The Portland daily press., 1897-09-04
IN SWITZERLAND.
Steamer Trip from Lake Thun to
lnterlakeR.
MAKING THE ASCENT OF THE
METTENBERG.

| Bidding Farewell to France--The Schut-
xenfest at Berne-The Jungfrau-The
Lion of Lucerne-Brunig Pass and St.
| Gothard.
| Especial Correspondence of the PREss]
A strong argument in favor OF the BELIEF
of the Christian Scientist, that, las is the
mind SO is the body, 'may be found In the
twelve hours ride from Paris to Bernie.
The same amount of heat, smoke and
| cinders, on any less interesting route,
would have been simply uncomfortable, but
as we were on our way to Switzerland,
and every mile brought to us new and
more wonderful pictures, we did not
notice blackened hands and faces, or
realize weary frames. 1t was wrench
past comprehension, leaving Paris with
so much unseen that we ionged to see,
and like the Scottish Queen we gazed and
gazed at Ia belle France while its smallest
portion remained in sight. We passed
the woods of Fontainebleau, whose
charms we could not fathom until an
other visit; we flew by. many little vii.
lage and hamlet, and then gradually the
country changed plains gave way to
hills, hills to mountains. Higher and
higher our train assembled and glorious
vistas stretched far ON either side. Over
mountain gorges we sped, gazing far
down on valleys beneath, then without
warning we would dart into yawning
tunnel, to emerge as suddenly on some
view of lake, mountain and canton, still
more beautiful. Our railway carriage
had a narrow passage with windows close
together, and from two O'Clock till eight,
we were springing almost necessarily
from side to side, fearful that the least bit
of the unequalled panorama might escape
sight of water, then all was darkness for
a moment, to reveal later Lake Neuchatel,
and, bordering it, miles of vineyards,
with the streets and houses of Neuchatel.
A short distance farther on Berne was
reached, and our journey ended for the
day.
The following morning we saw the city
in holiday attire, from every window
futtered flag, and banners of red and
blue, black, white and yellow, were
stretched across the streets; fountains
were decorated with flowers, the streets
filed with women, their black velvet
peasant waists trimmed with large silver
filigree buttons, and long chains of silver
festooned under the arms from front to
back. making them the envy Of their
visitors. All this brightness meant that
the annual Schutzenfest or shooting
match, which is held at each canton in
turn, was, this year, to be celebrated at
Berne. The men in ribbonned hats, with
guns slung across their shoulders, looked
strikingly handsome, hurdy- gurdtes
played, the merry go-reund was filed
with laughing children, and all combined
to give us vivid idea of a Swiss festival.
Why, we asked, will woman Imagine
bears will not be rampant in Berne, ex-
cept carved in wood, mounted in gold
and silver, or peering at one from every
article in shop windows; but neverthe-
| less in cur inmost hearts, we believed
that the bear pit would be filled with the
clumsy animals. Where are they? we
kept asking, not considering the six aimi-
able specimens that did their best-level
| on all tours, on two hind feet with front
paws ridiculously waving in the air, beg
cling for sweets, or on their backs, snap
ping with their open jaws the food
| thrown to them-tO convince us they
were the real article, and that quality not
quantity was what we ought to desire.
Poor painting Bruins! captivity was too
much in evidence to make Watching them
an enjoyment, and with one more cher
ished illusion dispeiled, we hurried to
our train.
| No tourist, we believe, who visits Swift
zerland fails to take the steamer trip on
Lake Thun to Interlaken. Our afternoon
was unusual, so an English woman told
us who was sojourning among the Alps,
1T is, in fact" she said, ''the first
bright, cloudless day for weeks" and
such vision as we had of the snow
capped Jungfrau, was compensation for
crossing the Atlantic. The turquoise
blue OF lake and sky, the wooded noun
tains, with those fascinating Swiss chalets
perched upon their sides, and towering
above all those peaks covered with never
melting snow, could anything on this
earth be more beautiful grand and awe
inspiring? Interlaken, the busiest, gayest
Of little places tucked IN among those
with their loys1y articles the last centime
| from our pocket books, we found it all as
we had dreamed for years it would be; we
had lakes, valleys and mountains to ou1
nearU COutoub, anu Literally, Will Ou1
menu, for at table d hote first one guest
left the table and then another till al
stood entranced before the Jungfrau
lQueen whose brow was glowing with ga
light that never was on sea or land'' but
which sometimes falls to mortals to be
hold among those Alpine heights. The
setting sun, as he sank from sight threw
back a rosy radiance that colored snowy
peak with light celestial, and left US feel
ing we had almost seen into the heaven
of heavens andscaught glimpse of glory
ineffable. Our only disappointment
throughout our trip has been that we
could not see everything, and our great
difficulty, to make choice among the
many tempting excursions offered.
Our Sunday was spent in state of in.
decision, as to whsther we would on the
following day, take the absolutely per
pendicular railway to the Schynegge
Pass land gain the view of our life' o.
climb the Mettenberg, with small party
led by the Professor. We retired leaving
the burden of decision on the weather
shoulders. The day dawned somewha,
dull, but promised fair, and we decided
upon the climb. That drive through the
Grindelwald valley! how often have We
taken it since, in fancy. We still heal
| that rushing torrent that we followed all