The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-07-07
MOUNTAINEER SOLDIERS
SEVERE DISCIPLINE OF SWISS
AND italian TROOPS.
Taught to Climb Mountains with
Military Equipment. - Method Of
Signalling and Caring foi' the
MISUNDERSTANDING in the Snow
Fife Rest OF tia Scouts.

signaling and Caring fC' ire
Observation-Disclosures in the Snow.
On, o., e
There are in European armies
whole regiments that are carefully
trained TO fight literally above the
cI2GIS. IN other words they COM
h-ne the strength, endurance and skill
Of the most intrepid S&iss Alpine
guide with tie ordinary profession
Of soldier. and there IS n0ta.ng
more interesting, says the Scientific
American, than to watch the man
oeuvres Of these soldier mountain
oers-say. at Aaaernat'. IN S"itzer-
land. or AoSta, on the Italian side OF
the Great 81. Bernard.
AndJrma't IS village moro tnan
1000 feet above the lower end or
Lake Luc@rne, and here Will be found
the Headquarters of the Swiss Alpine
TROOPS, "hosa mdnoeuTrc5 aaanli %
S.'n to be believed, 50 daring are
tEey, ana so astonishing tAe spec
tacles presented by lonG HES OF pant
ll% men, small a, ines on the wall CT
s1ne teiflalc p.eG'2lce. yet dragging
HtyfaIy i@ca ny inch some big field
gun ND tremendous slope by means
OF pu!es5 ana mp cables. one no
HceS that tE@ie lntahtryHt2 are
provided with &ipcnstocAs ana cons
81 SILK rope as We'll as snGWSLo2S.
SEi ana other D2TaraSrnaIia WAich We
Usu&!iy associate VITA the pleasure
tourist in tn h!&h Alps-say at
ClamolhlX, A9rmatt, Grindon valid or
Sclle other popular chnlDlh5 ceh'rc
OF tAe playground OF Europe.
lhelr signaling Is done from rock
10 rock by means or huge painted
linen dAks held upon the outstretch-
ed arms OF the slsnaller. The wound
ed are carried strapped "pick-a-pack
fashion on curious kind OF easel
packed cnalr, fastened on the stall
Wart backs OF their comrades. 1t is
a TACT that these troops manoeuvre
literally above the clouds, and there
is no more impressive spectacle than
a Sunday morning service In some
little icy recess at nine or ten thOus-
and feet, when the chaplain OF the
regiment mounts into a rude pulpit
and discourses upon the wonders Of
the Almighty to the assembled sol
dlers who are shivering in their furs,
even though it be July or August. AT
one side of the pulpit are the men,
bers OF the band, and these play the
hymns, which reverberate through
the awful desolations of glacier and
snow peak, gloomy gorge and sky
piercing pyramid.
Inc Nal!an Alpine troops are in
some ways still more remarkable. IN
deed, doubt whether as whole any
army IN the world gees through such
curious manoeurves as that OF Italy
nave seen prince OF the house Of
oaFov-H. II. II. the Count OF Iurln-
INTO the River Arno at Flor
ance al the mead CT MS huSsars, ana
each trooper with his arm about his
framed chargers neck. have also
seen the same high commanding Of
lcer ride his regiment straight into
he sea at Elaressio; Tor 1t Is neces-
'ary TO accustom both cavalrymen
md the mounts to the negotiation OF
leep water, against the time they may
lnd themselves IN an eaemvs coun-
ry with all the bridges DESTROYED.
AS one leaves the SWISS town OF |
Aarusny, and begins the long, toll |
some ascent OF the Great st. Bernard |
mountain, one LOOKS forward to reach
ng the ltailan frontier at Aosta by !
way or the far famed hoSpice Of st. |