The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-04


has knots. and I know your muscles are
as Trustworthy in such work as my own"
There was a slight breeze from the east
ward. and the current Of air slanting up
tbs face Of the peak assisted the balloon
in mounting with its burden and favored
US by promptly swinging the little airship.
with the grapple swaying beneath 1t. over
the brow OF the clin into the atmospheric
eddy above. AS soon as we saw that the
grapple was well over the edge We pulled
upon the rope. Tho balloon instantly shot
into view with the anchor dancing. but.
under the influence of the wind, quickly
returned to its former position behind the
projecting brink. The gtapple had failed
to take hold.
Try. try again. must be our motto
now" muttered Hall.
We tried several times with the same
result. although each time we slightly
shifted our position. At last the grapple
caught.
Now. all together cried my compan-
ion. and simultaneously we threw our
weight upon the slender rope. The anchor
apparently did not give an inch
Let me 60 first." said Hall. pushing me
aside. as l caught the first knot above my
head. ITS my device. and It's only fair
that ! should have the first try"
In minute he was many feet up tho
wall. climbing swiftly hand over hand.
but occasionally stopping and twisting his
IT'S easier than / expected. he called
down. when we had assembled about loo
feet Here and there the rock offers
little hold for the knees
/ watched him. breathless with anxiety,
and. as he got higher. my Imagination
pictured the little gold grapple, invisible
above the brow Of the precipice. with per-
haps a single prong wedged into crevice.
and slowly blowing it's way toward the
edge with each impulse Of the climber, I'M
til but another pull was needed to set II
flying! So vivid was my fancy that
tried to Danish 1t by noticing that GER
tain knot In the rope remained just at the
level Of my eyes. where 1t had been from
the start. Hall was now fully 300 feet
above the ledge on which 1 stood. and was
rapidly nearing the top OF the precipice.
In. minute more he would be safe.
Suddenly he shouted. and glancing up
with leap Of the heart, saw that ne
was falling! He kept his face to the rock
and came down feet foremost. 1t would
be useless to attempt any description OF
my feelings: would not 20 through that
experience again for the price Of battle
ship. Yet 1t lasted less than q second.
He had dropped not more than ten feet
when the fall was arrssted.
IAN rightr he called. cheeriiy. mo
harm donei IT was only . slip"
But what shpi II the balloon had
not carried the anchor several yards back
from the edxe It would have had no OPP
pcrtunity to catch another hold as 1t shot
forward. And how could we know that
the second hold would prove more secure
than the first? Hall did not hesitate how
ever, for one instant. Up he went again.
But, in fact. his best chance was In 60
ing up. for he was within four yards Of
the top when the nishap occurred. with
sigh Of relief saw him at last throw
\ a~wav ~ vnpwa Ana Than vrfgg1A
his body upon the ledge. few seconds
later he Wa lying on hlgs stomach. with
his face over the edge. looking down at
me. an
Come onr' he shouted. IT'S all right"
When had pulled myself over the
brink at HIS side grasped his hand and
pressed II without word. We understood
one another.
'sIt was pretty close to . miracle" no
remarked It last. .sLook 1t this
The rock over which the grapple had
slipped wes deeply scored by the unyield-
ing point Of the metal. and exactly at
the verge OF the sprecipics the prong had
wedgsd itself into Marrow. crack. so
firmly that We had TO chip away the stone
in ordsr to release IL II II had slipped
a single inch further. before taking hold
It would have been all over with my
friend.
Such experiences shake tho strongest
nerves, and we sat On the shelf We had
attained for fully . quarter Of an hour
before We ventured to attack the next
precipice. which hung beetling directly
above us. II was net ~ lofty a. the one
we had just assembled, but Il impended to
such a degree that We sAw we should
have to climb our rope while II swung in
the air!
Luckily W had little diGculty in get
ting q grip for the prongs. and we took
every precaution to test tho security Of
the anchorage. not only putting our COM
bined weight repeatedly upon the rope.
but Tipping and jerking II with all our
strength. The grapple resisted every ef-
fort to iisiodGs II. and finally I started
IN. insisting on my turn as leader.
The height had TO ascend did not ex-
coed 100 feet. but that II very great
distance to climb on q swinging rope.
without q wall within reach to assisy hy
its friction and occasional friendly pro-
together with the effect Of the slight
wind, had impaired most distressing o..
citation 70 the rope. This sometimes car
rled me With q narve-shaking bang
against a prominent point on the preci-
pics where I would dfslodEe loose frag-
rnents that kept Hall lodging for his life.
and then I would swing out. apparently
beyond the brow of the cliff below, so
that. az involuntarily glanced down.
ward, seemed to be hanging In free
space, while the steep mountain side.
looking ten times sleeper thar Il really
was. rasemtIed the verticle wall OF an
absolutely bottomiess abyss, as 10 were
suspended over the edge 90 the world.