Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-09-13
Fearful Accident In Switzerland.

RgHARKABLE DEATH or A TRAVELLER IN THE GLA-
GERS.
A correspondent of the London Times, writing
from Zermatt Aug. IL, gives tho following thrill
Ing narrative:
at appears that on Friday morning, August
IL, u Russian gentleman, named Edourd do Grotte
leh tho RLioiberg Hotel 10 cross the pass of the
Woissthor. lie was n very fne, powerful man,
about six leet three inches high, and had some
what wild and unsettled look on his face lie
had no Alpenstock, (which was Indispensable
Tor such an expedition,) and sharply refused an
offer on the part VI the landlord to supply him
with one.
ale started with two Zermatt guides, and safe
ly crossed both tho Weissthor and Monto Moro
passes, arriving in the evening Mt hallmark, II
village in the valley OF Saas. He appeared to be
worry confident In his avn physical powers mud
to be inclined to dcspise tho difficulties and dan
gers occasionally met with in the higher regions Of
the Alps.
"On Saturday morning he left Matmark with
his two guides (stll without nm Alpenstork
and carryi ing only walking stick in his hand
lie retraced his steps Of the previous day as lar
as the top of the Weissthor Pass from there, in
stead Of turning to the left and descending by
tho usual route along the Corner Glacier to the
Riffelberg he descended by the Fndelcn Cha
cier. which slopes from the pass directly down IN
to the valley Of Zermatt, and affords shorter
| the Corner Glacier.
1.-The three were fastened together by n rope .
the traveller being in tho middle the rope was
| tied around his body. but was not, Ms il should
have been tied round the body of the guides also
it was only held on the left of each by u large
loose loop. In this way they pasted safely over
the greater part Of the glacier and were within II
few minutes Of leaving it altogether when they
came b q Urge patch Of snow, which tho guides
according to their own account, proposed to pass
around. but which the traveller insisted on cross
| ing. Accordingly the first guide crossed il in
safety. The traveller then followed him, but
which he had reached tho middle the snow gave
way under his feet, and he sank into hidden ere.
rasss. Having no Alpenstock he could not break
his fall in the usual way, by holding it across the
chasw, and 80 his whole weight was thrown with
. sudden jerk upon tho rope. which broke instant.
| ly on both sides Of the crcrasse. down which the
unfortunate man consequently fell. His voice
was heard soon after calling for assistance which
the guides were not skillfu enough to render; the
cfecasse was apecnliar one. being narrow at the
top, and widening downwards for some distance
alter which it narrowed again till its sides met
depth OF about 200 fcot. This circums tapc, rem.
dered it impossible to reach him without rome
ne appeared to be about sixty feet from the TOP.
wedeed between the sides Of the crevasse; and
they nad no rope excepting the two ends that had
remai"ed with thon,. ut als,ut yard each no they
determined that one Of them should 20 to the near
est chalat--a two haurs' walk--fur ropea. The
idea OF trying !" make rope hy cuttin.. IN their
coats and shirts. and especially their leather
| knapsack, scents most unaccountably never tc
have occurred to them. Thus the unfortunate NJ
de Grotte received assistance Cor four hours. du
ring which he frequently spike To the ruid,
aboye he was. he said. in slopinc position. will
his head lower than his feet, AMI with his hea,
lower than his feet. and with his right II, m free
bnt be wasconstandy sinking lower lower Al
ter three hours the anw OF i.o,ul % his head nm,
the intense Gold had sery unch weakened him, h,
spoke seldom. saying only that he WAS being truze,
| ~ death.
AT last, after four hours, the guide returne,
| nom the Findelen chalet with assistance: the rs,,
xaslowered. but wa. found 10 b 20 feet too shor
20 leach him. Nov, Il will not DO credited. hu
/ tw iset: that when the RIPE was found "a Is 10
snort nothing more was done, bns men were sen
.a mare ropes 70 zsrmatt, distances q fpur ma .
20 mat the unhappy man vss condemned Nv m
, helpless clowns above him % paas c;rh2 Em, ,
more IN bis icy prison. He had esdursS ~ -,
, dreadful sgouy, for at Hrss ths. vsr,ath - h;
body dissolved the ice next to him. os.ssd him y.
sAk lovsri bus the vital heat dersr.s ~" "oi
AdsSa! xiFsgsined its superiority, so that n,s wv
ossh 70 tightly between The walls Of ;cs ~ ,.s;os
- their wetted surfaces CONCEALED an, 81 rblv .,