The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-03-13
i Daring tEplO!t.


Tr,n the river EIha stands the fortress Of ko-
~ni-~tcin. ~ the top Of q rock OF fourteen hnndrcI
fs, elevation. four hundred ot which Is Treclp!i-
IONS uureiicvci by PROJECTION large enough
FIR the SUPPORT Of q swallow. In tDIs lTeciIl-
tous PORTION. however. are some crcylces worn oHt
bv the action Of the water one ot W.ici runs
from the ton T. the bottom. ard u3Is crtNloe
s.-,.d the pufpase Of one. who. with a daring
~uuIarllelci. scaled the perpendicular wall ana
entered the fortress.
lie had been a chimney sweep. who had ar
rived n Kcnigstein. poor and Irlend.eSS, m more
OF getting work on the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ialir9a1.
thsn commencing. Being pennies, nc walkei
out on sunday morning 70 see tie town, ana was
attracted bv the >in-uLIr.y h1ia character OF t"c
rock on which the fortress stood ana Ee rc'@tiru
q conversation heard sometime before regarding
the ra-s.ii!itv OF reaching the summit. 10y means
of tfe crryiceS I'm tie side of tie rock, IN tie same
manner that n chimney sweep climbs a Chimney,
hy vIacin. his back against one side ami mas knees
against tie Other. worSiuE up by degrees without
tie aid or the hands. As he looked the feat
seemed possible. and lie determined 10 Try IT.,
thinking If he succeeded he might win fame ana
money by the exploit. lie accordingly took oil
his boot, and tied chem around his neck, and then
BEGAN his Verilous ascent.
Tie had fully measured the creyice with his eve.
which promised an uninterrupted course u the
top. and found it easy progress ut first. hut as he
proceeded his strength failed him. Ihc crevIce
was on the average about one yard wide, but
sometimes IL got much narrower. ana sometimes II
widenei TO one and Il half yards. He had to
keen A. near a. possible 10 the outside OF the ifs
sure. rs further in ii was wet and slippery. lie
found shrubs growing 10 the rocks. that somewhat
imucied his way. bat they were iecbly attached
and readily Welded 70 his touch. About half
way up he encountered a block OF sandstone that
had fallen from above ami stuck between the
walls. Upon this he rested but n moment after
leaving il. it broke from its hold and icIl with Il
crash to the depth below.
He still kept rising and rising, but the way
seemed longer. and. looking up. Il projection pre-
vented his seeing the top. Then diScouIaGing
fancics seized him. What if he should grow dizzy
and slip from the cleft, There was dismay in
the thought. y fcverish impulse urged him on
higher. higher. The cleft grew wider, and now
he was inpelled to stop altogether, rs he could
not stretch across. Looking up at the point ne
could see the ratification on top, but it was Il
formidable arch spanning the cleft and presenting
what seemed an insu!crable barrier.
lie ncrved himself and climbed Il, far as posi-
bic round To the outward side of the cleft To see If
there was any chance of escape. He found 4 pro-
jccting ledge that bent toward the cliff, within
half 4 ward. He grasped the points OF the ledge
with his hands and drew his body round, and he
was hanging against the perpendicular rock four
hundred feet high lie did not lose his presence
of mind. for it was his last chance. Gripping
first with one hand and then with the other. and
then with bent arms creeping further on. he
gained his point then raising himself up, he put
the upper part OF hs body on the ledge and was
saved.
He rested a considerable time, and then found
that the ledge was about three yards wide, above
which Immediately arose the hrcastwOrk. four
yards high. This was built of stones and mortar,
and time and the weather had worn the mortar
from the seams. lie hung his boots over his
neck again, this time over his back. and prepared
TO surnout the last difficulty. He inserted his
fingers in the spaces left by the mortar. and,
sticking his toes in below, he raised himself up
the wall. The two top stones were smooth and
inclined like = roof, but between them he found
an opening big enough to allow the introduction
of his hand. Thus supported, lie tried to ger
through one Of the PORTFOLIOS. but the stones We're
too smooth. lie then found that he must climb
over the b~attlemcntS. Holding firmly by Ills
right hand. he grasIcd the corner firmly with his
left, and lifted himself up till he could see inside.
The %sentIuelS We're on their posts, moving 70
and fro, and he heard the clock in the town below
strike twelve. He had been two hours making
the ascent. IL felt Il dizzy and sickly sensation
over him, when he made an effort and
swung himself over the wall. striking on Il spike,
and tearing away part of his toes. Completely
and bleeding, he fell upon the path,
where the sentinel found him, who would not be-
iievc his statement that he had obtained entrance
in the way ne said. Neither would the officers.
summoned, believe him, who ordered him To
be held rs 4 spy. The poor halEiamished fellow
fed, however, and after being kept in prison
some ten DAYS he was released, first assuring the
Of his ianOccncv of any intentional
crime. and Offering TO perform the exploit again,
was declined lie was then dismissed with
n passport, and went to his home, making a good
thing out of it by telling his story and receiving
.estimonials from tie admirlng listeners.