The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1880-12-11

I cracks III tne Ice, ten ana twenty
feet wide, opened before our eyes will
fearful crash, and others, suddenly
closing, drove to great height the
water which they contained" Wher
these cracks do not close up, or, as i:
frequently the case. do not extend tc
the bottom of the glacier, the melted
ice-water flows down their sides, to col
lect at the bottom, and, in doing so, pol.
ishes the ice to a beautiful marine green.
| saw guide on the Groner glacier
pause over crevasse many yards
wide and nearly filled with water
and such was its depth that, after
he had hurled his heavy alpen-
stock down through the water, some
time elapsed-in fact. / thought it lost
before it shot up through the green
surface. If the water flows into well
from between the layers of ice, weird
sound may be heard coming up from
the depths, that has been well COM
pared to the tinkling of silver bell. The
smaller cracks in the ice become light
ly covered by frost or snow. and the
careless traveller runs the risk of break
ing through these frail snow-bridges,
and losing his life. Such accidents are
prevented by the members of party
linking themselves together with a
strong. light rope and in case one per-
son breaks through, the others prevent
him from falling any distance. Several
lives have been lost in Switzerland,
during the past season, through the neg
lect of this precaution.
1t is at the lowest portion Of glacier
however, that more signs fits destruc-
ton are to be seen than elsewhere. The
melting ice at the end of the Glacier DIES
Bots often forms an ice-vault, or portico
one hundred feet high from the bottom
of which rushes out the yellowish,
frothy glacier-water. When the vault
becomes top-heavy, it breaks in upon
the stream with laundering crash.
One winter one of these vaults was sup
ported by regular and beautifully
fluted column composed of icicles. The
lower part of an ice-river sometimes
forms delightful picture, with its
fower-covered banks, q rye-ield, per-
haps growing at one side, and the ears
OF ripening rye nodding over the ice.
On one of the most beautiful Alpine
routes, the bridle-path leads over green
pastures and alps decked with rhodo-
dendrons and patches of vivid and
countless wild-flowers; passing in view
of magnificently SCARED and broken
wall OF ice and snow twenty-five
miles long, which pierces the
clouds, and increases in grandeur
almost throughout the whole
distance. About the middle of the Sec
ond day of the journey we would find
ourselves, after good dinner, seated
in comfortable chair within a seeming
stones throw of that majestic mountain,
the Jungfrau, its summit and higher
portions covered with snow of the most
brilliant purity, while one of its minor
peaks, called the silver horn, is perfectly |
dazzling. Here, seated in safety and |
ease, we might, on warm day, be |
greeted by the rush and bomb of an
avalanche. At. the distance, though |
seemingly near, it would appear like a |
small white cascade curling up white
puffs of snow, but in reality it would
consist of many tons of ice and snow
powerful enough to cut its way through |
any obstacle. though there harmlessiy |
hurting itself into deserted valley.
There are many celebrated Alpine |
points from which to view the glaciers.
In descending from one of these higher
overlooking mountains, the ascent to
which had led us half hour over ice
and snow, the distance was considera.
bly, shortened by safe and exhilarating
slide on the smooth ice covered with
lowry snow. 1t reduced the half hour
20 few minutes, but had no wish to
'epeat the experiment. We simply had
% take a seat on the snow near the
'dgc OF the incline, give slight push,
md before we knew what happened the
bottom of the snow-field was reached.
The drawbacks were shoes and garments
llled with snow, followed the next day
~ frosted toes-in August, too.
Near Mount Rosa, in 1861. some men,
'ers of the Alpine Club discovered
peculiarly grand and beautiful crevasse,
followed out into long cavern formed
Ike the letter G. The walls were of a
blue color, arched over
rom the sun. "while from the roof
bove hung down forest of long, clear
,icles, each adorned with two or three j
ice-like fringes of hoar frost" They I
vere seeking shelter from a sudden
ale OF wind, and to enter the cavern
'ere forced to sweep these beautiful
ecorations down with their poles.
The Rhone glacier is imbedded be-
veen the Gersthorn and the Galen-
ock and extends backward like huoe I
GRACE for a distance of fifteen miles. =
s its name denotes, it is the source of Q
le river Rhone. At the foot of this U
acier, an ice-grotto is hewn into the c
ASS of clear blue ice. To the right is c
zen the Furca road ascending the s
ountain in long zig-zags. y
The Grand Mulets is 10, 600 feet above J ),
e level of the sea, and is the point =
ached by travellers on the first davis v
cent OF Mont Blanc. During the sec ,
Id day, they reach the summit and re- . .
I'm to Grand Mulets and on the third 0
ey descend to Chamounix. 1t was in :
e vale of Chamounix that the English = =
yet. COlerldpe WrOfa hiS hoout;f,,l ~