The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-08-25
European Letter.
CAUDENABBIA, LAKE COMO, ITALY, /

|
CAUDESABBIA, LAKE COMO, ITALY,
| Aug. 5, 1898.
Il yesterday we were in Heaven, liter
any In Heaven-way up in the higher
Alps on the Spliigen pass, up where the
rocks are bare, where no insect life is
heard, where no birds sing, where no
sound is heard save the noise of water
| fails as the little streams tumble over
precipices, fed by ever melting, never
melting glaciers.
we were at the summit of the pass
at ~ O'Clock yesterday, but at night We
were in Paradise, on Lake Como.
We are still in Paradise and will be
for day or so to come. Then we are
going into the upper regions again via
the st. Gothard.
Today we have been resting, but YES
| terday and the day before we were
mountaineers. We left Thusis at 8 a. M,
tramped seven miles with our KNAPP
sacks on our backs through one of the
widest passes in Switzerland. 1t is no
| use trying to describe it, it can't be
done. Simply great chasm cut through
the mountains hundreds of feet deep.
with road that creeps along the face of
perpendicular cliffs, crosses from side
TO side on arched stone bridges, always
going higher and higher. There is the
patch of sky above and the furiously
rushing river below. There are sublime
and awe inspiring rocky heights, and
wild and fantastic waterfalls, and through
1t all the splendid music of the Rhein.
We walked for eight miles and then
RODE nine more to our lodging place for
the night, Spliigen. We had supper in
Dutch, not Hanoverian German, mind
you, but sort of mixture of low Dutch,
French, and Italian, and the cooking
was after the same stamp-well mixed.
The next morning we sent all our
luggage by post to Chiavenna and
walked unburdened over the pass We
made II miles by 2 o'clock in the after
noon and then hired a wagon-a Swiss
wagon with no springs-and rode nine
miles more. The whole population of
Campodolcino turned out to see us
start, and sent us off with smiles and
pleasant bon voyages.
From Campodolcino to Cbiavenna is q
steep down grade, the road curves and
doubles and twists down a steep ravine
for the entire distance. Our charioteer
did not even hitch on his tugs; he fastened
the holdback, set his brake, shouted to
his horse and we never stopped, bumpity
humping over rock and rut, till we were
in Chiavenna. We were Just in time
for train to Colico at the head of Lake
Como, and then caught boat for Cau-
denabbia. We dropped about six
thousand feet in six hours.
In the pass we could not keep warm
even with hard walking, and dared not
sit still to rest for fear of taking cold.
At evening we were in the land of the
oil iron nd hn Of i
the vine, with the mercury at 700. No
wonder we both have colds. believe
next time l come over I'll introduce
Parkilps cough mixture in this region.
If only enough folks could be induced
to walk over the pass there would be a
fortune in it. But, alas most people
ride and that spoils both their Journey
and my prospective fortune.
Are we lame today? Well, Just lit
tie. tried to be gallant and pick uI :,
ball for a lady but it was an awkward
failure. I'll not try that again for two
days, at least.
Tonight L took small row boat and
pulled out into the lake, and idly drift
ing about with wind and wave watched
and enjoyed the beauties of the sunset.
hated to come ashore as twilight faded
away.
Oh, there is no doubt about it, this is
Paradise, or would be if they spoke
English and kept their Italian charac-
teristics-that is the one little draw
back; everybody speaks smooth, flow
ing Italian, just like oil, you know.
Everything ends in vowel sounds:
Menaggio, Bellagio, Como, Caudenabbia.
One gets so sick of its everlasting
smoothness that he longs to hear some
real frst-class A No. 1 German cuss-
words, just to relieve the monotony.
But then that wouldn't do in Paradise.
STANLEY +. PARKILL.
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