Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1890-03-12
AN ALPINE ADVENTURE.
A MOUNTAIN CLIMBER DESCRIBES
A DAY AMONG THE GLACIERS.


Beautiful Fields OF Snow and White Cap
ped Peaks Where Death Waits OH Sim
gle Misstep-Rescued from an Exceed
ingly Dangerous Position.
Tom Kenyon never felt so unwilling
to get up as he did one morning early in
September, 49,.
He and Frank Marshall had settled to
make the ascent of the Fisch Horn; they
had arranged it with the guide, Jules
Lessore; and they had ordered the boots
of the hotel to call them at 8 o'clock in
the morning.
BY 4 o'clock they started. There was
a slight rain falling, but Jules declared
that it would clear. On leaving the no.
tel they turned to the left, and for a
mile or two they kept to the level road.
The guide turned off to the right, and
followed by Kenyon and Marshall, be.
gan to mount steep, narrow path. 1t
was gradually growing light.
They turned shoulder Of the rocks
which they were clambering, and they
saw through the rising mist the dim out.
line of the huge Rinderhorn; the wild
scene had become extremely desolateD
The Hotel DIES Voyageurs, perched high
up on the farther side of the valley, was
the only sign of life or habitation. Now
and again patch of snow told them
that they were leaving the snow line be.
meath them. After time they reached
the foot of precipitous mass of rocks
the jagged, cruel looking rocks lowered
up pitilessly above them.
Lessore stopped his regular, machine
like strides. He quickly roped Kenyon
then Marshall, and then himself, leaving
about fifteen feet of rope between eacl
| Of them.
The snow field stretched on for rather
more than mile, and at last they came
| to the foot of the highest peak of thu
mountain. 1t rose up iercely into thu
sky. The rocks forming this peak wer,
partially covered with snow, and they
looked terribly grim and forbidding
But now that the goal was in view the.
pressed on eagerly. 1t was sever
scramble. The snow had made the rock
slippery, and it was necessary in places
to Chamber like cats, but eventually they
reached the top and sat down upon tn
sharp, jagged point. Every side of then
the rocks shelved down precipitously TO
thousands of feet. The sun had becom
overcast, clouds were gathering, it wa
bitterly cold and soon it began to snow.
| There was sudden and awful roar
like the sound of thunder, then deep
terrifying vibration. "What on earth
thatr' cried Kenyon.
ST suspect it is an avalanche on TIT
Rinderhorn," said the guide.
There was a dead silence; then an
other terrific roar, announcing that tn
avalanche was going further on it's wa,
down the mountain. After short res
on the top of the peak they began t.
descend in reverse order. They founC
the way down more easily. The keel
air and the rest on the summit had thor
oughly braced them up. They reached
the snow field again without much diff
Guilty. They had got half way acros
the snow and were congratulating them
selves that they would soon be over il
when suddenly, without warning, julie
and Kenyon felt sharp jerk on tn
rope. Marshall had sunk into the snow
only his head and arms were visible.
"Hullo" cried Jules, "what is tn
matter now?'
"Quick! quick!' Marshall cried; "pul
me up or shall be through. My fee
and legs are dangling in the air and
can feel am rapidly sinking"
| Jules pulled hard upon the rope an
went closer to Marshall. Kenyon TO
lowed on behind to give play to the rope
he and the guide drew nearer to til
dangerous spot.
Will the snow hold, Kenyon thought
until Marshall is out? He seemed to fee
the snow giving way beneath him. MAJ
shall grew pale; his nerve began to fai
him as he thought of his dear ones i
England; he had promised his wife tha
he would attempt nothing hazardous an
this promise came suddenly into hi
mind. The danger was imminent; lif
and death were struggling in the balance
to Kenyen's surprise Jules stood still
but only for an instant-then with
mighty effort he pulled at the rope an
drew Marshall on to firmer foothold; bu
the greatest danger was to come, fo
Kenyon had still to pass.
He made cautious step, aided b
Jules directions; he saw a yawnin
black hole where Marshall had sun
into what had seemed substantial snow
Could he cross it? It seemed almos
impossible, for the snow appeared to b
giving way rapidly. The footing Q
Marshall and Jules was anything but Sc
cure, and if the snow gave way alto
gether before Kenyon was past the hol
they must all go down together.
At this instant he felt the snow Civ
under his feet. He seemed to be fallin
as he sprang and plunged forward-h
turned giddy-something was draggin
him down; but it was Jules who pulle
vigorously at the rope and landed him O
the firm snow just as the soft mass CAV
way precipitately and fell hundreds g
feet on to the rocks below.
Kenyon was dazed for minute or two
but then he joined his companions a
they stood on the edge Of the abyss dis
closed by the mass that had fallen; the
looked down breathless and awestrucB
IF Jules had been one second later i
pulling the rope they would all have bee
dashed to death on the sharp, jagge'
rocks below.
They walked safely over the rest o
the snow field. There was some danger
GUS scrambling down the rocks and owe
loose stones, but at last they reached tn
region of turf and trotted down the steel
mountain slopes with the aid of thei
Alpine stocks. They came in sight o
the valley leading to the village from
which they had started. AS they reach
ed their hotel utterly exhausted tn,
clock struck 5. They had been walking
and climbing for the best part of thir
teen hours.-Thomas Stanley in Phila
delphia Times.
Pays for His Entertainment.
It is said that when the car visits hi