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

1t is not easy to find ones way with
out a guide in the Alpes Maritimes. 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 the march, battalion of chasseurs
de montague. with gray dolmans 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
kerry ratified, 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 a proverb say.
ing, When the chamois come down in
fight the French are mounting on the
heights"
The attack continues The noise re.
doubles. The chasseurs are running uI
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
Ger in command, having been informed
of their misadventure, promises to hell
them. ..---.-,4-y.
"I cannot have you taken back to the
plain today" he says to them. "Yor
will have to stay with US until tomor
row, and follow us to our camp tonight.
.'Oh," said one of the ladies, that i
impossible. We cannot walk anothe
STEP"
''Do not be alarmed, ladies'" repliec
the officer. "Our pannier mules vii
carry you. We will put you up com
fortably in the bivouac, and tomorrow
we will go down to La Bollene, wher
YOU will find carriages for Nice"
The proposition was promptly accept
ed. The bugle sounded the signal 70
departure. and the ladies were placed O.
the backs of the ambulance mules, az
companied by the men of their party
and intrusted to the care of the doctO
of the battalion. For a time the roa
was fairly good. An hours marc
brought them to the woodcutters' caml
group of huts inhabited by the me
who work for the forest. Here th
mules straps were frightened. their shot
examined and their burdens CAREFUL
put in order, for the last part of the roa
is the hardest. The woodcutters' cam
is the last point where there is any WI
ter, and SO, before starting, all the an
mails are given drink, and all the pot
gourds and other receptacles are filled.
The zigzag and very precipitous pat
mounting ap a steep incline formed
loose fragments of rock, is hampered
roots and branches of trees. Their stt
shows that they are accustomed to ii
mountain, its steep paths and its rarefit
air. Their lungs, like their muscles, a
strengthened by these repeated exercis
in the woods, on the heights and aero
the glaciers all through the fine mont
of the year.
Farther on the ground gets bare; Il
path runs over the rock itself; the ri
gags are SO short that they have scarce
the length of mule. The animals a
vance but very slowly, and by the tir
the ambulance reaches the plateau t
soldiers have already been there SOL
time, and the bivouac has been rapid
formed.
The officer in command comes fO
ward to meet the tourists, and to the
great surprise proposes to conduct the
to their hotel. They follow him. T
mules stop at the extremity of the pl
teau. whene the woods begin. Und
the trees "a bivouac has been install
for the tourists. A gourbi of pi
branches wial protect them from t
coolness of the night. The entrance
decorated with bouquets Of mounta
flowers.
"Here is your home for one day, M
dames," says the officer. "We will Sc
you the mule litters, and with some fe
and rug you will have fairly CO
Portable bed"
1--WE accept the lodging, but not t
beds. We will not deprive your sick.
Il have no sick, replies the offic
"There is nobody in the ambulan
The ambulance is, SO to speak, usele
We have been ON the march during t
past three months. We have Il
marched six long spells without re
We shall march again tomorrow Al
then perhaps we shall take daY'sre