Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-08-13

J traversing the Great st. Bernard, at the exag-
! gerateddaneers of which pass helaughed hear
, tiy. Accidents, he admitted did sometimes
/ overtake travellers in that part of the Alps
but generally, he said, the pass of the st.
r Bernard was open and safe throughout tn,
year, except during the continuance of the
snow storms. He had himself, few year,
previously, in another pass, the name o.
, which forget, been overtaken by one Of
| these, in company with an English family re-
] turning from Italy, and been witness of the
I way in which the elements sometimes perform
1 the office of sexton. They set out early in
$ the morning, and arrived a little before night
r fall at part of the pass which, owing to the
0 driving of the winds, is easily choked up
+ The snow had began to fall about an hour and
0 a half previously, and wos now pouring down
, the rarine before the blast, binding both hor-
+ SEES and positions, and bringing along wish it
/ premature night. They had hoped to reach
the summit before darkness set in; but the
/ horses furnished them were weak, and the
snow, for the last hour at least, had greatly
retarded their progress. How he came to be
in the Englishman's carriage he did not ok
plain. fancy our countryman had invited
him out OF sheer politenesss. The party coil-
sisted of five in all-the husband and wife,
the Italian, the nurse, and a little caly. How
: it comes to pass know not, but it generally
4 happens that the English, when overtaken by
In an1a oil
eigners. On the occasion in question, all the
solicitude of the husband seemed to be con-
centrated in the wife, while all hers was in
the baby. Self seemed equally absent from
the minds of both. The nurse, for her part,
displayed the utmost stoicism, except that, as
the cold increased, and the snow-drifts beat
more and more furiously against the carriage
/ windows, she pressed the child more closely 4
/ to her breast, and protected it from the influ-
ence Of the air with greater allowance OF
sqawls. Our friend from Aosta, who under
stood thoroughly the perils of che position,
went on talking with the husband, who while
his eye was fixed upon his wife seemed calm
and collected, though, from certain thunder
ing noises above, it appeared probable that
the avalanchcs We're in motion. Al every ten
yards the carriage was stopped by the accu-
muated srow.
iJane, . said the husband at length to his
wife, ''tie up your throat carefully; we may
have to walk presently; and you, nurse,
make the baby comfortable, and give him to
met The .nursssebeyed, and the mother,
looking anxiously at her child, inquired with
suppressed eanestness: =
civilian, is there any danger?'
Eyes, a little, love, just enough to impart
an air of romance to our adventure
g Hark e exclaimed the wife, "what'st
that?
MY God," cried the nurse, "the noun
tain has fallen on us.
Just at that instant loud shout was heard
from the men outside, followed by suppress
ID struggle and groan, and then the most
complete silence. All motion was at the same
arrested in the carriage, and on applying the
lamp to the windows, it was perceived that .
they were embedded in thick snow.
What is to be done n exclaimed the Eng !,
ishman, addressing himself to our friend 4
rom Aosta. " Can your experience suggest !,
positions II we force our way out, do yon
hink it possible that We could reach some ;s
olace of shelter ~
No." answered he, THAT ID impossible :,
AL we can do ia to remain where we are
hey will dig us out in the m orning."
And the drivers, " observed the English
nan, sudden thought flashing across his "
mind, ''what is 10 become of the drivers !.
hey win die of cold
They are dead already answered the :,
lostan 'the first stroke of the avalanche =
xtinguishcd life in them--wlst you heard \
vas their death-groan.i
g Impossible" cried our countrymsn, ~ 1
must force my way out, and endeavor to drag ),
hem hither.''
Tie confined space into which they had to fe
breathe would have rendered it necessary TO II
ct down the windows, at the risk Of admit "a
ing quantity Of snow but all egress was ii
They were entombed as it h.
yefc, in the avalaAche which, fortunately ii
or them, was soft and spongy, permitting air
o pass through its pores yet the heat soon Al
'ecame almost insuilerablc, and once during a,
he night the lady tainted. Travelling car Ii,
lagos in the Alps are always well supplied as
Nth provisions and restoratves. wine, bran In
" &C., and as our countryman never once al
Dst his presence OF mind, everything was fir
one that could be for wife, and nurse, and
hid. What their language and feelings az
iere may possibly be imagined. All our M
lend from Aosta could say was, that it was fe,
cry terrible, which he uttered in a tone more +,
igniiicant than his words. Well, morning M
anne at last, as they knew by consulting ii,
heir watches hut it brought no light with T,
!, and for some time no sound. At length 90
onfused rumblng was heard through the !,
now, which died away, and came again by =
Is, till at length it became evident that it =.
az the voices of men. After Il protracted
l.erya, gleam of daylight entered the car i,
age, the snow was cleared partially away,
nd the welcome face of a rustic was beleld
eering down upon them. Their deliverance = -
Ias now speedy, and they were conveyed ~, ~
ali dead to chalet, together with the bod :,
= of the driver and positions. -
pr
Such accidents said our friend, :" are ii,
lre.'i IL
g II is to be hoped So, exclaimed Madame N
srli land what became of the English 80,