SERIES: Pictorial History of the Sports and Pastimes of All Nations
SCENES: St. Bernard dogs; chamois hunting
SIZE: 5" x 3"
ARTIST: Not signed, but reportedly Frances Brundage
DATE: 1893
LITHOGRAPHER: Kaufman & Strauss
CONDITION: Good to very good, I'd say. The card is lightly soiled with slightly worn edges and corners. There's a sharp diagonal crease across the lower left corner and several milder creases in the body of the card. (Please see scans.)
MULTIPLE ITEM SHIPPING DISCOUNT: I will ship up to 4 cards for the single base shipping charge shown. For purchases of more than 4 cards, the shipping charge will increase by just a small increment for every 4 additional cards.
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REVERSE TEXT: SWITZERLAND.
THE history of Switzerland is one long chapter devoted to freedom. How the unconquerable mountaineers fought for and preserved their liberty is written on the annals of the glorious nation. It was an arduous struggle and had it not been for their devotion, Switzerland would not be a republic to-day. Notwithstanding the small territory this country occupies, the character of its mountain dwellers and the burghers of its larger cities is very different. The latter are ingenious mechanics and staid merchants the former a jolly peasantry inured to out-door life.
The Monastery of St. Bernard and the dogs which take their name from that noble institution are universally known. These animals round whose necks a small flask of brandy has been fastened, and around whose body a warm blanket is strapped, penetrate the wild storms of their mountain heights, and finding a poor wayfarer overcome by the snow and weather, revive him to consciousness, and if he is unable to follow them to the shelter of the cloister, call for aid, and have him brought inside those hospitable walls. The Edelweiss, which grows only on the peaks of the Alps, is a beautiful blossom of velvety white. It is much sought after, but not without great risk to life and limb. These flowers are easily pressed and retain their beauty for years.
The Swiss mountaineers are splendid shots, and their favorite game is the chamois, a goat-like antelope, which dwells among the Alps. It has a wonderful power of scent, has great speed, and can leap enormous chasms. The true chamois-leather comes from this animal.
Mountain-climbing is greatly practised in Switzerland by both native and foreign tourists who annually visit this picturesque country in large numbers. The ascents to the summits are not without danger.
