The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-06-11
Under an Avalanche.
IOndon NewS.1

The Simplon pass is the route by which
more than 10000 Italian w0rkmen annually
make their way into Sy ltzerland and France
in quest of employment, aid it was GA some
descended. Such had been the snow fall
that the courier could not prosecute his
journey with sledges. A stalwart pedestrian
offered to take the letter bags, and, after
herculean efforts, he reached the hospice at
IL a. M, and there found 20 Italian work
for France. He said that If
they wanted to start they must
do SO that very day, as every minutes
Dostponement increased the risk from the
snowfall. Accordingly. three companies of
these Italians set out at once, and by 1
Six, where they rested, as the snow wa,
coming down with increased force and
density. Two sturdy Swiss youths attached
to the refuge offered to conduct the travel
ers. and off the three companies set once
more, with their two guides at their head.
Hardly, however, had they emerged from
the middle gallery called La Vieiile Gslerie
the most danger Gus part of the Simplon
rOute-before an enormous avalanche de-
scended from the mountain, carrying with
it the two guides and an Italian workman.
The rest of the travellers who remained IN
the gallery were so far safe, but both ends of
the gallery were blocked up with snow. They
were in despair, and already the cold was
beginning to tell on the children of the
party. Suddenly a mans voice rose above
the wail1ng: I'VE might as well die under
an avalanche as under a gallery. Let us try
and get out" He set to work and sue ceeded
in excavating a passage through the snow,
and arrived half dead at Refuge Six, whence
the alarm was passed on to the hospice. By
this time it was 80 in the evening. The
monks attached to the hospice repaired to the
scene of disaster and with the aid of two
Of afn Siy fhau saved bo in
mates of the gallery and accommodated them
comfortably at the hospice. leaving q few
whose strength could carry them no further
at the Refuge. Tie three companies of
travellers having been settled for the night,
the monks were anxious to return and do
what could be done for the two guides and
their companions who bad been carried
away by the avalanche, but the darkness and
the constant succession of avalanches that
were laundering at short intervals over the
preciIi forbade.
One of the two guides, an athlete in
strength and nimbleness, managed, as he
rolled down with the avalanche, to keep his
alpenstcck in his hand, and when he came
to dead stop he fsit that the point of his
stick just protruded from the surface of the
snow above him. Working away with what
strength remained to him he extricated him.
self from the avalanche, but there his pow
ers failed him, and he was aole only to call
for help. His cries reached the Refuge
and its inmate, with servant of the
hospice, set out in the direction of the
guide. But they had not walked five min
utes before an immense avalanche hurled
them to the foot of the mountain. The in
mate of the Refuge persisted, leaving ayoung
widow and q two-year old boy. The SER
want of the hospice, however, escaped
though when rolling with the avalanche he
thought he must have died every minute
from the snow and earth that found its way
into his mouth, and was likely to choke
him. lie turned on his face, and so relieved
himself of the mauvaise bouche, till, the
avalanche having stopped, he disengaged
himself from the snow, and after severe
efforts regalned the refuge in faintIng state
about in the morning During that terri
BILE night he said the roar of the descending
avalanches was deafeniDg.