
was a clear, warm day, and the ride up
the inclined railway that now fastens
itself TO the sides OF the Rigi was a con
slant delight. When finally the Kuhn
was reached. and in that marvellous blue
my eyes looked on the panorama Of 1875
miles of Bernese Alps unrolled before
them, scores and hundreds Of white
crested peaks, including the Overland
Titans. there was nothing to be done, as
there if nothing else TO he done now, than
to stand in silent awe. Words would be
useless, If not profane. II was M of the
rare days vouchsafed travellers.
Not always is the Rigi so kind. Often
its summit is wrapped in clouds, and
nothing is to be seen. AT other times, as
on the following LAY, the clouds seem
like a great sea, out Of which rise the
snowy SUBMITS. like the peaks Of drift
ing icehcrgS, and it appears almost pos
sible TO set sail over the tremulous bosom
of vapor 10 reach the crags as they pierce
through. On such a day the sight must
be a grand one, as il was described after
ward by n friend, who thus saw it, but
when the sun is without abatement. and
the sky without a rift, TO be for hours
npon the Kuhn, and look now upon the
irregular line Of Alpine peaks that define
themselves in peerless white against the
lambent blue, and then TO rest the eyes
upon the varied landscape that spreads
itself all about YOU, down, down, thou
sands Of feet, ms if il were n series of toy
pictures such as YOU could arrange at
will out Of boxes of blocks YOU might
buy at Charley Meyers, was an expert.
ence never To he forgotten, and which
Ear only he repeated at the same place
and under the same circumstances.
Seven llics-miniature lakes, they
looked. as | recall them-were within
view, nesting themselves in the little
aat..nFr- ,4.l.c that A. fh. nI-,gRf.Y,at.s
and unique feature of n Swiss landscape.
Over there is the lake ON the banks Of
which the battle of Margarten, the Their
mopylp Of Switzerland, was fought.
There 1900 Of the hardy m%ountaineers
successfully withstood the assaults of
more than 10000 Austrians. To the
right was Lake Zug. where the landslide
had occurred but a few days before, and
through a strong glass the ruins Of the
quay could he plainly seen. OFF in the
Tar distance Lake Sembach could he dis
cerned, with It's story Of Winkelreid's
heroism. Immediately at your feet
stretched the Lake of the -Four Cantons,
with its Tell chapel and the half dozen
clustering villages and towns that line It's
banks. and, larger and prouder than all,
Luzerne itself. which looks forward with
hopeful anticipation, by means Of the
completion Of a projected railway, to the
time when il will command the position
Of the first city Of Switzerland in the
plans Of all tourists.
But not alone the Rigi. Luzerne has
another attraction. The place wherein
the lion Of Luzcrne is to he seen is about
the last a stranger would look for it.
There are no indications Of it, where
abouts. and 50 far rs | could observe no
directions that would aid in its discover.
| started out after dinner 10 find it, and
walked about as | understood the hotel
porter 10 direct. Finally. ! asked a
small boy standing in a garden near the
street. and by dint IF much hard work
made him understand what ] wanted,
he waved his hand in thu direction, and
that gesture ] followed until ! found the
spot. Ii seems 10 lac in q grpttO az the
back Of n dozen door yards, that radiatc
from the monument, and shut it out
from the public. The impression is that
O are going through an alley into Il
bacl; yard, whore, in the Ilcc Of the
sandstone rock that rises about $50 feet,
the lion is cut, In front Of it is q mean,
dirty. little circular pool. possibly forty
or City feet in diapctrr, about and in
which a duck gnl her small family
quacked and pbyod ut will. An
old fellow seeing "A visitor 10 the
lion, and possibly s%crntinr a few cen
times. turned on the water for a few
minutes. and the jct rose to the height of
fifty or sixty feet, with no other appreci-
able effect than to disturb both tie pool
and the go>lings. There are n half dozen
benches IN front Of the fountain un which
YOU Gun sit and look at Thorwalls n'sgreat
conception. while back # these hcHrhos
are numerous shops in which all manner
of triukcts and views nre sold, and IN
one Of which is shown the model Of Tho
lion made by the Danish sculptor, and
from which the carving was done,
Despite the apparently moan and i'm.
pertinent surroundings, the lion is yet q
lion. No work of art | have yet seen sc
impresses me ms the lion Of Luzerno and
the lions Of Landsccr. nj the foot If the
Nelson column in London. went bacl
again and again 10 sit in silent ndmira.
ton Of the wounded and dying ANNA.
that 80 hcroically represents the spirit Of
the Helyctinn guards that do for king
It, nj. -. I.Ll.l a..