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| Their
Rescue and Life-Saving Work |
| In 1774, the painter M. J.
Bourrit from Geneva, wrote about the monks and their dogs. He indicated
that the contributions by dogs to rescue work on Saint Bernard Pass was
well known. The archives at the monastery do not tell us when dogs were
first used for rescue work. In the description of the Hospice, that was
written in 1644 for the "Acta Sanctuorum", we find the
Hospice's agenda with a description and enumeration of the tasks of the
monks and their servants. The duties listed included keeping the pass
open, yet no dogs were mentioned.
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We are not certain if the
note from 1707 "a dog was lost in an avalanche" refers to a
dog used for rescue work. Prior Ballalu recounts that in 1700, between
November 11th and May 15th, servants called "Marronier"
(maron, marron = mountain guide) were assigned to accompany travelers
between the Hospice and Bourg-Saint-Pierre. The Prior made no mention of
dogs.
Records reveal that by 1750, marroniers were routinely accompanied by
dogs. The dog's broad chests helped to clear paths for travelers. The
reports about rescue work grew more numerous as reports about deadly
accidents began to decline. The dog's primary purpose was to accompany
the marroniers, as their excellent sense of direction proved most
beneficial. The dogs possessed an uncanny ability to maneuver through
heavy fog or snow-storms. The dogs were always accompanied by a monk or
marronier. Only later, do we read about excursions that the dogs made on
their own.
During the 200 or so years that the dogs served on the Saint Bernard
Pass, approximately 2,000 people were rescued. When Napoleon and his
army crossed the Alps in May 1800 around 250,000 soldiers traveled
through the Pass. The marroniers and their dogs were so well organized
that between 1790 and 1810, not one soldier lost his life in the
freezing cold of the mountains. The last documented rescue is dated in
1897. A 12 year old boy was found nearly frozen in a crevice and was
awakened by a dog. |
| The legendary barrel strapped
beneath the neck, however, seems to have been invented by alpinist
Meissner who wrote in 1816 "Often the dogs receive a little barrel
around their neck with alcoholic beverages and a basket with
bread." The chroniclers from the Hospice never mentioned a barrel.
In 1800, however, Canonicus Murith mentioned a little saddle with which
the dogs carried milk and butter from the dairy in La Pierre up to the
Hospice. |
And
here, we may put an end to the legend about Barry having saved a child
by carrying it on his back. This legend, along with the illustration by
Rittmeyer (who falsely painted Barry as a long-haired Saint), is simply
not true. It is pure invention; told and retold by many authors
(Scheitlin, Tschudy, Brehm, Strebel etc.).
Barry was a legend during his life. The story, probably invented by P.
Scheitlin, was often narrated and was cited in many books and journals.
Even though it was fabricated, it was of great importance in the rising
fame of the Saint Bernard Dogs.
Barry, the most famous Saint, lived in the Monastery from 1800 to 1812.
With his help, over 40 people were saved. A monk escorted the aging
Barry to Berne, where Barry died two years later. In 1815, Barry's body
was put on exhibition at the Natural History Museum where he continues
to be admired today. |
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