Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-07-18
TEnRIBLEFIFTY MINUTES.

In August. 1856, I arrived at Glamour
tx with one of my friends, traveller, like
myself. For about FIVE weeks we had beer
exploring Switzerland, SO that we had plen
ty of time to get used to the snow and gla
ciers. We had made several ascents, one
to IA, 600 feet. I we'll remember the sensa
ton felt when first saw one Of those
crevasses which seam the surface Of the gla
ciers. Holding firmly by my guides hand
I leaned over that yawning gulf, and tried
to gaze down into its terrible depth. The
two perpendicular walls of ice appeared to
meet some three hundred feet below, but
believed that it was only the effect of per
spective, the rent being probably prolonged
as far as the solid rock.
IA man who falls there is certain never
to come out alive" said one Of my guides.
True replied the other, 'but | knew
one who was rescued. A narrow escape
indeed it was be still lives at Grindlewald
He is chaimois hunter was returning
home, and descending the crevasse, his fall
was broken by projecting blocks of ice, which
Welded, however, beneath his weight, when
he chung to them. When he reached the
bottom, distance of some hundred feet, he
had leg and arm broken. Between the
earth and the ice he found hollow place,
into which stream was running ; crawling
along, suffering terrible pain, be followed
the course of the water and in three hours
he was out of the glaciers"
Crevasses vary in breadth from two to six
feet at the mouth, but the sides approach
rapidly as they descend, so that man may
find himself jammed in between two walls OF
ice a long time before be reaches the bottom
and then, if ropes long and strong enough
are at hand, it is possible to save him from
a dreadful death But generally the ropes
are not long enough, and the traveller per-
ishes of cold, or falls down into the crevasse
during the hours which elapse while some
Of the party have gone to the nearest village
to fetch longer ropes Thus an unfortu-
nate Russian nobleman persisted in gla-
oier near Zermatt some years ego.
We had asceudcd the Brevent, and we
now had only the Mer de Glace and the
Jardiu to visit. We slept at the Montan
vert in the solitary little inn at the foot Of
the glacier Next morning We We're up at
dawn Furnished with some provisions and
two bottles of wine, we started with our
guide 1t was splendid morning, and au
CURED we'll for our excursion For half an hou
we followed a rough path which skirted the
Mer de Glaze, which displayed below US its
surface riven with crevasses and covered
with rocks and fragments. Our road end.
ed at the glacier, upon which we now be
gan to descend, and to traverse its zigzags
in the midst of numerous assures The
Mer de Glace is not considered dangerous,
and it is quite the exception to take axes
and ropes when crossing it. Alert and
cheerful, we fastened on without taking any
notice of the guide. who way behind, cried
out to us several times to be cautious and
wait for him. We were obliged at last TO
halt before vast crevasse which barred up
our passage. 1t opened with length OF
some sixty yards, and ended upon our lef'
in slope ice, somewhat steep, but which
I thought I could easily mount Using the
iron spike of my alpcnstock as Ratchet,
began to cut holes in the ice large enough
to put my feet in. At this moment our
guide rejoined US. He looked at the slope,
and at the yawning crevasse below it, and
said in grave tone
"It is dangerous let US 60 around
it,"
With the aid Of my alpenstock, had al
ready got half way up this icy hillock, and
was now quite convinced that it was toe
steep and slippery to be crossed without an
axe The guides warning confirmed my
opinion. I was cautiously lowering my
right leg, seeking for the hole that I had
made in the ice my foot passed it, and
felt that I was sliding down there was
nothing rough to stop me, not the least pro
lection by which could hold myself. The
declivity became perpendicular, and fell in
to the gulf.
I heard cry of despair from my con
panion and guide Ny own sensations can
not be described. I was giddy and'half STUD
ned, sent backward and forwards from one
we'll of ice to the other I felt myself de-
scendipg to great depth, condemned td
be dashed to pieces, to die a horrible death
Suddenly something stopped me felt my
self suspended l took breath again, sne
could cry out, ga rope ! a rope p
By Gods mercy, had fallen upon mar
row ledge of ice, which formed sort o.
bridge across the crevasse This frail sup
port, as far could Judge. was about foul
inches broad and eighteen thick. My heao
hung from one side Of it, my feet from thu
other. Instinctively and Immediately, by
what means I know not. raised myself uE
and stood on this projection, where there
was hollow just large enough to plant on'
foot.
Then I heard my companion say:
Trust in God aud take courage, The
guide has run to Montanvert to seek men
and ropes. He will come back direct
ly."
eff he is }. long, E; replied, Il shall no
come up alive"
Ny position was terrible one; the thin
ledge Of ice was SO narrow that could no
place both feet on it could only supper
myself on Que leg half resting against one o
the ice walls and pressing the other with my
hand. The ice was as smooth as mirror
there was nothing to grasp A stream o
ice water flowed down on my shoulders
piercing me to the very bones. Above m,
head Isaw the long and narrow streak o
l. nE h.