Middletown transcript., 1873-08-09

that had made IN the ice ; my fuoi passed
IL, aud | felt that | was sliding down
there Was nothing rough to stop me. not
the least projection BY which could hold
myself The dsclivity became perpcndic-
ular, and fell ino the gulf.
heard a cry nf despair from my com.
panion and my guide. My own sensations
cannot be described. was eiddy aud
half stunned. sent backwards aud forwards
from one wall of ice TO the other felt
myself descending to a grca, depth con.
denpcd to be dashed to pieces. to die by n
horrible death Suddenly something stop
ped me; felt myself suspended. took
breath nyain, aud could cry out, "A rope.
ropr!"
BY Gors mercy hid fallen upon
narrow ledge Of ice. which formed SORT
Of bridge across the crevasse. This frail
support. as far ms could Judge. was about
four inches broad aud eighteen thick My
head hung from one side it, my fee, from
the other Instincisely and Immediately.
by what means | know not, raised my
self up aud stood on this projection, where
there was hollow just large enough TO
plan, one foot
Then | heard my companion say
Trust in God aud take courage The
guide has run to Montanvcrt TO seek men
aud ropes lie will come back directly
II be is long. replied. II shall not
come up alive"
My position was terrible one the ,hin
ledge of ice was 50 narrow that could not
plac. both fee, upon it could only sup.
] port myself on one leg. half resting against
one Of the ice wall. and pressing the other
with my hand The ice was a. smooth rs
stream Of ics- water flowed down on nv
+ shoulders. piercing M. to the very bones
+ Above my head .aw the long aud narrow
streak Of the sky. round which the mouth
Of the crevasse formed 4 frame Tho ite,
which was Of the darkest blue color. en-
rirclrd me ou all sides. looking threaten.
/ ing and gloomy The two walls seemed
as If they we're about 10 meet in order
% crush me rather than release their prey
Numerous water-courses streamei down
their sides, but IA this extent of more than
sixty yard, could not see ans other pro-
lection nr obstacle except this led - oil
which had ~ miraculau-ly f,llrR
ri,kcl locking. tur a second only
lown int the terrible abyss ahnye which
was suspended Al the spat ahars |
was. the crevasse was Mt more than two
feet wide; lower down il narrowed rapid
y. aud hundred yards beles ti,r ,va
sides appeared 10 tpneh each piher be.
liesc ii had fallen bu, a very ftH nrhe,
on either side from the marrow hfiisr
which had arrested me- | shlnl have h.rii
buried aud iammed up at u depth shnra
no rapa canli have reached mr | hlG
remained abnu; twenty minutes in my pn.
,itou. nerves aud muscles stretched II the
utmostto keep msselt there, hooking at th"
sky above my head and nj the Ice around
me- ba, MT liring again to glance iuta
ihe depths belaw The bluna was flowing
from wnnnl hal received in the eheek
and felt that my right lrr. upon which
fortunately, | was uot resting was severe
" bruised; the left leg however. painrd
hy the effort II standing aud eall. wa. be-.
ginning 10 give way Il was impossible
10 change my position without the risk Of
losing nny balance The cold of the wall
Of ice against which | Was resting. mare
and mnre benumbei me, the ua,er contin-
ued 10 fall. and dared no, s,;s
called NV companinn no one replied
chilled again Nothing nohing Not
human being within reach of my Voice
| was seized with gii,ln.ss as terrible
thought crossed my brain
.slle is gone 10 see il the help is coming
and he ennnnt ind the rrevas.e ngnin :
there are hundreds Of snrh-I am lost -
Ny strength was exhausted hal
never yet given up al hope. was sczed
with desire 10 let myself fall. aud thu.
pu, an end TO this agony
At this critical moment. | hcnrd myself
called Ny friend hal run to look for the
guide. but when he wished TO return he
was horror. struck on perceiving that the
surface of the glacier was rent by count
less crevasses, all so similar tha. there wa,
mt a single sign by which he could rccog
nze the abyss in which was hurrd alive
ln this cruel peroleyity, God guided him
to see little knapsark which the guilu
Ind left a, the edge Of the gulf cried
to him to look at his watch. Five min.
nies u,ore had elapsed The cold was be,
coming more aud more intense the blood
wns literally freezing in my veins.
cnlled-l asksd If there was any one il
sight The guide had started thirty five
minutes ago. and not soul hal vet np
pcared. II was scarcely probable that be
could return so quickly, as We had ,aker
quarters Of au hour TO get to hi,
spnt. and he had to 60 aud return.
felt iha, could Itnld on but very lit
/ tie longer. The frail support on whicl
: my safety alone depended nigh. yield a
. any momen, and break beneath mo Ire
, solved IN make use of it To draw myscl
! out informed my companion of ,hi
. project; but he ,nplored me to do no,hin,
of the kind but my situation had bccon,,
/, intolrrnhle | made n notch in the ice
7 high enough far me to reach it. and larg,
..