The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-04-20

certain peaks he pointed out to us, anC
then he said we should sec u large iielC
of snow. We were to cross this, and thu
chateau was In hollow about half {
mile above and to the left.
Well. we started-Siegcl and I--leav
ing all the provisions except few sand
witches with Franz and Gotting. A
weary walk brought us to the peal
where, according TO Gotting we were t
see the snow field. But there was moth
ing of the sort there: peak rose upor
peak, but there was no great, level snow
field stretching away at our feet. such d!
he had described.
We looked at each other in dismay
To add to our distress the weather, which
had hitherto been beautiful. began to get
overcast. Light wreaths of mist were
settling on the higher summit of the
mountain, sure signs of q coming storm
However. there was no use in going
back. We should perhaps not be able tC
find Franz and Gotting again if, bewil
dered as we now were, we attempted tC
get back to them. Our only chance wa.
forward.
Tired and dispirited we walked on
turning round only to look ut the gath
ering clouds which were now pilinp
themselves dark and threatening behind
us. The wirtl. too, began to rise. We
determined to go downward; indeed we
were too much exhausted TO go any
higher or waste any more time in look
ing for the chalet.
The ground seemed to get more rough
the lower we went, and the tremendous
gusts of wind which whistled round us
made tho descent most dangerous
Great, scattering raindrops now began tc
fall and we halted on n ledge of rock,
utterly worn out.
Tho storm increased and in short
time was at its height. The rain came
down in torrents, completely drenching
us. The lightning with binding flashes
played all round, kissing and illuminine
for an instant the awful grandeur of the
scene, while the thunder pealed and
crashed overhead. each crag and wall OF
rock echoing the sound and increasing
it an hundred fold.
We had thrown our rifles away, afraid
that the lightning would strike them,
and stood waiting for the storm to abate.
When we resumed our descent we were
trembling with cold in every limb. The
air, which was warm enough before,
was now piercingly cold and the wind
drove snow and bits of ice against our
faces with binding force.
Invent first, and fora long time neither
of us spoke. Only when q particularly
dangerous place was crossed gave the
warning, 'Look to the rightl' ITO the
left!" as the case might be.
Siegel led the way when was tired,
and thus we proceeded with tho greatest
caution, as false step would have been
almost certain death, till VIC got to more
level ground.
Here we again encountered thickets of
knieholz. We were already congratu-
latfng ourselves on having got the worst
over, when we were suddenly stopped by
prccipice or WAND down which il
would have been impossible for goat to
go. 1t was sheer descent of at least
eighty feet.
This was q dreadful disappointment.
We walked along the edge fer some way,
but us far as we could see tho Wand cx-
tended for miles. had already thrown
myself on the ground and had given up
all hopes of life, when q shout from
SieGel, who had gone on q little way,
madc me once more spring to my feet.
Ihastened to him. He was standing
over u narrow hole in the rock almost
hidden by bushes of the linieholz.
I'VE are savedl we are savcd," he
cried. He explained to me how, when
had given up in despair, he suddenly
thought that he remembered the place
we were in, and had remembered, too,
that if it were indeed the part of the
mountain he supposed it to be, there WIS
circular hole in the rock forming the
Wand by which the chamois hunters
scaled the otherwise inaccessible place.
He had gone on, had found the opening,
and fearful of losing the spot had stood
over it and called till came.
We slid safely down this chimney like
hole, which is not much more than
twenty feet in depth, and easily descend
ing the lower part of the Wand, which
is here much broken, arrived, famished
and half frozen. mt 10 o'clock at night, at
a woodman's hut Siegel knew Of in the
valley below. Here wo obtained warmth
and shelter.
Three of the woodmen Immediately
started up the mountain and returned in
a few hours with poor Franz. who was
very much exhausted, not so much from
cold-as Gotting had contrived to light q
fire, and they had provisions-as from
loss of blood.
! once asked Sicgel what he would
have done If he had not found that open
ing, 1--WE should" lac said, "have struck
our alpenstocks into the ground, and have
walked round them all the night TO keep
off sleep, which if it conquered us would.
of course, have been fatal. If we lived
till day broke we should have tried to
find our way back to the others"
Whether we were likely to succeed In
so doing, cold hungry and exhausted as
we were. the reader may judge.
As for Franz, he completely recovered
from his wound and have hunted many
time with him since that memorable
day.--The Marquis of Lorne in Youths
Companion.