Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-07-10
,rry the provisions to next baltibs place

''The thought ofdanger never occurred
10 us. The middle Of the glacier was al
most as FmOoth as carnage road. We
moved briskly along the frozen incline,
until, after a couple of hours march. we
saw solitary human being standing on
the glacier near the point where we we're
to quit it. Our curiosity was aroused by
observing that he was one Of our own two
men. The glacier here is always cut by
crevasses which, Will. they present no
real difficulty, require care. We ap.
preached our porter but he never moved,
aud when we came up to him he looked
stupid and did not speak until he was spo-
ken to His comrade was lost iu a Gre
vase! We we're so stunned for a few
moments tnat we did not seize the import
OF the terrible statement. We were soon
beside wild, jagged cleft which had
been spsnued by snow bridge, now bro
ken, and to the edge Of which footsteps
could be traced. We looked into the
hole, the vision was cut short by darkness
We listened with strained attention, aud
from the depths ofthe glacier there issued
a low moan. My guile seemed to have
lost all self control. Iplaced my hand
heavily on his shoulder, and admonished
him that upon his GOODNESS depended the
life of his friend. If you behave like a
man we shall save him; if like woman,
he is lost
A frst-rate rope accompanied the par
ty, but unhappily it was with the man in
the crevasse. Goats, waist coats, and
braces we're thrown of and knotted To-.
gether. | watched Bonncn, the guide,
, while this work was going on; his, hands
trembled with excitement and the knots
were evidently Insecure. The last junct-
ion complete. he exclaimed, Now let me
down. Not til each of those knots has
been tested, not an iucb.' Two Of them
gave way and one waistcoat proved too
slender for the strain. The guide and l
were then let down some forty feet from
the surface of the glacier. The shape
and size ofthe cavity produced reso.
nance, which rendered /, difficult to fix
= the precise spot from which the moaning
issued, which gradually grew feeblcr.
Fearing to wound the man the ice-
rubbish was cautiously rooted away. A
layer two or three feet thick was thus re.
moved, and fually from the frozen mass
and so bloodless as to be almost as white
as the surrounding snow, issued a single
, human hand. The fingers moved. Round
it we rooted, cleared the arm, and reach
I, ! ed the kDapsack, which we cut away
We also regaiued our rope. The man.
! head was then laid bare, and my brandy
flask was Immediately at his lips. HI
tried TO speak but the words jumble'
themselves into duIl moan. The arm
once free, We passed the rope underneath
them and tried to draw the man out. Blu
the ice fragments round him had regela
ted so as to form a solid case. Thrice W,
essayed to draw him up, and thrice W
failed; we had literally to hew him ou
OF the ice. and not until his last foot wa
. exrricated were we able to lift him. B.
pulling him from above and pushing hin
:, from below, tn, man was at length raise
to the rurface Of the glacier"
Mr.. Whymper describes an incident O
one of the crevssses which was amusin
to some of the participating party, if no
. to all: as .w gs8f 5f .fa9at 1sai.l
If 1--WE" he says. "on the slope ahov
v we're separated from the slope below by
e mighty crevasse. No running up an
~ down for an easier place to cross could b
done on an ice-slope Of 6ffy-tour degrees
;. the chasm had to be passed then aud ther
# Adownward jump of Is or l6 feet
is and forward leap of 7 or S feet had I
"a be made at the same time. It was no
;. the quantity but the quality of the jun
!. which gave it its peculiar flavor. Yo
% had to hit narrow ridge of ice. If tina
a was passed it seemed as ifyou might rol
down for ever and ever. If it was not al
IS tanned you dropped into the crevasse be
;. low, which, though partly choked by lei
!, cles and snow which had fallen iron
). above, was still gaping in many places
n ready to receive an erratic body.
a "Croz united Walker in order to &c
a rope enough. and warning us to hold fast
e sprang over the chasm. lie alighted clev
o erly on his feet; united himself aud sen
If up the rope to Walker, who followed hi
e example. 1t was then my turn and | ad
d vanced to the edge of the ice. The sec
n ond which followed is what is called a su
:; preme moment. That is, felt supreme
u " ridiculous. The world seemed to re
.. volve at frightful pace, and my stom
n ach to fy away The next moment