Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-06-16
MONDAY MORNING, JUNE l6. 1878.

cles sti etched TO the utmost to keep myself
| there, looking at the sky above my head and al
, the ice around me, but not daring again Il
glance In the gulf below.
The blood was flowing from wound had
received in the eheeks and felt my right leg
upon which was not resting, was severely
bruised; the left leg, however, panied by the ef
fort of standing and cold, was beginning to give
away. II was impossible to change nv posi-
ton without the risk Of losing my balance
The cold Of the wall Office against which was
resting more and more benumbed me, the
water continued to fall. and dared not stir.
called my companion no one replied.
called again. Nothing nothing Not human
being within reach of my voice was seized
with giddinesss as terrible thought crossed my
brain.
He is gone to see If help is coming and he
cannot find the crevasse again; there are hun
dreds of such-I'm lost!
My strength was exhausted. | had now
yet given Up all hope. was seized with a de-
sire To let myself fall, and thus put all end to
this agony.
Atthe c,i ical moment heard myself called
My friend had run 10 look for the guide, but
when he wished TO return he was horror
struck on perceivng that the surface Of the gla-
cier was rent by countless crevasses, all so sim
liar that there was not a single sign by which
he could recognize the abyss | was buried
alive.
In this cruel perplexity God guided him to
see little knapsack which the guide hau left
at the edge Of the gulf. / cried to him to look
at his watch. Five minutes more elapsed
The cold was becoming more and more intense;
the blood was literally freezing in my veins. i
called Il asked il there was any ono In sight
yet.
The guide had started thirty-fve minutes AGO
and not soul had yet appeared. 1t was scarce
ly probable that he could return so quickly, as
We had takcn three quarters of an hour to get
TO this spot, and he had to go and return.
felt That could hold on but very little long
er. The frail support on which my safety alone
depended might yet yield at any moment and
break beneath me.
remembered that had a strong knife In my
pocket, and resolved to make use Of il to draw
myself out. informed my companion of this
project but he mplored me ID do nothing of
the kind; but my situation had become intoler-
able. made an notch in the ice, high enough
for me 10 reacl. it, and large enough for me to
insert my hand in it. i succeeded, and grasp
Ing these two points of support, my back rest
Ing with all my strength against the opposite
wall. was able to raise myself and keep my
self firm in this position.
was working diligently at my second step |
when heard Joyous cry above me. "Ilere |
they are! Three men with ropes they are |
running as fast as their legs can carry them."
steadied myself as firmly as possibly upon
The narrow and slippery bridge so as TO be able |
10 seize the rope they were about to lower and
lie 1t around me. saw the end of it SWING
ng about two yards above my head. "May
iod have mercy upon met 1t is too short ~
We have another"
That was fastened to the first and let down,
seized the end Of 1t and bound 1t strongly
around my waist, and grasping the rope with
10Th hands, gave the signal for them to pull
Up.
Thoy began-I was saved. A minute later
'tood upon the glacier. had passed fifty
minutes in the crerasse, during which time |
iad lost neither my confidence in God nor NV
presence of mind.
When placed my foot upon the firm ground
gain an overpowering feeling of deep grati-
ude to the Almighty, who had delivered mo
n so great peril, filled my breast. fell on
ny knees and tainted. When again became
conscious our party was preparing TO start for
he Montanvert. Before leaving 1 wished to
ast one last look into the crevasse where
lau nearly been buried alive. ! saw how COM
'lety impossible it would have been for me TO
,et out of it as had projected. The opening
II the top was too wide to have allowed me, as
reached H. to lean against the opposite wall,
Lnu without that support the most agile of
li,nblng animals would have found it impossi-
'le to scale this perpendicular wall of ice.
The guide ran to the inn, where he could not
ihu Single rope suitable Tor the purpose. In
lespair he started for Chamonix when on the
way lie met two muleteers. Their animals
we're laden with wood, tied on with ropes,
which he lmplored them to give him to save
,oor traveller who had fallen into a creyasse.-
These good people at once unoaded their mules
md came with the guide TO my assistance
Tying them together-there were thlee-the
opes reached the depth of thirty to forty yards,
where had been arrested in my fall.
Assisted by nv leliyerpra | wac ahla Tn raarl |
hontanvert, where, in good bed and with my
bruises attended to, | had leisure 10 dream
bout the danger from which had escaped and
he remembrance of which often haunts me,
10Th sleeping and waking.