The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-22
LOVELY SWITZERLAND.
THOMAS NELSON PAGE STILL ON
HIS TRAVELS.
To Italy via the st. Gothard Tunnel
Magnificent scenery and Beautiful
Iakes-yisit To Milan and It's Cattle
dral.-Descriptions OF Other Towns.


Magnificent scenery and Beautiful
Iakes-yi.it to Milan and Its Cattle
drais-De.criptions OF other Towns.
Especial Correspondence Of the Times
LONDON. September 2 We had in
tended To go down into Italy and sec
Venice. Florence. and the Eternal CITY,
but lust "a we were setting out we re-
ceived letters relating 10 business
which required us to give up our lial-
ian tour and return TO London. As.
however. we had few days grace, we
determined to put them in by seeing as
much Of Italy as we could: 40 we set
ont one morning for Milan MA the 81.
Gothard tunnel. Lake Lugano, AMI
Como. There are few routes IN the
general course of travel so beautiful as
that which runs out of Lucerne through
lovely Saiss valley. passes unuef
the foot OF the Rigi. touches the lake
again. runs along its margin for miles
with the grand Swiss mountains tower
ing above il and then leaving the blue
water at Fluelen crosses the meadows
of Altdori. following up the broken
winnings of the bfawling Reuss as 1t
comes foaming down its zigzag gorge
from the snow high up on the
white peaks around st. Gothard.
along precipices aud up through
winding tunnels. climbs the lps almost
to the snow line. and then bidding
alden tothe cold upland. dives through
that triumph of mans intellect the
ST. Gothard, and after a rush OF nlue
miles under the mountain, suddenly
energies in the soft atmosphere OF the
Italian side and reveals TO the aston
ished gaze the beautiful valley OF
TIcino. From the time the Reuss II
ouched until the Alps are passed the
entire route is a marvel of engineering.
for there + scarcely hundred yards IN
which some wonderful work has not
been done-cuts in the sheer rock, VIA
ducts over deep gOrges. under-pinin3
to hold up the mountains above, when
threaten TO toppie down. or spiral tun-
nels winding up IN the very bowels OF
the mountains themselves. | am al
most tempted. as | look back at that
ride. to essay a BIT OF description, but /
will refrain and leave the engatlne an
described t. sink into tine mind Of your
readers when they shall see It as II did
mo mine. No words can give any idea
Of the maguificence of the scenery az u
nnf0lded ilself. mile alter mile. nd
long succession Of views. each one
grander than these which went before.
aid with the vast gray Alps always
towering overhead. At times three
tracks curve. one almost directly above
the others. when the train has wound
up through the mountain. There are
about
TWENTY FIVE MILES OF TUNNEL
between Lucern aud the station ON the
Italian -Ide Of the st. Gothard. several
of the tunnels benz spIrals and the
road making complete CIRCLES IN the
mountains Il took us just eighteen
minutes 20 shoot the st. Gothald llseli
which is tedious because long but Is
not otherwise dIsagreedble. as there Is
alWa,s cool draft through the tunnel
which prevents the smoke from coming
IN. aud obylales the necessity of eveh
closing the carriage windows. The
view winch. as the tram comes out
once more into day light. dawns on the
sight is simply enhancing. On either
side suli tower The Alps. but far
below stretches the beautiful valley
of the Ticiuo. with vineyards ana
gardens. aud overhead the soft ltaiian
skies. Two Old castles gu nj the pass
close by ora either hand, and add 10 the
romance Of the scene. j. Is astonlsh-
/ Ing what difference the eighteen MN
utes run has made. not only IN the land
scape. but in the people themselves.
for although this Is still Switzerland.
the inhabitants of the valley are as
different from those at the other end of
the long tunnel. as their vineyards are
from the upland pastures above the
Reues The Mills through which the
road runs have upon them The first real
woods we have seen since we LETT
America. As we geJ further down we
fnd QuaGries open on either side. and see
stone substituted for wood 70 q curious
extent. Tue rock is gray like our
granite. but splits like slate 80 that
fences are made of broad thin slabs set
up witn one end IN the ground. Ike SO
many tomb,t jnes: the stakes OF
the vineyards are narrow. rough
stone posts about SIX feet long
and elk inches by eight thick. whilst
even the roofs of the small houses
are OF small. fiat. rough stones. which
overlap ike shingles. We observed
standing IN the small fields numbers of
tall racks. consisting OF two poles IN
the ground about ten feet apart. with
cross poles between them. like draw
bars. For good while we could not
make OUT what they were for. Further
down the valley. however, we found
that they were racks 20 dry the grain
on. the bundles of wheat being hung
on either side Of them.
After an hours run around
THE LOVELY VALLEY.
which lay stretched out below rs a. the /
Nelson valley lies below the { and Q. /
this sue If Alton. bat with the blue /
water of LuganOs lying like bit Il I
summer skg beyond. we sank gradually /
down TO Lugano-. where we got our .
first glimpse Of an l allan town. THIS F.
Is sill Switzerland by political a-socia- /
ZION. but il is Italy by Appearance aad I
character. There is nothing else
5 yiss about it. IL ia precisely Ike /
al the other station towns which
dot the shores and peep out from the
rlullN why ~ VA AAN AANtA"t't'" 80
Como. There are the same grayiah
OLD houses which were once white
the same dark archways and narrow
stone flights OF steps. the same black
haired. dark eyed women IN pieblld +
raiment sitting about woi king or goa
sIpin. m the narrow sire It., the same
antiquity, the same dnt
AT LUCIANO
we took the small lake boat. and with
the exception or the little narrow
guage run from PoTlezzo TO Meuaggl0
on Como, We spent the greater part OF
the next two days enjoying the beau
ties Of these gems OF Italy. Novelty Is
one Of the factors IN pleasure which is
derived through the sense OF sight
The Oftener we hear strain Of music
the more deeply il sinks INTO our heart.
il Is not so with what we see. The eye
through custom loses the capacity TO
convey to the mind the full enjoy
OF the first view. Italy. however. was