The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-10-01

What was that scream so loud and so
near, in its harsh shrillness2 Instinct
lively we both looked up, Tapping its
huge dark wings over our heads, very
large bird, which, by its curved beak,
fierce red eye, and breast-feathers OF
ashen-gray, / knew to be cohdor.
Three or four times it circled round us,
as if to mark us for his prey, and then,
with complaining cry, dived lar down
into the ravine below US.
| involuntarily shuddered to think
whose were the helpless limbs that prob
ably allurcd the gigantic vulture to his
foul repast-in the gorge below, but our
own situation was one which lett but lit
tic time to spend in regrets for those
whose fate might ut any moment be ours
Then. too. the intense cOld-which, rs
often happens in the Andes, seemed the
more Intolerablc on account OF the heat
of the morning-so benumbed the deli.
cate frame Of my companion, that | con-
stantly feared that before the storm
should cease she would have sunk into
that fatal lethargy that knows no wax
ing. By chatting her cold hands and, in
spite of remonstranCes, wrapping her in
the loose coat | wore, which was FORUM
ately wooden one, | saved her, at any
rate for the time, from frost-hite or stu
por, although the snow and frozen hail
stones whitened our garments, as we
crouchcd waiting, rather than hoping
for deliverance.
We talked together-to have kept ST.
lence in such spot and at such time
would have been Interchangeable 1t was
touching to hear how Miss Trevor took
blame to herself for my present peril, all
incurred, as she said, through the gcner-
Gus impulse which had led me, at my
own imminent risk, to succor her, a
stranger She LAID such stress on this,
that ! could not forbGar saying that |
should, l hoped, have done as much for
any one in peril; but that if | could save
her. whose sweet face had haunted me
in my dreams since first | beheld her
Here l came to an awkward pause, and
then felt rs though | could have bitten
my own tongue for what | had said, for
might it not seem rs if / were preSuming
on the position in which accident had
placed me, and on the service which |
had rendered? | do nof think, however,
that Miss Trevor understood the purport
of my clumsy compliment, FOR she con-
tinued to converse quite simply, rs child
might have done, often expressing her
natural eagerness to procure help for her
Inflated relatives, of whom she made
mention rs though they must still be alive,
Though perhaps sorely hurt, in the valley
below. ! had not the heart TO contradict
her, knowing, as did, that nothing short
of miracle could have preserved the
lives of those who had fallen over the
edge of the Paso del Diablo.
Hours elapsed, and the wind abated,
but I began to despair. No traveller
might come that way for days, while |
could not anticipate that Miss Trevor
could endure the keen frost of the coming
night in that exposed situation. Yet
how was it possible for me, in her eX-
haustcd state, to What was the sound?
This time it was not the bOdinG scream
of the vulture, but loud halloo from hui
man, and, as it seemed, friendly voices,
and instantly l replied to the hail. Then
there came, creeping towards us over
the plated floor, 1.-the figure, followed
by another, while the voices of those on
the bank were raised in Il cheer Of en-
enlargement.
Safe and sound, Caballero! st. Mich
olas and the Virgin be praised for that!
Av, and the senorita, too" said the we'll
known voice of Antonio, my guide, for
he it was who headed the party. "Why,
then. III say all my days, Inglesc, that
YOU bear charmed life. Few who cross
the PuSO--
But did not hear the rest O! the In
dams speech, for now, for the first time,
| too grew FAINT and siddy, and realized
the terrible strain on mind and body
which the cxcitemcn, orpcrll had enabled
me to maintain, and, though | aided III
lifting Miss Trcyor's almost insensble
form from the snow, ] can remember
nothing more until | found myself lying
on the bed in gucst-chamberO of the con-
vent, whilen bearded monk. in brown role
and rope girdle was warming something
in ripkin over brnzero of glowing
charcoal.
"Drinl, this, EnglishmanH said the
cood-nnturcd Capuchin, us he poured the
hot wine into large silver cup, emblsZ-
oncd with the armorial bearings of some
Spanish Viceroy of long ago; "dr;nk this,
aud then get to sleep again, II YOU can.
Nothing like it when once YOU are warm
and sheltered. Yes yes he added, with
4 smile, rs he anticipated my question,
"the young lady, too, is well, and asleep,
too, | dare say. Hcretics or not, you and
She are welcome here, cavalier"
have little more to relate. OF the
remains of the unfortunate persons who
fell over the rock of FL Paso no trace
WIS ever found, although at Miss Trcvors
urgent entreaty, u long and painful search
was instituted among the glcns below.
But so wild and broken was the ground,
and so interscctcd by snow-dritts, torrents
and thorny thickets, that from the first
the Indian miners and hcrdsmcn despair
ed of success. and, as have said, the bo-
dies were never recovered.
So soon NJ my beautiful, my loved
charge had regained strength enough to
enable her to travel, | accompanied her
to the city of Santiago, where her fathers
sister resided, and there, beneath her
aunts roof. left her to mourn for her
dear ones whom she was never more TO
behold. Rut our parting was not for
long. | becamea frequent visitor to San
tiago and was a frequent guest in the
house of Ellen Trevor's aunt. There, at-
ter while | told her my love, and
thence | led my bride to the altar, if |
NAV use so high-fown an expression con-
corning the Consular Office, with its
white. washed walls placarded with an
nouncments of wreck and salvage, and
other matters interesting TO mariners,
where were we married.