Wichita eagle., 1888-06-10
DEATH FROM FREEZING.
A TRAVELLER DESCRIBES HIS Ex-
FERENCE IN THIS LINE.

From Martigny TO the Hospice Of the
Great St Bern~rd-FirSt Indication of
Something wrong-Ssranse and Deli
cious Sensations.
On the particular occasion referred to.
started from Martigny at s. m. aud in
tended 70 traverse the thirty miles to the
hospice of the Great St. Bernard before
night Time being OF consequence, 1
I thought il prudent, 50 a. TO gel 10 the
summit of the pass before dark, not 20 stop
for q meal 10 be cooked at Orsieres or
Liddes, but pressed forward 10 the las,
place before the snow tramp commenced,
the Cantine dc PROF. There met with
young nobleman and his guide. After an
interchange of inquiries, and an otter on
my part of some chocolate and biscuits TO
the other travellers, as the cantine Was
hard up that day in eatables, we set out
together, and had crossed the Plan dc Ma
rengo without any presentiment Of what
was going to happen. The frst indication
of something wrong was the peculiar ap-
pearance which my surroundings seemed
TO assume. Everything looked hnxy Co
my vision-even the snow and the rocks
lying about looked rs II enveioped in n
fog, although the afternoon was heauti-
/ fully clear. Then | felt that must sit
( down and enjoy IL; but the guides flask
of kirschwasser set me going again. Very
soon, however. the former feeling re-
I turned, but the same treatment tempo
rarily recovered me. At last took TO
stumbling along, fen down several times,
and at length could not help myself Ny
companions urged me in vain to arouse To
one more effort, but il was useless
The guides experience was now Of the
utmost service. Divining the exact state
of the case, and what might happen. he
took very sensible course Leaving the
marquis 10 see 10 me, he hurried forward
to meet the two monks who always came
down from the hospice at n particular
hour each day, so as to obtain their
efficient help. On their arrival, the mar
outs either went on, on his own account,
or was requested 10 so forward with the
news Anyhow, was informed the next
day that his report was, that M. lie -
had persisted in the SHOWS" In the
meantime the two monks and guide took
me in hand, and. shaking me up, made
my hands clasp belt around the guides
waist. and each of the monks took an
arm. The former acted as a substitute
+
wheels. As for myself was fast beconl-
ing dead weight. Between the cantine
and the hospice there is a space OF seven
and half miles Of very rough walking.
uphill, of course, and with a depth of
several feet OF snow where the cantonniers
had not cleared path. suspect that
my deliverers had very difficult task,
over at least five miles, 10 keep me from
getting into that sleep from which there
Is no waking.
The sensations Of that Journey during
occasional CLEANS of consciousness will
never be erased from my mind. Is there
such an essence of ecstaiic delight rs
elixir mortisY If there is, II must have
been something like it, or the very thing
itself, which / enjoyed that day No
words can possibly express the surprising
desire which felt to sit down and enjoy
my feliciiy-and sleep. But my inexora-
bic friends knew that sleep meant death;
and though my repeated appeals Of
"Doucement, doucemept, were plaintive
enough, they were met by rodoublcd
efforts TO force me onward, even when my
own legs would not move any longer Tho
collapse was complete. During the sus-
tanned efforts OF the thzce men, had but
momentary glimpses Of consciousness.
remember seeing two something's, black,
one on each side, but very indistinct
These, OF course, were the friendly
monks. The one overwhelming idea that
filled my mind then Wa how 10 get %
that sleep, that blissful euthauasia which
poets have sung about, but which my
companions were doing their best 10 rob
Inc Of, just when ] had got it within nay
grasp.
Another lncid interval occurred iust IA
we approached the door Of the hospioe fer
i saw two or three 81 the dogs; aud then
! was lost again, till found myself In the
large room. surrounded by several Of the
canons One administered some extract
Of orange flowers, and that was followed
by some warm broth Then another
tugged OF my boots. socks, etc, and BE-
tween them. somehow or other, they got
me into bed. This particular room would
not have been mine IL had gone rs an or.
binary traveller usually does I am und r
the impression that IL was looked upon -
the best bedroom, being the one used by
Napoleon Bonaparte when be stopped at
the hoepice en- route 90 the Italian cam
paign) In the night woke. breathing
very quickly and very hard. The rooIn
itself had the appearance. of being one
mass Of cotton wool Congestion Of the
lungs had got hold Of me now, ard / felt
very Ill indeed. But, however, the next
morning did whist the monks had incf-
fectually tired To impress upon ule the
night before, and | made m effort. Ny
first duty to Others was % ser the excel
lent guide and make him due aeknowl-
edgment. and a. the noble and heroic
monks, who live only for others, would
not hear Of anything but thanks, hnd
recourse TO the trJDe of the church. To
the three men I an. humanity speaking.
indebted for my life. A grateful heart
need never be ashamed Of it's precious
burden. C hanbcrs Journal