Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-12-09
A Ride on an Avalanche.

Professor Tyndall, in letter to the
London Times, describes his perous ad-
ventures up the Plz Morteratsch as fol-
lows:
Towards the end of last July, while
staying at Pontresina, ODER Engadiu,
was invited by two friends to join an ex-
petition dp the Piz Morteratsch. This |
willingly did, for wished TO look at the
confsuralion Of The Alps from some com
manding point in the Berninia Mount
aims, and also to learn something Of the
capabilities of the Pontresina guides. We
took two of them with us--Jenni, who is
the man Of greatest repute among them
and Walter, who is the head of the Blu
reau Of guides. We proposed to ascend
by the Rosegg, and to retdrn by the Nor
tera!sch glacier, thus making a circuit, in
stead Of retracing our steps. About eight
hours Of pleasant, healthful exertion
placed US on the Morteratsch Spite,
where we remained for an hour, whore tie
conviction forced on my mind on many
another summit was overwhelmingly
that those mountains and valleys are not
as supposed by the renowned President
Of the Geographical Society, ridges and
heaps tossed u2 by the earth's central
fires, with great assures between them,
but that ice and water, acting through
long ages, have been the real sculptors of
the Alps. After descending the rocks
for time Jenni turned and asked me
whether thought il better to adhere to
them or to try the ice slope to our right.
pronounced in favor Of the rocks, but
he seemed to misunderstood me, and
turned towards the couloir. stopped
him before he reached it, ana said, "Jen-
nj, do you know where you are going
the slope is pure ice." He replied,
know ii hut the ice is quite bare for a
few yards only. Across this exposed
portion / will cut steps, and then the
snow which covers the ice will give US a
footing lie cut the steps, reached the
snow and descended carefully along il
all following him, apparently in good
order. After a little time he stopped
turned, and looked upwards at the last
three men. lie said something about
keeping carefully in the tracks, adding
that a false step might detach an ava.
lauche. The word was scarcely spoken
when | heard the sound OF fall behind
me, then rush, and in the twnkling OF
an eye my two friends and their guide, al
apparently entangled together, whrled
past me. suddenly planted myself Il
resis; their shock, but in an instant was
in their wake, for their impetus was IRE.
sistible. A momen: afterwards Jenni
was whirled away, and thus all five of Us
found ourselves riding downwards with
uncomfortable speed on the back of an
avalanche which a single slip had origin
ated. When thrown down by the i-rL
Of the rope, | turned promptly on ms
face and drove my baton through the mo
wing snow, seeking to anchor it in the ic
underneath. ] held il firmly thus for q
few seconds, when came into collision
and was rudely tossed through the air
Jenni at the same time being shot down
upon me. Both Of Us here lost our bat
ons. We had, in fact, been carried over n
crevasse, bad hit its lower edge, our great
velocity causing US to be pitched beyond
il. ] was quite bewildered for moment.
but immediaily righted myself, and could
see those in front Of me half buried in the
snow, and jOlted from side TO side by the
rgis smeag which they were passing.