Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-01-16
[Ftam .ae Ftiend.hip,, Ofering.l

fuDOOSe
goat rds, who, on dresry winters night,
relate their adventures among the mountains
10 one ano'her. Having told their tales, an
elderly hunter, who had Sat in silence during
their variations, thus introduces himself 10 Our
notice:
"My Young frients,'' said he, ''you have been
telling us some very marvellous adventures,
but as am old un hunter, and therefore. fond
of the spirit which leads you into them. | will
no, strive to slit the grain from the chah. he
exact facts from the colours in whic h you have
dressed them. But will give you in nv
turn, an account OF an inciden, which, you all
know by report, did actually happen 70 me, as
the limp in my gait can testify TO this day.
1T was about twen'y years ago hat | was
one day out hunting as usual. / had got sight
OF a ohamois and was advancing upon him,
when having almost ct within shot, sprens
across 4 chasm a few yards wide, upon ledge
Of snow opposite. The QUEER part Of this We,
alas! only Of snow; it was frozen hard; mt IS
came upon il with considerable fUree, IL il
giving wsy beneath me. The man who say,
he never felt fear, never was in a situation such
rs this. The agony OF terror, and whist agony
is greater?, rushed throughout my frsme. NV
fr,t impulse was TO spring forward. % reach
the firm ground. But the very effort made
10 save myself. accelerated my l4te, lite mass
broke short of, aud | fell!
IL have since been 10 view the spot, and
standing in safety on its brink, my nerve. have
shivered, as have looked down the awful pre-.
cipice. How escaped being dashed into a.
many atoms as there ere pebbles a, its base, it
10 impossible TO divine. The height is up
ward. Of seventy feet. There was no proiec,-
ing rock, no jutiing tree, TO hrrak my fall
Perhaps he snow, which fell along with me
in vast quantities, and which crumbl,d as il
fell, served 10 protect me. When perceived
nv footing yield, the earth, il were. sink
from under me, felt the common nv prrbole,
that my heart spIaEg 20 Dy throa', slmost
cease TO be oLe. One gasp Of mor,a! -gony,
as it burst from NV lungs, gave me sensation
or choking. which the phrase have mention
ed strive. 10 express. The feelings of my
mind may he all summed in the exclams ion
which I believe escaped me- Oh. Gcd! I'm
goor!' NV rrx, thooghr was orr mon,cn,ary
appeal 10 that Gods mercy; and then Thought
no more.
"When recovered nv senses, day was be-
ginning 10 close, and lay enyeloped in sUow
My hunting sp, ar was beside m~ brok~n: and.
stretching upon my bosom, Law my faithful dog,
spread out. as il were, 10 prntrc, me from the
cold; and hing upon nv face, as if;o com
munica,e his life 20 bring back mine. "Ponr
fellow" the old man continued. ana iha tear
glisiened in his eyes as he spoke.--"poor f,l.
low, he is dead, long since, aud his Son." stoop
ing and fondlng the dog ii his feet, sis Ole
now: but, If had but one erus, nf bread, and
one cup of WAFER IN the world, old Thor should
share them with me for hi> IA hers sake"
The dog looked up, as though he under s. ood
his masters me aiming: for he smiled in his fac.
with that expression Of hankfu, fondness whit h
the eountenance Of his race alone shares with
that Of the human species.
81 felt" continued the hunter. "numb~d and
siiffrbed, snG in considerable pain, all over. so
murb 81, that could not distinguish any one
particular hurt as being more severe than the
rest. deavourrd To- rise, & that Don showed
me wnere my chief injury Law. | fell back
again instantly; my high was broken In ed
di,ioR tn this, TWO fingers Of nv right hand,
and one OF my left, we're broken also, and wa,
bruised in slmos, every part. But was alive!
As looked rp TO the pinnacle from which
had fallen, could scarcely believe ,ha, 10 be
possible.
"The spot where lay, was in a narrow
clrit between two cliffs, which div.rged from
each other as they advanced, leading sort Of
triangular platform open between them and
tSird A torrent threw itself like wild hor,-'s
mabe, from the rock above me; but, In the num-
was dispersed into air before il reached the
place. dis ant though its depth, where lay.
might now began 30 thicker fast; the faster
on account IF he deep den in which | was
The wind blew as though all the quarters Of the
heavens sent forth their blasts at once, and
they all met and ba;tled there. ! had es,
capped one dreadful dea:h, ard now l began
20 fear snoiher more drs sdful still, brcsuse
more slow, and more felt. feared tina, should
die through cold and hunger, and urtended
hurts. The cold too, ! now felt more s-vertiy Nv;
for, shortly after had given up in despair al
atiemp TO rxtri' a's myself iiom nv situation,
my dog, after whining and ysiping plr-ou,ly
for sore time, went eff As he IN ned ih--cor.
ntr of he rock, whIe hid him from my sight,
f,l, n ,f my i.si aoid Of lie had gone r. ON
mr; as 'houga ihe friend OF nv bosom had left
n. TO die. exclaimed! and, I bust TO con
Ass IL, burst INTO tears. Being forsaksn BY