The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-09-03
MY LITTLE ADVENTURE.
BY Willis 3. H11en.
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w one July evening in 1886. when we
reached Chamounix, Fred, my old Latin
school classmate, could bear mountain
climbing, and, what was worse, mule
back riding, much better than l, so that,
while l was glad to find my way to my
room, in the top of the queer old hotel.
at an early hour in the evening, Fred
remained in the parlor, busily studying
up maps and guides for an excursion
over the Mer de Glace to the Garden
small, fertile spot, surrounded by
eternal ice, in the very heart of the
mountains.
Next morning he was off at four
o'clock, leaving me to spend the day
quietly in the valley. was disturbed
but once more before rising; this time
by herd of goats, who scrambled along
under my window, with bells tinkling
merrily enough.
In the course of the forenoon strolled
away, book in hand, following the
course of the Arve for little while,
and then, striking off at right angles
up the banks of small brook, which
joins the larger stream just above the
village.
The air was soft and sweet with sum-
mer sunlight, and the breath of the
silent forests, reaching from my feet
higher and higher, until the front rank
looked on these desolate, glittering
fields of snow that crown Mount Blanc.
Beside the brook the velvety turf was
dotted with wild forget-me-nots and
pansies, growing there as confidently as
if they were not in thevery track of last
years avalanche.
At length l came to spot where the
brook had in ages past strewn its own
path with fragments of huge rocks,
which 1t had loosened and thrown down
from some far-off height, where the
foot of man never trod.
One gigantic bowlder lay completely
across the original bed of the stream,
and rose like wall beside the water,
that turned out of it's way, and ran off
with a good-natured murmur.
The sun here lay warm and bright,
| just counteracting the chill breeze that
came from the glaciers through the
narrow gorge. gathered few dry
sticks, kindled a fire, just for company,
| and nestled comfortably down into an
easy corner to read the rocks, the brook,
the sky, and, If there were time left,
my book, which, if remember rightly.
was "Redgauntlet."
How long l sat there cannot tell.
1t must have been two or three hours,
for 1t was past noon when 1 looked
at my watch, threw the smoldering
firebrands into the brook and rose to
return to the hotel.
AS l did SO, l noticed half dozen
footsteps in the steep, sandy bank that
formed the side of the ravine at this
point. 1t suddenly occurred to me that
l had read in my guide book, while
was sitting in my own room, six months
before, of certain waterfall, which,
from the description, must surely be on
this brook. Yes, recollected the base
of the zig-zag path, that we had seen as
we rode along the valley, on our way
from Tete Noire, late the preceding
afternoon.
| was feeling much refreshed and
rested by my siesta, and, by short cut
over this embankment, could doubt
less strike that path after three min.
utes' scramble, as some one had evi.
IDENTIFY done before me.
So l would have little adventure
and see one of the sights of Chamounix
NIL by myself.
Certainly there was nothing rash in
this resolve, or formidable in the un-
dcrtaking, though certain feebleness
resulting from recent i'll turn at Gen
fva should have warned me against
tasking my strength too severely.
At any rate, at it went, laughing
at the easiness of the ascent as fol.
lowed the broad footsteps of my prede.
cessor. My calculation was that j
should come out on the path at point
IS to 100 feet above my starting place
Before I had proceeded far, however
the convenient tracks abruptly ceased
Beyond, and on each side, there was
nothing but the gravelly bank, with
here and there big rock, which seemed
ready to drop at the lightest touch.
Plainly enough, the first climber hat
become discouraged at this point. and
had picked his way to the bottom again
AS looked back. | was startled to OBJ
serve the elevation which had reached
and | involnntarily crouched closer Il
the earth, with sensation as of tippin,
over backwards.
The movement, slight as it was, dis
lodged clump of stones and sand
which went rolling and plunging dow
at great rate to the brook. the SCUM,
OF whose waters was now hardly audi
BILE. No wonder the man had given
upl Should I go on. or literally bacl
down, as he had done?
My determination was stirred, and, al
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