The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-09-25

ST. BERNARD'S DOGS.

0OM WIFI il6 III lnC diPliiC 49,
gence for a drive up the queer
zigzag road that goes ,twlsting
and climbing until it pierces the wet
and misty clouds and reaches a region
of eternal ice and snow. Here. in a
climate almost as cold as Greenland,
we shall find a band of men who do
q great and good work, assisted by
dogs. as Bernard de Mention did long
years 6
We start from the lovely village of
Chamonix atAthe very foot of mighty
Mont Blanc and drive to Martigny.
This diligence is the road-coach OF
the Alps, drawn by five big horses all
decked with bells and f~ly-fiickers.
Round and round, up and up. 1t
grows colder as we ascend, and the
smiling landscape fades away. The
pretty flowers disappear, too-the ane-
none and gentian; dark-leaved saxi-1
frage and sweet alpenrose. We shiver,
even in August, and put on our wraps
and furs.
We have passed from summer to VIM
ter in a few hours. Now we enter the
Valley Of Death, so called from It's
many fatal memories Here at the
most dangerous part of the st. Bernard
Pass a little shelter-house has beer
built, and parties climbing still higher
to the famous hospice or monastery a
now telephone their coming. This has
saved hundreds of lives, For now
| adays, after such a message, the good
monks at the top look out for the trav-
elers, and If they fail to appear after
a certain time search parties of dogs
are sent out to look for them. Here Is
deep snow even in August. 1t is so bit"
terly cold that we get off and walk to
warm our numbed limbs, and soon the
bare, bleak walls of tn worlds ~loftiest
house OF CHARITY loom through the damp
mist. Winter fingers here for ten long
months, and the few weeks of sum
mer'' do not suffice to melt the Wilder
ness of ice and snow. We are here
nearly 5000 feet above the level OF the
sea, and the slightest exertion dis
tresses our breathing apparatus, so
rarefied Is the air. No sooner are we
at the door han a dozen monstrous
dogs come baying forth to greet US. No
questions are asked. 1t Is understood
we require dinner, a warm and comfort
able bed, breakfast next morning, n
full directions and protection for our
onward journey. For nearly ten GEN.
turtles, from generation to generation,
some fourteen monks and eight or nine
attendants have occupied the monastery
and helped travellers crossing over the
summit of the Great st. Bernard.
At present the monastery costs about
1000 a year to keep up. and this money
Is partly collected in Switzerland and
partly derived from the reverue of the
monastic order. But in the middle ages
the monastery was stripped of all Its
wealth, though 1t still continued and
continues to this day to carry out the
work of st. Bernard. Over 10000 tray
elers pass this way every year., n
hundreds of these, at least, would lose
their lives were it not for the guard
ians of the mountain.
The poor emigrant laborers from
Switzerland are often found by these
faithful dogs In the snow, utterly ex-
hausted from hunger and fatigue, and
often with badly frozen limbs. These
are fenderly nursed in the spotlessly
clean mfr nary of the hospice. l Wis
tied this lofty house of charity In the
clouds. OF course the great attraction
Is the Kennels of the famous st. Ber-
nard dogs. One is grieved to learn
that even these, hardy and intelligent
as they are, often perish in terrible
storms. They are big, powerful, short
haired animals, most of them-white,
but with a few brown patches. Last
inter five magnificent creatures were
lost in a furious blizzard. / saw one
or two aged veterans over 20 years old;
these are now privileged to lie before
the kitchen fire, and each of them has
saved over twenty lives in the snowy
wastes. The monk are not now so de-
pendent on the dogs for news of trav-
elers in distress, because of The tel
ephone | have already mentioned. The
scent of these dogs is so wonderfully
keen they can track a mans foot
steps In the snow two or three days
after he has passed. 1t Is a grand
sight to see the monks n their at
te~ndants go forth in their big fur coats,
high rubber boots, helmet and swans
down gloves. Behind them come as
sistants with long ash poles, iee-axes,
alpenstocks, spades, wine and pro-
visions.
l was most interested to learn that
the pure race of st. Bernard dogs can
not live away from the mountain they
have been associated with for so many
centuries. In the plains they degenerate
in size and strength, and their wonder
full sagacity grows duller. Under no
circumstances will the hospice sell or
part with their dogs. although they
have had many tempting offers from
foreign travellers. who win pay a high
price.-W. G.. Fitz-Gerald In st. Mich