Early American Travellers in the Alps

Dr. John Morgan’s Crossing of the Mont Cenis Pass, 1764

DR. JOHN MORGAN (1735-89) served as a lieutenant in the expedition of General Forbes to Fort Duquesne. Resigning from the army in 1760, he went to London for medical study and received the degree of Doctor from the University of Edinburgh in 1763, following this by a Grand Tour, accompanied by his fellow- Philadelphian, Samuel Powel.

Dr. Morgan was later the founder of the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, and became director-general and physician-in-chief of the Continental Army.

The diary, from which the following extract has been made, covers the journey from Rome to London, and is now in the possession of the Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania. We know of no earlier crossing of an Alpine pass by an American traveller.

Saturday, Aug’st 24.—-Left Chivasco ab’t five o’clock and reach’d Turin ten Miles distant at 9 o’clock—or a little after.

In our Journey yesterday and to day had particular occasion to remark the amazing hight of the Alpsw’ch we now more nearly approach’d—three sometimes four different Series of amazing high Mountains seem’d to climb one above another whilst light Clouds or Mists rested on the Tops of the first & greatly hid the second range; the 3’rd & fourth covered with etern’l depths of Snow, seem’d to rise visible from & to overtop the very Clouds, shewing their hoary heads in the clear Azure expanse of the Firmament many & many leagues, towering aloft, & stretching along the Horizon in a Chain as far as the Eye could reach—a most sublime and pleasing object to one never accustomed to such sights, & w’ch cannot be seen but with wonder & astonishment.

Saturday, Sep’r ye 8th.—We proceeded ab’t 2 leagues forward to a little town called Novalese at the foot of Mount Cenis, the highest passable Mountain of the Alps. Here we dined. After dinner mounted ourselves and baggage on Mules. We climbed this arduous steep, & in the space of five or six hours—thro’ a rugged uneven, steep & often dangerous Road, we at last reach’d the summit. A rude but sublime Picture presented itself all round—Hills highing their Heads in Clouds—Some seeming to pierce, & seem above the Clouds in the upper regions of Air covered with Snow— Water precipitating itself down the sides of the Hills forming innumerable Cascades & running with impetuous force to the foot of the Hill. They join as they proceed & at length for a River w’ch takes the Name of the Po & washes the Walls of Turin.

On the top of Mount Cenis are green fields—Pasturage for Cattle—Woods for Hunting & a Spacious lake for fishing, w’ch is the principal Source of the Po—a Scene very different from the Preceeding.

Our Descent from the Top of the Hill on the side of Savoy is much more steep than the ascent on the side of Piedmont. Mules here are not safe. We came down by another Artifice, viz—by means of Arm Chairs of light wicker or basket Work fixt to two Poles, & carry’d by two Men one at each End with straps from his Shoulders crossing to the extremities of the Poles w’ch bore up the Chairs in the Manner of a Sedan. The Chair had a kind of foot Board slung to it, w’ch is quite necessary for steadiness. This Board was pierced at the four Corners & fastened by as many Cords or Ropes to the Chair two of them fixt ab’t 20 Inches distant from the Chair ab’t 6 Inches long. The other two coming from the front upper Corners of the Chair, The Seat of w’ch was a little hollow & all together very commod’s.

With such dexterity did the Men carry us that we were but little apprehensive of Danger, tho’ they run down steeps, skip’d from Hill to Hill, and mov’d with great swiftness on the Brinks of Precipices. They rested only long eno’ to be relieved by new hands—each person to be carry’d having two sets of Men. In this Manner in ab’t an hour we reached the foot of the Hill. Rills of Water forming a River in their passage tumbling down from the hights of the Mountains on this as on the other side. We stay’d all night at a tolerable Inn of the Village at the foot of the Hill w’ch is called Laneburgh.

Dr. Morgan proceeded to Geneva, where he was visited by “Col. Provost of the 1st Battal. Roy’l Americ’n Regiment,” and was hospitably received by Voltaire at Fernay. Dr. Morgan makes no mention of Mont Blanc, although he went along the lake in fine weather as far as Lausanne. Returning to Geneva, he continued to Lyons, thence to Paris and London.

2. Peter Irving's Excursion to Chamonix, 1807

Peter Irving (1771-1838), brother of Washington Irving, had graduated in medicine at Columbia in 1794, but, like his brother, was early attached to literature. He made a tour of Europe in 1807 and was one of the first Americans to visit Chamonix for the purpose of viewing the glaciers. He had reached Geneva after crossing the Mont Cenis pass from Milan, and later continued his journey through central Switzerland.

His journals, too lengthy to be given here in full, were published in the Bulletin of the New York Public Library (Aug.-Nov., 1941), the library courteously allowing us to reprint the extracts which follow. The diary containing the Alpine portion of the tour is in the Yale University Library.

Sunday evening June 21st 1807.—Lansle-bourg into which we descended by a road thru steep, circuitous & commanding romantic views is at the foot of Mount Cenis, & the first village of Savoy. Here the road formerly was no longer practicable for carriages coming from France. Between this village & Novalaise on the other side travellers were carried on chairs by men—& their carriages, piece meal, by mules.

The inhabitants have the same diminutive, withered, & hard featured appearance as on the other side of the mountain. They appear industrious and comfortably provided. The little village was full of cows & females in the act of milking. We entered one of the cottages & made a hasty repast of bread & milk, & from another replenished our wine bottles.

Detained at Bramante a village on the river Arc by a dispute with the Post Master—(vous n’avez pas, &c).

K[earny]1 & myself took a delightful ramble at midnight and by moonlight through the romantic valley & amid the wild scenery of the Alps. Crossed the turbulent stream of the Arc by a slight wooden bridge. Ascended the mountain of Tremignone [Termig- non] & wandered about three hours on the side of it. The descent steep & difficult—a precipitous verge thickly covered with shrubbery extending perpendicularly along it—The river foaming beneath. The dark forest of Bramante clothing the side hills. Enchanting scenery—brilliant effect of moonlight on the summits of the snow crowned mountains—A flood of silver light shewing their fantastic forms.

Thursday morning 25 July set out from Geneva at 4 o’clock on an excursion to the Glaciers of Savoy. Engaged a carriage at 3 French crowns per day & douceur to the Coachman.

About [six] miles from Geneva passed through the little village of Ch[êne]. Cleanly & comfortable. The villages of this country differ from those of France & Italy in having wider streets—houses less crowded together & generally a garden to each. I must however admit that the streets in Italian villages are in general wide, but the houses are compact as in cities, without gardens.

In the village of Ch[êne] we hailed a pleasant countenanced peasant with a couple of Tin machines which we presumed contained milk. The contents were water but he pointed to us his house where we went & found his wife, an honest motherly looking dame. We made a luxurious repast on bread & boiled milk & were much pleased with the frank manners & intelligent discourse of the old couple. An air of extreme cleanliness reigned in their humble, but comfortable dwelling. It was not an auberge.

The road near the borders of the Arve along which we coasted— the river lying between very lofty banks—crossed it a few miles further over an elevated & substantial stone bridge, admitting the shallow stream through one large arch.

The country rich, gentle slopes—fields of rich grain—vineyards —well wooded with fruit trees—apples pears cherries—& groves of poplars—bordered by distant mountains with craggy or snow clad summits.

Farmhouses of substantial & comfortable appearance, in general large—scattered at distances along the road, & embossed in the groves. The Arve running a meandering course through the lower grounds & at moderate distance from the road.

Peasants both male & female at work in the fields—the female peasantry cleanly in their dress & with large chip or leghorn hats of very rural appearance. Arve about six leagues from Geneva. An old castle looking building in it—with two round and sharp roofed towers converted into a prison.

A short distance before arriving at Bonneville passed the ruins of a castle employed as a place of defence when the Spaniards were masters of Savoy.

The village of Bonneville is agreeably situated in a plain but surrounded by mountains of a triste & rocky appearance. It is the capital of the district termed Faucigny—well built, with wide streets—We here again cross the Arve over an excellent stone bridge.

La Mole a small village half way between Bonneville & Salenche [Sallanches]—9 leagues from Geneva.

Cluse a neat little village a short distance further—inhabited almost exclusively by watchmakers, who fabricate the interior works of watches for the master workmen at Geneva. At Cluse we again cross the Arve on stone bridge.

Soon after leaving Cluse enter a narrow & picturesque pass, nearly occupied by the Arve & the road—on each side abrupt and rocky mountains—sometimes steep as wall. After a mile or two the pass widens. Handsome cascadelle of a little stream from the rock on the left.

St. Martins a small village where the carriage is left & mules are taken. Salenche a village on the opposite side of the Arve.

Detained at St. Martins until 5 o’clock. We had arrived there at 3. The pretense of detention was the difficulty in procuring mules & they finally produced but 3. Our party consisted of Mr. Kearny Mr. Campbell & myself—& two Italian gentlemen on the same excursion who had left Geneva a short time after us & joined us on the road (The Marquis Decius Arrigoni of Milan & Mons. Antoine Manfredini of Bologna). We found that the object of the Aubergist was to detain us at his inn for the night. We resolved therefore to set out part mounted & the others on foot. As the Mules were not ready I set out with Mr. K as the first promenaders. The distance from St. Martins to Chamouny between 6 and 7 leagues. We were alternately to ride & walk.

Rambled thro’ the valley along the Arve. A considerable stream rushing to that river from the mountains over rocky channels. Rude & variegated scenery—green mountains cultivated to the summit—others with summits of naked rock—dome of Mont blanc2 covered with snow.

Little village of Chède—beautiful cascade of a stream on the left mountain—considerable in size with two falls—very picturesque.

Our companions not overtaking us we continued on our walk. Fine sunset—Wandered thro the obscure forest covering the mountain—Storm—thunder & lightning noble amid the Alps. Heavy shower drove us to a shed—lightning remarkably vivid. Echo of the thunder among the alpine mountains.

Difficulty of finding our way—crossing of a torrent on bridge of a single & small piece of timber laid from rock to rock, the stream foaming in its rapid & turbulent passage beneath.

While taking shelter against the storm overtaken by our companions on the mules—Qui va la, &c.

Arrive at Chamouny & put up at Hotel d’Angleterre. The village of Chamouny is also called le Prieuré—so named in Moore’s3 travels.

In this journey on foot, passed a monument raised in the road to Mons. [Eschen]4 a gentleman of scientific research, who was lost in one of the crevices in the ice, in a visit to the Glaciers.

Friday morning at 4 set out on Mules to Montanvert—a distance of two or three miles to the foot—ascended the mountain Montanvert on mules by winding path for considerable distance—then proceed by a zigzag path to master the ascent. The steepness made the marquis’s head turn—he & his companion had to rely on the assistance of the guide to help them—The rest of us found no difficulty, each being furnished by the Guide with a stout staff armed with a point of iron.

On the top of the ascent a herdman’s cottage—& a little stone octagon building of one room, built for the accomodation of travellers. Over the door of this little temple the words “a la nature.”5 Here we were furnished with cream, strawberries, bread, & excellent butter. We had brought some cold roast meat from the hotel.

Music of the mountaineers—a ram’s horn blown by a peasant boy tending goats. We were informed by our guide that the air was the Ranz-Vache. From this station we had a view of the glacier or mere de glace [sic] as it is termed in an elevated valley below us. It passes through this valley winding between the mountains till it descends even to the valley of Chamouny where the accumulated mass of ice lies on a level with the fertile plain.

The view of the glacier from Montanvert very interesting—like a rough sea in huge waves & ridges, the ice in some parts transparent & blue—in others covered with snow—large rocks lying on it which have fallen from the mountains. Environed by mountains terminating in very elevated spires of granite called aiguilles (needles)—some of these shaped like sugar loaves but with sharper apex—others pointed like needles—some grouped together like the steeples & turrets of Gothic churches.

The mountain on which we stood covered with verdure & enamelled with flowers though several hundred feet above the surface of the ice. But trees do not grow at this height.

Descended by a steep winding path to the glaciers which are of such depth as to fill the valley so that the surface [is] not very far below the octagon building.

Found the plain of ice in hillocks like waves—in some places very slippery—in others rough—of similar irregular extent & form. Some very profound—no termination being discoverable, their sloping declivity closing the view. The Marquis only ventured on the margin of the Glacier—apprehensive of slipping into the crevices. Our other Italian companion rested in the Octagon chamber on the hill.

Guide sliding down the slopes of the rock—putting his sharp pointed staff behind him for a rudder. K’s adventure in the same way—overturn & loss of leather.

Return to the little octagon for our meal—descend the mountain by a steep winding or rather zigzag path. Had the good fortune both to hear & see an avalanche in this descent. The accumulated snow & ice fell from a precipitous part of the mountain on opposite side of the glacier—The noise of its cracking which resembled loud thunder directing our attention in time to view the fall. The distance not considerable as the glacier valley is narrow here at its opening into Chamouny.

Descend into the Chamouny valley to view the source of the Aveyron, a river that rises here & joins the Arve at some distance. It comes out from under the Glacier—a cavern of Ice from whence it issues—is at particular seasons particularly beautiful—being large —transparent—with huge blocks of ice fallen or pendant from the roof. It has been called the temple of the Genius of ice. In July, when the heat has produced considerable effect it appears to most advantage.

In the valley of Chamouny two or three villages—that of le Prieuré or Chamouny most considerable—land appears tolerably fertile—groves of poplars.

The honey produced here delicious—& pronounced the finest in the world. This was not the season to find it in its virgin state of perfection—I cannot therefore subscribe to its exclusive superiority though I found it excellent.

Returned in the evening to St. Martins & slept—At early hour Saturday morning set out & reached Geneva for dinner—breakfasting at Bonneville.

Noticed in the excursion the frequency of goitres in these villages—& also saw some of the cretins or idiots. It has been remarked that where there are goitres—the cretins are also common.

Saturday afternoon—in company with two Italian acquaintances visited the house of G[audin]6 an artist who prepares & sends to difft parts models of the Glaciers—& also of Geneva & its environs— executed in clay or plaster, coloured—& laid down from nature. They are very curious & considerably satisfactory—being laid out with accuracy.

From Geneva, Irving went with Mr. & Mrs. Cassinova, Americans living on the outskirts of the city, on a party to ascend the Saléve. At Lucerne he “visited the model of this part of Switzerland made with so much time & attention by the late General Pfyffer. It comprises 24 leagues of country by 2 in a size of exactly as many square feet.” He mentions Mt. Pilatus and the Rigi, but did not ascend either. At Altdorf he learned about William Tell, continuing thence to the lake of Lowerz, with its striking view of the Rossberg, where the disastrous slide had occurred in the preceding September.

J. M. T.

1An American with whom Irving had joined forces in Naples.

2 This is Irving’s only mention of Mont Blanc, but it would seem to be the earliest by an American.

3 Irving appears to have carried with him John Moore’s View of Manners and Society in France, Switzerland and Germany (779).

4 The monument is at Servoz. Eschen, a young Dane, lost his life in a crevasse on the Buet in 800.

5 This structure, still in existence, was built in 795 by Felix Desportes, supplanting the Hospital Blair (Utile dulci, 779).

6 Gaudin, a maker of barometers, exhibited a large Model of Switzerland at Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, in 825. The Alpine Club (London) possesses one of his small reliefs of Mont Blanc.