The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-04-24

so similar that there was not q single sign
by which he could recognize the abyss in
which was buried alive. In this cruel
perplexity God guided him to see little
knspsack which the guide had left at the
edge of the gulf. / cried to him to look at
his watch. Five minutes more had elapsed.
The cold was becoming more and more in
tense, the blood was literally freezing in my
veins. called / asked if there was any
one in sight The guide had started thirty
FIVE minutes ago, and not q soul had yet
appeared. 1t was scarcely probable that he
could return so quickly as we had taken
three-qusrters OF an hour TO get to this spot,
and he had to go and return.
j felt that could bold on but very llt'
tie longer. The frAil support On which
my safety alone depended, might yield at
any moment and break beneath me. re-
mem hered that had long knife in my
pocket. and resolved to make use of i,
90 draw myself out. ] informed my com.
panion of this project; he implored me to
do nothing of The kind but my situation
had become intolerable. ] made a notch
in the ice high enough for me to insert
my hand ia 1t; then about two feet above
the little bridge dug out hole sufficient
Iy large for me to place my foot in it.
succeeded, and, grssping these two points
OF support, my back resting with al my
strength against the opposite wall, wa,
able to raise myself and keep myself firm il
this new position. descended again upor
the bridge, and began another notch sbov,
the frat fSttered myself that should
thus be able to escape from nv prison, bu
single slip, false step, would pEecipitat,
me into an abyss.
was working diligently at my SECOND
step when heard joyous cry above me
| Here they are! Three men with ropes
they are running ss fast as their legs can
carry them"
steadied myself as firmly as possible
upon the narrow and slippery bridge, sc
as to be able to seize the rope they were
about to lower, and tie it around me. saw
the end of it swinging about Two yards above
my head. "May God have mercy upon me
il is too shorti''
ave have another"
That was fastened to the first and le
down. ! seized the end of it. / bound j
strongly round my waist, and graspiug the
rope with both hands gave the signal fol
them TO pull up.
They begsn-I was saved. A minute
afterward was standing on the glacier.
mad passed fifty minutes in the crevasse
during which time had happily lost neither
my confidence in God nor my presence o
mind.
When placed my foot upon firm ground
again, an empowering feeling OF deep graf
rtude TO the Almighty who had delivered mi
| IN so great peril filed my breast. ] fel
on my knees and tainted. When | again
became conscious, our party was preparing
to start for the the MontRnvert. Befor,
leaving, | wished 10 cast one last look int
the crevssse where l had nearly been buriet
alive. I saw how completely impossible i
would have been for me to get out of it as
had projected. The opening at the top wal
I too wide to have allowed me as | reached i
10 lean against the opposite wall. and with
out that support the most agile of climbing
animals would have found it impossible Il
scale this perpendicular wall Of ice.
| The guide had run to the inn, where b.
could not fad single rope suitable for tn
purpose. In despair he started for Cha
mounix when on kis way he met two null
eteers. Their animals were laden will
! wood, tied on with ropes, which he impioEeC
them TO give him TO save poor travele
who had fallen into crevasse. These gooC
people at once unlosded their mules, snt
came with the guide TO nv assistance. Ty
ing them together-there were three-th
ropes reached the depth of thirty to fort.
Yards, where had been arrested in N,
| fell.
Assisted by my deliverers, was able II
reach Moutanvsrt, where, in good bed Ant
with my bruises attended to, had leisure Il
dream about the danger from which hAt
escaped, and the remembrance of which
often haunts me both sleeping and waking
trust that future travellers profting by my
| experience, will not run the risk of peue-
trsting into the midst of these ice regions
without providing themselves with axes and
ropes, and especially with firm confidence
| in Gods goodness, the surest of support,
and theSbest safeguard here below.