Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-09-14
A DANGERous ADvENTURE.

A correspondent Of the Boston Courier,
writing from the Crawford House on the
White Mountains, under date of Aug. 10,
says:
The pcrilous adventure Of Mr.. and Mrs.
d., from Jersey City, on Mount Wiley
yesterday is the theme Of conversation at the
present moment. The summit Of Mount
Millard is but two miles from tho Crawford
House, aud is visited by all, whether they as
ceud Mount Washington or not good
carriage road has been constructed TO the
top, and the mode of ascent is either by foot
or IN mountain wagons. These two persons
walked up, and after viewing the tremendous
gorge formed by Mount Willard on one side
and Mount Webster on the other, with tho
Wiley House looking like small type box
in the distance, they crossed by a connecting
ridge from Mount Willard TO Mount Wiley.
From this latter Mount, some $500 feet in
height, in spirit of adventure they com
monced to descend. For five or six hundred
feet they found very little trouble, but soon
after the way became more difficult which
they hoped would soon pass away, but, as
eycnts subsequently proved, they had but
commenced
They got safely over several lodges of rocks,
and finding hat their troubles were increas-
ing they endeavorod to return, but found that
impossible, and they were reduced to the al
Tentative of either keeping on or remaining
where they were in the hopes Of being missed
at the house, and that searching parties would
be sent out for them. Mrs. G-seatcd
herself upon a large rock, while her husband
worked himself below short distance to dis
cover the bcst way Of proceeding down. In
few moments she exclaimed that the rock
was moving, and told her husband to Jump
for his life and he barely escaped being
crushed to death, the rock rushing by him
with fearful velocity down the mountain side
breaking down small trees and loosening
other largo stones, until it found rest at the
mountains base This was startling, and
cast a deep gloom over them, yet they were
not discouraged. Something must be done
and that quickly. Lying down fiat, and
holding fast to rocks by one hand, Mr. c.
lowered his wife over the ledge with tho other
as far as he could reach. and then let her
drop some six or eight feet further upon a
narrow shelf below, and then dropped him
self. In this manner they descended a long
distance.
To add to their terrors they did not know
but that they might come to a ledge over
which they could not get down. A single
I Inlsslep' or the loss OF presence OF mind on
the part of either would have resulted seri-
ously, if not fatally. A thick growth of
large bushes then became matter of obstruc-
ton, and in getting over and through them
by dropping from branch to branch, their
clothing was rent and their flesh scratched.
After hard struggle of more than four hours
they succeeded in reaching the base at the
side of the road, where they were soon after
found, more dead than alive, by rescung
party, headed by Mr.. Hadley, one of the pro-
prietors Of the house, which party started
from information given by gentleman who
saw them from the road, in their dangerous
situation, and reported it at once. Rostora-
tives were given, and they were assisted into
the wagon, and brought safely back, with
bodies completely exhausted their hands
considerably laceratod, and their clothing
badly torn, Both are persons of much nerve.
/ They arc well to-day, although suffering
from weakness. Tho mountain guides say
that they do not understand how they got
down alive, particularly the lady. Had they
returned from Mount Wiley to Mount Will
lard, they could have made the descent in
about twenty minutes.