Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-07-03

'''eii nc ndiu we should see large field
OF snow. We were to cross this. and the
chateau was in hollow about half a
mile above and to the left.
Well, we started-Siegel and I-leav-
ing all the provisions except few sand
witches with Franz and Gotting. A
weary walk brought us to the peak
where, according to Getting, we were to
see the snow field. But there was moth
ing OF the sort there; peak rose upon
peak, but there was no great, level snow
field stretching away at our feet, such as
he had described
we looked at each other in dismay.
10 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 coming storm.
However, there was no use in going
back. We should perhaps not be able to
ind Franz and Getting again if, bewil-
dered as we now were, we attempted to
get back to them. Our only chance was
| forward
Tired and dispirited we walked on,
turning round only to look at the gath
ering clouds which were now piling
themselves dark and threatening behind
u.s. The wind, too, began to rise. We
determined to go downward; indeed we
were too much exhausted to 90 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 the descent most dangerous.
Great, scattering raindrops now began to
fall and we halted on a ledge of rock,
utterly worn out
The storm increased and in a 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 illumining
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 ouI
faces with binding force
went first, and for long time neither
| of us spoke. Only when a particularly
dangerous place was crossed | gave the
warning, Look to the rightr or ITO the
left!' as the case might be.
| Siegel led the way when l was tired
and thus we proceeded with the greatest
caution, as false step would have been
| almost certain death, till we got to more
level ground.
| Here we again encountered thickets OF
! knieholz. We were already congratu
lat1ng ourselves on having got the worst
over, when we were suddenly stopped by
a precipice or "Wand," down which il
would have been impossible for goat tc
| 60 1t was a sheer descent of at least
eighty feet.
This was a dreadful disappointment
! We walked along the edge for some way
but as far as we could see the Wand ex
tended for miles. had already thrown
myself on the ground and had given uI
all hopes of life, when a shout from
Siegel, who had gone on a little way
made me once more spring to my feet
| FASTENED to him He was standing
over a narrow hole in the rock almost
hidden by bushes of the knieholz.
1--WE are saved! we are savedr he
cried He explained to me how, wher
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 w:s
circular hole in the rock forming the
Wand by which the channels hunter.
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 thar
twenty feet in depth, and easily descend
ing the lower part of the Wand, which
is here much broken, arrived, famisheC
and half frozen, at 10 o'clock at night, al
woodlands hut Siegel knew of in the
valley below. Here we obtained warmth
and shelter.
Three of the woodmen immediately
started up the mountain and returned il
few hours with poor Franz, who wa'
very much exhausted, not so much from
cold-as Gotting had contrived to light {
fire, and they had provisions-as from
loss of blood
once asked Siegel what he would
have done if he had not found that open
ing 1--WE should. he said, 'have STRUCK
our alpenstocks into the ground, and have
walked round them all the night to keel
off sleep. which if it conquered us would
of course, have been fatal. If we LIVED
till day broke we should have tried t.
| find our way back to the Others"
Whether we were likely to succeed il
so doing. cold. hungry and exhausted az
we were. the reader may judge.
AS for Franz, he completely recovered
| from his wound and have hunted many
a time with him since that memorable
day The Marquis of Lorne in Youths
Companion.
Artificial Honey,