New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-05
SrROLLS ALONG THE AMMER
ENJOYMENTS THAT MANY TRAVELLERS
MISS
ROADS, RIVER AND ROCKS AMONG THE BAvH
RAN HIGHLANDS.

ROADS, RIVER AND ROCKS AMONG THE BAvA
RAN HIGHLANDS.
Munich June (speciaD.-An old man with brown
face and arms and iron-gray hair and bea-d, pausea
IN his hopeless task Of cleaning the soft clay from the
road and leans his hoe b watch the approach OF
stranger There IN look on the old mans face that Is at
friendly reserved and hestant He thinks that soms
of greeting would be appropriate, but he Is not
sure whether il viii be received in the spirit In which
10 is offered or ignored intrusive and unwarrantaOie
The stranger settles the question for him and Says
Good morning" "God greet you,' says the cleaner
Of roads, and goes on with his work.
The gude books that treat OF the highlands OF Bsr
vara say that this cordial sslutaton Is usual among
the people 1t is sometimes heard by strangers ous
1t is not so common could be wished IL is probable
that visitors who do not understand the language or
do not appreciate the custom. have so often receven
the greeting with stony stare that the jewellers Oh
the hills have grown dident about offering IT, Yet
the travellers who flock here In thousands would BAT
observe more the character Of the people, as shown
this and other OF their habits, IL they would waiB
abroad among them and try, though only for day. 70
sympathize With them more, they would carry away
deeper and finer and more lasting and useful impress
siOns Of what they have Every saturday las'
summer, the long. slow trains from Munich carrieu
their loads OF passengers from ell over the world, oui
TO Oberau, and then, in coaches and carriages ara
omnibuses and wagonettes. and on FOOT, tney maae
their way up TO Oberammergau; every sunday night
and Monday morning the procession moved back AGAIN
TO Oberau, and the trains crawled along TO Munich
and what had all these people seen They said thai
they had seen tho Passion Play" and so they had
with the eye of the body and doubt they understood
many things that iey had not understood before f0r
happily no one with any powers Of observation al
all could into this village and go out OF again
without gaining something But thousands neglected
Opportunities lying all around them, which they might
had nod ono
made the best Use of the time they had for. as has
often been said, it is only through an understanding
OF the players and their surroundings that there can
be any understanding of the A" Passion Play
DISCOVERING THE cRUCITXIoN PLACE.
Tie country around Oberammergau looks at nrst
sight rather less promising in picturesque interest
than some other places not many miles from IT, But
the experiment Of a few walks and a little nvestig1-
ton will develop its resources wonderfully. Walk
that ANYBODY with half an hour to spare take, YET
which hundreds neglect is to the Crucidxon Place.
II is ON the side Of hill overlooking the village, ana
takes Its name from the marble CrucifxOn Group tile
gift TO the village Of King Ludwig Of Bavaria ms
group has a melancholy story II is the usual repre-
sentation somewhat larger than life, Of the Christ on
the cross with Mary and John standing at the foot
Of it, When The group its way here in
wagon a pause made 70 rest the horses. Tie
spot was a hillside naturally and the wagon began
10 slip back. A wheel struck a stone, there was
Jolt and the figure Of st. John was thrown ont,
striking the sculptor and his assistant who stood
under It, The artist was Killed instantly ana pne
assistant died the next day.
The easiest way to reach the Crucifxion Place is By
a broad and smooth path that leads directly up 70 u
from point near the centre Of the village, but
better way 10 walk along the road that passes te
theatre and crosses the River Ammer at the edge of
the village and after little distance to turn TO tbs
left across the fields, over the little hillocks and
through the hollows guided by the white cross thai
is now seen for moment and then lost again behind
a mound or a cump Of trees. This gives To thd
walk something Of the pleasure Of discovery. IND
writer is bound to admit that the CFuclnxlon UroIE
itself when it is reached is not especially Impressive
The figures look heavy, and the face Of the Chrlss
is not 50 beautiful and strong many Of those carved
In wood by the villagers below. Every inch Of the
pedestal that be reached Is defaced by some III
scrption in pencil, written always by stranger la
it be trusted. The return to the village may be mads
by the path already mentioned, which crosses lie
Ammer again at the foot Of the hill.
CLINE INTO THE BEARS HOLE.
A longer walk and proportiCnately peasanter one
Is 30 the Bears Hole' the Holy Tomb" These
two names suggest rather diverse IDEAS considering
that they are applied 10 the same place. but there
are doubtless reasons for both The village must be
left now at the other end and the road which IS level
and in wet weather frghtfuly muddy, runs along nos
far from the right bank Of the Amner Inc
wide and perhaps one deep-and is as clear as rock
CRYSTAL 1t Is rapid, too seeming TO DO the only 'AinS
native 10 this part of the country that - at al IL
hurry. except the people Of the village when they ars
irving 10 find lodgings for their multitude OF guests
Beyond the river there is considerable eApahse OF
covered plain that looks marshy and teacnerOus'
and from the far edge OF il the hills rise steep ana
.iob ON the other side Of the stroers way from the
river the hills rise close to nm anu OlUe ai'S' 90
uPWs6en he has gone about mile from the village
,e arde-bOard directs his further course ara SHOWS
him he must leave the road anu c9er ~ tad Ia
m1nnting slowly for il would be exceedingly dlmcut
Iinni siraieht mn the rocks But the distance u
70 great and in lew minutes he Will make sharp
turn from the path and will be u tle bears Lo ,h;
bev aImost overhang the road below, and without US
path that has been made the place %3aa oe 50 com
cult OF access @ II must t nave fe P 5ears if any ever
t ehoI Mace 20 * enopgr- TO justify its name.
Near the mouth Of the cave and easily 70 pe Ecu
from the road Is uesiZe figure 81 the 'nil,I moTs
red banner with white er9sS ho rseD Christ that Is
represented Deep in the hole STANDS - S y. Daros
wood with figure on t. ms I Ihs 5d he especially
easy as has been said to climb straent up mere e v
the road. any with sure 1907 con bi yraIk tc
FtfaI about four miles further on 10 the same uI'0
ton from Oberammergau
long PROCESSION OF PILGRIMS.
To Is likely 10 find more to attract his attention III
the people and 10 the vehicIeA th1o JIG VIZ -. a
tbe scenery If it happens 10 be the u"5 Ocioe
,.os.ntotion Of the Passion Play there VIII be plenty
- +beso and thev will be picturesque. The ch'rAc-
tstic vehicle Of the region is small carriage sons
yybot like an American buggy in form WIN poIa
- - Il wore intended for two horses, but YET haVl"s
onlv one horse. one gets used to seeing the,e ~'i
- ,buo but m first they rather starting aII
nt1c % nrssion that half the horses in the country
~ died suddenly and left the other nan 10 S 40 ~
n i nj Int there vehicles Of all KINDS GI1Mt
tae so sonable number OF beasts. aud me pgrns
~ ~ are the most interesting OF all lnelr [
on ~ nos the road for miles and they wear very
ttion Of dress between the city store cI9ches
md the iul costume Of the Ty roless peasant an,
aIlu IN vomen and children. and they carry IntH
Gf ng an their backs and trudse along with grin
l--s,rt ~ vaarness and discomfort that Wei "
olsIesu +I d@vout nnrpose with which the pr-r1mags
made There are many priests amo I t oo6 teT;
- Inn and hun gry looking youth whose Leai onvous.
the Sli Cor Ms tack Of experience and the fat ola
ss ,vbo has clearly had experience enough n know