Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-23
BRAVERY IN THE ALPS.
A Traveller Risks His Life for a WAGER
and is Rescued by a Guide.

and is Rescued by a Guide,
Be1ne Correspondence Philadelphia Press.
Switzerland has long been the chosen
land Of pleasure and adventure. Since
the Duke of Burgundy met his first
reverses at the hands of the brave Swiss.
and was driven back boa mere handful
OF men, the intrepidity of that race has
been acknowledged. France, under the
sway Of its proud descendants of st. Louis,
kept and maintained its body of Swiss
archers TO protect the Kings person, and
they did good service, proving their devO-
ted attachment to the French crown when
they shielded the person of the martyr,
hing Louis XVI, and met their death,
one and all, at the hands of revolutionary
france. From that day to this scarcely
any notlce has been taken of them, and
they are regarded as poor peasants. Few of
the admirers of adventure who climb the
rugged paths accompanied by the Alpine
guide imagine that they are in the pres
ence of the hardest of all men. one who
often possesses the finest traits of nature,
with that simple courage which sometimes
transforms men into heroes. Their bravery
is not that of excitement such as is met
ON the battle field, but the cool daring of a
man who is at all times prepared to succor
and help stranger in need. Tales of
bravery performed by the Alpine guides
are numerous, but none can surpaSs the
act performed by Hans Vartelin, Young
man of twenty, who is already regarded
as authority on Alpine paths and
everything pertaining to hardy noun
taSneer's life. About two weeks ago a
French traveller, a member of the Euro
pean Alpine clubs, made his way into
the VallOn du Bac. He was dressed
i'll the usual SNOWY manner of the
would be adventurer, heavy shooting
clothes, leather CATERS almost reach
ing the hips, cap iauntiIy
set on the side of the head, and
the indispensable half dozen alpen-stocks,
bound together by strap and held in the
right hand, whilst the left was cOnve-
niently empty, Nj. de Beaurat had en-
tered into jesting conversation with sew
eral other members OF the Alpine club,
that had ended in a wager that he would
dare undertake avOyage through Switzer-
land at this dangerous time of the year.
NJ. de Beaurat made his way to the only
inn that the Vallon du Bac bOasted of,
and, after ordering some refreshments, he
inquired as to the possibility of obtaining
guide. None, however, were willing to
risk their life and lead the way into the
ravines and mountains, whose snowy
peaks overlook the VallOn du Bac, Money
freely offered could not change the deci-
sion of these sensible mOuntaineerS until
M.de Beaurat, thoroughly out of patience
and angry at being fOiled, gave them all
to understand that they, with all their
Yaunted energy and courage, dared not
face the adventure that stranger to the
district was willing to undergo. A young
guide named Wilhelm CaFtay offered his
services, on condition that a rope should
be attached to his body and fixed in like
manner to his reckless companions. To
this NJ. de Beaurat made no objection, and
Tuesday morning was fixed for the be-
ginning of the journey that was either to
win wager or lose a life.
Towards noon of the appointed day
nearly all the population of the VaIlOn
made their way to the inn to catch a
glimpse, if possible, of the two daring
adventures. All were convinced that
the two men, starting in health and good.
spirits, would be found dead when the
snow had left the gOrges, The youngest
amongst the inhabitants followed the two
until the 'ERepos du Diable" was reached,
and then de Beaurat found himself in all
the solitude of snow and glaciers along
with the guide, to whom he now looked
for help and bodily support, Once
or twice he fell and might probably have
his downward course had
not Cartay saved his fOothold. They were
passing the ''COl du Diable,'' or Devils
Collar" one of the most terrible paths in
the whele of the Alps. Woe betide the
traveller whom vertigo seized. They had
almost traversed this fatal defile when de
Beaurat looked down, although he had
been cautioned not to do so. He stumbled
and would have fallen but for the sudden
wrench upon the rope, which caused the
caught piece of Ice, and he in his turn
stumbled. Finding himself powerless
to regain his foothold, and clinging
between life and death, he drew his |
clasp knife and severed the only thread
that could save him. cat least if go |
you shall not" said he, and, despite the !
efforts of the awe-stricken Frenchman to |
uphold him: the man slipped over the !
fatal precipice. Regardless' of his own |
peril, NJ. de Peaprat lay fiat upon the |
narrow ledge and strained his eyes in en-
deayOring to catch sight of his noble COM
panion. When his eyes had got some
what used to the ravine, he distinctly saw
the guide, who, by some miraculous
chance, had struck upon an OverhaAging
ledge, and was firmly imbedded IN the soft,
yielding snow.
Slowly, carefully, with every energy |
bent upon seH-preservatiOn, he retraced his |
steps along the Col du Diable, and to the |
RepOs du Diable, where several inhabit-
ants were found. No wonder that his ap-
pearance caused q shuddeT through the
He was surrounded, and in
hurried sentences and faltering tongue.
he told of the heroic bravery of the guide. |
Then curses fell thick upon the head of
the promoter of the evil, but no time was
to be lost. Having sascertained that
he had fallen about one hundred |
feet, they were al their wits end !
to know what to do, as the Vallon du |
Bae did not possess such a long rope. |
Whilst several of the bOldest and more |
experienced peasants made their way to /
the scene of the accident, young man /
was dispatched to Lausanne for q strong |
rope, sufficient in length TO reach the poor |
martyr OF bravery. By the time the Col |
1u lhable was reached, at least four hours |
had elapsed since the accident, and it was
feared that the poor man was dead, but, |
70 their intense surprise, they saw him |
move. BY thin piece of string some I
food was lowered, together with Aask of |
brandy, which the sufferer gTeedily drank. |
Hans VOrtelip, young man who had !
been away ircin home some few days, di- |
vested himself of his coat and hat, attach |
ed the repe firmly around his body, and /
ordered them to lower him. He reached
Lhe ledged safely, and lifting the insensi-
Die man gently in his arms, gave the sig
nal: 'FOr Gods sake, men, hoist up quick
y, or must let go my hold" Swiftly the |
burden was then hOisted, and many were /
Ihe cOntusions that Hans received from /
)verhanging ledges, bat after u terrible |
struggle, he reached the surface amid the |
cheers of the witnesses.
WilhelIa Cartay soon recovered. and |
53as suffered no evil effects from his. two
teadly falls, but poor, brave Haas VOrte-
in, up to the time YQslr correspondent
this description of this heroic
Iced, hoyered between life and death, i'm
ginning in the dreams of his diseased
lrain that he is still holding his burden,
ind shouts repeatedly, "Hoist quickly, or
must let go my hold.' His recovery is !
doubtful, and, in all probability, if death
Ices oyertake him. nothing but plain
ross will mark the resting place Of one
who performed deed of bravery worthy
# the OlGen times of chiyalry,
An Unusual Surgical Operation.
SpeciaE to the Commercial ca
sette.