Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-03-17

Ny men are in perfect training. Now
will leave you, mesdames. In an hour ]
will come to take you TO dinner"
At the appointed time the officer came,
and all the tourists followed him across
the plateau. admiring the splendid pam
Drama spread out before them. From
the summit Of the Aution 1880 meters)
they saw at their feet, like a gigantic
ditch, the valley of the Mimiera joining
the Roya at the east near San Dalmazzo,
and commanded by an Italian fort, the
most advanced Of the works that defend
the Col de Tende Beyond the depth of
the Mimiera rose the last chain of the
Alpes Maritimes. throwing up heaven
ward the ridge Del Diablo (9,6s7 meters)
and the peak L'Abisso (2,T75 meters), an
enormous mass, with its snowy covering
tinted rose by the setting sun-a grand
and striking spectacle. especially when
seen from the midst of a bivouac, itself
always so curious and so attractive.
The sentinels watch ms they pace to
and fro. The mules browse the scant
but tasty grass of the high plateaus.
Seated on old tree trunks the officers
finish their itineraries, complete their
notes, draw up reports on the country
they have traversed, make sketches of
the distant mountain silhouettes. The
soldiers sing as they clean their arms,
shout, run and amuse themselves with
games. To see their movements and
their activity you would never think
that they had marched twenty-five
miles and accomplished maneuver
amid all the obstacles of mountainous
ground. The Italians have reason to be
proud of their Alpine companies. OuI
chasseurs de montague are not one whit
inferior to them in tenacity and endur'
ance.
| Night closes in. Dinner is served on
a table formed of wattled branches GOV
cred with fiowery turf. Old pine trunks
! cut down in time of former wars, serve
as seats. A big fire and torches formed
of pine branches light the guests at thii
original and rustic feast. At such al
altitude frugality is obligatory, never
theless the fare is quite respectable. Tht
chief dishes are red partridges and Give
de chamois, pine mushrooms, an ict
made with ewes milk and snow, whil'
Strawberries, arbutus berries and wilt
forest fruits, served in nests of moss
formed the dessert. The tourists are de
lighted. and thank the officers by drink
ing their health, and soon all retire +
rest.
At daybreak the battalion resumes it
march along the ridge, alternatel
through woods and across meager pas
turages. The solitude is absolute excep
for some pastorello guarding his goats
which seem literally to cling to the noun
tain side. The view is marvellous whe
the distance appears through rent i
the opaline morning mist.
The road gets worse and becomes al
solutely execrable at the point wher
the grand descent begins, and where th
track is scarcely marked out of th
sinuosities of the rocks. At one poir
great blocks overhang; at another shay
projections have to be turned; almos
all the way the road follows the edge c
precipice.
One cannot imagine how the mule
will pass with their burdens, or ho'
they can even get footing in this DANCE,
GUS pass. The battalion passes withor
: winking, as if it were the simple'
,, thing in the world, and the mountai
battery follows in its turn. But not tt
tourists; they find the danger too imm
:. nent and dismount, preferring to tru
to their feet. Meanwhile they wait ii
the path is free, sitting on grani
/, promontory, and watching the whole ba
terry defile along this track, which seen
impracticable even for the goats then
selves. 1t is a work of strength and p
tience and requires as much skill as
: does GOODNESS.
= The soldiers hold up the mules al
even their burdens by means of rope
' Thus relieved, the animals glide aloI
. rather than walk, stiffening their for
legs and almost touching the grou1
: with their hind quarters. A few acc
= dents happen, but, thanks to the MAI
Ii fold precautions and to the care of Il
drivers, they are rarely serious; Il
:, mules that fall are soon put on the
;, y feet again. At last this long and perilo
y :, pass is cleared the battery and {
II ambulance rejoin the battalion, al
= after a short halt the march is resum
IA and La Bollene is reached.
70 The tourists rushed into the hotel, 4
= lighted to find themselves once more
y civilized place, and to be able to re
~ for few hours. The column, howevt
y continued its march. Later on t
a. :. tourists started for Nice in a carrias
II Toward the end of the day they ovt
o. took the indefatigable chasseurs, W
!. were still marching along, althou
u more than twelve hours had passed sin
- - they had begun their days work. Fro
y "The French Army" by General Lew
y in Harper,s Magazine.
NJ Odds AND ENDS.