The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-08-18
Newtown, FRIDAY, August ID, 1899.
LitChfeld County.
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON BOYS IN EUROPE.


making short tour in Europe and THE
BEE prints the following extract from
one of their letters: August 8, 1899.
1--WE worked our passage to Liverpool
and return on the Cestriap, a cattle
steamer from Boston. There were 800
cattle on our ship and we were much
surprised to learn that there are over
1000 cattle shipped weekly from Boston
by various steamship lines. Our boat
was large freight steamer over 500
feet long. She carried on this voyage
5000 tons of grain and immense quanti-
ties of other cargo and also 60 first cabin
passengers. There were about 35 men
to look after the cattle, II of whom were
college students, so we had a pleasant
time together. Though, with sea sick
ness, not very excellent food, and plenty
of hard work. it was not real excursion
party, but as we sailed with the expecta-
tion OF roughing it, we put up with the
inconvenience and enjoyed the novel
experiences. For three days on the pas
sage to England the ocean was quite
rough and even many of the cattle were
sea sick. We visited many places of in
terest in England, Wales, Ireland, Scot
land, Holland, Germany, Switzerland
and France. The most fascinating to us
was the scenery up the Rhine river and
among the lake and mountain scenery
of Switzerland, and especially near the
high Alps. After sailing up the beauti-
full Rhine we stop short time at
Heidelberg and visit its ancient castle.
From here we 60 to Basel and thence to
Lucerne. By moonlight the ride up and
down the mountain grades and through
the tunnels was very pretty. The lights
in the little Swiss villages below glim-
mer as we pass in the night. The latter
part of Sunday night we spent in sleep
in hotel in Lucerne and Monday morn
ing were ready to do the town. One of
the first objects Of interest ia the colossal
lion sculptured on the solid rock in q
garden adjoining the town. 1t is in COM
memoration of the Swiss guards, who
died for France at the beginning of the
French Revolution. 1t is cut on the face
Of the rock and represents lion wound
ed by spear and dying, yet still seeking
30 protect the shield of France. The
figure is of immense size, 2Sx1S feet.
The Muhlbruche, covered bridge over
the Reuss. is decorated with paintings of
tine Dance of Death" These pictures
are very old. Lucerne Ia situated on both
banks of the Ruess at the point where
that river leaves the lake. It's position
is extremely picturesque, having the
Lake of Lucerne spreading before it, Mt
Pilatus on the right, and the beautiful
district of Mt Rigi in front, across the
lake. The town is very much frequented
by tourists and health seekers. Lake
Lucerne is universally admitted to be the
finest Of all the Swiss lakes. The water
is very pretty blue and quite clear for
depth Of many feet. We take an hours
sale on the lake to Alpnach, at the foot
of Mt Pilatus. We ascend the mountain
part way on foot and then come down
for delightful swim in Lake Lucerne.
Mt Pilatus, like all the other noted noun
tains OF the Alps, is scaled now by a
railway Of the rack and pinion system,
which is capable of ascending almost
| any grade necessary to climb the noun
tains. Mt Pilatus is 5000 feet high, but
has no snow on top. There is q legend
that Pontius PLATE, when banished from
Galilee, took refuge on this mountain,
where, In fit of remorse he threw him
self into Lake Lucerne. We have wild
| flowers, a large snail and some rocks to
remember the mountain by. From Alp
mach we journey By narrow gauge and
rack and pinion to Breinz. We are now
in the Alps and the scenery begins to be
bold and fierce as we'll as grand and
beautiful. Numerous glacial streams
with their dry beds of cobblestones, and
other signs of glaciers and the work of
avalanches, are seen. The cars 20 very
slowly up the steep grades and l jump
off and grab piece of the native rock,
and get on again without much difficulty
or danger, save that Of losing foot hold
on the bank wall over the depths of hum
dreds of feet. Snow on the tops of noun
tains near by sparklea in the sunlight.
We stop at Giesbach a short time to see
the falls there, but get to Interlaken
about o'clock, after crossing the lake
of Breinz, also very pretty lake. Inter-
laken is a famous resort for tourists.
more than $4,000 visitors coming here
every summer. It is In an extremely
beautiful and fertile valley, with a mild
climate. The Alps surround it on every
hand, the peaks Of the Monch. Silber-
horn, Eiger and the Jungfrau, being in
its horizon. We leave Interlaken at s
o'clock the same evening and take the
train for Grindelwald, noted Alpine
town, at the foot of two cele brated gla.
ciers. AS we leave the valley the train
follows the river, the water of which is
of milky white color, due to the melt
ting snow and ice. We climb up and up,
the little engine snorting and belching
out smoke and einders, while the lovely
moon appears through the gap in the
mountains, and lends a romance to our
journey. The bold rocks rise 1000 feet
on either side, and the snow banks up on
the tops make us shiver In an hour we
are in Grindelwald, $500 feet, where we
rest for the night. Right In front OF our
hotel the Matterhorn and Eiger loom up
in massive form. We are within stones
throw OF the rushing torrent that ia fed
by the glacier nine miles in length, OF
which we can see the bottom portion. In
the morning after hasty breakfast of
coffee and s'brotchen'' (rolls), we make
for the glacier, which is good hour ami
O half climb where we find fine fa ,nr,rs