The weekly Butte record., 1861-05-25
Nv position was an awful one The little

MY position was an awful one. lhe little
ledge was SO narrow that | could not get both
feet upon it. was in fact supporting myself
on one leg half leaning against one side of the
crevasse and pressing my head against the op-
posite side. 1t was perfectly smoothe and
there was nothing to grasp. A stream of wa
ter poured over my shoulders, drenching me to
the skin and freezing me with its icy codness
Overhead | could see the long narrow strip of
blue sky bounded by the mouth Of the crevasse
There was terribly stold, unrelentng look
in the intensely blue ice that surrounded me on
all sides. The grim walls Of the crevasse look
ed as if they would unite and crush me rather
than reinquish their victim. Numerous rills
of water poured into the crevasse, but in the
whole sixty yards of It's length I could see no
projection except the little ledge had so mi
raculously CHANGED to fall upon.
I yentured to look down, only for an instant,
into the fearful chasm in which I was suspend
ed AT the depth to which l had fallen, the
crevasse was barely two feet wide, but down
ward it narrowed rapidly, and about two
hundred feet below me the sides appeared to
join. | believe that if had fallen six inches
on either side of the little ledge I must newt
ably have been jammed in head downward
where no ropes that could have been brought
there could possibly have reached me.
had now been about twenty minutes stand
in this perilous position, straining every nerve
to prevent myself from giving way, looking up
at the blue sky above me and the clear ice on
all sides, but seldom daring to cast glance
into the abyss below. Blood was trckling
over me from a cut in my cheek, and felt that
my right leg was becoming exceeding painful
from the strain upon it, and | was afraid of
losing my balance if l tried to relieve myself
by changing to the other felt that | was
becoming benumbed by the intense cold of the
ice against which | was leaning, and of the
stream of water from under which | burst not
move
1 called to my fellow traveller to know if any
one were in sight? There was no answer.
called again. No human being seemed to be
within hearing. A dizziness came over me, as
the thought struck me, " He has gone to look
if any help is coming, and he cannot find his
way back to TIE crevasse. There are hundreds
of them I am lost"
Again l had to strain every nerve to keep
myself from sinking l almost gave up hope ;
felt inclined to throw myself down and have
the agony over. At that miserable time l
suddenly heard my friend shouting from above.
He had gone to look if he could discern the
guide and, when he turned round to retrace
his steps had been thunderstruck to see the
surface Of the glacier intersected by innumera-
bic crevesses, all so similar in appearance as
to leave no landmark by which to know my
living grave. Thank Heaven! He had caught
sight of a little knapsack left at the mouth Of
the erevasse by the guide. This had directed
him back called to him to look at his watch
five minutes more were passed. The cold
was growing more intense. 1t is no figure OF
speech to say that felt the blood freezing in
my veins. | called to him again to know if
any one were in sight. 1t was thirty minutes
since the guide had started bat not a soul was
visible. It was most unlikely that he could be
quarters of an hour in coming thus far.
I felt that I could hold out but very short
!
at what moment the little ledge, which was
my only safety, might give way under my
weight. I remembered that I had a large
clasp knife in my pocket and determined to
try to rescue myself with its aid. | called TO
my fellow traveller above that was going to
attempt it. He implored me not TO try; but
my situation was becoming so desperate that
did try. began by making little hole IN
the ice as high up as [ could reach, large
enough to admit one hand. My next endeavor
was to deep foothold about two feet above
the ledge | succeeded in this, and found that
by placing my foot in it, holding fast by the
place had made for my hand, and, at the
same time pressing with my back against the
opposite side of the crevasse with all my
strength, was able to raise myself and stand
firmly in my new position. again let myself
down on the ledge, and commenced cutting
another foothold, about two feet above the
last. 1t seemed to me possible that in this
manner might escape from my icy prison !;
but, single slip or false step, and knew l
must be precipitated down the crevasse.
was working diligently at the second foot
hole, when l heard joyful shout from above.
" They are in sight-three men with ropes
running as hard as they can"
steadied myself on my terrible narrow and
slippery footing, in order to be able to seize
and attach the rope when thrown to me.
saw the end of it dangling over my head
9 Merciful God II will not reach me 1t is
too short p We have got another rope y
was answered from above ; and it was knotted
on and lowered | caught the end and tied it
firmly round my waist. Grasping the rope
above with both hands, gave the word The
strain began, and | felt that | was safe. In
another minute | was standing on the glacier