Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-09-09
NO. 217.
miseellaneous.
TWO ALPINE ESCAPES.

A correspondent of the Geneva Band,
writing from Url, describes and extraor-
dinary Alpine accident which happened
this day week, and nearly had a fatal ter
mination. DIR. Gambert of Ottenbach, with
the guide Vincenz Bissig and Her Gisler,
| of the Klausen Inn, had made the ascent
of the Scherrhorns. As they were return
ing Gisler. who was acting as porter, and
had on his back load weighing seventy
pounds, made "a ms-step and slipped.
He thereupon, against the desire of his
companions. united the rope by which they
were attached, saying he might slip again,
and he was determined to endangcr no
other life than his own. They were then
on a steep ice slope. Shortly afterwards
Gisler did slip again, and, losing his foot
ing. shot with frighttul velocity in the di-
rection of crevasse forty feet deep and
six feet wide. As he neared the brink
however, Gisler. who is a man of power
full frame, and great presence of mind,
contrived to spring to his feet, and, clear
ing the crevasse ut bound, alighted un-
hurt on the other side, where the slope
being less steep, he was able to keep his
footing. He Joined the others lower down
the mountain, and all arrived safely in the
evening at the Klausen Inn.
A correspondent of the London Times
writes under date of August 8th: The
strength of an Alpine storm and the danger
to which it exposes mOuntaineers have Just
been experienced i'm no ordinary way in the
neighborhood of the Aletsch glacier. A
member of the Swiss Alpine Club left the
of the 9th, with two guides, to ascend the
l.t o,l To- thx, Ecr-
gischorn Hotel. The guides seem to have
suggested, when three quarters Of the
ascent had been made, that the threaten
ing weather made the attempt risky. but
the Herr wishing to continue the return
was not pressed. At noon when on the
arete, about quarter of an hour from the
summit, u terrific storm broke upon them,
and for some time they were obliged to
remain stationary, clinging to the rocks,
while a complete tornado blew over them
wind, hail and lightning combining to
increase the danger OF their position.
Eventually they succeeded in gaining the
summit (since the descent on the Eggisch
horn side was. in the circumstances, the
easiesD, and had proceeded about twenty
minutes down ON the other side when the
storm broke on them again with renewed
NlOlcnce, lnt loose, WHlriinH SHOW Olluu-
ing them with its fury, and the raging of
the elements rendering it impossible for
them to pursue their way. In this critical
state of things they hit upon crevasse in
the mere, which had a lip or bank. on one
side about three feet high. Under this
they crouched, covering themselves as
they could with plaid, and in this peril
Gus position they remained from p. NJ.
until 6 A. NJ. the following day, at
height of about $4,000 feet above the sea.
Thick clouds enveloped the mountains
during the whole of this time, and the
strength of the gale rendered struggle
against it hopeless. Their provisions and
stimulants were spent, and they had given
themselves up for lost when happily the
storm abated. and they were able to make
their way down to the Eggishhorn Hotel.
which they reached at 80 (noon) on the
7th-atter 30 l-2 hours of exposure. The
guides suffered somewhat severely from
the exposure and the effects of the night
i'm the snow--more so than the traveller to
whom they had given their loose warm
clothing