The Red Cloud chief., 1889-03-22
sEveRErY FRos1.srTTEN.

-
Prof. Tyndalr's Graphic Descripttoo q HI
Ascent 0f Mont Blanc.
On Prof Tyndall's second ascent o!
Mont Blanc he was caught in q snow.
storm ut the summit He has given
a graphic description of the difficulty
and danger which attended his at
tempts mt performing some scientific
experiments in such circumstances. 1t
offers a curious illustration Of the fact
that there are times when nothing is
30 welcome as suffering. The FROST
bitten mans case became more hope.
full as soon as he tcit pain.
The clouds wbirlcd wildly round US.
and the fine snow. which was caught
by the wind and spit bitterly Mt us,
cut of all visible communication be-
tween us and the lower world. AS We
approached the summit the air thick.
ened more and more, and the cold be.
came intense.
We reached the top in good con-
diti0n, nevertheless, and, leaving Ball
mat, the guide. to make a hole for tho
thermometer, l collected a number OF
batons, drove them into the snow.
and. drawing my plaid around them.
formed q kind Of extempOre tent to
shelter my bo;ling-water apparatus.
The covering was tightly held. but the
snow was fine and dry as dust, and
penetrated everywhere; my lamp
could not be secured from it, and hall
. box of matches was consumed in
the effort to ignite it. At length it did
flame up, and carried On q spluttering
combustion.
Meanwhile the absence Of muscular
action causcl the cold to affect our
men severely. l myself was too intent
upon my work to feel il much, but l
was numbed; one Of my fingers had
lost sensation and my right heel was
in pain; still / had no thought Of re-
linquishing my observation until MI.
Wills came to say that VIC must return
speedily, for Balmat's hands were
frozen. ! did not comprehend the full
significance Of the word, but the pOr.
tiers presented such an aspect OF suf-
fcring that / feared to detain them
longer.
l struck my tent. deposited the Their
mometer, and as / watched the cover
ing of it up some Of tho party COM
menced the descent. ! followed them
speedily. Midway down the first slope
/ saw Balma.. who was about a hun.
dred yards in advance of me. suddenly
pause and thrust his hands into the
snow and m rubbing them
vigorously.
The suddenness Of the act surprised
me, but / had no idca at the time Of
its real significance. l O o came up
to him: he seemed frightened, and
continued 10 beat and rub his hand.
plunging them at quick intervals into
the snow. Still ! thought the thing
would speedily pass away. for ! had
too much faith in the mans expe-
rience to suppose that he would per-
nit himself to he seriously injured.
But it did not pass as I hoped it would,
and the possibility Of his losing his
hands presented itself TO me.
At last he became exhausted by his
efforts, staggered like a drunken man,
and fell upon the snOw Mr.. Wills
and l took each n hand. and continued
the process of beating and rubbing. I
feared that VIC should injure him by
our blows, but he continued to cx-
claim:
Don't be afraid! Str ike all tho
time. strike hard!"
We did so, till Mr.. Wills become ex-
haustcd. and a porter had to take his
place.
Meanwhile Balmat pinched and bit
his fingers at intervals, TO test their
but for n long time there
was no sensation. lie was evidently
hopeless. At last returning sensation
in one hand announced itself by ex-
pain.
81 suffer- he exclaimed ut inter.
walls, words which. from q man Of iron
endurance. had moro than ordinary
significance. But pain vas better than
and. under the circumstances, .
sign Of Improvement
We resumed our descent, while he
to rub his hands with snow
and brandy. thrusting them at every
few steps into the At Cha.
mount he had skillful medical advice.
and escaped with the loss Of six OF his
hands were savcd.-YOuth's
Tom