The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-01-05

0oWH, -dHu DetOTe nuu llUle elt0eF
to assent or refuse he had swung him.
self over the nearly perpendicular side
and was clambering down TO q shelf of
rock which jntted out some distance
below. l was afraid Of being thought
cowardly should / refuse to follow -
and though did not at oil relish the
idea of venturing into the heart of. q
burning mountain, I nevertheless
crawled over the edge and worked
my wayto where he stood, full fifty
feet from the crater's verge. f.F.t'.4
"Isn't this q gloomy place." said
Walter, as | struck upon the ledge by
his side, and felt my heart leap into
my throat as il very perceptibly trcm.
bled beneath the shock. -
"Yes; gloomy enough for the in.
fernal regions, if that's all, y / returned.
II tell you, Walter, / don't like it
now that We are here, and wish we
were safely out of this confounded
hole. What il an eruption should oc-
eur, or this rock should"-Great
Godl the hair on my head fairly rose
on end, as heard q grating sound
aud saw that the shelf on which we
were standing was slowly parting
company with the wall of the noun
tain, aud sinking in the awful abyss.
My friend noticed it as quickly as I,
and his face instantly became ashy
pale. "Spring to the WALL" he cried;
"our weight is more than il can bear
| needed no second bidding, but
clutched a slight projection and drew
myself up some distance, where OBJ
tanned footing long enough to enable
me to take breath. Walter, who
was more active than i, had already
reached point some ten feet above
me. and was just in the act OF ascend.
ing higher, when the thin piece of
rock To which he was clinging, sud
denly snapped asunder. and with q
horrible shrek, that is still ringing in
my ears, he fell backward upon the
ledge we had jnst Quilted, and togeth-
er they went down-down-thou-
sands of feet into the unknown depths
below.
Oh God, what fearful fate was
his IT'S enough TO face the Grim
Destroyer when lying upon downy
bed, surrounded by loving friends,
who whisper sweet words Of comfort
in the dying hour. but how greatly
were his terrors increased in this fear
full place uas as-
My own hold was only narrow
creyice into which ! thrust my fingers,
and little ridge of rock beneath my
feet. / uttered broken prayer for
help and looked up. Above was the
bright blue sky aud the sunshine =
around the blackened walls of the
mountain, and beneath, dark and
fathomless abyss. Suddenly / heard
loud shout and again looked up
Pedro was lowering lasso which he
had carried around bis waist TO be
used in case of accident. | seized il
with one hand, and slipping the moose
over my head and under my arm,
signalled that l was ready, and the
guide began to pull. He was a pow
erful fellow, and in few moments /
was landed safely on the ground,
where l Immediately swooned. A
few drops of brandy was forced into
my mouth aud the burning liquid
soon restored me to consciousness
again. We rested short time and
then returned to the valley, when /
gave him the particulars OF poor Wal
ter's death. gifi. Il sd ,8o lr5 s4iIl
"Ahr" said Pedro, Il feared as much
when he would go down. No good
ever comes of venturing into such
places" ''9''7153 s55a.i '-7' -.as ".. --
The next day started for home,
with my young head as hoary as il
whitened by the frosts of seventy
| winters.