The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-04-21

uouot BtNo hio SOihOthiiS " Oaty anu pei .
haps even money in reward for my daring.
And it also struck me that I might pos.
sibly meet my brother up there, as he
had gone for a soldier some time ago.
without further delay, then, l pre-
pared for the ascent looked carefully
up at the fssures in the rock only one
went quite up to the top. noticed it
was bridged over by the breastwork'; but
this seemed so small, that I thought once
there, | could easily spring over the wall.
My boots would, of course, impede me in
climbing so took them off and hung
them round my neck, letting them fall on
my breast. My stick ! left leaning against
the rock, and then | got into the cleft and
began to climb up as if ] was in a chin
ney.
Il do not know, sir, whether you have
ever seen a chimney sweeper climb. We
make use, principally of the knees press.
ing them against one side Of the wall and
our backs firmly against the other side
and go we shove ourselves up the chin
ney. The hands have to hold the brush,
SO we hardly make any use Of them in
climbing. In this way | got on famously
The cleft was, on an average perhaps,
abou one yard wide but sometimes it
got very much narrower, and sometimes
it widcned to one and IA half yards in
width. Before and behind me was rock,
on the left was the Elbe, and on the right
the insile Of the cleft, which was gradu.
ally growing narrower as got higher |
had to keep as near as possible to the out
eide of the fssure, for further in it was
too wet and slippery.
AS yet I was not in the slightest
degree tired and as went on at IA quick
pace, had got considerable way up
when il struck ten in the little town be-
low. Here and thore shrubs were grow
ing in my way, particularly little goose,
berry bushes; but being only specifically
fixed ON the rock, they gave way at the
slightest endeavor TO hold on by them
| still continued mounting higher; but
now begun to have to stop often, in or
der to get fresh strength About half
way up | found a large block of sandstone
.jammed in the cleft, mos: probably having
been dislodged from above during the
building of the breastwork, and in its fall
it had struck where found 1t. tried if
it vas firm, stepped on to it, sat down on
1t, hut it did not move; and now that I
could comfortably rest myself, seemed
TO gain fresh strength.
There | was now with my back to the
rock, and enjoying the magnificent view
Deep down below lay the little town ;
whilst the Elbe glistcned in the sunshine,
and the boats on it looked like nutshclls.
Opposite to me rose the Lllienstein; but
| am forgetting, sir, that ~e have almost
the same prospect before us now, and
what need have | therefore to describe it
to you! Well, l got into my cleft again
and was steadily climbing on, when sud-
denly something cracked in the cleft be.
low me, and it seemed us if the whole
rock was shaking. Horror-stricken. |
stopped short. The rock, which had So
opportunely afforded me resting place,
evidently loosened through my weight,
had fallen crashing to the depth below.
Only few minutes sooner, and should
have lain there at the bottom, smashed to
pieces. A cold shudder ran through INC
ms ! gazed down. Don't think, sir, how
over that this made me nervous for
chimney-swecper are used to unforeseen
dangers, and fear is only known to us by
name.
Again ! applied myself energetically
to my work, and, in spite of the rocky
cleft being in some places almost too wide
and in Others almost too narrow, | still
kept rising; but the time began to appear
very long to me, and it seemed as if had
been days sticking in this miserable place
If should become giddyl III should
slip out of the cleft, am irrecoverably
lost look up above mo to see if an
near the top, but there is turn in the
rock and cannot ascertain. A feverisl
impulse urges nae on. Higher higher
The cleft gets wider and wider, and nov
must stop for cannot stretch across it.
l look upwards once more, and, to my
great JOY, see the breastwork; but wha
appeared so magnificent from below,
find now to be formidable arch spanning
my cleft and presenting an apparently
insurmountable barrier. What am t
do now? | feel a cold perspiration cove
me as death looks up from the frightfu
depths below. Once more nerve nay
self; ! climb as far as possible round t,
the outward side Of the cleft, to see i
there can be any possibility Of escape.
short distance from me is projecting ledg
and if that can only be reached! Th
ledge bends toward the cleft, and th
narrow points Of it seem to come within
half yard. Is 1t possible that this is t.
be my rescue'
Slowly stretched out my hands, an,
my fingers grasped the point of the rocl
like cramp.irons As soon as had m,
hands firmly fixed, gently drew m
body round, and, in another minute I wa
hanging against the perpendicular rocl
400 feet high, and depending entirely Of
the strength of my fingers. But, in thi
awful moment, I did not lose my presenc
OF mind, and knew that / was at m,
last chance. Gripping first with on
hand and then with the other, and the
with bent arms creeping further on,
~AI