Foreign Correspondence

Butzen, South Tyuol, Austria, ) Octobor 5, 1872. j My Beau Pond: There are inany agreoablo walks about Innsbrnck vvhich the travolor discovers in his cloacr intimacy with tho place. Berg Tsul in, howover, oneof the most frequentcd rosorts bere. It is a beautiful plateau of about ten acres, 500 fnet directly above the anglo in tho Bronner road, wbich the pedestrian leavos at the foot of tho bluff and by a vell-constructed foqt-path eoon ovcrcomes the precipitous ascent. It is tho proporty of tho associution of rifle Bhooters, and has boen fitted up for thoir weekly and Bomotimes more fraquent matches ut target practice, and for the accommodation and entertaininent of the largo concourse attendant upon such occasions. The associations of tho vicinity scom to mako it the most fitting place for this most popular sport of the Tyrolese, as it was hero that three groat battlta wore fought in 1809. Two pyrauiidal monuKients aro erected near the center of the grounda, nbout iifteen feet high, one to conimeniorate tho ÏSÜ of April, 13th I of Augubt and 29th of May, 1809, and bcars the inscription, " Témpora qtm tolunt discrimina temper in altis, Austria sflendebit tecla talare nua." A square obtuso pyraraid of leM hoight.standiug noar tho bank of tho Sill, rooords tho naraO3 of tho Ty.-oloio who feil in 1818, '49, '69 and 'GG, in Hungavy and Italy. ïhroughout the ïyrol ehooting is a universal pnstime. Kvory uoighborhood lias its grounds, and tho observant traveler will oftcn sce, fastened up in soiue conspieuous gablo along the highway, circulur boards about eighteen inches in diameter, painted tv hite, with four sniall eiroular ringd of black around tho center rad more er less perforated with bullet lióles. Those aro targots that havo baen usod. TUo grouuds ut Borg Isol are well 6huded with the nativo evergreen and few iloeiduous troe6, and good walks load abcut in every direction, taking in several bcautiful points of view of the city and ;ho long extended valloy, and of tho falls ind rapid torront of tho Sill and its deep gorgo. As it is only nbout a half hour's walk, cvory Saturday afteruoon a lingo crowd, citen o thousand or moro, attends :o witness the shooiing and listen to the splondid military b.nd, and often many remftin to tho dance cf tho ovening. - rhcro aro five stands for shooting, at each of wLich two persons mny bo Uring nt :io samo timo - at differont targets, of courso, ïhe targets are set up at a dis;anco of 120 steps, only ono or two béng at 200. A straight avenue is cleared ihrough tho ishrubbery nnd trees froui oach stand to thcir respective targets, about fiftoou foet wide, nlong each side of which lioavy wiros aro drawn to koop off ;ho stragglers. Xear each target a Btone and oarth Bhelter is j)rovidod for tho porson who attends to tho marking. Tho lerson who is to shoot takes tho stand, lüises his rillo at oiF-hand, firos, und imnediutcly pulta a wirs whioh connects lig stand with a bell at the shelter-house 'or the target ahnod at, tho attondant at once examines the rcsult of the Ia6t shot, uarLs it, und turning about announcos it o tho clerk at the stand by cortain unlerstood eigimls, somewhat rosombling ,ho gesticulations of train conductors on our ruilroads (,'iere a whistlo is geuerally usad tor sigtialiug tho start) . Another ;hen shoots ut tho same target, averaging ono shot in about two minutes at oach urget. Ono of thom is made to movo about twelvo feot across the avenue, and b to bo shot ut whilo in inotion. Tho day ia thus-spentin constant firing, aud at night the record is mado up and small piizes aro uwarded to tho most 6ucoossful shots at each target. Nothing L-iiliüts iuore passionate personal interest aud provincial pridethroughout the Tyrol ;han thcir ritio shooting, and what botween the practico of the solaiers and iviito cilizens tho sound of the riflo is scldom long silent on Berg Isel, during lays when the weather is favorable In ;he various villages throughout tho Tyrol Sunday is vcry generally dividod bo;WB6n the churches and tho target-ground, jy tho pcasantry who aro at their work during tho weck. A etroll ten or twelyo miles out on the Brciiner road was not only interesting on iccoiuit of the beautiful scenery of tho Sill valloy, aloug which tho river rushes suverul liundred feet below tho road, but aecauso of tho opportuuity it affards to sou two of tho iinest results of skillful engineering at the sanie time. Tho Brenncr Bahn or railway, both thus named :rom tho fi:ct that both wero construoted .o surmount the celobrated Brenner pass over the Alps. ïhe former, beginning at the stroct ncar the Abboy at Wilton, is about fifty feet wide, and as hard and smooth us a floor throughout its entiro ength, avoiding embuukments across the oottomless ravines, but much iucroasing lts length, by following the iudentations and swclling sidos of tho mountuiu on ono sido, and protecting tho other by walls or terraces of masonry, sometimos oí' considerable height. Tho sido uext the mountam is gonerally walled to a beight of fivo or six feot, and along tho out r sido is a continuous lino of btone posts about thirty inches high, tho distanco apart, according to exposuro to dangeroua falls, being trom four to sixtecn feet, and along a largo portion of the way there is also a fino hodge of hawthorn or spruce. Tho ascent from Innsbruck to tho Brenner pass i& about 2,700 feet, which is overeóme by an ascont so gradual yet 60 constant thart it is acarcely noticcd by tho pedestrian. Tho Kutzbach, a largo mountam torrent which draius tho Stubaythal, is spanned by a noble single arch of splendid masonry at least a hundred feet high and Beventy üvo feet oord. Opposito the railroad station Fatscb. the road is ovor two hundred feet higher than the railroad, which for tho inost part follows tho right bank of tho Sill, in plain tíuw froni tho highway on tho left bank. The railway pursues a more diroot courso, avoiding undosirable curves by tunneling tho projecting rocky promontorics, and passing narrow ravines and precipices by blasting and by high embankinents protected by arches or facings of masonry frora ,tho encroachmontg of the Sill, which foams impctuuusly aleng at a constontly increasiug depth below, being ut station Pataoh aome 200 feet below the roail-bed. Sonio idea of tho obstaclea to bo overcomo niiiy be inferrod frora the fact that in tho distance to this station - only fivo ruilcs - thero aro seven tunnels, ono of which, through Berg Isel, is 7U0 feet long, and upon ou;j sido is a continuous embankruont, at timos of very great hoight. Thia railway, ono of the most iuipoitunt linea butween northern and southorn Europo, runs in a noarly straight direction froui Munich to Vorona, connucting at eithor oud with all tho vurious radiatiug roads from the north or south. It was opened in August, 1867. Both the carriage way aud railroad are great triumphs in their respective departments of enginoering : ono by a direct routo through inountains and over ru-rines reaohes Putsch in fivo niiips ; the other, by i continuous series of beautii'ul curves has strotched over a distance of nearly ninc miles to reach the point opposite, but about 200 foot higher. About fivo miles out on the Brenner road are several fine specimens of what are oalled oarth pyrainids. Thoy are of various hoights, froin fifty to onc hundrod feet. Soiue are finoly tapored to a point, 6ome with naarly parallel sidos ara flat upon the top, appeariug ij be aliuost oxoctly oircular in form and from tea to twenty feet in diameter. They are undoubtedly of purely accidontal foruiation, causcd by the action of email occasional stroains and ïr.oisturc combined with atruosphorio influencos operating upon vory deep beds of coarso gravel and sand, combined with lime, probably not at first solidifiod, but as tho column or oono is ex posed becoming nearly indestructible. - Why the form of exact cones of round oolumns aro so accurately continuod whon onoo sturtod, or why they start at all, it ia not so easy to determino ; a tree or a stono very probably at first protcvis tho top. These singular and curious l'ormations occur in othor fantastic forms, and at any considerable distance are ofton mistaken for artificial structures of sorac kind. Ono of our moro formidable ramb'.cs led us to try tho ascent of Patscherkofel, a mountain whoso lounded summit and soomingly easy inolination boing constanily in view and only a short distance off, aro an unceasing provocation to "como up higher." Taking a lunch and our umbrella we left our rooms about 8 1-2 A. ii., taking our way through the lano that follows up tho bank of tho Sill canal. This canal is simply an artificial diroction given to tho rivor Sill, leading it through tho city in a channol about fifteen foet wide, and whioh, having a vory rapid curront, forms tho motivo power to a groat varioty of milis and machinery. It is remarkablo only becauso of its construction as early as tho 13th century, as an aid in tho extinction of fires, tho city having been a great sufforor in a thon recent conflagration. Crossing tho area in front of tho Abboy of Wilten, we had a passing view of tho grim giants that guard its portal. A fow yards furthor on we pass under tho viaduct of the railway and stop a fuw minutes to admire tho inipetuous Sill, as it precipitates itself ovor a full of about fifteon toet, a short distanco abovo tho bridge. A foot-path at ouco leads us up tho right bank of the river, a very steep ascent, until wo reach a hoight nearly on a levol with the target grounds on Borg Iscl directly opposite. Whilo resting a few minutes hero we had in full view a squad of soldiors, at tho stand which Langs, as it wore, nearly 250 foet above tho raging stream, firing at a target farther up tho bank. After each shot a trumpet cali echood through tho valley to notify the watch to examino and announco tho result. The walk from this point was very delightful, with its fino shade, in 6ight and and hearing of tho foaming river so far bolow, and' then a fino view of tho charming valley behind Borg Isel, embrnciug at ono glanco tho river, tho railroad and tunnel, the peasant cottages, a long stretch of the splendid Brenner post road and of tho upward swell of the ever attractivo Mittolgebirge, with its villas.a ruined castle and two orjthree villages. After leaving tho rivor bank we follow along a small but noisy streani, which filis the air and forest with its miisic, until wo roach tho undulating moadows and corn-fields of tho "middlo hills." Tho village of Vill, with its peasant population busy gathcring their fruit and corn, is passed, and two miles farther on another villago, Igels, of about the samo size - a population of porhaps 400 - and from the latter placo a path is taken which loads by tho fourteen stations to Heiliger Wasser Capelle, which is seen for milos shining by contrast among tho firs of the mountain sidc, 2,000 feot above tho plain at Iunsbvuck. The ascent to tho chapel, though sometimos quito steep, is rondored comparatively easy by tho great care with which tho path has boen coustructod and is kopt in repair ; for the pilgrimago to this favorito spot, diüieult and futiguing as it is, bas for inany conturios been very popular with tho credulousltomanists. Tho occupants whohave charge of tho place aro nativo Tyrolese, and keep a restaurant at which vory tolerable rofreshments may bo procurod, and if noeded, accommodations for tho night for a small party. Tho chapol itself is about twenty feot squaro, exclusivo of tho open porch in front. It has a noat stoeplo, providod with a good bell and clock. Thoro is othing in tho interior of particular inorit. Tho öeilings aro frcscoed, and tbo altur dnly provided with tbo usual appurttnances. The great attraction of tho chapel may bo best undorstood from the logend connectod with its origin. In the month of July, A. D. 1GOG, about tho twilight hour, as two peasant btjys were hunting their fathers' calves near by, tho Virgiu appeared to thein as a beautiful femalo, accompanied by a small boy child, and pointed out to them the niising calves standing noar a spring, by which a light appeared shining. Tho boys -vvore very much frightened, but advanced toward the Virgin, who, addrossing ono of them, &aid that in returning they would meet two priests, to whom they should relate what thoy had seen, and should teil the priests that they should build a chapel on the spot where the light was shining. The boy thus charged was so inuch excited when ho met tho two priosts as had been foretold, that he could not teil where thcr-place was, and because of this omissioa to deliver tho message he bésame dumb for fivo years, alter which tho place Was discovered and tho chapel erected. In tho open porch thcre is a large fresco ropresentation of tho Virgin and child, as she appeared to tho two boys, with tho calvos standing among tho trees near tho light and spring, and in Gorman upon either sido of the door is a f uil history of tho event. About ton feot distant is a small excavation in tho face of tho rock, perhaps fivo feot in diameter, closed by a solid door and locked, which on beiug oponed by tho good woinan disclosed tho holy fountain. Strango to say, there were just five small crovices, frotn each of which flowod a nico spring, and all unitod to form a stroam of soine size. The number of flowiug springs oorresponded with tho fivo principal wounds upon tho person of the crucitiod Saviour. This was tho Heiliger "Wasser aftor which tho chapol is namcd, and is not put to any profane uso, though tho roar of this cavity was touiporarily in uso for keeping frosh meats. Tho chapol, as might bo expecterl, was almost literully lined with votivo offoiings and tablets. Dozens visit tho placo daily in discharge of their pioua vows. We found sovoral already there upon our arrival. After dinner wo began tho journey upward without a guide, for thero was littlo chanco of being lost whon the Inn vuliey could be almost constantly scen. At first, although so steep, we had ao difficulty. Tho trees continuod, exeept an occasioaal open space for pasturage, until wilhin a half a milo of tho top, but percoptably diminished in size as wo ascended, and being at first almost wholly. of tho spruce variety, then of the bristling Austrian and yellow pine intermixed with stunted growth of spruce and dwarf or flat growing evergreens. The barbeny bush and a few white birch trees appear occasionally, and the ground was literally coverod with a small variety of cranberry and a very acid bluo whortleberry. Small patches of snow were now constantly at hand for quenching thirst or snowballing. At last trees were left behind and wo walkod upon the hoathery furze, and tho only shrub was the Alpine rose. Tho ascont, which from Innsbruck appearod to be ono which could be surmounted at a brisk walk, turnod out to be just far enough from vertical to enable us by leaning slightly forward to clamber up on hands and feat. By keeping on tho furzo a good footing could generally be fonnd, and when at last thero was nothing but stone aud brokon rocks, the anglo of ascent was so much less that there was really no difficulty in tho case, except tho labor, which proved quite sufficient. We found plenty of suow on the top, and tho wind was strong and vory cold, as it well might bo, for as far as the eyo could reach all tho summits of the higher mountains wcro covered with snow. It was a grand panorama of poak aftor poak of theso ovorlasting hills all whito with premature winter, while for twenty miles the Innthal, with numborless villages and cities and riponod fields of corn, lay pleasantly basking in the mild Autumn sunlight. Equally beautiful, but not so extensive, was tho Stubaythal, along whose narrow plain the gloaming windings of the Rutzbach could bo tracod for fifteeu miles, till lost in tho glacier región of tho Stubaicr Alps. Another slight turn to the left brought es face to fuco with tho longer valley of the Sill, stretching far off a littlo southwcstcrly, for twenty miles, to tho famous Brenner pass, over which the ancientand modern civilization have had a common highway. Tho Patscherkofol on which wo stood is only 736S feet high, and does not in general have snow on its top, but from that elevation could be scen a dozen glaciers whero ico and snow are ahvuys visiblo throughout tho yoar. Innsbruok lies at an elovation of 1882 feet, so that in this ascent we had to overeóme a difiéranos of about 5,500 of' which about ,'i,500 were surmounted within tho last two miles. Tho desceut was nccomplished much more easily ajid quickly, but notwithstnuding our hurry it was quite dark wlicn wo reached the forest on tho bank of the Sill, and after 8 P. M. whon wo reachod our rooms. It took us fivo hours in going and four in returning, and our walk was in all probability about eighteon miles. Ono rosult of tho excursión seems to bn a unauimous abandonment of all intentions to adopt mountain climbing as a profession. And here is a good place to close this rambling letter. Evor vonrs.