Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-05-31
PERlLOUS ADVENTURE.


PERlLOUS ADVENTURE.
A EoId Undertaking Carried Through
Under the S,ress of Excitement.
1t is often the case that persons
under excitement carry through I'M
dertakings which they would other
wise think beyond their ability. The
adventure OF a Scotch foX-hunter
among tie mountains OF his country
goes To prove this most conclusively.
He was once tempted to follow his
hounds into Il desolate and dangerous
region. at 4 time when il was more
than usually hazardous. as the ground
was covered with thick coating of
snow. Thoughtless OF tae perils about
him. he surmounted one difficulty after
another. nnt;l ut length the ciamoring
pack brought him TO 4 ridge of frozen
snow. SO narrow At its upper edge
that he could advance only by sitting
astride of it and pushing himself for
ward with the united leverage OF hands
and feet. In this way. however. he
succeeded in making the passage. But
not long afterwards his dogs lost all
trace of their fox. and. baffied and
wearied. he gave up the chase. Re-
tracing his steps. he was once more
at the ridge of snow, and now first
became aware of the periious nature
of the path he had chosen. On one
side the drift reached down to the edge
of a precipice. more than a thousand
feet in perpendicular height; and on
the other side. in one unbroken sheet,
sloped down to a distance of five or
six hundred feet.
Now. it often happens that obstacles
surmounted. perhaps with ease. under
the flush of hope and excitement, be-
come magnlfied when failure has sub
dued the spirits Though the ridge of
snow had been passed with safety but
4 little before. it now presented a
barrier before which the courage both
of hunter and hounds quailed with
trepidation. As he looked down
into the depth below. on either side.
he almost shuddered to think that he
had crossed such a place: but the
thought that it still lay between HIM
self and home was more unpleasant
still Darkness, however, was coming
on apace, and he knew full we'll that if
he would not pass the night on these
snowy heights the passage must be
made again.
Urging his dogs forward. therefore,
he prepared to follow them; but his
own want of confidence appeared to
have extended to his dull companions.
and though unable to speak or remon-
strate, they cbeyed with instructive re-
luctance. The leading hound. however.
had not advanced far when he lost his
footing, and in spite of every effort to
recover himself. rolled down ore of
the steep banks of snow before men,
toned. The fox-hunter watched his
hound. until in the waning light it was
almost out of sight: but then. seeing
that the fall was arrested by some level
surfaces where it now stood. appar-
emily without hurt. he determined
rather than face the danger of the
narrow ridge before him. in the gloom
of evening. to follow his hounds ex-
example. knowing. from his acquaint-
ance with the locality. that if he once
gained the lower ground the greatest
difficulty in his way home would be
past.
Calling back the rest of his pack.
therefore. he rolled up his plaid. and
seating himself upon it as cushion.
began to slide down the snow in the
direction of his four-footed precursor.
But thus to shoot steep slope five or
six hundred feet in length is no trifiing
performance. and not without hazard.
How he reached the bottom he has
never been able to remember from that
dav to this. He recoilected launching
himself forth on the snow, then fol-
lowed wild rush through the air. a
choking sensation and a giddy feeling
of b-wilderment, and his next moment
of consciousness was as he Law half
buried in the level snow at the foot Of
the slope. his hounds gathering about
him. and all of them. like himself, nm
injured.-loUths Companion.