The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-11

few years ago party, having as
ccnded the Morteratsch, mountain in
the center of the Grisons, hadnn expert
ence with an avalanche that came near
ending fatally. In descending they left
the track by which they had gone up,
and crossing piece Of ice, by steps cut
in it with hatchet, struck slope Of
snow that yielded Just enough to give
them foothold. To hold each other in
ease of accident, they were all five tied
together bYa rope. Jenny, an expert
enced guide, took the lead. They hal
proceeded some distance in this way,
the one behind carefully stepping in
the trucks Of the one preceding him,
when Jenny turned around, and cau-
toned them not to miss step, for the
shock Of the fall might bring down an
avalanche. The words were scarcely
out Of his mouth when one of the men
slipped and fell. In an instalt an ava
lanche, loosened from its reSting-place,
thundered down upon them. The three
in the rear were whirled in tangled
mass past the two in advance. These
instinctively braced themselves to re.
sist the shock, when the rope should be-
come taut. But il was all in vain the
impetus of the three descending men
jerkcd them from their foothold und
away all went together on the "back of
the avalanche" Hatchets driven into
the ice MS they rolled over, to arrest
their progress, and their alpenstOcks
thrust wildly ont for the same purpose,
were jerked from their hands, aud now
sliding, now rolling over and over they
shot rapidly downwnrds towards fearful
chasms, "The three foremost men
rode upon the forehead Of the avalanche
and were at times almost immersed in
the snow" They were carried with
such velocity that the whole I've were
borne bodily across crevasse, barely
hitting the farther edge. This, however,
checked their speed a little, and Jenny,
partly recovering himself on the edge
Of another fssure, jumped boldly into
it. He knew the rope attached to those
who had been carried Overit would keep
him from going to the bottom, while
the weight Of his body, he being heavy
man, hanging in the crack. he hoped
would arrest the downward progress OF
the rest. 1t was quick, heroic thought,
and bravcly carried out. But it was of
no RMil-tho momentum Of the decend-
ing bodies ierl:ed him out aS though he
had been IN india rubber bOll-the sud-
den terrible Tightening of the rope al
most taking the breath out of his body.
He however struggled desperately to his
feet. Being last Of all, the snow of the
avalanche in which the others were
submerged was mostly in front Of him,
and he endeavored to drive his heels ut
every plunge into the hard crust, shout
ing all the time at the top Of his voice (!
Before the slope down which they
were driving reached the brow of the
precipice, beyond which was death, it
became less steep, mud the avalanche
slackened its speed. Hope revived in
all. The mighty mass, however, did
not halt, but crossing this partially level
spot, began again to accelerate its mo.
ton. Seeing this, the two forward
friends threw their arms around each
other, ind resigned themselves to their
terrible fate. l'yndall struggled des-
pentely to unbuckle his belt to which
the rope was attached, hut finding it
impossible, he braced himself with all
his might. Jenny, however, with wtn.
derfu. self.posscssion and coOlncss, had
succeeded, in this short lull Of their de-
scent, in getting Il firm foothold, and
bearing on the rope with his great
weight, he brought the wholeto u stand
still Just on the verge of the precipice,
over which few seconds more would
have carried them. They arose stunned
and bruised, but not seriously wounded,
and reached the bottom in safety, after
certainly one Of the most extraordinary
slides on record. -SriJHe's .Noaihh