Arizona republican., 1892-03-01
THE MARITIME ALPS,

out Sulue m the Apes MarltlmeS. A
 company of tourists more venturesome
 than prudent discovered that not long
 ago. They had started from the charm.
 ing inn of La Girandola, perched on a
 rock on the banks of the Roya, and in.
 tended to climb the peak of Gonella, in
 order to get view of the high ridges,
 They missed their way, passed the point
 they were seeking, and continued up and
 down, almost all the time through the
 woods, until at last fatigue caused them to stop. The ladies of the party were in
 despair and began to talk of dying of
 hunger in those fearful solitudes, when
 the notes of bugle were heard in the distance.
 The tourists recognized the French clairon. which is much shriller than the
 Italian cornet. and advancing in the di- rection of the sound, they were soon out of the wood and within view of troop on tho march, a battalion of chasseurs de montague, with gray dolnans and trousers and leggings. As they ad- vanced, the tourists distinguished clear ly the column developing its spirals on the side of steep spur, mounting from the depths of the valley of Luceran to- ward the peak of La Calmette. On. a point to the left group halted, forming the vanguard; the main body of the troop climbed slowly, followed by a long line of mules.
 At that moment the firing of cannon re-echoed from rock to rock and an nounced the beginning of the attack. Little by little all the battalion got foot ing on the top of the spur, deployed on this difficult ground, and advanced toward the principal peak. The mus ketry rattled, backed up by the thunder ing of the artillery. Lines of agile foot soldiers rose from the hollows of the rocks, from the midst of the bushes, from the irregularities of the ground, showed themselves for a moment, then disappeared, and kept on advancing. The frightened chamois, surprised by these sounds in their solitudes, bounded from rock to rock. Their wild flight will carry news to the inhabitants of the Italian slope, who have proverb say ing, When the chamois come down in flight the French are mounting on the heights"
 The attack continues. The noise re- doubles. The chasseurs are running up the steep slopes. At last they reach the summit. What lungs! what legs they have!
 Now the troops halt, assemble to- gether, make coffee and take rest. The tired tourists join them. The off cer in command, having been informed of their misadventure, promises to help them.
 "l cannot have you taken back to the plain today" he says to them. You will have to stay with us until tomor- row, and follow us to our camp tonight"
 Oh" said one of the ladies, that is impossible. We cannot walk another step"
 Do not be alarmed, ladies'" replied the officer. Our pannier mules will carry you. We will put you up com fortably in the bivouac, and tomorrow we will go down to La Bollene, where you will find carriages for Nice"
 The proposition was promptly accept ed. The bugle sounded the signal for departure, and the ladies were placed on the backs of the ambulance mules, ac- .companied by the men of their party, and intrusted to the care of the doctor of the battalion. For a time the road was fairly good. An hours march brought them to the woodcutters' camp, a group of huts inhabited by the men who work for the forest. Here the mules straps were frightened, their shoes examined and their burdens carefully put in order, for the last part of the road is the hardest. The woodcutters' camp is the last point where there is any wa ter, and so, before starting. all the ami mals are given drink, and all the pots, gourds and other receptacles are filled.
 The zigzag and very precipitous path, mounting up steep incline formed of loose fragments of rock. is hampered by roots and branches of trees. Their step shows that they are accustomed to the mountain, it's steep paths and its rarefed air. Their lungs, like their muscles, are strengthened by these repeated exercises in the woods, on tho heights and across the glaciers all through the fine months of the year
 Farther on the ground gets bare; the bath runs over the rock itself; the zig zags are so short that they have scarcely the length of mule. The animals ad- Hance but very slowly, and by the time the ambulance reaches the plateau the soldiers have already been there some fime, and the bivouac has been rapidly Formed.
 The officer in command comes for. NYard to meet the tourists, and to their great surprise proposes to conduct them ho their hotel. They follow him. Tho pnules stop at the extremity of the pla- beau, where tho woods begin. Under the trees bivouac has been installed l Dor the tourists. A gourbi of pine branches will protect them from the |.oolness of the night. The entrance is decorated with bouquets of mountain Blowers.
 Here is your home for one day, mes- flames" says the officer. "We will send | you the mule filters, and with some fern and rug you will have fairly con- fortable bed"
 We accept the lodging, but not the beds. We will not deprive your sick"
 "l have no sick" replies the officer. | "There is nobody in the ambulance. The ambulance is, so to speak, useless.