The glacier gardens: The Lion of Lucerne: The glacier mill holes: The
museum: The Bridge over the Reuss: The Cathedral: Pilatus Mountain:
Leaving Lucerne: Zurich: Lake of Zurich: Zwingli, the reformer.
As we entered the Glacier Gardens our eyes were at once drawn to this
massive and very interesting and pathetic piece of sculpture, “The Lion
of Lucerne.” The smooth face of this quarry is about fifty feet high,
and it looks to be about as wide, it is overshadowed by some very nice
trees and climbing plants. It is protected by a wooden rail, so you
could not, if you so wished, carve your name on the rocky surface. In
the very centre of this vast square is a wounded and dying lion. The
size in stone (for it is really a part of the rock itself) is about
twenty-eight feet in length. It was hewn by the order and from a model
by the renowned Danish sculptor, Morwalsden, and was finished in the year
1821. This famous masterpiece is dedicated to the memory of the Swiss
Guards of Louis XVI., who fell a prey to the fury of the populace, as
they retreated unarmed into the French Tuileries. The sculptured figure
is in a lying position, and a broken arrow or spear is in its side. I
don’t remember ever being so impressed with an object in stone as I was
by this. It has an expression of the deepest grief, and such as must
have moved many to tears. Above the figure you may read (as it is carved
into the rock) the following words: “To the fidelity and bravery of the
Swiss.” Beneath it the names of the twenty-six officers who fell on that
terrible day. Passing into the gardens we were soon beside one of the
glacier pots or holes. These glacier pots or mill holes were discovered
in the year 1872, and it is asserted by geologists that they were formed
in far past ages. One of them, Albert Heim, says: “I hereby testify both
as a geologist and an eye witness of the first unexpected discovery, as
also of the subsequent careful excavations of this wonderful phenomenon,
that the hand of man had nothing to do with the formation of these
glacier mills and polished surface of the glacier, nor with the erratic
boulders that lie about, or in those mill holes, but that we have here to
deal with a marvellous operation of free organic nature, a relic of a
time when these countries were not inhabited by man.” In those days
almost the whole of Switzerland and, indeed, the greatest part of the
Northern Hemisphere was buried under immense masses of ice, as can now be
proved with the greatest certainty, with here and there an oasis
inhabited by animals long ago extinct. Our attention was drawn to a
large hole in the solid rock almost round, and the sides quite smooth and
about eight or ten feet deep, and at the bottom a large boulder or stone,
also smooth. This hole is made by the whirling of the stone round and
round by the force of melting ice, causing the waters to flow in strong
descending streams. It is thus these glacier mills are formed. In these
gardens are quite a number of these interesting specimens of the work of
Nature in the far past ages. The largest of all the mill stones we saw,
was one which weighs over five tons. This having in some remote age,
been whirled round and round like a toy. There are also some large
boulders carried by the glaciers from the high Alps and left here. We
also found some very fine specimens of fossils and ferns that had been
petrified into stone. We left this most interesting part of the gardens
and mounted up a large number of steps to the imitation of a lovely
little Swiss Chalet, surrounded by tall trees which seem to be growing
out of the side of the rocky eminence on which the Chalet is perched. It
is called “An Alpine Cottage.” The president of the Alpine Club
describes it thus: “This cottage, cleverly and accurately imitated, gives
us a true picture of these highland places of refuge. Not many men, and
still fewer women, are enabled to see such a building in its airy
district. Here it is, within reach of every one in perfect imitation of
the real thing, inside and out. Even the inscription, here dedicated to
the section Pilatus is not wanting. Let us walk in! The hut contains
that homely furniture, those poor and scanty utensils, the view of which,
however, is so welcome to him who, in the evening twilight, tired and
weary, enters the hospitable and friendly space, and makes use of them to
take his frugal meal. Let us go to the window! O wonder! what a sight!
We are, as if by magic, transported to God’s beautiful world of the Alps.
We stand far above the glacier which descends majestically from the land
of eternal snow. It requires a long time and a close observation to
realize that this is an illusion. The foreground is a plastic formation
as in a panorama. All the characteristics of the world of glaciers are
wonderfully rendered with scientific accuracy.” I have here given in his
own words the description of this most wonderful imitation of a Swiss
Cottage and its surroundings. The museum is one that would give
entertainment and information to an enquirer after knowledge for some
time, particularly in geology and the condition of our race in these
regions in the far back past. Instruments of defence made of stone or
flint or of bone. These have all been discovered in the immediate
neighbourhood and preserved. A pick axe made of flint, chisels of flint
stone, sling-stones, lance-like instruments, earthenware vessels,
carbonized wheat, half of an apple petrified, hand hatchet of bone, knife
of bone, dagger of bone, dagger of horn, shovel of stag’s horn, tumbler
of horn, shuttle made of bear’s teeth, sewing needle, very crude, made of
bird’s bone. In another part of the museum there are groups of the
animals of the Alps. The otter, the eagle, the horned owl, the bearded
vulture, a group of Alpine hares, a wild boar, a group of bears, a pole
cat, the common ibex, foxes, Alpine jackdaw, wild cats, sea swallow, the
chamois, the St. Bernard dog, and many other interesting relics of past
ages, preserved for the pleasure and benefit of the present generation.
A fine collection of the mountain ferns are to be seen in their richness
and beauty, with notices of the places in the Alps where they may be
found. There is the ice grotto, which we did not descend to see, but we
were greatly pleased with our visit to this very interesting place.
Before leaving the gardens I took a snap-shot of my dear little wife on
the bridge, crossing from the glacier gardens to the Alpine Chalet. We
visited several other places of interest in the town, one, particularly,
attracted our attention. It is a very old bridge over the river Reuss.
It has stood against “the iron tooth of time which devours men and their
works together,” for about four hundred years. Anything more quaint I
think I never saw. It is covered in and is in length about one hundred
yards. In the triangular spaces formed by the beams that go to support
the roof, pictures have been painted, I should think for the amusement of
passers over, as they are not, as a whole, very edifying. I should say,
perhaps, two hundred paintings are to be found on the bridge. There are
some that may claim some merit; these are representations of the various
battles and victories by the Swiss armies. About the centre of the
bridge is a curiosity shop or bazaar, containing toys, bronzes, etc.
Hastening across, for time began to be valuable, as we had seen so little
of this wonderful city, and our time for leaving grew near, we needed to
use the time left us wisely and well. The old cathedral must be visited.
We had, however, seen so many, it hardly seemed likely this one would be
at all interesting, but we determined to pay it a visit; and, although
there is much about it that is similar to others we had seen, still there
is a difference. On the outside and near the entrance is a large metal
plaque in bronze, with a large cross on which is an image of the
suffering Saviour, and a good number of names of persons deceased, who
had left the instructions for the erection of the tablet. Inside, the
usual array of bowls of holy water, confessional boxes, candles burning
on the altar. There is also some very fine sculpture in marble, also
some very fine pictures by the old masters. Of course it is Roman
Catholic, consequently the priest is in evidence everywhere. We left the
church with feelings that a great deal of the religion of the Roman
Catholics, as we have seen it on the continent, is a soulless religion.
It has a framework but no soul. We really hoped, before leaving Lucerne,
to have gone up the Pilatus mountain, as from there we understand, can be
had a splendid view of the Bernese hills, the highest of which is the
Tomlishorn, about seven thousand feet. It used to be most difficult to
climb the Pilatus, but now it is easy and safe. It used to be associated
with legends of hobgoblins, fairies, dragons, etc. It is said to get its
name from Pontius Pilate, who crucified the Christ, after which he was so
smitten with remorse that he fled the Judean country and found his way to
Switzerland, finding here in this awe inspiring mountain, a fit place to
close his wretched career, and in a tiny lake near on the summit, he
ended his miserable life. There is still a superstition abroad that his
spirit, in its restlessness, visits this mountain periodically, and may
be seen washing its hands as we read “And when Pilate saw that he could
prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and
washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood
of this just person; see ye to it.” Matthew, chapter 27, verse 24. It
may, however, be only imaginary, but superstition dies hard in such
lonely localities. As we could not visit its summit this time, we must
content ourselves with viewing it in the distance. And now our time in
this lovely city closes. Our stay has been of the pleasantest; the
manager of our hotel (The Hotel de L’Europe) has been to us the very
essence of kindness; even the mosquitoes were fairly generous, only on
one or two occasions have they troubled us. So we packed up, paid our
bills and left, very reluctantly. It was on a very lovely morning we
bade adieu to the most pleasant and enjoyable scenery of the lakes and
mountains around the pretty town of Lucerne. Having boarded the train
our first impulse was to get snugly into a corner and live over again the
past few days, but the scenery around us was of such a character, we
could not rest in forgetfulness of things passing. We could see in the
distance the great Jura mountains. Then near to us homely, lovely
scenery; there a little stone farm and farmyard, a little stream flowing
by, the farmer’s maid on an iron bridge spanning the stream, giving the
whole surroundings a picture of rusticity. A little further and we see
an old mill, with its massive wheel in motion and the miller’s man in
dusty garments, standing with his arms akimbo, giving orders for the
unloading of a heavily laden mule wagon; around us is forest and field in
pleasing variety. We are not very long before we near the lake of
Zurich, which is very extensive, and like all the Swiss lakes, it is very
beautiful. Then to Zurich. I was greatly surprised at the importance
and the accommodation at and about the railway station. I think it was
one of the best we had seen, and for attractiveness I should say the
finest. The town itself is of importance, having a population of over
one hundred and twenty thousand people. From the railway the city shows
itself well, as a part of it is built on the side of a rocky eminence,
with the River Limmet running at the foot. Indeed, this river divides
the town, the upper and lower Zurich. There are six bridges (and they
know how to make useful and beautiful bridges on the continent). Three
are used for carriages, wagons, etc., and the other three only for foot
passengers. The streets in Zurich are very narrow, crooked and dirty.
On the hill stands conspicuously, a grand Cathedral, the Grosse Minster;
of course, it is a Roman Cathedral, but it is, I learn, very rich in
sculpture and pictures, although, I fear, very poor in that which should
make any church rich—the Divine in-dwelling. There is a very fine Post
Office, and all the modern appliances and conveniences for the
acceleration of information. It is a very ancient town, indeed, it was,
as history tells us, at one time a Roman city. Zwingli, the great Swiss
reformer, played an important part in the history of Zurich. It was then
the centre of the reformation in Switzerland, and Zwingli was leader. He
was a contemporary with Martin Luther. He had studied at Basle and Bern,
and was made parish priest in 1506. He was a great student of Holy
Scripture; it is said he copied the epistles of St. Paul in Greek and
committed them to memory wholly. He accompanied the Pope’s army against
France as a Chaplain, and was granted a pension by the Pope for his
sympathetic attention to the wounded and the dying. His knowledge of the
Bible led him to examine closely into the teaching of the Romish Church
and he, led doubtless by the good Spirit of God, discovered many things
his conscience could not approve amongst them—the sale of indulgences.
He wrote a work of great importance condemning the feasts of the Church,
also against the worship of images, the mass, the confessional, and other
abuses he conceived existed. In 1524 he married a lady of standing and
importance, by this act he broke away from the Romish Church and incurred
the Pope’s displeasure. Soon after this he joined the German Reformers;
at that time Martin Luther was leader. Zwingli’s Bible was to him
everything, he found in it complete and unbroken rest to his soul. To
him it was the one only ground of appeal, also the test of faith and
practice. On minor points such as baptism and sacraments, Luther and he
did not see eye to eye; but on the main points of Christian theology and
general church discipline they were in agreement. He fought and fell in
a war between Zurich Canton and the Roman Catholic Cantons of
Switzerland, in the year 1531. His great battle cry was “my countrymen,
trust in God.” Our stay at Zurich was only short, we soon found
ourselves en route for Basle.