The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-05-17

aSSuaEcu we Snoulu never nave DeeD aDIe
TO battle with the two elements, and in
despair must have either retraced our
steps to the hamlet or pcrished on the
spot, But the rain diminished in vi.
olence. and the snow covered noun tains
that shut in the pass on either side
seemed to check the force of the wind.
We advanced cautiously, sometimes with
difficulty rescuing our limbs from the
snow in which they were imbedded. A
new difficulty here presented itself. We
could not trace the path, and soon were
without the slightest mark to direct our
way. In vain l searched for footsteps,
thinking that the travellers that had
passed us in the morning must have left
an imprint bit, fortunately, we soon
reached shelf of rocks that formed a
lofty terrace overlooking a chasn of con.
siderable depth.
AMI. here the awful peril of our journ-
ey arose. Far, far above, at least so the
sound indicated, as the mountain itself
was folded by dense curtains of cloud,
we heard confused rumbling sound like
distant thunder. In moment it seemed
to increase; and looking above, I dsccrued
through the mist u vast body that seem
ed to be slowly moving down the noun.
tain side. Great God it was OH ava.
.anche, and We seemed to be under it it
was moment of intense agony. and in
the wildness of my fear l bounded along
the rocks. calling to my companion to
follow In another instant it had rolled
over the precipico with terrific crash,
and | seemed borne with it. This was
my last sensation, for had swooned, and
on recovering l found that was lying,
half covered with snow, on a ledge Of the
rocks, with my knapsack half torn from
mo and my baton gone. Forlorn and
terrified, staggered to my feet, and by
the misty twilight sought my companion,
who imagined had been dashed to
pieces Climbing over the great masses
OF snow that were strown on all sides. |
returned to the spot where he must have
stood when the masses fell, and called as
loudly as my exhausted state would per-
nit, but received no reply At length l
heard a choking sound, and saw the
chamois-horn Of his batok protruding
through the snow. My heart leaped at
these evidences of his existence. and with
a desperate effort drew the baton from
its icy sheath and began to dig the snow
from around my companion. He was
not much harmed by the force of what
had fallen on him. but was nearly suffo
Gated by mass of ice that half.covercd
his face. which his buried arms prevent
ed him from removing A few moments
work suihcod to put him on his feet once
more, and with thankful prayer for our
deiverance, VIC looked about
to note the desolation of the occurrence.
1t was evident, from the amount of snow
that had left its traces on the rocks an6
the crags of the precipice some fifty
yards to the right of US, that the bulk of
the avalanche had not extended to the
terrace on which we stood, and that we
bad only experienced the edge Of it, as
it were, or supplementary portion that
had found its way to the place where we
were stationed Had we been but few
feet further in its direction we must have
inevitably pcrished, as the vast masses
OF snow intorminglcd with rocks abun-
dainty testified My blood ron cold as
| g,zed down the abyss aud saw what
seemed thousand tons of shapelcss
snow and ice, rent as with the force of
some dread convulsiou Of nature. The
darkness Of the abyss prevented us from
tracing the catastrophe to its rcmotest
depths, but We saw enough to cause a
bcwideriug shudder at tho danger we
had escaped.
We consulted together as to the best
course to pursue, and the clouds thick
ening on all sides, and marching down
the deflc, seemed to shut out even the
hope of returning. The cold by this
time was intense, and the keen night air
seemed to freeze the very words on our
lips. | said that to 60 on was madness,
as We had lost the track, and silently
aud with heavy hearts, We prepared to
return to the Canteeu," which, calcu-
lating the winding Of the pass, must be
mile distant. My companion agreed,
and we started, but had not proceeded
moro than furlong before we saw lights
glmincring in the distance that slowly
approached us In few minutes we
could recognize the hoarse voices of men,
aud very soon party of three gentle
men, with two guides, met us. Rapidly
rccountiug the disaster that had just
taken place, We gained permission to join
the escort. and were onco more on our
road to the Convent. The guides were
practised, and accustomed to traverse
the path, and they soon recovered the
lost track by the aid of their lanterns aud
stats
Another hour passed, and We saw the
welcome IIospice dimly defined in the
distance, which we hailed with the sin.
cerest enthusiasm. My garments, as
those of all the party, were frozen stiff,
and when | felt the dangers had all been
surmounted what between the confused
JOY, the utter prostration of all nervous
power, and the rarefaction of the atmos-
phore at so great an elevation, an over
powerng reaction cnsued, and | sunk
down upon the ice in helpless cxhaus-
tion. Tho guides kindly bore me to the
Convent, where the generous attention of
the monks, and an entire change of cloth
ing, with soothing applications, soon
brought me to a sense of consciousness.
My companions being made of "sterncf
stuff" did not suffer to the same extent,
though We all sought our chambers in the
hospitable Convent that night with thank
ful hearts.
! never wish to spend another evening
with an avalanche
SEEING GoETHE.-Celebrated men