Notes on Alpine Summer Quarters for Invalids in 1869
Authors: C. J. B. Williams
Journal: BMJ (1869)

ON the 2nd of August, I started with two of my daughters to spend my holiday among the mountains of Switzerland, Italy, and the Tyrol, as has been my custom for several years--on this occasion, not with the less zest because, in the preceding autumn, the substitute of a tour in Cornwall and Devon proved much inferior in its effect on strength and health.In fact, leaving town in the extreme heat of the August of j868, we found Penzance and the Land's End so cold and damp, that toothache drove me back to London for the aid of the dentist; and, although a second visit to Devonshire supplied abundant objects of in- terest and occupation, yet the keen air of Dartmoor brought on a severe attack of eczema solare, which I had never had before, even after any amount of exposure to the sun and air of snow-mountains and glaciers in Switzerland.No soonrer were we seated in the train at Victoria Station, than a well-known London confr-ere joined us, with the words, " To the Enga- dine, I suppose, like every one else?" " Well, we mean to take the Engadine in our way; but I should be very sorry to make the Enga- dine the only object of our tour."But we had not got far on our jour- ney, before we found that it was the grand object of the greater number of English travellers going to Switzerland.Numbers of friends en- countered en route were all setting in the current for the Engadine- many to join relatives already there, whose marvellous improvement on the change from London to a high Swiss valley was summed up in this, that they could hardly get enough to eat.One of our fellow- travellers was wisely providing somewhat for this want, by taking with him a live turtle-an object of unceasing curiosity to many passengers and railway officials, who had never before seen such an animal.I confess that I had little sympathy with this rage for the Engadine.About seven years ago, I paid it a visit, in company with two of my sons, in the month of August; and, so long as the weather was fine, we enjoyed the pure bracing air, and were much struck with the peculiar savageness and grandeur, if not beauty, of mnuch of the scenery.We went up the Prattigau to Davos Amplaz; explored the Strela Pass, the Dischmathal, and the Schwartzhorn; then down the Landwasser Valley to Alveneu and Bergun; crossed the Albula in a berg-wagon (it was not then open to ordinary carriages), and took the best quarters we could get at Pontresina.Thus arrived in this promised land, we made good use of our time.One day, we tramped some miles on the great Morteratsch glacier.Another day, we climbed the Piz Languard.Another excursion was made to St. Moritz, with its pretty lake: hut the kurhaus on its swampy border gave a shuddering impression of coldness and damp.It was then unenlarged by the recent more comfort- able edifice, and unadorned by its present gay garden and fountains.In these three days of fine weather, there was much enjoyment; al- though the sun seemed hotter by day, and the air more chilling at night, than in other parts of Switzerland.But then came a change to what is proverbially said to be the more common weather of the Engadine in summer.*First came rain; next day, snow; and at night, frost; and this in the month -f August.As there was no inducement to make excursions into snow and cloud (except for a few minutes, to keep ourselves warm), the disappointed travellers were shut up, miser- able enough, in the salle manger.An attempt was made to light the stove; but it ended in smoke, of which we had already too much from the unrestrained devotees of the pernicious weed.Then provisions ran short, and the viands of the table d'h6te were little more than bouilli et compOte de prunaux.So, feeling somewhat in danger of double starvation, and not being disposed to prolong this experiment of hyber- nation in a summer nionth, we ordered a carriage to take us out of these winter-quarters.The transition was marvellous.In two hours, we were at the top of the Engadine, leaving Sils and the upper lake in a snow-storm.In two hours more of rapid descent down the beautiful Maloja, we found ourselves at Vicosoprano, eating-grapes and peaches in sunshine and summer; and, as we posted on from Chiavenna to Lake Como, except a shower or two, we had such a bright blue Italian * " Neuf morn dhiver, et trois ws de mauvais temps-voili ran de l'Engadine."sky, that we could hardly credit our sense of the past, till, looking back, we could see the lofty mountains, which we had left, still wrapt in the dark cold clouds.Oh, how we pitied those still remaining in that Arctic region!