New-York tribune., 1900-10-07

and Lauterbrunnen, as well as Mont Blanc
from Chamonix have no hesitation IN deciding
what is the most majestic object TO be seen
among the Alps. It is the stupendous pyramid
OF the Matterhorn towering high among frozen
seas. I have never seen but one mountain which
rivaIed II in picturesque beauty. That is ORR
zaba. with its dazzling cone Of eternal ice. on
the seawaTd edge Of the Mexican tabeland.
That. too, is an isolated peak Of gigantic pro-
portions and altitude. and II has the supreme
beauty Of perfect symmetry Of form. The Mat
terhorn is rough hewn, colossal pyramid
among the gaciers-a sublime monument among
the everlasting hills.
II is true that I was highly favored in my
glimpses Of the Matterhorn. I had gone from
the Italian lakes over the simplon to Brieg and
had been warned that I would see nothing at
Zermatt, as there had been heavy rains and bad
weather for e week. I had found the Visp River
a swollen torrent, which irnperilled the noun
tain railway and rendered II necessary for pas
sengers TO walk midway from train to train:
and when reached ZerTnatt there was a swarm
Of disconsoIate travellers in the hotels. who
were complaining OF freshets and steady rains.
and wondering whether the Matterhorn would
ever be seen. Undismayed I went Up the cleo
tric railway TO the Rfffeiberg and the Corner
Graf, and at the summit was caught in a driv-
ing snowstorm. The next morning at O'Clock
The sky was clear and the Matterhorn was
white pyramid under blue sky-a glorious
spectacle. perfect in beauty. AS I returned 70
the mountains from Zermatt, this time on foot
the sky was banked with clouds and the Mat
terhorn was shrouded in scuds Of mist; but
y while I was resting at the Riffel Alp there was
a transformation scene Of marvellous beauty.
The Alpine monarch does not come bounding
into view like q clown out Of circus tent.
Slowly the curtains Of mist lifted here and
there; there are sideHghts and half tones, eva
uescent glinpses OF contour and a gradual clear
ing Of the clouds at the tanks Of the mountain,
and when the veil has been raised higher, only
10 be coyly dropped again, the Matterhorn al
last stands revealed from crown TO base in the
spotIess white Of the fresh snow that has been
falling overnight Happy Is the spectator who
can witness the light and shading Of such
transition scene, and then go on to the Corner
Graf with that colossal pyramid in white con-
stantly in sight and overwhelming in its maj
esty.
As the Matte-horn is the grandest object to
BE- seen in Switzerland, so also are the glaciers
above Zermatt the most magnificent In the
Oberland and al Chamonix the glaciers are
frozen rivers and cataracts. From the Corner
Graf the glaciers are vast seas Of ice, with
ledses Of rocky beach, over which the frozen
breakers are beating. The Aletsch and the
khope glaciers are grand, frozen torrents of i'm
melse volume. ana the iceheIds Of the Mont
Blanc range are Of vast extent; but Il is from
The Corner Graf, where the spectator is sur
rounded by frozen seas. out Of which the snow
peaks rise like Islands that the Imagination is
oVeEpOwered by stupendoUs glacial effects. The
glaciers are seen there in the plenitude Of their
power. Six vast fields Of ice from Monte Rosa,
the Breithorn, the Lyskanm and other peaks
are merged with the Corner Main, and east and
west there are other frozen seas connected with
il. the Findelen from the Strahlhorn and the
Theodule and Furgg glaciers from the Matter
horn, with the ice around the Dent Blanche
flashing in the remote background. These
glacial marines which impress the Imagination
With the potency and resources Of seas with
rocky shores and frozen surf. are grander than
he series Of mighty ice cataracts which are
passed in the famous drive from Martigny 10
ChamoniK, where the ooze and leakage Of the /
soilee edges are draining off into the rivers (
One does not need 10 watch the dribble OF these
glaciers at ChamOnix but can go higher and
cross the Blossoms or the so called MeT de Glace (
or the Argentiere; but from 10 coigne Of vantage
are the glaciers anything more than frozen (
rivers on the slopes Of the mountains. For a (
glimpse Of frozen oceans, with frosted surf .one +
must 90 10 Zermatt
The GriudelWald lacks the tremendous glacial I.
ELECTS OF Zermatt and Chamonix, but 1t sur /
passes either in picturesque beauty. The Jung