MISCELLANY.

NAPoLEoN CROSSING THE ALPS.
{"character_count": 4840, "word_count": 831, "ccnet_language_score": [0.98580002784729], "ccnet_perplexity": [726.4000244140625], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
as decidedly one of the most graphic ac- counts of that feat which has been written.

 " Is the route practicable 2" said Bona parte. ' It is barely possible to pass,n re- piled the engineer. < Let US set forward, then," said Napoleon, and the extraordinary march was commenced.

 Bonaparte himself. on the 18th, at the head of the main body of his army, consist ing of 30,000 men and upwards, marched from Lausanne to the little village called St. Pierre, at which point there ended every thing resembling practicable road. An immense and apparently inaccessible noun tain, reared its head among general deso- lation and eternal frost; while precipices, glaciers, rayines, and boundless extent of faithless snows, which the slightest concus- sion of the air converts into avaanehes ca- pablo of burying armies in their descent, appeared to forbid access to all living things but the chamois and his scarce less wild pursuer. Yet, foot by foot, and man by man, did the French soldiers proceed to ascend this formidable barrier, which Ma ture had erected in vain to limit human am- bition. The view of the valley emphat- cally called $ Desolation," where nothing is to De seen but snow atid the sky, had no terrors for the First Consul and his army. They advanced up paths hitherto only practised by hunters, or here and there a hardy pedestrian, the infantry loaded with their arms, and in full military equipment, +r,, lev, loo 1,n q, tt ar bo..oc rTha ,,,,, sical bands played from time to time at the head of the regiments, and, in places of un- usual difficulty, the drums beat charge, as if to encourage the soldiers to encoun- ter the opposition of Nature herself The artillery, without which they could not have done service, were deposited in trunks of trees hollowed out for the purpose. Each was dragged by a hundred men, and the troops, making it point of honor to bring forward their guns, accomplished this se- we're duty, not with cheerfuIness only, but with enthusiasm. The carriages were taken 10 pieces, and harnessed on the backs of mules, or committed to the soldiers, who relieved each other in the task of bearing them with levers; and the ammunition was transported in the same manner. While one-ha!f ol the sald!!!esss were thus engaged, the others were obliged to carry the. mus kets, cartrldge-hoxes, and provisions of their comrades, as well as their own. Each man, so loaded, was calculated to carry from sixty to seventy pounds weight, up icy precipiees, where a man totally without encumbrance could ascend but slowly. Probably no troops save the French could have endured the fatigue of such march and no other general than Bonaparte would have ventured to require it at their hands.

 He set out a considerable time after the march had begun, alone, excepting his guide. He is described by the Swiss peas ant who attended him in that capacity, as wearing hls usual simple dress, grey sur tout and three cornered hat. He travelled in silence, save few short and hasty qdes- tions about the country, addressed to his guide from time to time. When these were answered he relapsed into silence. There was a gloom on his brow, corresponding with the weather, which was wet and dismal. His countenance had acquired, during his eastern campaigns. a swarthy complexion. which added to his natural severe gravity, and the Swiss peasant who guided him felt fear as he looked on him. Occasionally his route was stopt by some temporary ob- stacle, occasioned by halt in the artillery or baggage his commands on such occa- sions were peremptorily given and instantly obeyed, his very look seeming enough to silence all objection. and remove every diff ficulty.

 The army now arrived a. that singular convent, where with courage equal to their own, but now flowing from much higher source, the monks of St. Bernard have fix ed their dwellings among the everlasting snows, that they may afford succour and hospitality to forlorn travellers in those dreary wastes. Hitherto the soldiers had no refreshment save when they dipt nor sel of biscuit amongst the snow. The good fathers of the convent, who possess considerable magazines of provisions, dis tributed bread and cheese, and cup of wine. to each soldier as he passed, which was more acceptable in their situation, than. according to one who shared thelr fatiaue, would have been the gold of Mexico.

 The descent on the other side of Mont St. Bernard was as difficult to the infantry as the ascent had been, and still more so to the cavalry. It was however, accom- plished, without any material loss, and the army took up their quarters for the night, after having marched fourteen French leagues. The next morning. l6th May the vanguard took possession of Aosta, a v;llaoe of Piedmont. from which extends tba yalley of the same name, watered by " 2, ,lr.p- II, ,tsalf