of glass hexagons； so that the windows looked like sections of honey…comb；we found our way to the inn； a many…storied chalet； with stairs on the outside； stone floors in the upper passages； and no end of queer rooms； built right in the midst of other houses as odd； decorated with German…text carving； from the windows of which the occupants could look in upon us； if they had cared to do so； but they did not。 They seem little interested in anything； and no wonder； with their hard fight with Nature。 Below is a wine…shop； with a little side booth； in which some German travelers sit drinking their wine； and sputtering away in harsh gutturals。 The inn is very neat inside； and we are well served。 Stalden is high； but away above it on the opposite side is a village on the steep slope； with a slender white spire that rivals some of the snowy needles。 Stalden is high； but the hill on which it stands is rich in grass。 The secret of the fertile meadows is the most thorough irrigation。 Water is carried along the banks from the river； and distributed by numerous sluiceways below； and above； the little mountain streams are brought where they are needed by artificial channels。 Old men and women in the fields were constantly changing the direction of the currents。 All the inhabitants appeared to be porters： women were transporting on their backs baskets full of soil； hay was being backed to the stables； burden…bearers were coming and going upon the road： we were told that there are only three horses in the place。 There is a pleasant girl who brings us luncheon at the inn； but the inhabitants for the most part are as hideous as those we see all day： some have hardly the shape of human beings； and they all live in the most filthy manner in the dirtiest habitations。 A chalet is a sweet thing when you buy a little model of it at home。
After we leave Stalden； the walk becomes more picturesque； the precipices are higher； the gorges deeper。 It required some engineering to carry the footpath round the mountain buttresses and over the ravines。 Soon the village of Emd appears on the right；a very considerable collection of brown houses； and a shining white church…spire； above woods and precipices and apparently unscalable heights； on a green spot which seems painted on the precipices； with nothing visible to keep the whole from sliding down； down； into the gorge of the Visp。 Switzerland may not have so much population to the square mile as some countries； but she has a population to some of her square miles that would astonish some parts of the earth's surface elsewhere。 Farther on we saw a faint； zigzag footpath； that we conjectured led to Emd； but it might lead up to heaven。 All day we had been solicited for charity by squalid little children； who kiss their nasty little paws at us； and ask for centimes。 The children of Emd； however； did not trouble us。 It must be a serious affair if they ever roll out of bed。
Late in the afternoon thunder began to tumble about the hills； and clouds snatched away from our sight the snow…peaks at the end of the valley； and at length the rain fell on those who had just arrived and on the unjust。 We took refuge from the hardest of it in a lonely chalet high up on the hillside； where a roughly dressed； frowzy Swiss； who spoke bad German； and said he was a schoolmaster； gave us a bench in the shed of his schoolroom。 He had only two pupils in attendance； and I did not get a very favorable impression of this high school。 Its master quite overcame us with thanks when we gave him a few centimes on leaving。 It still rained； and we arrived in St。 Nicolaus quite damp。
There is a decent road from St。 Nicolaus to Zermatt； over which go wagons without springs。 The scenery is constantly grander as we ascend。 The day is not wholly clear； but high on our right are the vast snow…fields of the Weishorn； and out of the very clouds near it seems to pour the Bies Glacier。 In front are the splendid Briethorn； with its white； round summit； the black Riffelhorn； the sharp peak of the little Matterhorn； and at last the giant Matterhorn itself rising before us； the most finished and impressive single mountain in Switzerland。 Not so high as Mont Blanc by a thousand feet； it appears immense in its isolated position and its slender aspiration。 It is a huge pillar of rock； with sharply cut edges； rising to a defined point； dusted with snow； so that the rock is only here and there revealed。 To ascend it seems as impossible as to go up the Column of Luxor； and one can believe that the gentlemen who first attempted it in 1864； and lost their lives； did fall four thousand feet before their bodies rested on the glacier below。
We did not stay at Zermatt； but pushed on for the hotel on the top of the Riffelberg；a very stiff and tiresome climb of about three hours； an unending pull up a stony footpath。 Within an hour of the top； and when the white hotel is in sight above the zigzag on the breast of the precipice； we reach a green and widespread Alp where hundreds of cows are feeding； watched by two forlorn women；the 〃milkmaids all forlorn 〃 of poetry。 At the rude chalets we stop； and get draughts of rich； sweet cream。 As we wind up the slope； the tinkling of multitudinous bells from the herd comes to us； which is also in the domain of poetry。 All the way up；we have found wild flowers in the greatest profusion； and the higher we ascend； the more exquisite is their color and the more perfect their form。 There are pansies； gentians of a deeper blue than flower ever was before； forget…me…nots； a pink variety among them； violets； the Alpine rose and the Alpine violet； delicate pink flowers of moss； harebells； and quantities for which we know no names； more exquisite in shape and color than the choicest products of the greenhouse。 Large slopes are covered with them；a brilliant show to the eye； and most pleasantly beguiling the way of its tediousness。 As high as I ascended； I still found some of these delicate flowers； the pink moss growing in profusion amongst the rocks of the GornerGrat； and close to the snowdrifts。
The inn on the Riffelberg is nearly eight thousand feet high； almost two thousand feet above the hut on Mount Washington； yet it is not so cold and desolate as the latter。 Grass grows and flowers bloom on its smooth upland； and behind it and in front of it are the snow…peaks。 That evening we essayed the Gorner…Grat； a rocky ledge nearly ten thousand feet above the level of the sea； but after a climb of an hour and a half； and a good view of Monte Rosa and the glaciers and peaks of that range； we were prevented from reaching the summit； and driven back by a sharp storm of hail and rain。 The next morning I started for the GornerGrat again； at four o'clock。 The Matterhorn lifted its huge bulk sharply against the sky； except where fleecy clouds lightly draped it and fantastically blew about it。 As I ascended； and turned to look at it； its beautifully cut peak had caught the first ray of the sun； and burned with a rosy glow。 Some great clouds drifted high in the air： the summits of the Breithorn； the Lyscamm； and their companions； lay cold and white； but the snow down their sides had a tinge of pink。 When I stood upon the summit of the Gorner…Grat； the two prominent silver peaks of Monte Rosa were just touched with the sun； and its great snow…fields were visible to the glacier at its base。 The Gorner…Grat is a rounded ridge of rock； entirely encirled by glaciers and snow…peaks。 The panorama from it is unexcelled in Switzerland。
Returning down the rocky steep； I descried； solitary in that great waste of rock and snow； the form of a lady whom I supposed I had left sleeping at the inn； overcome with the fatigue of yesterday's tramp。 Lured on by the apparently short distance to the backbone of the ridge； she had climbed the rocks a mile or more above the hotel； and come to meet me。 She also had seen the great peaks lift themselves out of the gray dawn； and Monte Rosa catch the first rays。 We stood awhile together to see how jocund day ran hither and thither along the mountain…tops； until the light was all abroad； and then silently turned downward； as one goes from a mount of devotion
THE BATHS OF LEUK
In order to make the pass of the Gemmi； it is necessary to go through the Baths of Leuk。 The ascent from the Rhone bridge at Susten is full of interest； affording fine views of the valley； which is better to look at than to travel through； and bringing you almost immediately to the old town of Leuk； a queer； old； towered place； perched on a precipice； with the oddest inn； and a notice posted up to the effect； that any one who drives through its steep streets faster than a walk will be fined five francs。 I paid nothing extra for a fast walk。 The road； which is one of the best in the country； is a wonderful piece of engineering； spanning streams； cut in rock； rounding precipices； following the wild valley of the Dala by many a winding and zigzag。
The Baths of Leuk； or Loeche…les…Bains； or Leukerbad； is a little village at the very head of the valley； over four thousand feet above the sea； and overhung by the perpendicular walls of the Gemmi； which rise on all sides； except the south； on an average o