The morning call., 1891-07-05
AN HOUR OF PERIL.
Crossing a Snowfall in the Rocky Mount
aims.

Finally, through a rift in the clouds not
fifty yards ahead. We saw the spotless white
of the long-looked-for snow field, says
Frederick Funston. in July st. Nicholas.
With feeble shout we pushed forward,
but when we reached its edge our worst
fears were realized. 1t was terribly steep,
being at an angle of about forty degrees,
and the crust was coating of hard, slippery
ice, the thickness of pasteboard. Through
q break in the clouds We SAW that it ex-
tended downward TO timber line, fully 1870
feet, as steep as the roof OF house and
smoother than the smOothest glass. How
broad it was we could only conjecture.
As we came up Kellogg struck the crust
with the butt Of his gun, and threw a rock
upon the surface, which went sliding and
bounding down the steep face with terrific
velocity.
We looked at each other in despair. Its
no use," | said.
Not biz" was the answer.
We sat down and talked it over. To re-
trace our steps was out OF the question, and
we could not climb to the top of the field,
probably 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 do it. Pi take
mine this way" Without d second thought,
in my hopeless desperation | followed. BY
using Ms gun as DTdct htllOgR kept his
feet; but slipped and fell on all fours and
began sliding down. In wild frenzy |
tried to drive my bare fingers through the
crust, but only succeeded III tearing the skin
off them.
Luckily, had retained my riff :, and by
frantic effort drove IL muZZle first through
the hard crust and came To \ stop, having
gone about twenty feet. Had il not been for
this fortunate move my body would have
been hurried to the bottom of the gorge more
than thousand feet below, and mangied
beyond all semblance OF human form.
Looking up at my companion | saw that
he had turned away his head, unwilling to
be witness Of my horrible fate; but as |
called out to him he looked around, and |
saw a face so white and horror-stricken that
can never forget it. Cold beads OF sweat
stood on my forehead, and | felt that my
courage was AL gone. The experience of
that awful moment almost unnerved me,
! and | was weak and helpless as little child.
Lying on my lace, | held on tightly to tue
rifle driven deep through the crust. How
to regain my footing was puzzle. Kel-
logg started to come down to me, and it
WAS with difficulty that persuaded him to
desist.
At last l hit on a plan. Holding on to the
rifle with one hand, with the other | drew
my pocket-knite, and, opening it with my
teeth, cut TWO holes in the crust for my feet,
and after much effort stood upright. But
we were still in bad fix. Kellogg called
out TO me 10 break holes Ill the crust for my
feet with the butt of the gun. Although
not more than twenty feet distant, he could
hardly make himself heard above The roar
Of the storm.
But the suggestion was a good one and
proved our salvation. We moved slowly
| forward, breaking hole in the ice for each
| step 1t was severe treatment to give valu-
| able guns, but they had to suffer in the best
| interests of their owners.
Slowly and carefully we moved forwa I'd,
occasionally stepping to Test and speak
words OF encouragement TO each other, for
now we had the first CLEAN of hope for
| i've long, terrible hours.
Although very weak physically, our
minds were much clearer than an hour be-
| lore, aud we even went so far as to chaff
each other a little. But we had plenty of
fears yet Once my heart leaped as Kellogg
| slipped and came down on both knees,
clawing frantcally at the air; but he re-
gained his feet without difficulty. and we
pushed on. Altogether we were over an
| hour in crossing that terrible field