Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-19
WHEELING OVER A GLACIER.

WHEELING OVER A GLACIER.
The Adventures Of the Washington
Bicycle Party in Crossing the Alps.
DRIVING A WHEEL ON THE ICE - TAXING A
HEADER IN SNOW BANK-ExPERIEEcEs IN 4
SWISS MOUNTAIN INN-THE SWIFT DESCENT
FROM THE 81. aoTrHARD PASS TO AIRoLo.
Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
MILAN, ITALY, september Is.
Taking the back track from Interlaken
through Brienz we prepared ourselves by a
good nights rest at Meiringen for the hard
task before US of crossing the Sustenpass. We
got an early start. and after pleasant ride OF
three miles reached the village of Imhof,
where we dismounted, and pushing our ma
chimes before us, began the long, tedious
| ascent.
OF customs on the Simplon route into Italy, a
road from ten to twelve feet wide was con-
structed through the Susten pass over which
to transport the produce of the Canton of
Berne to the st. Gotthsrd route, to avoid the
duties Of the Simplon. Two years later the
road was abandoned and is now degenerated
into the mere bride path that it originally
was. For while we found occasional stretches
| where for one or two hundred yards, through
| some mountain meadow we were able to ride.
But gradually the ascent became more and
more pronounced, the path now winding up in
| steep terraces and then, for a short space,
skrtlng precipice; the queer-looking houses
and barns, with roofs held down by boulders,
disappeared, and we were alone with only the
occasional groups of graceful mountain cattle
or goats, with perhaps the herd boy or goat
nerd dangling his legs from his seat on an ad-
lacent rock, practicing his yodel. few wild
strawberries and blueberries were found, but
these too disappeared, with our assistance. We
had now reached the height of our ambition,
making footprints in the SNOW and SNOWFALL
ing in August
THE STEIN GLACIER.
Five and half hours after leaving Imhof we
reached the isolated inn, Gam Stein" which
stands solitary amid perpetual snow near the
foot OF the Stein glacier. 6,122 feet above sea-
level. The inn is small but comfortable and
cozy and we obtained very fair dinner at %
francs % cents) apiece, which we thought ex-
ceedlngly reasonable under the circumstances
True the soup tasted goaty and we are under
strong impression that roast goat was served
up as mutton. but we were hungry then and
willingly overlooked such trifes. After dinner
we picked our way across several rushing tor
rents, having their rise in the glacier and
climbing up over the moraine of huge boulders
ana smaller rock, descended to its very base
ana stood In one of the numerous crevasses,
the white icy sides of which arose perpendicu-
larly with an ever-increasing height, far above
our heads. This glacier Is, perhaps, a half mile
wide at its foot and although not az generally
visited as the Rhone glacier is considered one
OF the most extensive and remarkable in Swift
Zerland
If we thought the path steep and uneven be-
fore reaching this point it was not n circum-
stance la w ,lr
the threshold of the Inn. 1t was now indeed
push and lift, slip and stumble. The snow
which about the inn and for some distance
below appeared in patches, was now rapidly
taxing the form OF one broad, white sheet,
covering even the path which until now had
been generally free from it. From two or
three inches 1t soon became six inches: then
foot, with drifts Of even greater depth. Our
pedals gathered large snowballs, and the snow
chung in masses in and about our spokes and
mud guards. The few flakes which, as we left
the inn, were floating lazily down to earth.
speedily became heavy snow storm. Every
thing indicated that we were likely to get more
OF playing in the snow than we cared for and
besides 1t was growing late. Should we turn
back and witness the we-told -you-so express
sions OF the faces Of the inn people, who had
shaken their heads and looked SO doubtful
when We made it known that we intended
going on that day? Mol Excelsior! A guide had
gone an hour or SO in advance taking a lady
traces Of their tracks, without which we should
at times have had some difficulty in keeping
the path. This guide had taken it for granted
that we were going with him. but no. we should
not need him, we said, we should ride down
the other side and would see him in Wssen At
the foot OF the pass that evening. -
HEADER IN A sNowBANK 'fns =
After nearly two hours wading we at length
reached the summit, Susten-Scheideck as it in
"a led Y ohoy
mediately mounted his machine and then dis
mounted in a rather unusual and impromptu
manner over the handle bar into a snowdrift.
while the machine remained upright stuck
fast. Fishing him out and setting him right
up again we proceeded on the descent. Rid
ing was OF course out OF the question, and now
that we were under less exertion we began to
be more sensible to the cold. Then our ma
chimes showed a disposition to run away from
US, the brakes refusing to grip the wet, slip
perry tires, and we we're under the necessity of
resorting to tying the wheels, SO that they
would simply slide instead of turning After
laboring for half an hour or more to restrain
the impotence of our steeds we reached
small upper valley or ravine, and from there
on were able to ride at times. although the
path was exceedingly rough and the riding far
from pleasurable. The snow storm seemed to
have been confined almost entirely to the
other side of the mountain, for there was now
comparatively little snow to be seen and mist
like rain was falling in its stead. Clouds were
forming near and sailing upward into space or
lay about us in great white masses on the sides
Of the mountain.
DOMESTIC POOH Bah.
It was some time after dark when we reached
the little village Of Meien, after descending
down the narrow, gorge-like valley in which it
lay, passing at first only an occasional goat
herds hut with the Hocks Of goats and herds of
cattle grazing about, and then the hamlet of
Fernigen three miles above. 1t was dark when
We reached Fernigen. but from a brief survey
OF the alleged inn Of the place the prospects of
comfort seemed SO far from encouraging that
We concluded to push on, notwithstanding that
the populace OF probably three Dozen all told
not counting the goats-besought by seductive
smiles and blandishing remarks the distin-
guished honor Of our continued presence
among them At Meien we found scarcely bet
ter accommodations, but such as they were we
were content to put up with them for lack Of
better. Our host seized the earliest opportu-
nifty to acquaint US with the fact that his wife
was dead. as an explanation for his filing the
grand triple role of cook waiter and chamber
maid in addition to that Of proprietor After
some delay, during which we set ourselves to
thaw on a marble oven or heater In what was
| to be our dining room and listened to the bois.
| ferrous shouts and general uproariousness of a
crowd Of noisy goatherds drinking in the ad-
joining room, our sumptuous repast was
brought in, consisting of hot milk, bread,
cheese quite powerfully and what passes for an