MONKS OF ST. BERNARD AND THEIR WONDER DOGS

Shannon News, 2 September 1927, Page 3

MONKS OF ST. BERNARD AND THEIR WONDER DOGS

The beauty of their land is the chief wealth of the Swiss —and in tliis there is a lesson for New Zealand, which has bben called by travellers, “the Switzerland of the South.” The peasants of Switzerland would find it hard to live solely upon the products of their somew’hat scanty soil, but they flourish upon the money they obtain by catering for visitors and by exploiting the natural beauty of their land. They are known as the best hotelkeepers in the world —another point on which Now Zealanders could take a 'e&son.

The peasants usually own their own farms, for the acquisition of large estates is not allowed (still another les son for New Zealand!); the Alpin> pastures ar e shared by all. each farmer grazing his cattle acccording to the size of his farm.

Sornq of the finest and bravest men in the world are tile Swiss guides, without whom it would be extremely dangerous to climb the mountains, (relates a Avritcr in “Lands and People”). Although the Alps look so calm and peaceful! they ore really very treacherous, tnd many climbers have lost their li\’es upon them. AA ralanches, falling stones an. 1 hidden crevasses add to the danger so that men always go yin parties, being r’oped together for safety, and in charge of a guide who knows the particular n ountain thoroughly The dreadful avalanche, which is a huge mass of snOAv °.i d bou ders that slides down the mountain-si<ln. Is the most terrible danger of the Saajss mountains. Sometimes the avalanche Avill fall into an uninhabited valley, in which case no harm is done; but sometimes it sAveeps across populated slopes, destroying, perhaps, some unlucky peasants or oven wiping out a whole village. Zermatt, a tourist centre, Is famous for its guides. f rom lliis town the famous Matterhorn can be seen, its peak outlined against the vivid blue sky in st utary grandeur. Many lives have beer lost-on this mountain, but OA’ory vest, fresh enthusiasts set out to conquer its precipitous sULs.

Th 0 most famous life-savers of the mountain passes are the self-sacrific-ing monks of St. Bernard, with their well-trained dogs, who live in the famous hospic. e at the summit of the ' pas s of St. Bernard, from which they get their name. They live in this isolated station all the year round, so that they may help travellers and search in the snow for anyone who is lost —a noble work they have carried on for centuries,