Route 77. Trons trunk, cloven and hollow, beneath whose once spreading branches the deputies of the peasants met the nobles who were favourable to their cause, in March, 1424, and took the oath of fidelity to one another, and to their free constitution then established. Such is the origin of the GREY LEAGUE, Graue Bund, so called from the grey beards, or the grey homespun garb of the venerable assembly. Close to the sycamore tree stands the little Chapel of St. Anne, whose portico is adorned with the mottoes, " In libertatem vocati estis ; "Ubi Spiritus Domini, ibi Libertas ;"" In te speraverunt Patres; and with two fresco paintings. One represents the first formation of the League, the principal figures being the Abbot of Dissentis, in the robes of his order: the count of Sax, with a white flowing beard, and the lord of Rhotzuns. The other picture shows the renewal of the oath in 1778: the deputies here appear with starched frills, and hair powdered and frizzled; in silk stockings and walking-sticks. It is recorded that the deputies on the former occasion, brought their dinners in sacks on their backs, which they hung up by nails to the rocks, while they quenched their thirst in the brook which traverses the meadow of Tavanosa. The more courtier-like deputies of the second meeting were more sumptuously feasted in the mansion of the Abbot. The inhabitants of the upper part of the valley, about Dissentis, are Roman Catholics, as will become apparent from the increased number of churches and crosses. The mountains which bound it change from limestone to primitive rocks, and give a different character to its scenery. Opposite Sumvix, the valley of that name opens out; it stretches many miles S., far into the Alps. Beyond it the eye is arrested by the view of the abbey and village of i21 Dissentis (Inn: Rathhaus, bad)-The Benedictine Abbey of Dis sentis (in Romansch Mustär, or Monster, from Lat. Monasterium) is venerable as one of the oldest ecclesiastical establishments in Switzerland, founded, it is said, by the Scotch Monk Siegbert, a companion of St. Gall, and as the nucleus of early civilization in this wild and remote country. It stands on the slope of a hill, protected by a forest above it from falling avalanches, on the 1. bank of the Vorder- Rhine, at the junction of the two Alpine torrents which unite in forming that branch of the river. The word venerable will not apply to the actual building, for, though dilapidated, it is modern, having been built since 1799, when the ruthless French invaders burnt it, and along with it the library formed in the 7th and 8th centuries. It must be allowed that provocation was given for this act of vengeance, by the barbarous and cruel murder of a party of French soldiers, who had been disarmed and taken prisoners by the Swiss Landsturm, and who were here set upon by the infuriated inhabitants of this part of the valley, and literally cut or torn to pieces. The abbey has, however, an imposing appearance, from its size and position, towering above the humble hovels of the village below, as its rich and powerful abbots, in the middle ages, lorded it over their vassals. They were, at one time, firm allies of the House of Habsburg, and the abbot and his banner occupied the van at the battle of Morgarten. At a later period, however, 1424, Abbot Peter of Pontaningen was one of the founders of Grison liberty, who met under the sycamore at Trons. Dissentis is situated at a height of 3700 ft. above the sea-level. There is a steep and difficult footpath hence over the Lukmanier to Bellinzona (Route 78), another up the Medelser Thal, and thence down the Val Piora to Airolo, 104 stunden; a third, difficult and dangerous, runs N. over the Dödi-Grat, by the Sand alp, to the Baths of Stachelberg, Route 72. The path from Dissentis up to the Oberalp leaves the Medelser Thal on the 1., and ascends the vale of Tavetsch by the 1. bank of the Vorder-Rhine, now reduced in breadth and volume to a mountain torrent. The path passes the villages Mompetavetsch, Sedrun, or Tavetsch, the chief place in the valley, and Ruaras. A narrow gorge now leads out of the lower into an upper valley. This part of it is dreadfully exposed to avalanches. In 1808 one fell from the Ruenatsch upon the village of Selva, and killed 42 human beings, and 237 head of cattle. Here begins the last and most difficult part of the ascent; all regular track disappears, and the numerous furrows worn by the feet of the cattle perplex the traveller, who will hardly be able to find his way without a guide. 4 Ciamot is the last village in the valley deserving that name, and provided with a church; it is 5000 ft. above the sea. The valley of Tavetsch is the cradle of the VorderRhine: it is supplied from 3 branches, having their source in the vast mountains which wall in its upper extremity. The 1.-hand branch flows from the foot of the Crispalt, on the S. side of the valley, the middle from the glaciers of the Sexmadan (Cima de Badus), the third comes from the Val Cornära on the S. At Ciamot the 1.-hand branch is crossed, and the middle branch followed for about a mile, after which, adieu to the Rhine; a constant ascent leads the traveller to the summit of the pass of the Oberalp, 6174 ft. above the sea, by the cross between the Calmot and the Neugallas. On reaching the opposite declivity, a small lake, famed for its trout, lies at the foot of the traveller. This is the Oberalp-see, one of the headwaters of the Reuss: it is beset with bogs, across which the traveller must pick his way cautiously. This spot was the scene of a hard struggle between the French and Austrians, in 1799. The path winds along the N. or rt. side of the lake. The vale of Urseren, with Hospital in the distance, now opens out to view, and a long and wearisome descent, through a naked valley of pastures, brings the traveller to 34 Andermatt, on the St. Gothard, Route 34, p. 105. To walk hence to Dissentis will require 61⁄2 hours. ROUTE 78. PASS OF THE LUKMANIER DISSENTIS TO OLIVONE IN THE VAL BLEGNO. 10 stunden 32 English miles. A footpath, much frequented in summer. The valley of Medels, up which it lies, runs in a direction nearly due S. from Dissentis, and is traversed through its whole length by the middle Rhine. The entrance to it is by a rocky and wooded gorge, about 2 miles from Dissentis, in the midst of which the Rhine forms two cascades, and beyond which the valley opens out into a wide basin, lined with pastures and forests, in the remoter parts of which the bear is still found, while the chamois abounds on the granite peaks forming the highest summits of the surrounding Alps. The path runs through Curaglia, or Kuragla. Plutta is the principal place in the Medelser Thal. Perdatsch is situated at the opening of the Val Cristallina, which runs in a S. E. direction, and sends forth one branch of the Middle Rhine. Another branch comes from the W. out of the Lake Dim, at the end of the Val Cadelina; and a third, between these two, issues from the foot of the Monte Scuro. 5 Sta. Maria, a hospice, kept up for the benefit of poor travellers, nearly on the culminating point of the Pass of the Lukmanier (in Latin, Mons Lucumonius; in Romansch, Lukmajn, or Quolm Sta. Maria), Route 81. 5740 ft. above the sea. It is said that the army of Pepin passed this way A. D. 754. Poles, stuck into the rocks, mark the direction of the path across the Col. Paths branch off from the hospice to Airolo, through the Val Termini, or Val Forno, the Val Piora, by Altanca, Brugnasco, and Madrano: 5 stunden. The path to Olivone and the Val Blegno descends the Alpine Val Casaccia, to 2 The Hospice of Casaccia; and, a few miles lower, to that of 2 Camperio, both founded, it is said, by St. Carlo Borromeo, for the reception of travellers. lans, a village of 1054 inhabitants, overlooked by several ruined castles, and situated near the mouth of the Prettigau (Pratigovia, i. e. valley of meadows; in Romansch, Val Partenz). The entrance of that valley is through a narrow gorge or defile, called Klus, a mile long, broken through by some geological phenomena, so as to give passage to the waters of the Landquart, a furious torrent. The valley abounds in fine scenery, is shut in by high mountains and glaciers, is rich in pasture land, and is famed for its large breed of cattle. It contains a population of about 10,000, who all speak German, though the names of places are all Romansch. The rt. or N. side of the valley, is occupied by the Alpine 1 Olivone is the highest village in the Val Blegno, and stands at the point where the lateral valley of Casaccia joins it; it has about 740 in-chain of the Rhatikon, which sepahabitants. The Val Blegno (Germ. Polenzerthal) is traversed by the stream of the Brenno; and a tolerable charroad has recently been formed along the 1. bank of the stream, from Olivone to Biasca, on the route of the St. Gothard (Route 34, p. 109.), a distance of 4 stunden. Many of the chocolate-sellers and chestnut-roasters, who swarm in the streets of the cities of Italy, come from the Val Blegno. ROUTE 81. THE PRETTIGAU, MAYENFELD TO FIDERIS AND DAVOS. Mayenfeld is an ancient walled town of 1200 inhabitants, on the rt. bank of the Rhine, but at a little distance from the river. It stands on the high-road from Bregenz to Coire, about 12 miles N. of the latter place. It is the chief town of the League of the 10 Jurisdictions (Zehngerichten-Bund). There is a cross-road direct from Mayenfeld to Malans, but it is better to follow the high-road as far as the Zollbrücke, and there to turn off on the 1. to Ma rates it from the Vorarlberg and from the vale of Montafun. Its most remarkable summits are the Falknis, overlooking the Rhine, the Scesa Plana, and the Fermund (Ferreus Mons), on the borders of the Engadine. It is crossed by several passes, -one is called Druser-Thor. The road ascends on the rt. bank of the Landquart by Grüsch and Schiersch to Rütinen, where it crosses the stream to Fideris. About 2 miles S. of the village, in the wild, romantic vale of the Raschitsch, a tributary of the Landquart, stand the Baths of Fideris, considered efficacious in cases of intermittent fevers, supplied by several alkaline acidulous springs, the strongest of their class in Switzer land. Visitors are accommodated in two Bath Houses, capable of lodging 100 persons. The visitors are almost exclusively Swiss. Above the village of Fideris rises the ruined castle of Strahleck; and, on the rt. bank of the Landquart, opposite that of Castels, which was stormed and taken, in 1622, by the peasants, armed with sticks alone, from the soldiers of the Emperor Ferdinand, who at that period wanted to make himself master of the passes of the Grisons, to extinguish the Protestant religion in this country, and to seize and banish its ministers. A path leads S., in 3 hours, over the mountains, into the Schalfik-thal. About 13 miles above Fideris, on the rt. bank of the Landquart, lies Klosters (Inn, near the bridge), a village, named after a convent suppressed 1528. Paths go from hence S. over the Stutz into the Davos-thal, and E. over the Selvretta into the Engadine. The latter runs up the valley of Vareina, and down the valley of Süss. Süss is 9 stunden from Klosters. Davos (pronounced by the people, Davaas). The Rathhaus was formerly decorated with more than thirty wolves' heads slain in the neighbourhood, -proof of the prevalence of these animals. A wolf-net (wolfgarne) is still hung up here, but the animals have diminished greatly in number. ROUTE 82. PASS OF THE JULIER, FROM COIRE UP Pass of the Julier. 4 Lenz-(Inn: Krone; not very good). Here the road divides; one branch, a path, runs to the Albula (Route 83); the other is the carriageroad to the Julier. Beyond Lenz, the Romansch tongue (p. 189) is almost exclusively spoken; even German is rarely understood, except in the inns. The river Albula is crossed, in order to reach Tiefenkasten (Rom. Casté), (Inn execrable,) a village, situated, as its name implies, in a deep hollow, at the entrance of the Oberhalbstein, or valley running up to the foot of the Julier and Septimer, a distance of about 20 miles. It is scattered over with ruins of castles; no less than 10 of which may still be counted. The path leading to the Albula pass turns to the 1. at the entrance of the Oberhalbstein. Immediately above Tiefenkasten, the road is carried through a remark. able gorge, called the Stein, which has been compared, in the grandeur of its scenery, with the Via Mala (Route 87). 2 Conters. Above this lies SaTHE VALLEY OF OBERHALBSTEIN, TO vognin, or Schweiningen. At THE BATHS OF ST. MAURITZ, IN THE = 163 stunden 52 English miles. The long-projected carriage-road up the valley of the Oberhalbstein, and across the Julier, was finished 1839, and is now passable for carriages of all descriptions as far as St. Mauritz. There is as yet great want of inns between Coire and St. Mauritz. Lenz is a tolerable diningplace; but the traveller will do well in stowing away some eatables in his wallet, in case of accidents. He will everywhere be able to procure the tolerable wine of the Valteline. On quitting Coire, the traveller leaves, on the 1., the entrance to the Schalfik-thal, and passes through the villages of Malix, Churwalden, and Parpan; then, over a barren heath, to 1 Tinzen. Inn-travellers are received at the house of the magistrate (Landvoght), Dosch; it is but humble quarters. This part of the valley is very bleak and bare; its inhabitants, the women especially, have a most squalid aspect. A constant and steep ascent through the villages of Rofna, Molins, (Muhlen), to reach which the road crosses the stream, recrossing it to the next village of Saur and Marmels, brings you at length to 3 Bivio Stalla (the Capucin, who acts as parish priest, would possibly accommodate a traveller). This village lies at the foot of two passes, the Septimer, on the rt., leading into the Val Bregaglia and the Julier, in a direction nearly due E. It is placed in a secluded basin, shut in by high mountains, in a climate so severe that Route 82. - Pass of the Julier St. Mauritz. all vegetation is stunted. Not a tree can grow in the neighbourhood, and the people are reduced to burn sheep-dung for fuel. Potatoes rarely ripen at this height 5630 ft. above the sea. It takes about two hours to ascend from Stalla to the summit of the Julier Pass, 8134 ft. above the sea level. The ascent is not difficult, and the pass is remarkably safe from avalanches. Its scenery is not particularly grand, the outline of the mountains being round. On the top, the road passes between two rudely hewn pillars of granite (derived from the neighbouring mountains), believed to be Roman, called Julius's Columns. They are about 4 ft. high, destitute of inscription, but may have been set up as mile-stones in the time of Augustus, who caused a Roman highway to be carried from Chiavenna over the passes of the Malöja and Julier. A carriage-road was formed across this pass to St. Mauritz in 1823; but, as no attempt was made, till very lately, to improve the approach to it through the Oberhalbstein, little advantage was gained by it. Flocks of Bergamesque sheep are often found on the highest pastures, near the summit of the pass, in summer. A still more easy descent leads into the Engadine, to the village of 3 Silva Plana, situated between two small lakes, which are feeders and reservoirs of the river Inn, at the junction of the roads from the two passes of the Julier and Malöja, 5560 ft. above the sea. 215 spring rises at the foot of Mount baths. The village contains but 160 inhabitants. Its situation is really delightful, overlooking the Inn, and several beautiful green lakes which that river forms in this part of its course. The climate is too cold to allow even barley to flourish; the surrounding land is chiefly laid out in pastures, which are let to Bergamesque shepherds; and there are some forests of larch on the neighbouring mountains. The little lake close to the village, which is generally frozen over from St. Andrew's-day (the end of November) to the beginning of May, furnishes capital trout. In one of the most recent descriptions of the Engadine, the author mentions that, on repairing to church on a Sunday, at St. Mauritz, he found the parish fire-engine drawn up by the side of the pulpit - the church, in this and other villages, being somewhat profanely used as an enginehouse. He found the office of watchman filled, and its duties discharged, by a woman, and a female also occupied the situation of baker, the bakehouse being the property of the parish. The principal Excursions to be made from St. Mauritz are up the valley to the Lugni See, the source of the Inn (Route 89); to the great Bernina glacier (Route 85); and, down the valley to the pass of Fin About 4 miles lower down, on the stermünz (Route 84). 1. bank of the Inn, stands 14 St. Mauritz. There are three Inns here, the Upper (Obere), best; Mittlere and Untere Gasthof: the accommodation in all is of the homeliest kind. This little village is rising into repute in Switzerland as a watering-place, upon the strength of its very powerful chalybeate waters, first described, 1539, by Paracelsus. The ROUTE 83. COIRE TO PONTE IN THE ENGADINE, BY PASS. 14 stunden 47 Eng. miles. |