New-York tribune., 1872-03-26


head those far submits. glowing with reflected rose
slowly aud with vaporike stealth climbed the mountain
wall cxinushing the red light combined 10 produce an
of,ect which may not described; more than
hint at the contrast between the brhancy OF the scene
under fun light. and the cold deathlike repose which
followed when the cliffs and pallid SHOW were all
| overshadowed with ghostly gray.
| A Sudden chill enveloped us. Stars in moment
crowded through the dark heaven flashing with frosty
spendor. The snow congealcd, the brooks eeised 70
flow, and under the powerful sudden leverage dnts o o,
SUBMITS and came laundering down the slopes po1e % i
~ GpSn ont the s iGe we f Ste sa o hut Neither
could help being startled, and jumping lust I'LL t. tho
eSSe over our heads and whzzed down the gorge Their
stroke rcsoundng fainter and fainter uDu ~ i"S' o'
| confused echo reached us. d., ,or., A.,
crecs above zero We set the minimum ana roled our
Selves together for the night The longer ay Ine iess
cold also my bones seeming 70 appr9acl ae, ,, @ ooi
80 Vigorous a circulation mine was not enough 10
up the ledge to awning hh1 better mai
ress than pone but the larger crystals OF orihocse
protrudng plentifuly, punched my back ana caused
1uepey' aIe nc How loved Coter How hugged him and
got warm, while our backs gradually petrificd, III we
whired and thawed them out together Inc slant
of that bed was diagonal ana excessive; doWn
it We slid tin the ice chilled us awake an ana ,s We
crawled back and checked ourselves up wi,n WIN ntS
of granite inserted under my RIBS ana Shoulu'Fs'
In this pleasant position we gSe GTls bo esse The
granite ceOftened pcrccptiby. was delightfully."- warm
into indus SumDcf winch ldsltu WIN
great sounduess till FOUR when We rose aud ate our
| breakfast OF frozen Ncnson. ,,
Tie thermometer stood at two above zero; everything
was frozen tight except the canteeD which we had pfu
IDENTIFY kept between us all night stars sun pl2zTu a
sh0ne in pale reflection upon the rocky nights To me
east which dmly white. mp from the impcnetraoe
shadows of the canon Sicnce-cold, Ghastly dlnncSS
i'm which loomcd huge fornsthe biting freshness Of the
air wrought upon feelings we shouldcred our
packs aud started with SLOW pace to climb toward lhe
Soon, to our dmay found the straps had chafed
our shoulders that the weight uS great pam and
obliged pad them with our handkercheis ana extra
socks bich remedy didn!t wholly rehS'e us from 'no
Directing our steps southward toward niche in the
| wall which bounded us only han mile distant We
ms scarcely yield ~ all 10 our tread, at The same time
compressing enough to make th3t crsp lrSsy s9uia %
the hooks that il had something to do wth the severe
name OF regulation.
steopy up toward the crags, till by and 10y II became
quite dangerous causing us TO cut steps with COterr
large bowie kniica slow, tedious operation, reqllng
| patience OF pretty lpermauent klAd In thls way we
spent quiet social hour or So ihe sun had nor !eI
reached us, being shut out by the nigh alnhitnea'cf
wall; but its cheerful light Teneced uOWhNafd nom
number of higher crags, flhns the recess win tIc
brightness day and putting ont Of existence those
shadows which sOmbcrly daThcncd the earlier hohrs
To look back when we stoled 10 RESI- was 90 @ feSI X our
down Thousand feet 70 the margin Of frozen lnircr
of lee ribs and needles of rock piercing MP through tho
snow so closely grouped that, had we fallen, miracle
only might save us from being dashed. This lea 10
rather deeper steps and greater that our burdens
should he held nearly the center of gravity,
and pleasant relief when got to the top OF the snow
and down block Of granite 10 breathe aud look
up in search of way the housandfoot cliff Of broken
surface. among the lines OF fracture ana the galleries
II Would have dsheartencd TO M the hard sheer
front Of precpces and search among splnercd pro-
ic, tons creNccs shelves and snOw-pdtches i0r an
inviting route had not been animated by faith that
Cb"oen% what looked like the least impossible way
we started but finding it unsafe t0wOrk with packs
resumed ;hc Yesterdays plan, CoJter taking the lead
climbing about fifty feet ahead, and hosting M the
knapsacL> and barometer as tied Them 10 ho emo OF the
.I,.s sfT-f m III ~
Us. the way opened again and again To our Gymhastlc'
till stood together upon mere shell not NOR tiaR
Edgng along careful steps our backs tattened upon
the granite moved slowly to broad platform, where
TGerr was no fooihold above us Looking down over
the we had come II seemed, and really beley,
in was an impossible descent; for climb upward
with safety where he cannot downward. To turn back
was TO give 9p IN M dsea o & ana Io Te S o a. % eay mi m m
cepting and feeling disheartohed About thirty
fet directly over heads another shelf which,
if we could reach, seemed to offer at least temporary
way upward On its edge were two or three spikes OF
granite whether firmly connected with the cln, or
said to Cotter, thought OF but one possible plan: it
to lasso one of these blocks and to climb sailor
fashion hand hand up the rope ln tue lasso had
huli throw his whole weight AGAINST u Wthou. r'r'ihg
stIand. The shelf was So narrow mat throWing the
I three times. and COtter spent I'VE nihu'cs 'aInI
wliriing the loop UP at the granite spikes. Al last
made a lucky throw and IL tightened upon one OF the
smaller pr0tuherauces dre" the moose CLOSE ana very
gradually threw y $50 pounds upon the rope then Cot
! Il
united weight upon Whether the rock moved slightly
or whether the stretched little unable 10
JowIV The SMOOTH precipice face against which my
| body swung offered no fOothod. and the whole CLIMB
had therefore he done by the arms an effort requiring
an ones determination. When ABOUT halfway up was
obliged To rest, and cirln feet in the rope mlnascd
10 relieve INV arms FOR moment In This position could
resist the fascinating temptation OF survey down
ward
foot OF the rocks, Ne cgan the Snow whose steep ioOik
SLOPE exaggerated INTO an almost vertical anS, curved
i "a sif a
A'tS Coftcr looked up cheeGiuy and asked how was
,1iinc if: To- Which / answered that had plenty OF
| wind left. At that moment, When hanging between
heaven and earth, IL was deep satisfaction 10 ooh
down at the wide gulf OF de- beneath. and up To
unknown dangers ahead and feel my nerves cool ana
few pulls hand hand brought me to the edge of
the shelf, when throwing an arm around TIE gTInt,
TesG, shouting to Cotter that l all right, and
that the prospects upward were capita' -, Ai;Gr , =
! and directed my cOnrade TO tie the bar0hcttr
to the lower end Of the lasso. which he ana.
| and that precious instrument was holstcd 10 my
station and the lassO sent down twice for knaachh,
| Lar way without once stoppnT TO rest We TOOK our
loads in our hands, swinging ne Daromet over my
direction upward ana 10 the soHt, bringing Us out at
last upon the THU blade OF ridge which connected .
short distance above with the sulaInt II WAS formed
huge blocks shattered, and ready, at toach to ft
So and sharp was the upper slope, that we
ul0ng with our hands, pushing the knapsacks III ad-
| vance and then holding our breath when loose
MASSES rocked under our weight.
once upon the summit, grand view burst upon us.
Hatening 10 step upon the crest oi the divide, which
was never mere than ten feet wide frequently shartnrd
10 "A mere blade looked down the OTHER side, and
were astOnishcd to nd We lad ascended the gchtler
.ope and that the rocks fell from our feet IN almost
vertical prccipices for thousand feet OF more.
glance along the summit toward the highest group
showed that any advance III that direction was impos-
sble Tor thin ridge gashcd down in notchcs
three four hundred rect deep forming procession OF
pillars. Obesks and blocks pied upon 'ach other ana
looking terribly Insecure.
We then deposited knapsacks in a safe place, and
| s sl.fg iIant IA
little while and take lunch al over thirteen thousand
feet above the ~