River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-08-13
CROSSING A sNow.ElELp.
Pe:ilous Experience by Travellers in the
Rocky Mountains.

Rocky Mountains.
Finally. through a rift in the clouds
not fifty yards ahead, we saw the spot
less white of the long-looked-for snow
/ field.
With feeble shout we pushed for
ward. but when we reached its edge
our worst fears were realized. 1t was
terribly steep. being at an angle OF
4 about forty degrees, and the crust was
a coating of hard, slippery ice, tho
thickness of paste board. Through a
break in the clouds we saw that il ex
tended downward to timbeT-line. fully
fifteen hundred feet, as steep as the
roof of house and smoother than the
smoothest glass. How broad it was
we could only con lecture.
As we came up Kellogg struck the
crust with the butt of his gun. and
threw a rock upon the surface which
went sliding aud bounding down the
steep face with terrific velocity.
We looked at each other in despair
81 s no use" | said.
Not bit" was the answer.
We sat down and talked il over. To
retrade our steps was out of the ques
ton, and we could not climb to the toy
of the field. probably a thousand feet
in our weakened condition.
Suddenly Kellogg leaped to his feet
and rushed toward the slippery mass
crying out: Come on; we've got to dc
it. I'll take mine this way" Without
a second thought, in my helpless des
peration, followed. BY using his gun
as a brace Kellogg kept his feet. but
slipped and fell on all tours and began
sliding down. In wild frenzy tried
TO drive my bare fingers through the
crust, but only succeeded in tearing the
skin off them.
Luckily had retain ed my rifle, and
~ a frantic effort drove it muZzle first
through the hard crust and came to q
stop, having gone about twenty feet
Had il not been for thi, fortunate move
my body would have been hurled to the
bottom of the gorge. more than a thou
sand feet below, and mangled beyond
all semblance to human form.
Looking mp at my companion I saw
that he had turned away his head, un
willing to be a witness of my horrible
fate; but as | called out to him ht
looked around, and | saw a face so white
and horror-stricken that ! can never
/ forget il. Cold beads of sweat stood on
nv forehead. and felt my coura 70 was
all gone. The experience of that awful
moment almost unnerved me, and was
weak and helpless as a little child.
Lying on my face | held on tightly to
a. i.
How to regain my footing was puzzle.
Kellogg started to come down to me.
and it was with difficulty that | per-
suaded him to desist
At last / hit on plan. Holding on
TO the rifle with one hand, with the
other | drew my poclSet-knife, and,
I opening it with my teeth, cut two holes
I m the crust for my feet, and after much
fort stood upright. But we were still
N bad fix. Kellogg called out TO me
to break holes through the crust for
my feet with the butt of the gun. Al
though not more than twenty feet dis
tant he could hardly make himself
heard above the roar of the storm.
But the suggestion was good one
and proved our salvation. We moved
slowly forward, breaking a hole in the
ice for each step. 1t was severe treat
ment to give valuable guns, but they
had to suffer in the best interests OF
I their owners.
Slowly and carefully we moved for,
ward. occasionally stopping to rest and
speak words of encouragement to each
other, for now we had the first CLEAN
of hope for four long, terrible hours.
Although very weak physically, om
minds were much clearer than an hour
before, and we even went so far as tC
chaff each other little. But we had
plenty of fears yet. Once my hear
leaped as Kellogg slipped and cam,
down on both knees, clawing frantical
ly at the air; but he regained his feet
without difficulty and we pushed on
Altogether we were over an hour il
crossing that terrible field. Chicago
Times