The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-05
GLACIERS GIVE UP THEIR DEAD.
Tho Latest Instance IL the Recovery or ARK.
wriGht's Body Auer N Year,

Tho news has been received from Geneva,
Switzerland, that the body of Capt. Henry Ark
wright, buried under an avalanche Oct. l3,
1866, has been recovered. 1t was found almost
two miles below the place where the intrepid
Englishman lost his life, and was in the main
well preserved. II had been hurled by the ava
lanche into a crevasse OF the glacier. and had
moved down the mountain side with that
creeping giant OF the Alps until 1t was restored
at the melting edge Of the ice. The feet and
head are lost. They were doubtless ground
away by the ~resistless crushing of the glacier in
its movement. But the rest OF the body is per-
feet Identification Is complete. The hands
are preserved. The right hand is remarkably
nfelike and natural in appearance. Even the
In the pocket OF the gray walstcoat of the
fashion of thirty years ago was found a blue
new. Capt. Arkwright's initials are embroid-
cred in the corner. There is a gold stud in the
linen collar; a and d e largesr stud in the shirt front
Among the trinkets taken from the pockets
was a silver cigarette case. The gold watch is
found near the body, evidently having been
dragged away in the slow movement Of the
Justice Of the Peace. the Mayor. a doctor, and
the local gendarmcs. The remains were buried
II a SRa IN @ani s TKWpiHb, Gsq reTs,i from a. ENGLAND
The story OF Capt. Arkwright's death is one
OF the most thrilling in the annals Of Mont
Blanc adventure. He had been an aide-de camp
to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. was a scholar
to snd Ai h5SS Sli e i5sseiie +, 5 Esq o o'sl Sss Gni' the g morni
ing OF Oct. -, 1866, he, with his guide, Michel
Toupnier, and accompanied By Swan ana c SSsePh
of the Pierre Pointue and a servant-the latter
two apparently being voluntary additions TO a
for the ascent of Mont Blanc. They took the
route Of the ancient passage and had gone
when an avalanche descended upon them. Such
yisitationS have always oeen peculiarly com.
regarded especially dangerous.
Couttet heard the ,rumbling and knew in an
alarm. and, with his servant. succeeded din in S .ne
ting away. Capt Arkwright and his guides,
either because they did not understand or be.
came confused. turned in the wrong direction
and were overwhelmed in a tremendous ava
lanche OF rockS, ice. and snow. The Alpine
men could be discovered by the survivors. But
this is plainly an error, for Vename Payott
S Tdi,' TSu I'm es; Was pf dissov .ast t By % SGd to St eFf se:
fore he abandoned the search. He found the
crushed body among the blocks of loosened ice
author Of Oscillations des Quatre Grandes
Glaciers" he discovered the bodies Of two OF the
descended and the last trace OF the missing Eng.
Michael Payott, one of the porters, who was
living last year. WAS awarded the 'medallle
the Interior for his conduct on the occasion.
But every book OF travel gives bad guiding"
as In 1hS Si sH !afss OF the s lS%sa'a Msr see Inai
serious account of the loss OF Capt. Arkwrisht
HGone Of the few serious passages in the book.
parentIy stationary held Of Ice Was sI really iS's mop OF.
ing to visit that valley, he went out with his
SaSE gsa TOT LOOK o. "a d RG1iSl,ionh , on the glacier; and
BSt'e the 'o truth IT 70 is as as his hi tale at ,n the F,serS TSs
glaciers. added to at the summit by perpetual
condensation and freezing OF the vapors that
beneath. The foot OF the glacier is in the sU warm
valley. andsis perpetually melting.
The pressure from above croWds down the
M miles les, and nd , miIes Of ice s, in !, many Many places hundreds
porccptibly but surely. Here and there tho in.
equalities of the rocky track over which 1t
moves cause the glacier to- bepd and even break
climbers have been hurled into these ere,
Sassos. In three cases i was impossible to
ono after twenty-five ,years-a the melting
point or the verge of the glacier below.
such a length OF time as has this. Almost thir.
tya;oGae years have passed aimee London was hor.
news came just at the time OF the VISIT of inc =
Prince OF Wales to Russia. The whole city and
nation were W cheering over the international
man, and he not especially famous or infiuen.
tial, would have had no effect upon the people.
singular chord in English society Ii1 IL Was a
the very height Of tho era OF Alpine climbing.
the most engr9 s Incidents among the uppsT
ffhis s esoS od fPS sss,y, TIE gloomy reputation Of
event, and all London paused in the midst of
OF course, the accident caused no checking
OF the custom. Mountain climbers continued
70 be social lions, and the rage CONTINUED mil
there We're no more dangerous submits TO scaie
without finding a. the top the register of a brood
or eoh hnen n Names, The methods of guiding
lost his life. and few accidents now occur