The Baths of
St. Moritz
Woldemar Kaden
Digitized by G'
ATHS OF ST. MORITZ.
THE
THE LEADING HEALTH-RESORT
OF THE UPPER ENGADINE.
• • •
• • • •
By
•••
WOLDEMAR KADEN.
"An Acetosum fontale which I prize
above all that I have met with in
Europe is in the Engadine, at St. Moritz ;
the same runneth sourest in the month
of August. He who hath drunk of
this same drink as of a medicine, he
can talk of health."
Paracelsus. (A. D. 1530.)
ZURICH
0>ELL FOSSLI & CO.
1886
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CONTENTS.
♦ : Pft e«
the.T^>per*«ngft(nft«. 5 V * . * * . # # 7 25
The Hatha of St. Mnritz 41
The Springs 53
Walks and Excursions ... 62
Routes of Acres* &h
5||<I
*
-frtern are thy looks, my Engadine,
In highland airs a throne is found thee;
White is thy head, the Piz Bernin',
And glaciers form a girdle round thee.
But seldom sounds the song of birds,
Of roses thou art not the home,
And even in thy children's words
I hear the raging torrent foam . . .
And yet in beauties thou'rt array' d,
At even, when thy peaks are glowing,
When in the quiet larch -woods' shade
The thousand Alpine flow'rs are blowing.
The wavelets of a rushing stream
Thy emerald lakes with splendour fill ;
With healing springs thy mountains teem,
Assuaging many a human ill . . .
*
*
Df
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iii MM iiiiiiitil H lliiiii i iiiii i iiiii i iiiiiii i i iiiii l i il l l ll l l l l lll l ll liMin i u i iii. iii mi ii i i in iii
'<»' i in ni mini mm inn i iiiiiiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiitmiiiiiiiniiniiiiniiiniiilll
THE ENGADINE.
"Eau sun con te, o raa valleda,
In bella e txid'ora, sgur!
Tuot bain il tschel a te conceda,
Quaist il giavflsch ch'eau vo t'offrir;
Eau t'am, eau t'am, mieu cher pajais
Engirt di nais !"
(G. F. Cameras, SamadenJ.
IM8TOPHER COLUMBUS discovered America towards the
close of the fifteenth century, but the " discovery" of
Switzerland dates from a much later period. Strange and
paradoxical as this statement may appear to some persons,
it is nevertheless true that Switzerland as Switzerland, namely
as a land of sublime and magnificent scenery, the favourite
resort of every admirer of the beauties of nature, was discovered
no earlier than the eighteenth century. And even then its
manifold charms were revealed only by slow degrees, for the
finest of its valleys, the Engadine, remained long after, for
many, many years, a terra incognita.
Attention was first drawn to Swiss scenery through the
publication in the year 1729 of a poem entitled "The Alps",
written by the celebrated physiologist Haller. He was the
earliest pioneer on the paths leading to the grandest scenery
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of which Europe can boast, but it was not long before many
others began to follow where he led. Thirty years later Jean
Jacques Rousseau, in his romance "La nouvelle H&ofee",
celebrated the enjoyment of nature as the purest of delights.
The signal given by Rousseau was at once responded to by
the entire cultured world, eager to escape from the monotony
which then pervaded society, and sentimental souls flocked to
the west of Switzerland to satisfy their yearnings on the lovely
shores of Lake Leman.
But the rest of Switzerland still awaited its path-finder,
The entire district of the High Alps, the domain of ice-crowned
peaks, glaciers, snowfields, and sequestered valleys was still
enveloped in an impenetrable mist; of all this territory and
its inhabitants little was known beyond more or less vague
and uncertain traditions: on its horizon neither Murray nor
Baedeker had begun to dawn.
But in the fulness of time two new explorers arose,
Saussure and J. G. Ebel. In his "Voyages dans les Alpes"
Saussure, a celebrated Genevese savant, lifted the veil from
the district of the High Alps ; while the numerous explorations
and discoveries of the German physician and natural philosopher
Ebel withdrew it from the more secluded parts of Switzer-
land. Thousands upon thousands now came from all quarters
of the globe to admire the wonderful and magnificent features
which Nature here exhibits to mankind. Then too it was that
the German poet Schiller poured forth his impassioned song
of freedom, his drama of "Wilhelm Tell", and aroused in the
hearts of all his readers an enthusiasm for the home of the
hero whose deeds he sung.
The era of secular pilgrimages was now inaugurated.
Switzerland had become the Mecca of every lover of nature,
and all were impatient to see its verdant pastures, its glassy
lakes, its sky-piercing peaks. In the course of time the fame
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of the beauties of the little land penetrated into the remotest
climes, and poets and painters were the zealous apostles of
this evangel.
All were now eager to contemplate these sublime land-
scapes, and to renew the vigour of their minds at this fount
of high enjoyments; and soon too it was discovered that the
Alpine air was potent to cleanse, a9 with a stream of crystal
water, lungs clogged with the dust and the noisome exhalations
of crowded cities.
An occasional visit to Switzerland was now no longer a
mere matter of fashion; to many it had become a necessity,
and the shrewd and industrious inhabitants of the country no
sooner perceived this than they applied themselves with energy
to secure the promised harvest. Hundreds of hotels of more
or less pretension sprang up like mushrooms at all points, old
roads were improved and new ones constructed, railways were
laid through the valleys, and steamboats were launched on
the lakes. Everything was done to make things easy for the
traveller, and every stumbling-block was removed out of his
way. Now also the numerous medicinal springs began, to
receive attention.
And our Engadine?
Back yonder, where Piz Bernina lifts his snowy crest to
a height of more than 13,000 feet, lording it proudly over
the surrounding peaks, where the River Inn flows swiftly
through a triad of crystal lakes, where the glittering ice-fields
of Morteratsch and Roseg hang high above the green valleys, —
there the tranquillity of centuries was still unbroken. As yet
there was no highway leading into the Engadine, and not an
invalid crossed the mountain-barrier to quaff health-giving
draughts at the most powerful medicinal springs of Europe.
That was forty years ago. .
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Great and noteworthy was the change that all at once
took place. The people of the Engadine suddenly began to
bestir themselves, and henceforth they knew no more rest; at
the present day they are little disposed to subside into inac-
tivity. By dint of digging and delving, excavating, blasting, filling
in, levelling, and embanking, they have with their own hands
constructed secure and magnificent highways, perfect master-
pieces of the engineer's art.
And why?
The outer world had suddenly recognised the beauties of
the Engadine ; invalids restored to health had made known the
sanative powers of its mineral springs. The epicures of scenery
had saved the Engadine to the last as the choicest morsel,
and now came to enjoy it; and they were accompanied by
many whose health needed recuperating. Thus it is that the
Engadine has become the chosen resort of invalids who seek
in the waters of St. Moritz relief from their ailments, while
its peaks and upland valleys are the El Dorado of mountaineers
and admirers of picturesque scenery. The Engadine has now
indeed become an important factor in the life of many members
of the wealthy classes of England and America, and we feel
assured that it is destined to remain so, for at least the Baths
of St. Moritz, its principal resort, do not owe their popularity
to a mere passing freak of fashion.
The question why the chalybeate springs on the Rosatsch
attract such crowds of sufferers is therefore easily answered :
The results attained are strikingly favourable, and are manifest
to the world.
It is more difficult to account off-hand for the constant
increase in the number of tourists and sightseers; for the
Bernese Oberland with its stupendous mountains and beetling
precipices, its romantic valleys and picturesque waterfalls, or
the landscapes of the Lake of Lucerne, the pleasant shores
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of whose northern inlets are clothed with an almost Italian
vegetation, are decidedly more beautiful (as beauty is commonly
understood), are more interesting and attractive in their diversity,
and above all are more idyllic and poetical than the Engadine,
which is more or less deficient in these qualities, and is even
not free from a certain monotony in its rhythm, — if we may
compare a district of Switzerland to a poetical composition.
But if, after the charm of novelty is past and curiosity
has long been satisfied, the Engadine still continues to exercise
its allurements and to attract men and women from the most
distant lands, if the throng of its old admirers is annually
reinforced by new comers, and if there are many persons who
have for years past been regular summer visitors to this valley,
then it must obviously be possessed of charms which, though
differing in character from those of the Bernese Oberland and
the much-frequented Lake of Lucerne, are at least quite as
powerfully attractive.
The beauty of the Engadine does not lie on the surface,
and is not of the dazzling kind; it lies deeper, — it must impress
itself on the feelings, and then it becomes a matter of sympathy.
And it is with a landscape as with the object of our affections, —
sympathy of disposition is more than beauty, and unquestionably
more enduring. The beauty of the Engadine consists above
all in its primeval and undesecrated appearance, in its internal
and external tranquillity, and in the harmony of all the features
of the landscape.
One who has moved all his life in refined society, who
has associated with his equals in station year after year in the
drawing-room or the club according to the strict rules of
etiquette, and who has been compelled to conform in everything
to the prescribed formalities of fashion and the beau monde,—
such a one would be surprised and agreeably impressed were
he by chance to come in contact with unsophisticated children
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of nature, and, ascending as it were to the sources, become
acquainted with the first rude beginnings of his dainty culture;
a like effect is produced by a tour through the Engadine and
a sojourn in its highland villages upon the inhabitants of cities
and plains,— novel to them, at first, and strange, it is soon
found to be refreshing, exhilarating, and animating.
Starting from Coire in the diligence near midnight, the
traveller is carried past Churwalden, the Lenzer Haide, and
Tiefenkasten, higher and higher, into an ever wilder and more
desolate region, where vegetation dwindles until its only re-
presentatives are the modest but charming blossoms of the
Alps. At length we reach the heights of the Julier Pass
(7503 feet) with its two enigmatical columns— dedicated per-
chance of old to the sun-god Jul, a divinity fitly worshipped
in this sublime temple of nature. And now, the road de-
scending rapidly to Silvaplana, there emerge one after an-
other from behind the larch forests the silvery summits of
the mountains of the Engadine : Chapiitschin, Piz Roseg, Cor-
vatscb, Tremoggia, Piz Tscbierva, Morteratsch, and the peer-
less Bernina, arrayed in spotless garments of snow and ice,
and fringed at the base by a broad band of verdure.
Suddenly, gleaming like an emerald, a lake lies before
us, and another, and another. A pleasant valley opens. The
rapid Inn sparkles and glitters as it makes its way from one
village to another. Substantially-built houses, churches, and
hotels rise all around us, and above the entire scene spreads
a deep-blue sky, so clear and fresh that it can be likened
to no other but that of Southern Italy. The delightful air,
redolent of newly-mown grass and of pine- woods — cool and
refreshing though mild— breathes gently upon us; we draw a
deep and joyous breath, — our mind is cognisant of a new
delight !
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There is nothing to confuse us here; the promised en-
joyments are simple enough, no intricate maze of scenery
needs to be studied; but we recognise at once that the days
a pent here will be full of variety.
As a valley landscape the Engadine is complete in itself.
The designation includes the main valley stretching from
north-west to south-east, together with numerous lateral
branches diverging from the main valley for the most part
at right angles, the whole lofty region extending in a wide
curve some sixty miles in length through the south-eastern
corner of Switzerland, and connecting Upper Italy with the
Tyrol and Southern Germany. The vast glacier-covered
moutain-ranges bounding the Engadine on the nortji and
south, and constituting independent groups, separate it on the
one side from the middle and north of Canton Orisons, with
which it is politically united — the extensive valleys of the Prat-
tigau, Davos, Bergun, and Oberhalbstein— and on the other
side from the southern districts of Valtellina, Poschiavo,
Bormio, the MQnsterthal, and Yintschgau.
The Engadine is traversed in its entire length by the
River Inn, which rises to the north of the Maloja Pass, at
the foot of the Longhino; its source being at a height of
about 6000 feet, the river has thus fallen nearly 2500 feet
by the time it reaches Martinsbruck.
These altitudes indicate that the Engadine is more
loftily situated than any other inhabited district of Europe,
with the exception perhaps of the valley of Avers, where
the village of Cresta is built at a height of more than 6000
feet above the level of the sea, and the Engadine is certainly
the only valley of anything like this altitude in which men
are found not leading an almost solitary life, seeking a
precarious subsistence as herdsmen and hunters, and occupying
mean and wretched huts, but assembled in well-regulated
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communities, each numbering some hundreds of individuals, in
comfortable, well-built, and indeed often wealthy and pretentious
villages.
In regard to their manners and customs, mode of life,
and language the people of the Engadine present several
highly interesting features. They claim Roman descent, and the
peculiarities of the race are more strongly marked here than in
any other district of the Grisons. The general appearance of the
inhabitants for the most part plainly indicates their Italian
origin: dark hair, black, sparkling eyes, features usually in-
teresting and often revealing a masculine type of beauty, a
slender and yet powerful frame. They are chiefly engaged
in pastoral and agricultural pursuits and in the rearing of
cattle. Industries peculiar to the valley there are none; if
the inhabitants are prosperous, their prosperity is due in part
to the fine quality of the pasturage, but more especially to
the profitable employment sought out for themselves by
natives of the Engadine in foreign countries. For they are
accustomed to emigrate to all parts of the world, and if in
St. Petersburg or Paris, in Hamburg, Rome, or Naples a
confectioner's shop or a caf6 is found in a particularly flour-
ishing condition and distinguished by its cleanliness from its
surroundings, it will be safe to assume that the proprietor is
from the Engadine. These voluntarily expatriated children of
the mountains also engage in trade, and by steady industry
combined with self-denial and thrifty habits — the latter perhaps
being occasionally pushed somewhat too far - they realise com-
petences. But whatever amount of wealth they may acquire,
they still cherish the memory of their native valley, and
return sooner or later from the busy town which has been
the scene of their successful labours to the quiet village of
their nativity ; here they build for themselves an elegant house
or pleasant villa, pass the evening of their days in ease and
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comfort, and leave to their children an honoured name and
an assured livelihood.
This cosmopolitan character of the native of the Engadine
accounts for his sociable and hospitable ways, his knowledge
of the world, his freedom from restraint in intercourse with
foreigners at home, his far-reaching experience, and his
acquaintance with foreign languages. Almost all the male
population speak three or more idioms with ease, and their
German, being acquired in the schools, is the best heard any-
where in Switzerland.
But when they converse among themselves in their mother
tongue, the natives of this valley are quite unintelligible even
to visitors well versed in the principal languages of the con-
tinent. For this mountainous canton has a dialect of its own,
known to philologists as Romansch or Rhseto- Romanic— from
Rhsetia, the ancient name of the province, which is still fre-
quently spoken of by its inhabitants as "La Rezia" or "Aulta-
Rezia".
" Rbseto- Romanic," says Lorenz Diefenbach, " claims atten-
tion as a sister tongue of Portuguese, Spanish, Provencal,
Old French, Italian, and Roumanian. In all its tones we hear
the rough, unadorned, and uncultured daughter of a beautiful
mother, though indeed to the ear of the northerner, accustomed
to much harsher sounds, it may seem comparatively soft.
The stupendous character of the natural scenery is as it were
reflected in the full-toned diphthongs as well as in the forcible
and even hard pronunciation."
This language is still spoken by about 40,000 inhabi-
tants of the Grisons, and in two main dialects,— Romansch and
Ladin. Such a survival is really remarkable, for since the
commencement of the modern era of free intercourse the exis-
tence of this ancient tongue has been threatened, and its
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original purity greatly impaired, by two other languages,
namely Italian and the German patois spoken in Switzerland.
It is beyond doubt that this interesting language, Rheeto-
Romanic, is not an original or independent tongue, but merely
a subordinate member of the Romanic family of languages.
It appears to have been derived from a Latin dialect, probably
transplanted to these mountain solitudes by invasions of Roman
troops or by fugitives from Roman settlements. It is evident
that it retained its vitality, but it grew, like the Alpine vege-
tation, not so much in height as in breadth, while the other
dialects of the Latin underwent a constant process of deve-
lopment.
Nevertheless it possesses a tolerably extensive literature,
and of late years especially a number of worthy men have
exerted themselves in its behalf.
Among constant cherishers of their native tongue we
may mention the Planta family of Samaden, owners of large
estates both in the Upper and Lower Engadine, and the
families of Juvalta, Von Flugi-Aspermont, Von Sprecher, Ra-
scher, Von Travers, a Porta, etc.
A devoted labourer in the cause of preserving and cul-
tivating the Romansch dialect was Zaccaria Pallioppi of Celerina,
who contributed to its literature a number of fine poems. A
fellow- worker of his, Gian Fredric Caderas of Samaden, is
editor of the only newspaper printed in this language, the
"Fogl d'Engiadina," and has also published several volumes
of poetry, the last of which, entitled " Fluors Alpinas," (Alp-
ine Flowers) contains, besides original pieces, numerous well-
executed translations from the German, in which the form
and metre of the original are carefully preserved. As a
specimen of these we reproduce Caderas's translation of the
"Lindenbaum," a song by Wilhelm Miiller which is well known
through having been set to music by Schubert.
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II Tiglio.
C'Am Brunnen vor dent Thore, etc.")
Al biig-1 davaunt la porta
«
As chatt'fin tiglio bel,
Sper el gugent tachantaiva,
Car not regnaiv' in tschel.
Taglio aint in sa scorza
Ho pu d'fin nom zuond oher.
In led ed in leidezza
Btuvet tar el tachanter.
Alio daroho as drizza
Mieu pass cur tnot ais-s-chfir.
E 1'ogl gugent e'eleva
Vers l'eter cler e pur.
Sa ramma dutech saschurra
Am pera quasi dir:
"Ve, co, sper me reposa,
Tieu led giaro svanir!"
II vent in vist 'am boffa
Crudo ais mieu chape';
Nu'm mouv da mia piazza
£ bain nun se perche!
Dalontsch, dalontsch sun uossa
Dal cher prfivo loet;
£ vusch eau od chi clama:
"Lo pesch tieu cour chattet!"
One of the "finest specimens of modern Rhsetian litera-
ture, attractive and agreeable in its language, and thoroughly
successful as a translation," is the version of the New Testa-
ment from the pen of Janet Menni, the venerable pastor of
Samaden (II Nuov Testamaint tradut nel Dialect Rom aunt sob
d'Engiadina). As a specimen we have selected a passage
from the Gospel of St. Luke, chap. II., v. 8 — 12: "And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
field."
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"Ed in quella contredgia eiran pastuors bud la champagna
ils quels faivan guardia da not intuorn lur scossa. E mera,
un aungel del Segner als comparit, e la gloria del Segner
splendurit intuorn els; ed els tmettan fich. E l'aungel als
dschet : Nun tme ! perche mera, eau's annunziesch una granda
algrezcha, chi vain ad arriver a tuot il povel. Perche hoz
ais naschieu a vus il Salveder, il quel ais Cristo, il Segner,
in la citted da David. E quaist as saja il signel: Vus chat-
teros iin infaunt fascho, miss in tin preseppen."
The Bible is not a forbidden book to the inhabitants of
the Engadine; with the exception of the communes of Tarasp
and Samnaun they belong to the Reformed Church. The
epoch of the Reformation, moreover, marked a vast improve-
ment in the condition of the people. The change was effected
here in a singularly reasonable and patriarchal manner.
"It was in November of the year 1549," narrates Ernest
Lechner, pastor of Stampa, "that an Italian who had crossed
the Bernina Pass came to spend the night at a tavern then
standing near the church of Pontresina. In the course of con-
versation the landlord, who was "ammann" or head man of
the village, informed his guest that the parish was for the
moment without a priest, and that he was expecting a
meeting of the villagers in the tavern parlour that evening
for the purpose of electing a fit person to the office. The
visitor intimated that he was the reformer of the neighbouring
valley of Poschiavo, Pietro Paolo Vergerio, formerly bishop of
Capo d'Istria near Trieste. He expressed his willingness to
address the assembly that evening, and the worthy landlord
at once proceeded to ascertain the wishes of the villagers on
this subject. At first many of them seemed unwilling to grant
the Italian a hearing, but being curious to learn what manner
of doctrines he taught they gave their consent. Vergerio
delivered a fiery discourse in the tavern against the adoration
86655
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of images, and his eloquence, though it disquieted many, was
seconded to such good purpose by his commanding figure and
venerable aspect, that he gained the applause of the majority
of his audience, and was earnestly requested by them to
preach in public before his departure. On the following day,
therefore, which chanced to be a Sunday, he spoke from the
pulpit on the subject of justification by faith. In front of the
church the "ammann" inquired how the people liked the Italian.
"So well," replied an aged man, a that he shall preach to us
again to-morrow." The second sermon treated of the power
of Christ's death. All the hearers were edified, and resolved
forthwith to abolish the mass and to send for an evangelical
preacher."
This Vergerio had fled to the Rhsetian mountains to es-
cape from the Roman inquisition; his brother, bishop of Pola,
is said to have been poisoned. Vergerio established a printing-
office in Poschiavo, became pastor of Vicosoprano, and won
over in his simple manner eight parishes of the Grisons to
the cause of the Reformation.
As in their acceptance of the new doctrines, so also in
their political affairs the people usually exhibited calmness and
moderation, never drawing the sword to maintain their rights
as long as other means were open. But if their freedom
or their honour was threatened, they knew how to assert
themselves.
"The inhabitants of the Grisons are a people who from
of old were famous for courage and manliness, and this reputa-
tion they have preserved down to the present day, in which
they have shown a like intrepidity and heroism," says a writer
of the sixteenth century, and in the old chronicles we find
many a record of the impetuous bravery of this people, of
their strength and firmness of purpose, and their love of
independence combined with statesmanlike sagacity, they are
The Batbs of St. Moritz.
2
18 —
credited with constant exertions in the cultivation of the mind,
with virtue, hospitality, faith, piety, and reverence for all that
men of worth hold sacred. Dwelling in their different val-
leys, these men felt themselves to be a single people, and
in resistance to foreign usurpation and tyranny they ever
united in a brotherhood dissoluble by death alone. Rhsetia,
no less than the Forest Cantons, has had her William Tell:
Adam of Camogask was his name; and the heroic Benedict
Fontana, who fell on the Malser Haide, was her Winkelried.
"It has justly been remarked," says Lechner, "that if
an oppressed people would free itself, it should study the
history of the Grisons. This history discloses a truly re-
markable spectacle, a series of violent complications, bitter
party dissensions, and treaties concluded for base and selfish
ends; but great and noble deeds are also recorded."
As regards the point of honour the people of the Enga-
dine were extremely sensitive. In the year 1543 Sebastian
Munster, professor of Hebrew at the university of Basle, issued
from the press of Henry Petri the "Universal Cosmography,"
a very rare work of 1400 folio pages embellished with wood-
cuts, maps, and diagrams. A copy of this book found its
way into the Engadine, and the inhabitants were naturally
curious to know what the author had to say about their home.
To their chagrin they read that it "has many robbers"—
habet multos latrones. This distasteful discovery was passed
from mouth to mouth; both in the Upper and Lower Enga-
dine the excitement it caused was intense, and if Basle had
been a neighbouring canton war would certainly have been
declared. Meeting after meeting was held, and the first result
attained was that in all the copies on hand the calumnious
passage was erased. But this did not satisfy the people of
the Engadine. They sent a deputation to the senate of Basle
v
•v
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with a demand that the author and the printer both be
prosecuted for defamation.
The author had now been dead two years; the printer
was still in the flesh, and was called upon to defend himself.
He pleaded that he was not accustomed to read the works he
published, that he left everything to his type-setters, and
that among them was a native of the Engadine, a certain
Stuppan, who had every interest to expunge the obnoxious
passage. While characterizing MUnster's description of the
Engadine as slanderous, the senate acquitted the printer. But
the deputation was not yet satisfied. It demanded and obtained
a certificate from the senate stating that since the accusation
against the Engadine was false and baseless, the inhabitants
were not thereby insulted. Only now did the agitation cease.
The struggle for existence in this valley, where stones
are more plentiful than bread, was of necessity a continuous
and a severe one, and no doubt to the earliest settlers, accus-
tomed to the warm and vivifying climate of Italy, the fight
must have at first seemed hopeless. Their descendants, however,
quickly learned to love the stony soil which had given them
birth; but Nature, who in southern climes is so lavish in her
gifts, was never a bountiful mother to the dwellers on these
heights.
Oranges and lemons the traveller will scarcely expect to
pluck here ; but even the deciduous forest trees, which flourish
so luxuriantly at a lower elevation, the beeches, oaks, elms,
and maples, and the walnut and chestnut- trees such as fringe
the Lake of Lucerne, are here quite absent. The walnut-tree
is last seen far lower down, at Ried and Pfunds in the Tyrol,
at a height of 3000 feet ; cherry, pear, and apple-trees venture
into the Lower Engadine, as far as Schuls (4700 feet); and
even in Sils Maria, the highest village in the Upper Engadine,
there stands a solitary cherry-tree, which ripens its fruit in
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very warm years. In the gardens and on the window-sills
of the houses in Samaden, Pontresina, Celerina, St. Moritz,
and Sils, beautiful flowers may be seen, and spinach, cress
carrots, lettuce, &c, are also grown. Near Schuls and Ardetz
flourishing fields of rye are still met with, but this cereal
reaches its limit at Celerina. Summer barley, whose limit at
Davos and Bergiin is several hundred feet lower down, ascends
in the Engadine, thanks to the favourable climate, as high as
Samaden and Campfer.
Coniferous trees are predominant in the forests of the
Engadine, and next in importance come bushes of barberry
and wild rose. With the exception of here and there a few
stunted specimens of alders and birches, only coniferous trees
are to be found. But for these no slope is too steep, no ridge
too high; they thrive to perfection, and at 6500 feet the red
fir, at 7000 feet larches and pines (Finns Cenibra) find the
climate of the Engadine so well suited to them that they
reach a greater girth and altitude than elsewhere. Among the
larch-trees many specimens of really gigantic size may be
found.
The Pinus Cembra is the representative tree of the Engadine,
though unfortunately no longer to the same extent as formerly.
Before cultivation encroached upon its domain, this noble tree
spread over the entire canton, and formed the chief and
ubiquitous ornament of the highland regions ; dense forests were
composed of it alone. At the present day it has been wofully
thinned out, and it is now mostly found interspersed among
other coniferous trees. Between Sils and Pontresina, however,
it still constitutes the main portion of the forests.
The flora, which is remarkable for the rarity of many of
the Bpecies and for vividness of colouring, attracts the attention
of every visitor to St. Moritz.
\
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- 21
The fauna is also interesting, but limited space forbids
us to enter into details; we can only refer the reader to
Tschudi's magnificent work. Chief among the quadrupeds are
the bear and the chamois, among birds the lammergeyer and
the eagle ; but the summer visitor is not likely to be favoured
with a sight of any of these interesting creatures, whose numbers
are carefully kept within due bounds by the skilful hunters of
the Engadine.
Insects are represented here by numerous species, whose
remarkable points are conditioned by thft structural peculiarities
of the flowers which afford them sustenance during their brief
existence.
Among domestic animals the sheep plays an important
rdle, and accompanying the flocks we meet the romantic figure
of the Bergamask shepherd.
" It is a very ancient custom to drive the flocks of sheep
up from the valleys of Brescia and Bergamo (where they pass
the winter) to graze during the summer months on such
pastures of the Orisons mountains as do not support their own
herds of cattle. The respective communes derive a considerable
revenue from this source, but it is by no means in proportion
to the incalculable havoc which has been wrought during
centuries past by these animals both upon the young trees
and the pastures themselves; plants are torn up by the roots
and the loose soil falls or is kicked down the steep slopes.
"Early in June numerous flocks of great, long-eared, half-
starved animals make their appearance here; towards the end
of August they are driven home again in fine condition, and
then the long, coarse wool which they yield is disposed of to
the large factories of Bergamo. Such migrations are interesting
enough; the shepherds are accompanied by a certain number
of cows and goats, and by asses laden with dairy utensils
(and in autumn with dairy produce); large watch-dogs bring
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up the rear. The shepherds themselves, especially those hailing
from the valleys of Seriana and Brcmbana in the province
of Bergamo, are indeed remarkable objects, haughty in their
bearing, with placid, furrowed, sun-burnt faces, unkempt beards,
and long ringlets of black hair. Their head-dress is the peaked
brown Calabrian hat, and over their shoulders a coarsely-made
mantle of brown or white woollen stuff is thrown. They are
a rough but honest race, reserved and taciturn in their demeanour,
but for the most part handsome. They live on the mountains
in the plainest and most frugal manner; a little polenta and
cheese forms as a rule their only food, and the younger
shepherds pass the night in the open air by the side of their
flocks, often sheltered by some isolated rock. At times these
shepherds pay a visit to the villages to purchase a supply of
meal and salt
" Should the traveller chance to enter one of their chalets,
he will find its rafters covered with the skins and dried flesh
of sheep which have met with an untimely end by falling
from some precipice, and he may well be dismayed by the
smoke and dirt with which the hut reeks; nor is the odour
emitted by the skins a remarkably agreeable one. The single
apartment serves at once as kitchen, sleeping-room, and store-
house; it is usually occupied by the oldest of the herdsmen,
often men of advanced age."
As regards the dwellings in the villages of the valley,
although they lack the snugness of the Bernese cottages, in
which timber is so lavishly employed, they are on the whole
well-built and neat, and are at any rate practical. Of course
the dweller in the Engadine cannot build in the same style
as the Italian, to whom a house is a matter of secondary
importance ; the climate of the valley is rigorous, and a house
is absolutely necessary as a protection against the cold. Timber
being scarce, stone is the material employed. The inhabitants
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23 —
are prosperous, and are therefore inclined to a certain degree
of luxury. The style of architecture they favour is confined
exclusively to this valley.
The doorway is wide and high, and must allow free
passage to a well-loaded waggon. On entering we find ourselves
in a spacious court with passages leading to the parlour and
the kitchen ; in the background are the stables, built on to the
house. The rooms are low, in order that they may be more
readily warmed, and are wainscotted as a further protection
against the cold, which easily penetrates stone walls. The
furniture and house utensils are of good quality, and the whole
is kept scrupulously clean. For wainscotting the wood of Finns
Cernbra was formerly exclusively used. This wood, being
extremely resinous and of a Btrong but agreeable odour, harbours
no insects ; in time the resin comes to the surface and covers
it with a kind of varnish, but will not bear paint of any kind.
The windows of the Engadine houses are remarkable;
they are small and narrow, widening towards the exterior to
admit as much light as possible. In houses of recent con-
struction this old plan has been abandoned, no doubt at the
expense of the temperature of the rooms, which in the older
houses is often brought to an unbearable degree by means
of the huge porcelain stoves and the various contrivances for
retaining the heat.
The exterior of these dwellings presents, as already in-
timated, a certain air of comfort, security, and hospitality,
and they are always kept neat and trim in appearance, while
the wood and ironwork are made as ornamental as possible,
the latter being frequently gilded. The gardens surrounding
the houses, and the flowers in front of the windows, conduce
in no small degree to the attractive appearance of these
dwellings. It is indeed marvellous to see how spendidly such
plants as violets, wallflowers, tulips, verbenas, ranunculuses,
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- 24 -
pelargoniums, fuchsias, anemones, phloxes, convolvuluses, flags,
blue-bells, and poppies thrive at this great elevation.
No one that wanders through the Ehgadine can fail to
be favourably impressed with what he sees ; and this impression
is confirmed and strengthened on our becoming more closely
acquainted with the valley and its inhabitants as seen in a
smaller circle. We shall now describe such a circle, and
henceforth concentrate our attention upon that part in which
the health-resort of St Moritz is situated, namely the Upper
Engadine.
— «gE£» —
Digitized by Google
THE UPPER ENGADINE.
"Light is the breath we draw in this pure air,
Then haste, O wanderer, the boon to share;
Flower and fountain, peak and field
New stores of health and vigour yield I"
HE etymology of the name "Engadine" is most probably
connected with the geographical position of the Upper
Engadine. It is generally thought to be derived from "en
co d'Oen," equivalent to "in capite Oeni," — "at the head or
source of the Inn," and the Upper Engadine lies, as is well
known, near the sources of that river.
Other explanations have been put forth. For instance,
in a document of the tenth century the valley is designated
"Vallis Eniatina," in the Celtic form " Endjatbina " (from enjath,
water-land) and if this derivation be accepted, the name Enga-
dine would accordingly signify a district along a river.
But in the oldest Rhseto-Romanic writings the name,
according to Rausch, is spelled Oengadina, where not the
last syllable, as in the first etymology, but the first syllable
En j In j Oen (Oenus, Inn) would refer to the river, while
gadina or giadina must be taken as the diminutive of the
Teutonic tribe of Gad, supposed to have entered the Engadine
at the time of the Migration of Peoples ; but the primary
meaning of gad was "an elongated, narrow space/' a lane
(German gasse) and this would seem applicable enough to
our valley.
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26 —
Modern etymologists have dispossessed the ancient divinities
of many a hill and dale, and destroyed the romance attached
to them by tradition. Let us then stick to the first explana-
tion, if we must have one (for perhaps all are erroneous)
and also rest satisfied with the derivation of the name of the
capital of the Engadine, Samaden, from Sumrnum Oeni, in
Romansch Sommo d'Oen.
But as for the suggested interpretation of the name
Engadine as Acqua Deng, from the farmhouse of Deng or
Degn in the vicinity of the inn on the Maloja Pass, we can
safely decline to accept it.
For us therefore the beautiful Engadine remains the
beautiful "valley of the Inn."
The valley is divided, as already mentioned, into two
unequal parts, namely the Upper Engadine, about 24 miles,
and the Lower Engadine, some 33 miles in length. This
division is political (the Upper Engadine with its 1 1 communes
is included in the district of Maloja, while the 12 communes
of the Lower Engadine constitute an independent district), but
it coincides with the natural topographical divisions.
The character of the scenery in the upper and lower
sections of the valley is quite distinct, the Upper Engadine
showing to the greater advantage in this respect. Here the moun-
tain-ranges bounding the valley are from one and a half to
three miles apart ; ample room being thus afforded for human
habitations and settlements, a high state of cultivation has
been reached. Between the mountains, on either bank of the
river, lies an expanse of fertile meadow land, fringed at the
base of the mountains with a narrow zone of forest, in the
rear of which the spacious Alpine pastures extend up to the
precipitous rocky escarpment forming the summit of the ridge,
which is everywhere of nearly uniform height. From above
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— 27 -
this ridge a long array of snowy peaks look down upon the
smiling valley.
The Upper Engadine extends as far as Punt-auta or
Pontalta, leading below Scanfs to the deep gorge between
Cinuschel and Brail, where in the ancient epoch of chronic
warfare a kind of Chinese wall five hundred paces in length was
carried transversely across the valley and completed the separation
between the Upper and Lower Engadine. The Lower Enga-
dine extends from this point to the Pomartin (Punt-Martin),
in German Martimbruck. Here the mountain-ridges approach
closer together; the valley widens and contracts alternately,
the Inn traversing it most of the distance in a ravine so deep
and narrow that the river is hidden from sight. But little
space is left for human dwellings, so that the villages are
perforce perched on the lofty terraces of the mountain-sides ;
the terraces of the northern chain being more spacious,
convenient, and sunny, they are therefore more populous.
These villages, the chief of which are Zernetz and Schuls—
Zuort and Scharl are mere assemblages of huts— lack the trim
and comfortable appearance which characterizes the villages
of the Upper Engadine.
Just as the entire Engadine is divided into two main
portions, so also the Upper Engadine is again separated
into two plainly -marked halves by a rocky ledge run-
ning straight across the valley. On Jhis ledge stands St.
Moritz, the most important place, though not the political
capital; the latter distinction is claimed by Samaden.
Below this ledge or shelf, in the north-eastern half of
the valley, lie the villages of Bevers, Campovasto or Camo-
gask, Ponte, where the high-road descends from the Albula
Pass, Madulein, with the ruins of the famous castle of Guarda-
vall, Zuz, and Scanfs.
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In the upper half, above Samaden, we find Celerina,
St. Moritz, Campfer, Silvaplana, and the two Sils ; from the
latter the Bummit of the Maloja or Maloggia Pass is soon
reached.
This Pass is the most elevated point in the valley of
the Inn, being about 5600 feet above the sea-level. It di-
vides the valley of Bergell, known in Roman times as Pr©-
gallia, from the upper valley of the Inn. We are here standing
on the water-parting of two seas, the Black Sea and the
Adriatic ; or we may even say of three, for from the Septimer
a torrent descends to the Rhine and ultimately finds its way
to the North Sea.
But let us descend again to our valley. Leopold von
Buch has given an excellent description of the Upper Enga-
dine, which he entered by crossing the Bernina Pass.
"On reaching the valley it seems almost as though we
had not yet left the Bernina behind, and it would scarcely
surprise us to find ourselves again among chalets and Alpine
huts. But to see such a valley — which in any other situation
would itself be a lofty mountain, and the ascent to which has
occupied several days— swarming with inhabitants and occupied
in its entire extent by large and well-built villages, cannot
fail to excite the astonishment of the traveller. The limit
at which trees will grow is but a little above the bottom of
the valley, the meadows are gay with Alpine flowers, and
snowy summits rise on either side in immediate proximity to
the rich pastures. But the inhabitants do not occupy Alpine
huts ; often their dwellings might rather be taken for palaces,
so spacious, imposing, and elegant are they. Balconies with
finely-wrought iron railings, broad flights of steps, symmetrically-
divided windows breaking the monotony of the white surface
of the walls, — neither these nor the numerous carriages rolling
along the excellently-kept highway, point to Alpine herdsmen
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as the inhabitants of the valley. Sach a spectacle is scarcely
to be found elsewhere in Europe, and in view of this activity
and cultivation we would gladly regard as an illusion the
abrupt cessation of all life on the mountain-ridges hard by.
But it is no illusion."
Every valley presupposes mountains, and we will here
insert a few brief notes regarding those of the Upper
Engadine.
They belong to the main southern chain of the Swiss
Alps, of which they constitute, under the name of the Grisons
Alps, one of the principal divisions. They may in turn be
subdivided into a western range, extending from the Lukmanier
to the Splugen, with the Rheinwaldhorn as culminating-point;
a middle chain, dominated by the Piz d'Err; a northern range,
comprising the Albula Alps, the Selvretta Alps, the group of
the Jamthaler Ferner, the highest peak of which is Piz Kesch;
and the South Grisons or Engadine Alps, also called, after
their loftiest summit (12,294 feet), the Bernina group.
The Bernina group is a so-called "central mass," that is
to say, both in respect to the period of its formation and
to its geological structure it may be properly treated as an
independent whole.
The "central mass 7 ' of the Bernina may again be divided
into seven members, four of which, namely the Bernina proper,
the Languard mountains, the mountains of Piz Ot and the
south side of the Albula, and the Julier mountains call for
notice in a description of the Upper Engadine.
The Bernina mountains, which embrace the loftiest sum-
mits of the Upper Engadine, are bounded on the north and
east by the Engadine lakes, the Languard- Alp, the upper
Bernina Pass, and the Lake of Poschiavo, on the south and west
by the Val Malenco and the Mureto Pass. The most import-
ant peaks are Piz Bernina, Piz Roseg, Piz Zupo, Piz Palu,
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Tschierva, Morteratsch, Cresta Agiuza, Pers, Albris, Rosatsch,
and Surlei, consisting almost entirely of pi atonic rocks (granite,
syenite, &c.); while the Chaputschin, Sella, Cambrena, Carral,
Verona, Corvatsch, and Margna are composed of crystalline
schists, Treraoggia and Alv of limestone, and the Moro and
others of green slate.
On the lofty plateau of the Bernina Pass, at an altitude
of 7283 feet, lie four little lakes, called respectively the Blaue
See, Lago Nero, Lago Bianco, and Lago della Scala. Among
the streams of this district we may mention the Morteratsch-
Bach, springing from the glacier of the same name, the Flatz-
Bach, which forms a magnificent cascade a short distance from
the glacier from which it flows, and the Languard-Bach, the
falls of which are visible from the Pontresina road.
Between the Flatz-Bach and the Inn, in the vicinity of
the Lake of St. Moritz, the pretty little Lake of Statz is
situated; and here too rise the syenite walls of Piz Rosatsch,
"whose interior forms the secret laboratory for the mineral-
isation of the medicinal springs/'
The bottom of the valley consists principally of crystalline
schists, and in the trough-like hollows of these rocks four
beautiful sheets of water have been formed: the Lakes of
St. Moritz, Campfer, Silvaplana, and Sils.
The Languard mountains are the second "central mass"
of the Upper Engadine, and may be regarded as the north-
eastern prolongation of the Bernina, although their predominant
components are crystalline schists. On the north-west they
are bounded by the valley of Campovasto, opposite the embou-
chure of the Albula Pass, as far as St. Moritz. In the south-
west and south their limits are defined by the limestone
ridges on the Lake of Statz, Val Languard, Pischa, the upper
Val del Fain, and the Pass of La Stretta, leading into the Val
di Livigno, in the south-east by the Val del Fain. On the north
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31
and north-east the Languard group borders on the limestone
mountains beginning at the outlet of Yal Campovasto and
extending to the Spol, near Zernetz.
The geological centre of this group is not Piz Languard
(10,715 feet), but the glacier-covered Piz Vadret (10,403 feet).
Other summits are Piz Prunas (10,347 feet) and Piz Prunella
(9816 feet), enclosing the three valleys of Val Prunas, Val
Prunella, and Plaun de Vachas, which afterwards unite in the
Val Chamuera, and open at right angles into the valley of
the Inn near Campovasto. Above the Val Chamuera are the
smaller valleys of Champagna, Murailg, and Musellas. Between
the two former lie the heights of Muottas (7992 feet), much
frequented by excursiouists.
The Piz Ot and Albula mountains, the third u central
mass" of the Upper Engadine, form the opposite wall of the
valley, between Ponte and St. Moritz. This group is bounded
in the north by the Albula Pass, in the west by the Suvretta
Pass, in the east by the valley of the Inn, and in the south
by the limestone mountains of St. Moritz.
The central point of the range is Piz Ot (10,659 feet),
and not far from it, above Samaden, stands Piz Padella
(9458 feet).
Here opens the Val Celerina, the left side of which is
formed by Piz Padella, the right by Piz Nair (10,039 feet).
A continuation of this valley, known as the Val Saluver,
terminates in a pass leading to the Lago di Suvretta, above
which towers Piz Suvretta (10,085 feet). From this mountain
one can descend into the Bevers-Thal, which extends in a
crescent shape around Piz Ot and opens into the valley of
the Inn at Bevers.
The fourth and last "central mass" is formed by the
granite mountains of the Julier, commencing at Piz Munter-
atsch and extending in a south-westerly direction as far as
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the Septimer Pass. Its boundaries are: on the north-east Piz
Nair and the mountains of St. Moritz, towards the south-east
the valley of the Upper Engadine. On the right side of the
Yal Suvretta stands Piz Munteratsch (11,105 feet) and Piz
Albana (10,170 feet), both sloping off on the south towards
the Julier Pass (7503 feet), while opposite them on the other
side of the pass rise Piz Pulaschin (y898 feet) and Piz Lagref
(9721 feet). Here granite is the only rock; gneiss and mica-
slate reappear lower down, below the road.
With the mountains extending across to the Septimer,
Piz da Graves (10,400 feet), Piz Nalar, and Piz Longhino
(9120 feet), we have arrived at the uppermost point of the
Upper Engadine considered as the valley of the Inn. Here lies
the Lake of Longhino, mentioned above. It is chiefly remarkable
from a geographical point of view: its waters find their way
into three different seas.
In respect to climate, vegetation, and the life led by
its inhabitants, this lofty region may be compared to many
lands in northern latitudes; it has even been called the "Siberia
of the Alps." Various proverbs are current regarding its climate.
One of them says that in the Upper Engadine they have
"nine months of winter and three months of cold weather. "
An Italian rhyme runs: "Engiadina, terra fina, se non fosse
la pruina," "the Engadine were fine, I ween, if the hoar frost
had not been." But why heed the witticisms of the delicate
children of the South, whose own genial climate renders them
impatient of the bracing air of the Alps?
In the summer months the sun burns fiercely enough in
the Engadine, and the grass in the meadows and on the
mountain- slopes is often parched and withered. But still the
heat bears no comparison to that of southern lands. The air
of the Engadine is always pleasant, refreshing, and salubrious.
One's spirits cannot fail to be cheered by the light and exhilarat-
86655
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— 33 —
ing atmosphere, the cloudless azure sky, the lovely flowers
adorning the meadows, the fresh and dewy verdure of the
Alpine pastures. Summer is nowhere more enjoyable than here,
and it is in summer that the Engadine is chiefly visited, in
accordance with the advice tendered in a Romansch proverb:
Chi l'Engiadina voul vair bella,
Vegn' fina vouta 1'ann,
E que intuorn San Gian.
"Let him who would see the Engadine in its beauty come
once a year, and that about St. John's day."
A still better season would be the spring-time of this up-
land valley, the beginning of July. April and May are winter
months here. Precisely in April and May the Engadine is at
its worst; the melting snow is pouring down the slopes in
muddy torrents, and the roads and paths are in anything but
a pleasant condition. But in July the sun commences his work
in earnest: everywhere he calls forth the verdure, regardless
of the snowfields so near at hand; leaf-buds and flower-buds
unfold in rapid succession, until the entire land becomes one
garden. The grass in the meadows soon stands as high as corn,
and when towards the end of July hay-making begins, the
peasants have a merry time of it. The joy is indeed somewhat
brief, for towards the end of August the nights become cold
again, and the hoar frost, the pruina of the Italians, falls. But
this is the time for tourists and mountaineers to visit the
Engadine; the snow has quite disappeared, and the glaciers
have retreated farther back. The air is calm and still, and so
clear that far distant objects appear to have advanced many
miles nearer; the prospect enjoyed from the mountain-summits
is therefore very extensive. The weather is at this time settled
in character, and often remains cool and clear until October.
True it is that the valley is no longer clad in the emerald-
green dress of early summer; the meadows have already
The Batha of St. Morttz. 3
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assumed a ruddy tint; but now the autumnal hues of the
forests delight the eye,— the yellow foliage of the larches
interspersed among the dark pines.
Winter in the Engadine has its amenities too. Far from
standing in dread of it, the inhabitants are enthusiastic in its
praise, and the number of winter visitors is constantly on the
increase. Storms of wind, and snow, and ice are of course
not wanting at this altitude, but a spell of foul weather is
invariably succeeded by a series of clear, dry days when the
sun shines brightly and the sky is of as deep a blue as in
spring-time. There are new effects of light to be admired now :
the glitter of the sunbeams upon the snow-crowned mountains
and acclivities, sunset in this world of icy summits, a moon-
light night, a starry sky— all are so full of charm, so sublime, .
and so novel that enthusiasm for this beautiful and quiet season
is easily understood.
And then what enjoyments has this winter to offer! The
surface of the frozen snow soon forms magnificent roads over
which glide the sledges with their tinkling bells. Only the
inhabitants of the Engadine know what such a "schlitteda"
means :
"H tschel aiB pur. D'fln alv linzol vestida
BelHssm' al sguard appera nossa val;
Ad ir in schlitta l'ora bell' invida
O profitt6, mieus chers, del carneval!"
(Caderas).
And in the gaieties of these "schlittedas," the merry-
makings of the Carnival, the balls and other social amusements
of this light-hearted little people, numerous visitors, attracted
by the perfect purity of the atmosphere, have now begun to
take part.
It is a people sound in mind and body, for the climate
is indeed a healthy one. Cold is seldom prejudicial to health
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when accompanied by a dry atmosphere; it is only rapid
variations in the degree of moisture that are injurious, and
accordingly the unhealthiest time is when the snows are melting.
Chronic and constitutional diseases are rare, and tend
to gradually disappear in families that have immigrated from
other quarters. Among infants the chief mortality takes place
during the winter; it may indeed be said that in the Engadine
the first two years of life are attended with the most peril ;
if they are passed in safety a great age is usually reached, and
with comparative immunity from sickness.
After an experience extending over many years, Dr. A.
Biermann has given a resum6 of the frequency with which
certain diseases occur. Rickets and scrofula are extremely rare ;
caseous infiltration and tuberculosis are also among the least
common maladies. Anaemia and chlorosis occur occassionally
among persons in unfavourable circumstances of life. In winter
infants are liable to attacks of croup, which proves their most
fatal enemy. Epidemic diseases, such as measles, scarlet fever,
small-pox, and hooping-cough also occur here at times, diph-
theria and typhoid fever very seldom; cholera is unknown;
imported malarial fever soon dies out. Owing to the character
of the climate, diseases usually take an acute form, and chronic
maladies are therefore almost absent. Chronic bronchitis and
emphysema are rarely met with. On the other hand inflammatory
diseases with an acute course are endemic here, — especially
as already mentioned, at the time of the melting snows ; among
them we may specify affections of the respiratory organs,
rheumatism, with its sequela?, heart disease, neuralgias, gastric
and intestinal catarrh resulting from exposure and from dietetic
causes, and, somewhat frequently, catarrh of the conjunctiva.
We are naturally interested in the vital statistics of the
place in which we live or to which we resort to be cured of
our maladies. Dr. Biermann gives the following table:
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- 36 -
Table of Mortality in the Upper Engadine (Pop. 3583)
during the years 1871, 1872, and 1873. Total number of deaths 189.
Siis
Silvaplana
La
, O
' 2
1
CO
Celerina
Samaden
Pontresina
o
- °
Cl E
(0
_ «
Zuz
Scanfs
t 1 * » 1 1 1 f J 1
In childbed (mothers or
1*11 \
4
V
2
5
4
1
1
3
<)
«>
2
—
:>
3
0
6
1
-
1
1
1
3
1
1
3
Inflammation of the brain and
I
1
2
5
T T i t •
]
1
2
1
1
Rheumatism and gout,
1
i
1
1
2
2
lnriamrnation ot me re-spira-
■ i i
tory organs and their
processes
5
l
G
3
~~
1
Phthisis
~~
1
1
1
2
1
Acute and chronic diseases
ot the abdominal organs
• >
4
4
s
2
6
4
Diseases of the kidneys.
bla.ider, and generative
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
.)
1
1
1
«.»
Acute exanthemata
1
1
Nervous diseases
1
1
2
1
2
1
Surgical diseases and ae-
1
22
2
_
1
21
21 "
23
23
N.B. The deaths which occurred during these three years among
visitors are not included. As regards deaths from phthisis it is not in
each case recorded whether and for how long the victim had resided in
other districts.
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Having already given a brief sketch of the climate of the
Upper Engadine about as it would impress a tourist, who
usually distinguishes only between "fine" and "wet" weather,
it remains to give a somewhat more scientifically exact des-
cription of the climate. Dr. C. Briigger devoted considerable
time to the matter, and published the result of his researches
in a climatological work containing among other things several
tables of averages; Dr. August Husemann gives us these
observations together with his own and those of Major P.
Oandrian (stationed during the summer months in the Kurhaus
at St. Moritz).
In the first place the vegetation of the Upper Engadine
is compared with that of other mountain districts, to the
advantage of the Engadine; for while in the Harz timber-
trees reach their limit at a height of 3526 feet, in the Riesen-
gebirge at 4691 feet, in the northern limestone mountains of
Switzerland, the Tyrol, and Bavaria at from 5800 to 6400
feet, entire forests of well-developed specimens of pine, larch,
and fir are met with in the Upper Engadine at an elevation
of 7465 feet above the sea-level, and on the north side of
the mountains. Neither in the Caucasus nor in the Pyrenees
do forest trees attain so high a limit. We have already
enumerated some of the useful and ornamental plants found
flourishing in the gardens of the loftiest villages.
A comparison of the limit of perpetual congelation in the
Engadine and in other districts of the Alps is also favourable
to the former. In the Upper Engadine the snow-line is nowhere
below 10,072 feet, while in Bavaria it is 2525 feet lower, in
the rest of Switzerland 1340 feet, and in the Pyrenees 1115
feet lower. The well-known Grindelwald Glacier in the Bernese
Oberland descends to within 3350 feet of the sea-level, whereas
the Bernina Glacier descends even on the north side no lower
than to about 6500 feet.
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In regard to the annual fall of snow, too, the Engadine
shows favourable statistics. It is true that snow lies on the
ground to a depth of from one and a half to four and a half
feet during almost half the year, and long-continued observations
have given for the average duration of the winter snows a
period of 173 days; but were not the conditions in the Enga-
dine exceptionally favourable, the average would be much
higher, for in the Eastern Alps, at a like elevation, snow lies
on the ground 196 days.
The visitor may even chance to meet with a snowstorm
in the middle of the summer season, but this is not to be
wondered at, for in the Bavarian Alps snow often falls in
summer at a height of less than 5250 feet. In the Upper
Engadine, however, this summer snow rarely falls on the bottom
of the valley, but is confined to the forest-covered slopes, and
even then it is almost invariably the precursor of fine clear
weather.
We may therefore safely say that no mountainous region
in Europe is able to boast such favourable climatic conditions
as the Upper Engadine at a like elevation; in this respect
St. Moritz is unique, enjoying as it does as mild a climate
as places situated from one to two thousand feet lower.
Those who are interested, from the point of view either
of the meteorologist or of the physician in the minuter vari-
ations of climate at St. Moritz will do well to study the
following tables.
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Mean Temperatures of the Snmmer Months and of the
Season during the ten years 1856—1865,
according to Prof. C. Brugger.
(In degrees Fahrenheit).
Month
5 a.m.
1 p.m.
9 p.m.
Mean daily
temperature
Daily
fluctuation of
temperature
41. 57
57.27
44.74
49.55
15-69
July
43.55
61.28
49.35
52.46
49.67
August
42.98
60.62
48.70
51.67
49.64
September
38.64
54.23
43.16
45.60
47.48
Season (21 June
to 20 Sept. ...
42.81
59.48
44.07
50.68
49.01
Mean Temperatures of the Summer Months and of the
Season during the seven years 1867—1873.
(Dr. Husemann, from Candrian's daily observations).
(In degrees Fahrenheit).
Month
7 a-m.
1 p.m.
9 p.m.
Mean daily
temperature
Daily
fluctuation of
temperature
45.95
55-61
44.74
48.74
43.89
Julv * ♦ • »•• • • • • • •
50 79
62.43
47.87
54.57
45.39
August
46.92
59.50
48.il
51.51
45.86
September
40.88
54.96
44.00
46.45
47.88
Season (21 June
to 20 Sept. ...
47.31
59.77
48.30
51.80
45.89
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Average of the Weather Conditions for the Snmmer Months
and the Season during the Fourteen Years 1860—1873.
(Dr. Hnsemann, from Candrian's Observations).
Month
Cloudlen
Cloudy
Fog
Rain
Snow
Thunder
on
days
on
days
on
days
on
days
on
days
on
days
17.9
12.1
1.4
7.2
0.93
1.4
21.9
9.1
3.3
7.5
0.07
3.7
August
21.5
9.5
3.3
7.4
0.36
2.2
September
21.4
8.6
5.4
6.1
1.36
0.8
Season (21 June
to 20 Sept.) ...
63.9
28.i
10.8
21.4
1.57
7.6
A comparison of the weather at St. Moritz, as shown in
the last table, with that of other Alpine health-resorts will
show that nowhere else is the number of cloudy days so small
in proportion to the number of clear days. During the three
months embraced in the "season" the average is only 28 cloudy
and 31 rainy days against 64 clear days. For each rainy day
there are thus three days of sunshine. This is a point of great
importance. Compare for instance with this the climatic health-
resort of Pisa, under an Italian sky: here there are on an
average 122 rainy days in each year, or in other words every
third day is a rainy one! A notable difference this!
The full meaning of a clear and sunshiny summer day in
a sheltered Alpine valley at an altitude of 6000 feet above
the sea, where all the life and development of organised
nature is compressed into the short span of a few summer
months with an energy which produces a truly intoxicating
effect upon a sensitive temperament, is known only to those
who have experienced it and freely surrendered themselves to
its enchantments.
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V
■
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3^ 3^ 3fr
THE BATHS OF ST. MOR1TZ.
"Here by thi8 little well sit down and rest,
To thee as unto me it shall be blest,
It is a fountain precious, mild, and pure,
Potent the ills of suffering man to cure."
EDICINAL springs flow in every canton of Switzerland,
but none of them possess such an abundance of effi-
cacious mineral waters as the canton of Orisons, which deserves
all its fame in this respect; scarcely a valley, however small
and sequestered, is without one. It is easy to recall a long
list of celebrated wells, known to the inhabitants since the
earliest times, and now familiar to the ear of every physician ;
for instance St. Bernhardin, the Passug - Quelle in the Val
Rabiosa, the St. Peters-Quelle near Tiefenkasten, the Donatus-
Quelle at Solis, the Baths of Alveneu in the Albula-Thal, Le
Prese in the Valle Poschiavo, the celebrated springs of Tarasp-
Schuls in the Lower Engadine, and Serneus.
But in this respect again the Upper Engadine has been
the most richly dowered, for the queen of all spas, and one
which has enjoyed its reputation during centuries, is St. Moritz
with its chalybeate springs.
This spa deserves the crown, and indeed its name is known
and its claims are recognised throughout the civilised world.
Nor is it too much to say that the Engadine as a whole,
and the Upper Engadine in particular, primarily owes its fame
and reputation not to its lofty mountains, not to its vast glaciers,
not to its swift-flowing river, but exclusively to its chalybeate
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springs— the little springs flowing in silence and secresy at
St. Moritz. But of late years its reputation has increased in a
very important degree (we may as well call special attention
to this fact at the outset) for the reason that not only the
medicinal springs, but the climatic advantages and effects of
the valley are beginning to be valued as they deserve.
The peerless Alpine climate of the Upper Engadine has a
remarkably tonic and invigorating effect upon the system, and
its influence makes itself felt in a like manner with that of
the internal and external use of the chalybeate springs, namely
by promoting the formation of blood and strengthening the
entire system, so that these two factors— the bracing Alpine
climate and the chalybeate springs - mutually supplement and
confirm the effects produced by each. It is owing to the fortu-
nate combination of these two factors that brilliant results
have been attained at St. Moritz even in desperate cases, in
which the most famous chalybeate springs of the lowlands would
have availed little.
Although the excellent effect of the mountain climate of
the Upper Engadine is constantly becoming more widely known,
and several of the more favourably situated villages have already
begun to be used to a considerable extent as winter health-
resorts, it is right to state here in express terms that owing
to the position of the Baths of St. Moritz they would not be
well suited for the reception of winter visitors, and they are
for this reason exclusively devoted to the purposes of a summer
climatic health-resort and watering-place.
We will therefore turn our attention in the first place to
the springs, and to the arrangements which their native guar-
dians have made for the benefit of the visitors who flock hither
from all parts of the world.
All who are acquainted with the Baths must agree in
giving them this testimony : St. Moritz is a high-class watering-
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place, supplied with every modern convenience, and fully able
to meet every requirement of those who visit it.
An impartial and thoroughly competent witness, the well-
known traveller Fritz Wernick, writes thus concerning the
exterior aspect of these " interesting international baths " : " It
is difficult to conceive a more perfect contrast than that afforded
by the hour's walk which brings us from the unpretentious
village of Pontresina to this watering-place. Leading across
foaming glacier-torrents, past wooded heights and miniature
lakes, it is a pleasant and interesting stroll. But from the brow
of the last hilly ridge, on which stands a farm-house, a pleasure-
resort of the two neighbouring villages, we look down into
quite another world. Over the Lake of St. Moritz glide boats
and gondolas manned by Italian gondoliers. Immense palace-
fronts rise from the verdant surface of the ground. The Baths
have long since made themselves independent of the old mother-
colony, the village. Half-a-dozen extensive four-storied hotels,
a Kurhaus, and by its side the spa building and bathing estab-
lishment constitute the place which designates itself the Baths
of St. Moritz (St. Moritz-Bad). But these edifices are no longer
sufficient for the numerous guests. The season here lasts scarcely
more than two months, July and August, and all who come
hither in search of health come at this time. Ladies suffering
from anajmia seem to be specially benefited by the water, but
every shattered or debilitated system, every frame growing weak
and withered from the approach of old age lauds the rejuve-
nating power of the waters of St. Moritz — this true fountain
of youth. Adelaide Ristori, who for years past has made proof
of their effect, is by no means the only regular frequenter of
the baths. Crowned beads and princely families, statesmen and
diplomatists — Frenchmen and Italians for the most part, but
also Americans, Englishmen, and Germans— return year by
year to these health-giving waters. No doubt their mineral
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- 44 —
constituents are extremely powerful, but it is certain that they
would not work such wonders if they issued from the ground
at a lower level."
Nowhere has the hotel question been so well and so
satisfactorily settled as at St. Moritz. The above-mentioned
" half dozen " hotels meet all the varied requirements in respect
to situation and arrangement, and the "Six" are to-day in a
position to quarter and provide for a small army. Their names are :
1. Knrhaas St. Moriti. 4. Ilof St. Moriti.
2. Hotel Victoria. 5. Hornbachcr s Hotel Kngadinerhof.
3. Hotel do Lac. 6. Hotel Bcllevue.
4
The Eurhaus contains 300 beds, H6tel Victoria 250, H6tel
du Lac 250, Hof St. Moritz 50, Hornbacher's Hdtel Engadiner-
hof 50, Hdtel Bellevue 100— a thousand visitors therefore find
here "where to lay their head," and although this number
would make up the " small army " mentioned above, it is very
desirable that early application be made to the managers of
the hotels— if possible in spring -for, owing to their proximity
to the springs, the concourse of visitors in the hotels of
St. MoriU-Bad is very great
The Kurhaus is the oldest building,— at least that portion
of it comprising the two wings which lie in the same line of
frontage as the springs and baths; adjoining this at a right
angle is the beautiful and elegant modern building, with facades
looking east and west, while a middle wing contains the
magnificent dining-hall. All the rooms, both of the old and
new building, are connected by covered passages with the baths
and the Trinkhalle, and as regards other conveniences also the
Kurhaus is in itself an epitome of a small but comfortable
town. The visitor finds a physician in the house, pleasant con-
versation and ladies' saloons, a concert hall, restaurants, 18
private drawing-rooms with balconies, 219 sleeping apartments
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with the above-stated number of beds, a Catholic chapel, French
chapel, post and telegraph office, banker's office, bazaars,
hair-dresser's, a band of Milanese musicians (engaged in com-
mon with the HdteU du Lac and Victoria), stables, coach-
houses for private carriages; bathing cabinets, douches, milk-
cure room; for excursions in the environs carriages, saddle-
horses, guides, and porters can always be had. The movements
of this immense apparatus are directed and controlled in an
admirable manner; it is perfectly noiseless in its operation.
The same may be said of all the hotels in St. Moritz, and
this is an advantage which should not be undervalued; the
benefit to one's nerves is far from insignificant.
The kitchen is excellent, and only very seldom has it
been known to incur the censure of the most fastidious; even
then a valid excuse is found in the great difficulty of procuring
provisions with regularity in this remole Alpine valley.
What we have said in praise of the Kurhaus may justly
be said also of the other hotels, which without exception make
it their object to satisfy the requirements of all their guests
from the highest to the lowest.
The Hotel Victoria is also a noble building, and whoever
knows the Hotel Bernina at Samaden, and is aware that the
same Fanconi is also proprietor of the Hdtel Victoria at St.
Moritz, expects great things from this house, and will not
find himself disappointed. For the Hotel Victoria is also a first-class
establishment, with 20 fine saloons and 159 bed-rooms, meeting
every modern requirement in respect to comfort and sanitation.
It is built opposite the new wing of the Kurhaus, standing
transversely across the valley, its principal facade facing the
south; its side fronts face the east and west, and we may
regard it as the fourth side of the Kurplatz in the neighbourhood
of the Trinkhalle, the third being formed by the Villa Inn
(on the left bank of the river), an appendage of the Kurhaus.
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— 46
The equally high-class Hdtel du Lac also occupies a
magnificent position close to the bridge over the river and to
the baths. Its elegant facade faces full south, and the windows
look upon the lake and the mountains beyond. Lacking
no modern convenience, it well deserves the name of
a first-class house. It contains 25 saloons and 250 beds,
ladies 1 saloon, reading and conversation-rooms, billiard-
room and cafe - restaurant, dining-hall, and the moBt modern
hydropathic apparatus; a physician also resides in the house.
The manager is at the same time proprietor of the well-known
H6tel Paradis at San Remo, in the Riviera, and is famous
for his admirable conduct of his establishments.
Equalling the above, though not in size, yet in every
other respect, and therefore well deserving to be ranked as
first-class houses, are the Hotels Ho/ St. Moritz, Hornbacher's
Hdtel EngadinerJiof) and — though last, not least — the charming
Hotel Bellecue with its villas, situated between the Baths of
St. Moritz and the village in a sheltered position, on a gentle
acclivity, and commanding a fine view of the lake and
mountains.
Those who desire to avoid the busier life of the three
larger hotels will find in these three smaller ones somewhat
more seclusion, while at the same time nothing is lacking as
regards convenience of the apartments, saloons, reading-rooms,
etc. etc.
If all these hotels are full, as may chance to happen in
the height of the season, late arrivals can find accommodation
in various snug little "maisons" and "pensions" , and should
these have all their available space occupied, the last comers
must betake themselves to Campfer or to the village of St.
Moritz, where several hotels and pensions were built in the
days when little had as yet been done for the accommodation
of visitors at the St. Moritz Baths ; from the adjacent villages
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invalids drove daily to the springs, not without casting
envious glances at the privileged ones who were lodged on
the spot.
As to the company frequenting these hotels, it may per-
haps interest at least our lady readers to know whom they
are likely to meet with here, if only that they may be able
to make suitable toilet arrangements.
Turning over the leaves of the visitors* books of St.
Moritz Baths and Village, we will select at haphazard a few
dozen names of more or less distinguished visitors, as for
example: King Charles of Wurtemberg with his consort and
the Crown Prince; the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of
Baden, Prince and Princess William of Baden, the Crown
Prince of Sweden; the Duchess Wera of Wurtemberg, Duke
Philip of Wurtemberg and son ; the Prince *of Hohenzollern-
Sigmaringen ; the Grand Duke Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt and the
Princess Alice; the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin;
the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin ; the Duchess Marie
of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Grand Duchess Wladimir of Russia);
the Grand Duke of Oldenburg with consort and son; M.
Delbruck.
The Comte de Paris, the Due d'Aumale and consort,
Due de Guise, Due' de Joinville, Due de Nemours, Due de
Montpensier, Comte and Comtesse Talleyrand.
King Humbert of Italy, Queen Margaret, and the Crown
Prince; and hundreds of noble Italian families (Italy always
sends a strong contingent of visitors to St. Moritz).
The Duke of Saxe- Altenburg ; the Grand Duchess of
Saxe-Weimar.
From Austria: the Grand Dukes Albert, Charles, aud
Eugene, and the Grand Duchess Gisela. The Prince of Bat-
ten berg.
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Duke Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein ; Princess Henrietta
of Schleswig-Holstein (Frau Geheimrath Prof. Esmarch).
To the above must be added members of the highest
aristocracy of all nations, and the controllers of the money
market: members of the Rothschild families of Frankfort,
Paris, London, Vienna, and Geneva.
Exceeding in number the political potentates are the
intellectual princes and members of the aristocracy of the in-
tellect; of these a brilliant circle assembles every season in
the recreation rooms, and names of world-wide reputation
are not wanting.
But those who have not yet made themselves a name,
or only a modest one, are just as welcome and just as well
cared for — provided only that their hotel bill be punctually
settled — as any prince, whose napoleon contains exactly the
same number of francs as theirs.
It is a matter of course that the proprietors of the
Baths of St. Moritz seek to gain the approval of their distin-
guished patrons, and make every exertion to maintain, and
if possible to augment, the reputation of this international
health-resort by sparing no expense in the introduction of
improvements of every kind. Of late years great progress
has been made, but much more is intended to be done in
the near future.
A work of great importance is the drainage of the
health-resort on Waring's system, which has everywhere proved
to be the best.
Already in 1868 the communal authorities laid sewer pipes
in the streets of St. Moritz. The considerable gradient at
which they are laid, and the daily periodic flushings, have
not been accompanied with inconveniences of any importance.
For instance, not a single case of typhoid fever has occurred
86655
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within the entire district of the health-resort during the last
fourteen years.
Nevertheless the management deemed it expedient to
satisfy to the full the requirements of modern hygienic
science in this respect. The local board of health accordingly
commissioned an experienced civil engineer to prepare a plan
for the complete reconstruction of the drainage of the place.
The work is being carried out in two separate systems.
The rain water, the overflow of the waterwheels, and the
underground water are carried off in cemented pipes to natu-
ral channels. The sewage, etc., is swept away in continuous
pipes to the outlet of the lake, whence it is conducted for a
distance of about half a mile through the gorge of the Char-
nadura into the Inn. The flow of pure lake water amounts
to something like 32,000,000 cubic feet of water in 24 hours,
so that in the swiftly- flowing river itself no pollution of any
consequence can take place.
The principal hotels have already made connection with
this drainage system. A few of the older and smaller houses,
mostly frequented by natives, will retain the old arrangements
for the present. All houses hereafter to be built must be
connected with the drainage system. Both these and the
hotels and pensions now standing are bound to fit hermetically-
closing cocks and ventilation and vapour pipes between the
house pipes and the main pipes, and every new opening must
be provided with new cocks and ventilators.
The refuse from houses and stables is regularly disin-
fected in distant spots.
The materials of the sewer pipes are iron, clay, and
stoneware; their minimum fall is 2.5 in 1000. The sewer
pipes themselves are from 6 to 10 inches in diameter, so that
even when in full use the upper half serves for ventilation,
The Baths of 8t. Mflritz.
• •••
4
• ••
- 50 -
■
being in connection with proper outlets. Flushing is effected
by means of automatically-working basins.
The chief difficulties encountered were the cold of the
winter and the rocky foundation of the houses in the village,
but both these were successfully overcome.
The expenses of the public sewerage system amounted
to nearly £2000, more than half of which sum was covered
by voluntary contributions.
It may be mentioned here that since 1876 water is laid
on in cast-iron pipes to all the groups of houses. The water
has been analysed by professor A. Husemann and found to
be of unusual purity.
We have given these details at jsome length partly on
account of the intrinsic importance of the subject, but more
especially to show intending visitors that though they are
coming into a sequestered valley they will not find themselves
amoug backwoodsmen, but among people who have an exact
acquaintance with the requirements of modern civilised life.
Other innovations have also recently been made.
Having regard to the Alpine climate, wood was selected as
the material for the bath-tubs first employed. But of late
years several complaints were made regarding these somewhat
clumsy tubs ; it was therefore decided to make a trial of metal
baths, and a number of zinc baths of elegant and convenient
shape have therefore been introduced. If they meet the
approbation of the public they will be immediately introduced
throughout in place of the wooden ones. The present method
of heating the bath-water by means of injected steam will
be continued. For hydropathic purposes, douches on the
newest and most approved principles are now provided.
A further improvement deserving mention is that since
1883 the former Carlsbad band of ten performers has been
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superseded by a Milanese band of sixteen well -trained musi-
cians, who appear to give general satisfaction.
Lastly, by improving the method of lighting, by con-
structing promenades and paths, and introducing so-called
"stradini" for cleansing and watering the roads and walks,
the Spa Management have done as much as possible to meet
the convenience of their guests.
For the vehicles on hire in the large hotels there is a
regular tariff, the Drivers' Union is well disciplined, and
elegant and convenient tram-cars stand at the service of visitors
to Maloja, Morteratsch, and Samaden.
In the above remarks we have confined ourselves to the
exterior of the health-resort, but the interior, that is to say
the arrangements directly connected with the medical treat-
ment, are also admirable in every respect. The therapeutical
appliances likewise leave nothing to be desired as regards
completeness.
Owing to the larger amount of iron it contains, the
(New) Paracelsus-Quelle is now preferred for drinking purposes.
The Trinkhalle is comfortably arranged; the water can bo
warmed in the glasses to the required point, and warm whey
is obtainable throughout the forenoon.
The Old Spring yields a copious supply of water, suffi-
cient for from four to five hundred baths daily. This bath-
water is pumped from the Old Spring into two large reser-
voirs, whence it flows through pipes into the bath-tubs.
Other pipes supply ordinary water for cleansing the tubs, and
still others convey the steam used in heating the bath-water.
By this method the water is warmed within five minutes to
a temperature of from 77 to 86 deg. Fahr., and this rapid
heating prevents the escape of any great quantity of the
carbonic acid gas, to which these baths owe so much of their
efficacy.
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The St. Moritz water is exported to the amount of
hundreds of thousands of bottles annually, and everything
is done in order to insure the retention of its valuable
properties.
Medical assistance is abundantly provided for; during
the season physicians of the highest eminence are constantly
in attendance here.
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The Springs.
" He who hath drunk of this same drink
ae of a medicine, he can talk of health."
Paracelsus.
r M|^HE cliff from which the New Spring, or Faracelsus-Quelle
flows, consists chiefly of granite of the kind found on the
Julier, but a little further up hornblende is mixed with it and
at no great height a transition takes place into fine-grained
syenitic diorite, close to which, however, coarse-grained varieties
of the same stone and also quartziferous syenite and true granite
occur without sharp lines of demarcation.
If no doubt exists as to the origin of the New Spring,
which flows directly from the fine-grained granite, it is on the
contrary a question whether the Old Spring originates in the
same formation. When in the year 1853 this spring was newly
enclosed, the old enclosure was found in a very good state
of preservation, and was left with little alteration ; it therefore
remains uncertain whether the huge hollowed tree-stem of which
it consists rests upon the rock from which the spring must
originally flow, or only upon the layer of detritus covering the
rock. A point of great importance for the discovery of new
springs therefore remains undecided, namely whether all the
mineral water found here issues from the granite rock or from
the seam between the granite and the crystalline schist above it.
On the wooded southern bank of the Lake of St. Moritz
mica-slate is found, and higher up gneiss, both covered by
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deep deposits of peat. The gorge of Charnadiiras, in which the
River Inn descends from the lake to the second ledge of the
valley, is cut through the gneiss. The level ground between
the Kurhaus and the lake is composed of detritus and alluvial
deposits; nearer to the lake deposits of peat also occur.
Here rises the third spring, which was discovered in the
autumn of 1864; it could only be followed into the detritus.
All attempts to enclose it have hitherto proved unsuccessful.
Not far off, in the lake itself, a fourth spring is seen to
bubble up.
Who was the first to drink of these waters, to experience
their healing powers, and to call the attention of others thereto —
whether accident played a part here, as tradition assures us
it did at so many other springs — of all this we know nothing,
although the village of St. Moritz (in Romansch San Murezzan)
is mentioned in a document as early as the year 1139. In
the fifteenth century St. Moritz was known only as a resort
of Italian pilgrims. The springs were unenclosed, and ran to
waste in the lake. Possibly the first enclosure was made in
the time of Paracelsus, who speaks so approvingly of this water,
that is to say, in the middle of the sixteenth century. This
first enclosure consisted of an enormous hollow larch-stem; in
the course of time it became covered up, and was quite for-
gotten, so that a century later a new enclosure of granite slabs
was constructed above it. This we learn from a physician of
Milan, Dr. Cesati, who visited the springs in the year 1674;
at this time also a roof was first built over them. From this
period many Swiss and Italians *) began to frequent the springs,
Germans also paid occasional visits, and the chalybeate water
was exported to various parts. The spring was in this condition
*) In 1697 came Duke Victor Amadeus of 8avoy, in 1699 the Duke
of Parma, etc.
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when visited by the celebrated naturalist and Alpine explorer
J. J. Scheuchzer in the year 1703, but fourteen years later
he was aware that other chalybeate springs existed close at
hand. In 1740 the granite enclosure was renewed, but without
any attempt being made to find the oldest enclosure ; a report
was abroad, however, that formerly, when the water flowed
from a tree-stem, the spring was much more powerful: that
after the removal of this stem other water had mingled with
the mineral water and deprived it of its strength. For fear of
losing the entire spring, no further changes were made in the
enclosure until 1853.
During the long years of political strife which followed
the French Revolution St. Moritz and its springs were quite
forgotten, and the place sank from the flourishing condition
which it had reached in 1780. The arrangements for drinking
and bathing, and all the appliances mentioned in the previous
chapter, were of the most miserable kind; the only buildings
were a few tumble-down cottages or rather sheds. Later on
a kind of "saloon" was erected, in which the visitors took
refuge during wet weather, and warmed themselves at the two
stoves. A description of the health-resort in the year 1819
mentions three inns : " the Lion, whose landlord, being a butcher,
was able to supply his guests daily with fresh meat, the Horse f
which boasted in its landlady a good and cleanly cook, and
lastly the Eagle, chiefly frequented by Italians from the
Valtellina."
Many of the visitors appeared at the spring in the morning
on horseback. Where to leave the horse and where to find
temporary lodging was a matter to be decided by each
traveller. Every visitor was expected "to take care of himself."
The commune did nothing at all, and as yet there was no
committee of management. The River Inn too threatened to
overflow and destroy the springs, until in 1815 a new channel
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was made for the river, and the impending disaster thereby
averted.
In 1830, at the instance of Mr. J. von Flugi, a joint-
stock company with ^600 capital was formed, which secured
from the commune a lease of the springs for 20 years and
built a small Kurbaus. This house contained a spa-room and
six bath-rooms, but no bed-rooms. St. Moritz sank more and
more into forgetfulness.
Its time was not yet come ; but soon were to come both
the hour and the men.
In 1852 the lease of the old spring expired, and a new
commission consisting of the talented physician Dr. Brugger,
and of Messrs. von Flugi and L'Orsa began with energy the
work of improvement, which embraced the enclosure of the
new spring. This was effected in 1853, and, in spite of many
difficulties, with complete success. The enterprising trio here-
upon gained courage to try and resuscitate the old spring.
Something remarkable now happened. On removing the granite
enclosure of 1740 and digging deeper, the workmen came to
a stratum of earth two feet in thickness, composed of sand,
pebbles, and clay mingled with fragments of pottery, coins,
and corks, and when this was cleared away the above-mentioned
immense larch-stem, together with a smaller one (both hollowed
out into the form of barrels) came to light. This then was
the original enclosure of the spring, several centuries old, but
still in so good a state of preservation that nothing better could
be done than to retain it. At the bottom of the "barrel" a
leathern bottle was found, dating probably from the sixteenth
century. This old enclosure was perhaps covered up in the
second half of the sixteenth century. On its rediscovery the
spring gained to a remarkable extent not only in quality (com-
mon water could no longer dilute it) but also in quantity:
previously only two or three quarts per minute had been ob-
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tained, bat now the spring yields twenty, and if through pump-
ing the water is kept at a low level, this quantity can be
trebled.
A new company with a larger capital was at once formed.
The springs were taken on lease for a term of fifty years; a
new Eurhaus was built in 1856, and considerably enlarged ten
years later.
From the year 1853, then, dates the renewed prosperity
of the health-resort and its world-wide fame, which will no
doubt be maintained even if the efforts to enclose the two or
three remaining springs should prove, as hitherto, unsuccessful.
The mineral springs of St. Moritz are chalybeate waters
containing soda; chemically there is but little difference bet-
ween the various springs, though the New Spring is somewhat
the richer in iron, the Old Spring in carbonate of soda.
Numerous analyses of the St. Moritz waters have been
made; the first, by a chemist of Berne, Morell, dates from
the year 1788; the most recent and the best (1873 — 74) is
that of Professor Husemann. It is as follows :
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L The Carbonates calculated as Bicarbonates
(in grammes).
In 10,000 grammes of water
*
Constituents
Alte Quelle
Paraceleus-Qaelle
Chloride of lithium
• • •
0.00848
0.00885
Chloride of sodium
...
0.43764
0.34683
Bromide of sodium
• • •
0.00536
0.00099
Iodide of sodium
• • •
0.00013
0.000024
Fluoride of sodium
• • •
0.00630
0.01740
0.00333
0.00721
Borate of soda
• • •
0.03614
0.05228
Sulphate of soda
• « •
3.07415
3.21101
Sulphate of potassium ...
• • •
0.14382
0.14800
Carbonate of soda
• • •
1.92465
1.28273
„ of oxide of am-
monia
• • •
0.02008
0.01750
„ of lime
• • •
8.52025
9.04132
„ of strontia ...
• • m
0.00088
0.00092
„ of magnesia . . .
• ■ •
1.29345
1.32686
„ of protoxide
Of
manganese
• • •
0.03829
0.04043
„ of protoxide of iron
0.23996
0.28020
Hydrated peroxide of iron
• • •
—
0.06108
Silicic acid
0 40169
0.53445
0.00156
0.00144
0.00050
0.00030
Baryta, caesium, arsenic, cop-
per, organio matter ...
traces
traces
Total solid constituents...
• • •
16.15666
16.37982
Obtained directly
• • •
15.76600
16.14200
Half-free and free carbonic
acid:
a. at 0° and 29.92 bar.
• • •
15009.06 c.c.
15531.60 c.c.
b. at temperature of spring
and 24.21 bar
• • •
18916.06 „
19565.05 „
Free carbonic acid:
a. at 0° and 29.92 bar.
12300.10 „
12828.10 „
b. at temperature of spring
15501.90 „
16156.30 „
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II. The Carbonates calculated as Bicarbonates
(in grammes).
Bicarbonates
Id 10,000 grai
Alte Quelle
times of water
Paracelsns-Qaelle
Bicarbonate of soda
l.olOlcS
T»
of oxide of am-
0.02928
0.02552
V
12.26916
13.01950
T»
of strontia
0.00114
0.00119
rt
of magnesia ...
1.97097
2.02188
r>
of protoxide of
manganese ...
0.05292
0.05588
of protoxide of
iron ...
0.33098
0.38648
It is obvious to the most superficial observer that the
water of the Old Spring contains large quantities of carbonic
acid gas, which cause it to bubble and boil, and render the
air in the upper part of the collector unfit for respiration.
By lifting the cover carbonic acid gas can be taken out in
one's hat; it renders itself perceptible by its well-known
prickly irritation of the mucous membrane of the nose. Its
presence in the waters renders them agreeably cooling to
the taste, and slightly astringent. When taken from the
spring the water appears pure and clear, but if allowed to
stand, exposed to the air, it deposits a yellowish sediment,
or "rust." A slight sediment is also deposited by the water
bottled for export.
The effect of the water consists in promoting change of
tissue (but without acting as a laxative) and increasing
diuresis; the appetite increases, the blood is improved, and
the activity of the nerves is increased. The Alpine climate
seconds the effect of the waters.
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The result of all observations may be summed up as
follows: The curative influences of the springs and of the
climate mutually reinforce and supplement each other as in
no other health-resort in the world.
As a climatic watering-place St. Moritz is indeed unique.
In most cases the full influence of all the therapeutic factors
is not even necessary to produce the desired result; the
greatest variation in treatment according to the nature of
each individual case is practicable^ and important therapeutic
effects can be produced in different ways.
The indications thus become fuller and more complete,
the contra-indications more definite. The former comprise:
Cases of illness accompanied by atony, weak constitutions,
persons in need of rest from overwork, disturbances of nutri-
tion in general and in respect to particular organs, slow
development of torpid persons, rickets, scrofula, difficult
reconvalescence , above all malarial sickness, recuperation
after treatment at other wells, baths, or climatic resorts.
Further, deficient development of the lungs, catarrhs, many
cases of asthma; simple and complicated anemia; disturbances
of the. functions of the nervous system in consequence of its
deficient nutrition, as hysteria, hypochondria, sleeplessness,
mental over-exertion; chronic gastric and intestinal catarrh,
impotence in the male, and lastly various disturbances of
menstruation, sterility, vaginal and uterine catarrh, and
chronic metritis.
The contra-indications are chiefly conditioned by the
climate; they include in general all active states of conges-
tion, plethora, feverish course of diseases, such as of rheuma-
tic and specific conditions; advanced tuberculosis, cancer,
syphilis. Further, inclination to apoplexy, hypertrophy of
the heart, valvular and other defects, atheroma, aneurisms;
important emphysema, severe venous stases in the lungs,
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catarrh in decrepit persons, advanced age accompanied by de-
ficient generation of heat, gastric ulcer, and in certain cases
neuralgic affections attributable to active rheumatic com-
plications.
As regards the duration of a course of treatment, it
should neither be too brief nor too long. Under many circum-
stances from three to four weeks will suffice. Where a lon-
ger course is necessary it is divided into two periods, and
the patient is sent after the first fortnight to the Yaltellina
or to Chiavenna and Como, remaining in St. Moritz on his
return as long as the physician may advise. Frequently a second
course of treatment is necessary, and many persons drink the
waters annually during a series of years, or in alternate years.
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Walks and Excursions.
iHE invalid will soon feel himself sufficiently strengthened
to follow the tourist in his walks in the environs of St.
Moritz, and to accompany him on longer excursions, at least
such as are confined to the valley itself, and do not involve
the scaling of the circumjacent heights. But here he meets
with an unexpected embarrassment : he cannot decide whither
to direct his steps first, for the Engadine offers so much that
is attractive and well deserving of nearer inspection.
To enter into details regarding all the single points,
though not beyond the purpose of this pamphlet, would lead
us to exceed our allotted limits of space. Just at the point
where the author would wish to give his pen freer play, and
to recall pleasant memories of many a delightful excursion,
he finds himself compelled to abbreviate to the utmost, and
to give a catalogue of dry names instead of a fresh and
inviting description of mountains, forests, lakes, and glaciers.
Of course the people of the Engadine have not left nature
unimproved in this direction, — we do not mean as regards
her wildly romantic charms and the prospects afforded at the
goal of the excursion, but only as regards the ways leading
to this goal ; but to this we think few visitors will be inclined
to object, especially such as are accustomed to the well-paved
streets of cities, or who prefer to make their excursions as
far as possible by carriage or on horseback.
Digit
Google
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The most popular points of view and excursions are the
following:
To the Ada Silva, or Farm, situated on a gentle
grassy slope on the left bank of the lake, and surrounded
by pines.
The Quellenhugel, reached by a woodland path in half
an hour. It commands a charming view of the lake and the
surrounding landscape.
The Crapp Nair, a projecting rock commanding a view
of the entire valley from Maloja to Madulein ; two hours' walk.
Ascent of Hz Rosatsch (three hours to the summit), for
the strong and vigorous only.
The Johannisberg (Crapp St. Gian) is one of the finest
points of view, and is easy of access.
The Ada Alpina (upper and lower), situated upon a green
slope between Campfer and St. Moritz. Here, as everywhere,
refreshments are obtainable.
Alp Giop and Alp Nova above St. Moritz, and Alp Laret
above Celerina, affording extensive views over the valley.
Piz Nair (10,039 feet), ascent across Alp Giop in three
hours; guide required.
Crestalta, a pleasant "summer inn," reached from the
Kurhaus in three-quarters of an hour, and frequently visited
on account of the fine prospect it affords.
Sils Maria and Maloja, two points best visited by car-
riage. From Sils Maria a path leads down into the Fexthal,
with the Fex Glacier in the background. The heights of the
Maloja Pass can be reached by tram-car in two hours. From
here good mountain-climhers may visit the lakes of Cavloccio
and Longhino.
Samaden, the capital of the Engadine, and Pontresina,
much frequented by tourists, can be reached conveniently in
various ways.
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From Pontresina a visit may easily be paid to the Mor-
teratsch Glacier, passing the above-mentioned Languard Water-
fall, and to the Rosegihal with the celebrated Roseg Glacier.
A longer excursion is the drive to the Hotel on the
Bemina Pass, where we are in the immediate vicinity of the
Cambrena Glacier and can get a peep into the Vol Poschiavo.
Further than this we will not venture at present.
There remains, if we feel ourselves strong enough for it,
to crown our excursions by the ascent of Piz Languard (lungo
guardo = long view); the first half on horseback, the remainder
on foot. This mountain, 10,715 feet in height, has been called
the Rigi of the Upper Engadine, but it overtops its western
rival by several thousand feet. The view from its summit
justifies not only its name, but also the great reputation which
it has acquired.
Another mountain which will repay the trouble of the
ascent is Piz Padella (9458 feet) ; it commands a view of the
Lower Engadine.
Piz Ot may be ascended from Samaden in about four
hours ; it vies with Piz Languard as regards extent of prospect.
The Bevers-Thal, a wild Alpine valley with magnificent
mountain flora. Drive to the ruins of Guardavall t near Madtdein.
Drive to the interesting villages of Zuz and Scanfs, at
the lower extremity of the Upper Engadine.
The above are some of the excursions best worthy of
mention ; there are of course numerous others, longer or shorter,
which we must leave the traveller to find out for himself.
The district is rich in beauties which well repay the trouble
of discovery.
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^q^^q ^ ^ ^^^^
Routes of Access.
tHE Baths of St. Moritz are situated, like the entire Eoga-
dine, almost in the centre of Europe, and are accessible
from the surrounding countries by numerous mountain-passes
crossed by finely-constructed carriage-roads. The authorities of
the Canton of Orisons, rightly estimating the circumstances,
have spared no expense, but have constructed one mountain
highway after another, so that now there are seven available
for traffic, and these will probably be found to meet every
requirement.
Three of these roads open into the Lower Engadine, and
the remaining four provide direct intercourse with the Baths
of St. Moritz. From Italy (Milan) there is the following route
through the Bergell:
Maloja-Engadine.
Colico-ChiaYenna-Samaden. Samaden-ChiavenDa-Colico.
Colico dep 1.— p. m . St.Moritz-Baths cfep. 5.45 a.m.
and 8.20 a.m. and 3.10 p.m.
Chiavenna dep, ... 7. — a. m. Chiavenna arr ... 1 1. 50 a. m.
and 11.20 p.m. and 12.20a.m.
St.Moritz-Baths arr. 3.25 p.m. Colico arr 2.20p.m.
and 7.15 a.m. and 2.50 a.m.
At Chiavenna the Swiss diligence service (the best in the
world) begins. The journey from Chiavenna across the Maloja
to the Baths of St. Moritz occupies about 8 hours. Towards
The Bulbs of St. Moritz. 5
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— 66 —
the beginning of July, 1886, the line of railway from Colico
to Chiavenna will be opened. The diligence journey across the
pass will then require but 5 hours.
Another route from Italy to the Engadine leads from Tirano
in the Valtellina (diligence once a day) through the Poschiavo
and across the Bernina Pass, and reaches the Baths of St. Moritz
in about 9*/2 hours.
Other routes available for the traveller coming from the
north are the Lenz-Albula and Lenz-Julier routes, both starting
from Coire, and both about equally long.
Lenz-Albula.
Coire-Bergun-St. Horitz-Baths. St. Moritx-Baths-Bergon-Coire.
Coire dep 6. 30 a. m. St.Moritz Baths dep. 6. 45 a. m.
St. Moritz Baths arr. 8. — p. m. Coire arr. 7. 30 p. m.
Lenz-Julier.
Coire-Tiefenkasten-Samaden.
Coire dep 11. 10 p. m.
StMoritz Baths arr.ll. — a. m.
Samaden-TiefeDkasteB-Coirc.
St.Moritz Baths dep. 6. 10 a. m.
Coire arr 4. 30 p. m.
Schyn-Julier.
Coire-Thnsis-SamadeD.
Coire dep 6. — a. m.
StMoritz Baths arr. 7. 15 p. m.
Samaden-Thagis-Coir*.
St.Moritz Baths dep. 1 1. 20 a.m.
Coire arr 9. 50 p. m.
Those who are willing to make a detour, and who would
like to see Davos and a part of the Lower Engadine, may
drive from Landquart railway station through the Prattigau
and Davos, and across the beautiful Fhlela Pass ; in ten hours
Stis in the Lower Engadine is reached, and here the traveller
can take the Schuls diligence to Samaden.
Those who desire to avoid crossing mountain-passes can
now avail themselves of the new and very interesting route
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lea-ding through the beaatifui Tyrol and the Lower En^tiiiine
to the Baths of St. Moritz.
Eli press train* run from Paris, Brasaels, Cologne, Frank-
fort, Basle, Zurich. &c to Landeck Station, on the Arlberg
Railway. From here the Swiss diligence e tarts twice daily,
conveying passengers in about 15 hours, by the highly inter-
esting Finstermunz Road, along rh* Riwr Inn, to the Baths
of St. Moritz, without crossing a pass : ro break the journey,
a short stay may be made at the famous health-resort of Tarasp-
Schuls, which serres* admirably as a kind of halfway-house.
Visitors from the Tyrol have a choice of two other routes,
namely: Innsbruck- Landeck-Xauders, or Botzen-Meran-Xauders
(on the Austrian frontier;, and then by the Swiss diligence to
Tarasp-Schuls in 3 l U hours, and thence into the I'pper En-
gudine.
Communications in the Upper Engadine:
St. loriti kthi<SaB»<iei Saifi. Soifi Saadei->t. « .rid Biths.
St Moritz Baths dep. 12. — p.m. Scanfs dep 7. — a. m.
Scanfs arr 2.20p.m St.Moritz Baths arr. 9. 35 a. m.
(Also: Samadend^. 5.30
Scanfs arr. 6.50) ,
Sifflrifi-Schols. Schals-Samidea.
St.Moritz Baths dep. 5.10 a.m. Sehuls dep. ... ... 1.45 p.m.
and 12. — noor and 6.— p.m.
Samaden dep. ... 6. 1 0 a. m.
and 1 . — p. m.
Schuls arr 1 1.40 a. m St.Moritz Baths arr. 8.30 p. m.
and 6.45 p.m. ami 3.05 p.m.
On the Lenz-Julier, Lenz-Albula, Schyn-Juuur, Ma\oja-
Engadine, Bernina, and Prattigau-Fliiela routes extra diliurncea
can be had. Tariffs and regulations can be seen at t\\e> tctk\wo-
tive offices.
Every traveller by the diligence is allowed 20 pounds of
luggage free. Extra weight is charged for.
Those who wish to enjoy the scenery, and do not mind
the cold air, will do well to telegraph to the starting-place
of the diligence for a scat in the coupe, or still better (but
only In reliable weather) for an outside seat.
LANE MEDICAL LIBRARY
To avoid fine, this book should be returned
on or before the date last stamped below.
8<
Gay lord Rros.
Makers
Syracuse, N. Y.
PAT. JAN. 21, >90b
1884 Kaden,W. 14118
S1K1 The baths of St.
1886 Moriiz
NAME
DATE DUE
I
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