San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-03-23

tiously approached:the brink and gazed
down into the dark depths below. On
the opposite side a perpendicular wall
OF rock, covered with gray patches of
moss, rose in sheer precipice of more
than zoo feet. A few dwarf pines and
stunted hemlocks stood out from the
very edge OF the towering ledge, as if
they would hide the wild scene from
the light Of day, The roar OF rushing
water came up to our ears from the
right; and turning our eyes in that di-
rection, We beheld mass of snowy
foam plunging over the Jagged rocks
and entering the head of the glen by a
series OF cascades. No wonder the
place was named Cascade Glen"
huge icicles hung in pendant masses
IN almost every direction. The rising
spray had frozen on all the surrounding
shrubs and branches, whether leaning
over the top of the chasm or rooted in
the crevices along its lofty sides, and
they could scarcely sustain their own
weight.
Knocking loose fragment of rock,
we endeavored to roll it over the preci-
pice.
Just as we were giving it the neces-
sary momentum to carry it over, my
foot caught against root and hurled
me headlorg to the brink of the gulf.
struck on smooth, descending rock,
slippery with ice, and shot forward like
an arrow.
In frenzy of fear, I put forth every
effort to regain my feet; but the coat of
ice that had frozen on the surface of
the rock was hard as adamant and as
smooth as glass, and in an instant
slid over the terrible abyss.
A little hemlock sapling, that had
once stood on the edge of the great
cleft, and some time since been partly
torn out by the roots, probably by some
previous snow storm, and, with some of
the roots still fixed in the crevice of the
rock, hung suspended from the verge
H the cliff, out over the yawning gulf.
Like drowning man catching at
straw, caught the half uprooted sap.
ling.
Down, down it went, bending and
cracking the roots. My hands slipped
down the icy bark until they grasped
the boughs of the inverted top, and I
found myself suspended and swinging
in mid-air
1t was an awful moment as
only those who have at some time
passed through such peril can realize.
Away below, 200 feet beneath, pro-
fusion of dark, murderous- looking crags
and fragments of rock lay scattered and
heaped in every direction. Above, the
clear blue sky, so pure and tranquil,
afforded contrast seldom Witnessed.
I swung my foot against the perpen-
dicular wall of rock, and attempted to
climb up the sapling hand over hand,
but it was so icy I could not pull my
self up. D.
The effort caused one of the roots to
snap asunder; and. several fragments,
being loosened from the rock, rolled
down into the gulf beneath, sending
back hollow echo that smote fearfully
on my ear. It seemed as though my
support was about to give way. 1t
turned slightly, and appeared to hang
by single root.
L dared not make another effort. I
felt faint, and weak and sick. My eyes
seemed starting from their sockets, and
my brain whirled with dizziness. The
gates of eternity seemed opening be-
fore me. I felt the tiny twigs slipping
through my fingers. A thousand
thoughts came crowding upon my con-
fused memory, and I groaned in the
agony of despair. An age seemed
passing away, and with it the last ray
of hope.
Something hit me on the shoulder.
Looking up, observed a rope, COM
posed of fish lines twisted together,
with moose dangling at my side. Will
Herkimer was lying down on the rock
above, by the roots of the little hem
lock, peering over the precipice. Max
ing desperate effort, causing every
nerve in my trembling body to culver,
I held my position with one hand and
thrust the other through the moose.
The sapling, to which I chung with
the energy of despair, cracked at the
roots, seemed to give and settle, swayed
fearfully, but did not break loose.
A moment later my companions were
Juggling at the rope. Grasping the
diminutiye hemlock with one hand, to
aid their efforts, I slowly assembled. I
neared the partially upturned roots,
climbing up from the inverted top
toward the base, and my head appeared
above the rock. My companions sat
with feet braced against the roots and
fragments of rock, steadily pulling upon
the rope, their faces blanched with
great terror.
Will Herkimer chung to a solid root
with one hand, and grasping my wrist
with the other, helped me over the
ledge. His teeth were firmly set, his
L -. =. .,.,r,,ln from hic orar-.