The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1864-11-16
An adventure in the Alps.
Pao,rssoR TrsDALL DsscrsDIso a GIAcl


PROFESSOR TYNDALL DsscENDIsG GLscIER.
Professor TyndalI sends 10 The London
Tunes narrative OF rather exciting a"-
venture in the Alps On the Sd OF July ne
aud two friends, with a couple OF gn,des,
Jenni and Walter, ascended the Piz Monis
ersich. TIE ascent was accom- plished safe-
Iy but not the descent, which was made
along the Morteratsch glacier;
rWe al length reached the point al which
it was necessary TO quit our mornings
track, and Immediately afterwards got upon
some steep rocks, which were rendered
slippery here and there by the water which
triekled over them. To our right was
broad coulor, which was once filed with
snow, but this had been melted and efroz-
en-, so as to expose sIopine wall OF ice -
We were all tied together al this lime in the
following order; Jenni led, came next,
then my friend H, an intrepid mountaineer.
then his friend L., and last OF all, the guies
Waller. After descending the rocks for
fine Jenni turned and asked me whether
thonghl II better 10 adhere 10 them or 10
Try The ice s:ope TO our right. ] pronounce
ed in .aVor cf the rocks, but be seemed 10
misunderstood me, and turned towards tie
couIoir He cot ateps, reached The snow,
and descended carefully along it, all fol-
lowing hin, apparently in good order.
After little while he stopped, turned,
aud looked upwards at the last th rec men.
He said something about keeping carefully
in the tracks, adding that false step miaht
deiach an avalanche. The word was
scarcely uttered when heard the sonnd OF
fall behind me, then rush, and in t1s
lwinklug of an eye my two friends and
Their guide, all apparently eaianeIed logeth-
ef, whIrled past me. suddenly planted
myself TO resist their shock bui ia an ins
staut was in their wake for their impetus
was irresistible. A moment afterwards
Jenni was whrled away, and thus all five
OF US found ourselves riding dowbvards
with uncomfortable speed on The back of an
avalanche, which single slip had ongina-
ted. When thrown down by The Jerk af
the rope, turned promptly on my face and
drove my baton through the moving snow,
seeking 10 anchor il in the ice underneaih.
bad held il firmly thus tor few seconds,
when came into collision with some OBJ
stscle, and was rudey tossed through the
air. Jenni at the same time being SHOT down
upon me- Both of Us here lost our baion-.
We had, in fact, been carried over a crew
asse, had hit lis lower edge, our great ve-
locily causing Us TO be pitched 5eyond it.
J was quite oeSildered, for moment,
see those in front of one halt buried IN the
snow and jolteh from side 10 side by the
rus among which they were passing
Suddenly | saw them tumble over By a
lurch OF the Avalanche, and immediately
afterwards fouud myself initiating their mo-
ton. This was caused by second cres-
asse Jenni knew OF its existence, and
plunged right into it-a brave and manful
act, hut for The time UUsvailng. Heis over
thirteen slone in weight aud he thought that
by jum ping into ihe chasm strain might
be put upon tho rope, sufficient 10 check
The motion. He was, however, violeDtly
ierked ont of The fissure, and almost squeez-
ed 10 death by Tie pressure OF The rope =
long slope was below us: which led di-
recilv downwarjs &c brow where the gia-
zier suddenly ie in declivily OF ice. At
the base OF this dec!iviy The giazier was
cut by a series of profound chasms, aud to-
wards these we we're now rapidly borne
The three foremost men rode upon the
forehead of the avalanche, and. were, at
! times, almost wholly immersed in tbs
snow but the moving lava was thinner
behind, and Jenni rose necessarily and;
with desperate energy, drove his ieet into
/ the irmer substance underneath. His voice
shouting, "H alt Her Jesus, halt!' was the
4 only one heard during the descent.
J a kind Of condensed memory, such as
/ that described By people who have narrow
| ly escaped drowning, took possession OF
me and thought and reasoned with pre-
/ ternaturai clearness as rushed along. Our
| start. moreover, was 100 sudden, and The
excitement too great TO permit of the de-
velopemen, of terror The slope al one
place became less sleep, tbs speed visIbly
sIackened, and we thought we were COM
ing 10 rest; he avalanche, however, cross
ed The brow which terminated this geniler
slope and regained lis motion. Here H.
threw his arms around his friend, all hope.
lor The time, being exungUished, while [
ara~ped my belt and struggled for an in
slant to de;ach myself. Finding his diff
cult, resumed my pull upon the rope
NV share in tie work was, lear infinte-- :
slmsi, but Jeaui's powerful strain made II
self lelI al last AIDED probably by Sigh,
change OF inclination, he brought the whole
! to rest. wubin short distance Of ihs
chasms over whch, had we preserved oar
Speed lew seconds would have carried
%. None OF US suffered serious damage