Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-02-26
The Avalanche.


The following graphic account of the
perils of avalanches in the Alps is from
" Hours of Exercise in the Alps by the
celebrated John Tyndall, the scientist
A party of six were being conducted by
two loca! guides and famous Alpine
guide, Johann Joseph Bennen, over the
Hant de Cry, one of the Swiss Alps. They
advanced in the beginning of the ascent
very rapidly. The peak was glstening
before them, and hopes of success cheered
their spirits After time they came TO
snow frozen upon the surface which would
bear them u few steps and then break
down. This, of course, delayed matters
and was very tatiguing. Finally it came
to point that in order to reach a certain
arete, they would be obliged to 90 up a
steep snow field eight hundred feet high,
one hundred and fifty feet broad ut the ;op
and five hundred feet at the bottom. Dur
ing the ascent they sank about one foot
deep ut every step. After mounting for
some distance the two leading men sud-
denly sank above their waists but they
We're enabled to get out after some strug
giles, and presently found safer footing and
came TO the conclusion that the snow WAS
accidentally softer there than elsewhere.
But Bennen was afraid Of having an ava
lanchc and said SC. Tney moved forward
again-but let the book complete the
story:
The snow field broke in two some four
teen or fifteen feet above us. The cleft
was ut first very narrow, and more than
an inch broad. An awful silence ensued,
and then it was broken by Bennens voice:
Wir sind alletverloren Eve are all
lost0 His words were slow and solemn,
and those who knew him felt what they
really meant when spoken by such Il man
as Benncn. They were his last words. |
drove my alpcnstock into the snow and
brought the weight of my body to bear on
it. 1t went to within three inches of the
top. | then waited; it was an awful mo-
ment of suspense; | moved my head to-
ward Bennen TO see whether he had done
the same thing.
To my surprise saw him turn round,
face the valley and stretch out both arms.
The ground on which We stood began to
move slowly. and felt the uselessness of
my .alpenstock. soon sank up to my
shoulders, and began descending back
ward. From this moment | saw nothing
Of what happened to the rest of the party.
With Il good deal of trouble succeeded
in turning round The speed of the ava
lanche increased rapidly, and before long
| was covered up with snow and in conf
plete darkness. was sutlocating, when,
with jerk, sud .cnly came TO the sur
face again The rope had caught, most
probably, on rock, and this was evident
ly the moment when it broke. | was on II
wave of the avalanche, and saw it before
me as | was carried down.
1t was the most awful sight ever wit
ness, d. The head of the avalanche was
already at the place where we made our
last hat. The head alone was preceded
by Il thick cloud of snow dust; the rest oI
the avail ,uche was clear.
Around me heard the horrible kissing
of the snow, and far before me the thun.
dering of the foremost part of the ava
lanche. To save myself sinking again
made use of my arms, much in the same
way as when swimming in Il standing
position. AT last | noticed that l was
moving slower; then saw the pieces o.
snow in front Of me stop at some yard!
distant; then the snow directly before mt
stopped and heard on II large scale tht
same creaking sound that is produced
when II heavy cart passes over hard frozer
snow in winter.
felt that had also stopped and II
once threw up both arms to shield IN,
head in case should again be covered up
had stopped, but the snow behind IN
was still in motion; its pressure on N,
body was SO strong that | believed
should be crushed TO death. This ire
mendous pressure lasted but II short time
and ceased as suddenly as it had begun
: | was then covered up with snow coming
| from behind me. My first impulse was t
try and recover my head, but this l coul'
not do. The avalanche had frozen b.
= pressure the moment it stopped, and wa
frozen in.
While trying vainly to move my arms
| suddenly become aware that my hand
rs far rs the wrists had the faculty O
motion. The conclusion was easy; the
! must be above the snow. set to work Il
: well Us could; it was time, for | coul
not have held out much longer. AT last
saw II faint glimmer Of light. The crus
above my head was becoming thinne
and let II little air pass, but | could nc
reach it any more with my hands; tn
idea struck me that might pierce it wit
my breath. After several efforts | sue
, ceeded in doing SO. and felt suddenly
rush of air toward my mouth; | saw III
sky again through II small round hole.
+ dead silence reisned around me.
was surprised to be still alive, and
! persuaded at the first moment tha. none
, my fellow sufferers had survived, that
did not even think of shouting for them
then made vain efforts to eXtricate IN
arms, but fouod it impossibie; the most
could do was to join the ends OF my tir
gers, but they could not reach the sno'
any longer.
Afer few minutes | heard man shou
S ing. What relief it was to know that
I WAS not the sole survivor 10 know thi
. perhaps he was not frozen in and coul
| come to my assistance. answered. TT
$ Voice came nearer. but seemed rather III
certsin where TO go, and yet it Was yer
= near.
t a sudden exclamatiyn of surprise, b
J lot bad seen my hands. He cleared IN