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Foreign Correspondence

Foreign Correspondence image
Parent Issue
Day
22
Month
November
Year
1872
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

InNSBRUCK, TYROI-, AUSTRIA, ) Sepfc 20, 1872. J Deah Pond : By iur tho mor,t cxtcnsive and most pop ulous valloy of the Tyrol is that known as the Innthal. All others aro coinparatively so sinall that it bas sotuotimea been said tho Tyrol lms no plains or lakeu. Ot oourse 11 rivors have thcir valleys and their swelling uplands, but they aro univcrsally qnite narrow, if we except thoso of tho Etseh and tho Inn. bcarcoly los interesting than tho valley itself, is that coatinuous, uppor, rolling plain, whioh on tim one sido or tho other, and' someon 6oth, at a varying height of from three hundrod to a thousand feet, extonds along tho entiffl vulley, - oach poasewog its independent system of roads a:ul Lmprovementa and chaiu of villagcs, but both intimately rolated in all tlnit concerns .)o aggregate prosyority of the ralloy a3 a wholo. ï his upper traef, running back to and up all tho practicable slopos of tho much higher mountains, is known hcro by the name of Mittle U-;birgo (niiddlo hills), and forinsinthe Innthal a vory remarkable and intuiesting feature, but ono wbioh oan only be fully reálized when thü observor oceupies a jtaüd-point high enough to overlook or rather to look down upon tbo wholelandscapt-. Such was tho scène we had from our road that d.iy, tho wide, winding vallcy proper, with its meandering riverand splendid. roads ; tin; stoep slopo and jutting promontorios coimecting it with the upper ulateau ; its rich cultivation, its tliickly scatterei; '111(1 its stoepled cliurchcs resonant with bella ; and j'ist above, as if entirely distinct, another plain nor so 'cvel but witli its peculiar beauty of swelling knoll and graceful slopcs strctching far up tljo mountain sido, -its siuiliiig villages, its various culture and grefiter play of light and shado, and to crown all the glorious background of dar!; forest and mountain towering to tlie olouds. And this view, thoughchanging oft, continuad until we dropped into Zirfc The descent for the last milo could have been alinost litorally made by dropping, had wo eb osen to go straight oninif skirting around the mountain sido with the somowhat easier grade o the highway. The only ,-. il'isgn of more than a dozen houses that we passed during the afternoon was Eeith. It was perchcd upon the vorgo of tho profound valley, aml on the other sido, abutting diroctly agninst the mountain, so that villago lots wei e both small and liiy'i and the singlo street narrow enough to do honor to the oldest walled city in Europo. It presented o singular appearanoe for a place so small. About two miles up the road from Zirl, in tho forest, wo stopped to examine an oratorio, which exliibited manifest signs of moro thao ordinury eonsoquonoe. The figure was of wax, of H.i'e sizo standing, and with a mantle of red worstod bordeel with gilt, thrown around the shoulders. 'J'ho grated enclosure contained a great number of votive offerings for supposed .bonetits roceived. Among Other things, ü oíd crutehes, a dozen waxen arms and as many legs, 3 pairs of uves, sevcral mimio cows and horsos, two real teetli, and numberless tablets. As wo ontered tho villogo wo passed on our eft, and high above en an inaccessiblo cüff, the reinains of castla Fragenstein, once the favonte residence of Slaximilian ï, bout tl; timo of Heury VIII of England. The squaro tower, nearly one mndted feet high, is all that reuiains standing. About two or threo hundred 'eet higher up the mountain is also stand, ing the oíd round wutch-tower, nearly perfect, of a period cotomporaneous with or earlier than tho castle. Zirl is a village of about 2,000 inhabitants, and what gave :t a poculiat charm to us was its corasleto enviromnont by hundreds of acres of corn-ÜLlds, just in proper roasting-ear condition Since leaving America we had not bofore secn a real field of corn, yot nero, without premonition, wosaw seareely any other erop as far as tho eyo could reach down tho valloy. It had a good growth- not tall, but strong, with that dark green color which so delights the eye. Tlio stalks wero apparently about eight inches apart in drills, and the rows two feet apart from each othor - yet tho soil wa3 of the best, othorwiso there could not havo been such ft good display of earsIt was of the yellow Hint varioty. Boans aro also grown among tho corn, Upon tho naked faco of the.cliff, at tho mouth of smBlI cavern, wero tho broken walls of an old building variously asaigned to an adventuroua peasant's d welling or somo robber's refuge. Climbingupward vory steep pathway leading to a pilgrimage ohapel, romautioally perched several hundred foot high, wo had a magnificent viow of tho Innthal for many miles, and ombracinga dozen villagcs in tho river valloy and as many move on themittelgcbirge- a landscape of such felicitous oombination of all that is most, attractiTe iir wéneiy, that it maybear comparison with any on the continent. Tho ohapel oconpies tho entirc top of a ledge flve or six hundred feet higl, jutting out and up from tho southern fooe of the mountain, being absolutcly perpendicular upon tlve north and east, and approachable elsewhefe only by a zigzag pathwav of skillful construction up the precipitous slopc. Tho stations aro furn ished witli pictures of more than ordinary raerit, and whilo truo to the design are yet quito different from the usual and more familiar lllustrations. Arriving at tho last of theso stations a great variety of offerings oobupy all iha Bp use vmilable inside- whilfi in a circular and largor building entirely open in front aud conspicuous from the villago and viilloy below, is placed a largo crucifixion, with six lifo sizo figuTos exoeedingty well oxccuted, and harinoniziug with a good fres co represontation of Jeritsr.lem aud its population at the timo, as a back-ground to tho tragedy. The chapol itself is a ncat Gothie ediriet, perhaps twenty by thirty foot in sizo, and underneath, vipon tho south sido, an atöhed cavern oight or ten foet square is excavated in tho rook, and the entoinbment is represented by figures of fnll size. That of our Saviour appears lying in a niche cut in a rook at tho roar of the cave, from which two an.'iuls neem to havo removed the stone, while on ei Uier hand stand two Koman Boldiers with uppropriate costumes and weapong, as euard?,. Tho grouping WM very offeutively rendered. Iinmediately north oí tho chapel opons a nttrrow and very leep ravino, liko a cleft into tho solid mountain from fop to bottom, of a fow feet in width and occupied by a mud torrent of foaming wator whioh, on emorging, swept around tho base of tho ledgo ecoupied by tho chapel - a wild sceno of ;uost singular contrast to that on the other sido in tho valley, from which it is spparated only by tho ledgo 011 which wo stood. Tho rond which wo took the next morning down the left bank of tho river koops cloaoly along tho i'oot of tho mountain, with -ocüsional foot-paths of delightful coolness and beauty juut within tho forost whicii sometimes is loft between tho road and the river. About two miles from Zirl wo reaoh the pei'pendiotilar face of tho Martinswald, whose bold promontory had attracted attention long beforo. It forms the southern extremity of tho Great Solstein anp is over 1,800 fopt high, and bas been mado locally famous by tho narrow escape of the Emporor Mnximillian from a terrible dnath ut this point. In purauing a ohiiinois he had shot ho lost hisfooting apon the neaily naked rock, hut was arrestad in bis fearful fall by a slightly projeoting ledgo 8:20 feet abovo tho road, From whioh point not a singlo stono or shrub would Lavo oven chcclced liis perpendicular descent. Clinging, as thero ho niust havo done, witli the instinct of' selt'-pi'üKervation, and niomentarily expected to fail by his horrified subjocts, a priest was hurriodly summoncd, tho sacrament elevated toward liim and tho right of absolution administered, when, suddenly si shout is heard giving liow strcngth to the nearly exhausted monarch, and tho form of a daring oragsman is neen to dcscend carcfully from abovo and along lofigoü too narrow to be seen from below, and at last, al tho utraost poril to himself resoues theEmporor. So lar tho í'acts are well authcnticated, but various logends introduce an angel as the rescuer, aad in regard to the measure of royal gratitudO, gome traditions affirm that the bold hunter was rewardcd by a patent of nobility ; otlier statements claiin that he was repaid with an annual pension oí' sixteen florins (about ten dollars). A ."rnall cavorn has been oxcavatod in the rock at tho placo whero the F.inperor's fall was arrnstod, and a l.irge crucifix, 18 feet high, placed in its mouth. - At the sido óí' the highway a tablet to indícate the place and date, 1494, has been erected. The narrow pass here formod by tho prcjecting Martinswald is further ntade memorable as the sceuo of somo of the fiercer struggles betTreon the Bavarians and the Tyrolese, which characterized the ovontful y car 1809, and also a castlo occupies an elovatcd point overlooking the river ünd the road, called Hartinsbuhel, which was ono of Maximillian's hunting seats. For overamilc, tho road when approaohing Innsbruck is across a wide plain, perfoctly level and but slightly elevated abovo the river, shaded by ehorry, applo and poplar trees, stations upon square stone pillars niño foet high. Taking our dinner in tho large suburb of Hotting on the north side of the river, we crossed over and began that most perplexing of tasks, hunting lodgings su a strange city, for wo ihteudod to romain somo weeks, and hotel life for so long a períod would bring on a financial crisis. Aí'tcr climbing into the third story in several proinising localities, to find the rooms just eugaged, or not having beda enough, or too small, or too highly valued by tho lamHady, wo at length foitnd just what wo desircd and moro than we expected, and at G o!olook p. m. woro at home again for a short time, in this beautiful capital of Tyrol. As thia was to be our longcst sojourn in any ono placo prior to entering Italy.it was deemed advisnble to lay in a small supply of Italiou at tnis point and a teacher must be found. Horo, again, our fortúnate star was in the ascendant, and wo socured tho services of a very ugreeablo gentleman, wlio had spont about twelve years in ICew Bngland and therefore a good English soholar; threo years in Italy, and posted in that lañgnage ; is a nativo of Innsbruck, and Gorman is his mother tongue, besides possossing an equal readinoss in i 'i ' :; h and nearly so in Spanish, and to orown all, has an American wifo. This was fortúnate in many ways, for to his kindness we are indebted for accos to more English and Araerícan nows than w had been able to secure for some weeks, and EMCb i:i his own agreeable preforenco fof tho land whore ho had spent so many pleaSAdt yoars, and won his wifo, that ho h as aaÍ8ed :i flagstafE upon his garden wnll overlooking tho Inn, and thoro daily the star spangld banner is flung to tho breezo, the lirst which has evor appeared ín tliis goodly city, [nosbraok has sömewhat over 20,000 inoluding its suhurbs Hotting, Muhlan, and Witten, and possesaos most of thc appurtenanoea of a provincial capital - an extensiva palaoe and royal public gardens, a theater, gvimiaaicna and uni : y, an academy of inusic, casino with roading room, and a museum, with the usual addiüon of various public or government buildings. Alxrat 2,000 soldiers are stationed here, and,a splcndid military band of' about eighty pioces. Asiilo, ,tr, from all this, the natural situation is ono that Si exoelled by very fow, if any, of tho cities of Europe, bring girt about moro closely and with higher tains of a moro abrupt and precipitous ' ehamoterthan any, with perhaps a single excoption. At tho same timo this storn mountainous environment is made doubly moro efFective, and tha general impression more agrcenbly varied and : beuulifiud, by its closo contrast with tho , rioh vegetatiott and lawn liko slopes ( f tho mittlegebirgo and lowor zono of tho ' valloy. ïho streots aro well paveel nnl kopt remarkably clean, and the display of curious and fancy goods, particnlarly thosc of Tyrolese manufacturo, is exceedingly fino. Thus far wc havo met with no bnple&sant pólice surveillance. ïho day ai'tor our arrival our landlady was required to hand in a statement of thu name;!, residenoes, place of birth, profession, tfcc, of hor new lodgers, On ajiplying at the proper office for tho packagos wc had forwardud by 'post, we wero obliged to oxhibit a letter of credit or passports to establish our identity. At the post-oLlico a roquest to assist in dociphering tho English addrosses which any letters to us would bo likely to beer, was rospcctfully doclined, on tho grouud that no ono was penaitted oven to look over the Buperscripííoíis excegrè tho proper officials. Whilo such things as these appear to savor of unduo carefulncss, yot they wero also a protection to tho strangcr. The most annoying thing to the traveler, and one not confined to Innsbruck, is tho practico of too minutely subdividing labor. One man not only is con'ined to one special assigned duty, but in general that ia all ho has any ability to do. Yon wish to send a trunk as freight or baggago. If you go to one office it is weighed and :v paper is given you to tnke to some other oilioe where charges are paid and tho paper changed for anothor, and your own signaturo taken. When you apply for your trunk you go to one office and pay charges, and sign a receipt, tatciag a voucher to somo other person who, if everything is all regular, will give you the runk on payment of a small fee - and if t happens that it has to pass the formali;y of a enstom's examination yo;i will Ind the trunk at still anothor oflico, perïaps a milo distant, and there roquired to sign a declíiration as to the uaturo of tho contents, &c, and then havo tho trunk duy opencd and inspected besides. It is idvisable to select a cold day, if possible, 'or hunting up baggage, for what with the formalities of oiïlce, the absolute uccessity of some express runner's aid to find the places, and tho constant disbursoment of small fees to A, B and C, it is goncraly wurm work. But thei it must be admisted there is gonornlly great gafety attending all this complex systcm, and it is a great thing to foei that all will come out rijjht. At ono timo we had trunks at Sodon, one in the depot at Munich, one somowhere on tho road f rom Munich to Partenkirchen, two valises at Murnan - to bo forwardod by post diligence, whilo we wero ourselves pedestrianating elsewhere, with the remainder, yet all came out safe at the last. This is a tvell built. city: that i, the buildings, public and private, sre of good f-i.o, gcnerally four or five stories in height, with noat fronts and painted of some light neutral tint. But notwithstanding appearances, nearly all are of brick. No matter how deoply the blocks may bo bevoled or how cunningly the corner dressings may bo laid up - the marble is almost nniversally stucco ; but the stucco, it must be admitted, is of a very superior quality. About the only mmistakablo stono usod upon the fronts here, is a very coarso Conglomérate of limsstone and quartz, of a roddish color, whieh dresses with a very rough surface, looking more solid than boautiful. With mountains of rock everywhero it scems strango that theso should be so littlo suitfid to economie uses. Thoogh this was a city even in Roman times, and plenty of relies' of groat antiquity are to bo seen in tho museum, yet thero is littlo in tho appearanco of tho place to recall an era so remoto. Tho streots aro of good width, and the stylo of architecture somewhat characterized by an evident Italian tasto, is airy and choorful - in {'act it seems essentially moro modern than anciont. We find plenty of fruit in the markets, applos, pears, pcaches, and grapes, - tho last from Hieran in the South Tyrol, whero grapes are extensivoly cultivated, and being on tho Italian sido of tho Alps vory much oarlier than hcro. B-y tho vray, a candid confossion should here bo made : we daily use wine on tho tablo, for it is almost as cheap as water, and water is very abundant and freo to all ; but somo think that wuter is thé inducing eawo of goiíre, and goitros are not desirahlc, henoe thu i)bie of wine. This letter is long enough to olosi , what we saw in and about Innsbruck must bo told at somo other timo.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus