Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-09-15
FEARFUL ACCIDENT IN SWITZERLAND

kEIAsEABLE DEATH CT TRAVELLER II 4uE GL.,rrs-
A correspondent OF tie London Times, writing from
ITTPit inS1i-i 'S't z'Sss The foloSinR lriinF
" II appears that on Friday morning August la,b A..
Russian gentleman, named Edouri De Gr6tte leii the
Hheiberg Hotel 70 the pass CT the Wri-tLor He
was very fine, powerful man, about six feet three
inches high and had somewhat Wild and unsettled lool
on aus lace. lie had no Alpcastock, (which was iuds
pensabe for such an eIpedton and sharply refused IN
oreE on the part Of the landlord to supply him it
He started with TO zsrmatt guides and SAFELY
crossed both the Weissthor and Monte Moro passes
irving IL the evening ~ MatmErk village it, The val.
s' OF Saas He appeared to be very confident Ia his
physical powers aud be inclined 10 dcspise the Difficult
tes ans dangers occasionally met with in the higher re-
gions Of the Alps
On Saturday morning he left 6straaIk Nth his two
guides (sl without Alpensock and carving ONLY
walking stick ia his hand lie retraced his seus OF th
pTeyou7 day far the top OF the Weissbor Pass.
from there instead of turning to the left and descend
lag by the usual route along the Corner Glacier 10 the
Usual route along the Corner Glacier to the Riieberg
ne descended by the fndeien Glacier which slopes from
die pass directly down into the valley OF Zcrmatt and
ahords shorter though much perious route to the
town than the Corner Glacier
The three fastened together nv n ron. the
traveller being IN tie middle. the rope sas tiFi arnu
ms body but was not, should have been tied rouDd
the body Of the guides also it only held Or the left i
each ~ large loose loop. In this wa hey uas.aj
safely over the greater part Of the glacier and we're with
IN a few minutes Of leaving il altoyethsr whom tbcv
eae TO large patch Of snow which the guides accord
ing 10 teir o"n account proposed 10 pass around but
"hth the traveller insisted crossing AccordinrIv
The first guide crossed il in safety The traveller lion
olloSed him, but wbeE he bad reached tue middle the
SNOW gave way under bis feet and he sank into hidden
crtp1se Having Alpenstock ne could not break his
iall IN the usual ~g, by holding across the chasn and
30 his whole weight thrown with a sudden srl Iu,r
the rope which broke instantly on both side Of the m
gd''61 down which the unfortunate man consequently
ieH MS voice was heard soon after calling for ass5.
lance which the guides sllu! enough 10 rem
deI the ereta'ss vas peculiar one being narrow al
the top, and widening doEnwards for some distance
after which II naIrosed again t lie sides met =
depth OF about POO feet. This Circumstance rem
nercd 1t impossible TO reach him without a rome
nc appeared TO be about sixty feet from the TOD
"edged between the sides Of the crcvase and they hal
10 rope excepting the ends that had remained itb
them, Of about yard each they determined that one
OF them should 60 10 the chalet two hour'
SalE-io1 ropes The idea Of trying TO make rome nv
IHng W Le coats and shirts and especially their lea.
ther knapaok seems most unaccountably never to have
occurred TO them Thus the unfortunate de Grotto
received no assistance Tor four hours during which he
frequently spoke 10 the guide above be Bgs he aid in
s0png position With his head lower than his feet and
Sh his right free but he was CONSTANTLY sinking
lover and lover After three hours the Ho Of blood 20
h' head and the intense cold had yeTy much weakened
nun ne spoke seldom saying that be being frozen
AT last after four hours, the guide returned from
the fndelen rka'd With assistance the rope was low
cred but vas found 60 be taony feet too short TO reach
Mn NOW will not be credited hut il il n fact tLot
when the rope found 10 BE- too short noting orc
wa 1ohe, Dat men -eTe sent fgr more ropes 10 Ter
matt distance Of four hours 70 that the uuhappv man
vas condemned by the helpless clowns above him to pass
eight hours IN BIZ icy Prison lie had sdnre3 ,i
most dreadia agony Tor az h1t the warmth of In. boj,
dissolved the ice nest 90 him causing him % sink lover
hnt ~ the vital heat departed the cold gradually re-
Falh'd iis superiority 90 that he was frozen IN tightly
pet"een the Wals Of ice which their wecd surface
'ohgealed and slightly expanded towards each other
crushed him between them with Irresistible force
u n0S 1, lne ena o. 'he hlh hour che poor died
more ropes came from Zermau and HE corpse vs.
pulled up u was found the depth Of seventyyo feet
u vas handed over 10 the authorized BY whom an in-
quest - held on Tuesday last, add examination in
stituted"