The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-02-01
OVER A PRECIPICE.
ENJOYABLE SENSATIONS IN FALLING
FROM A GREAT HEIGHT.

When Death Comes In This Manner.
1t Is Said To BE Robbed of All Its
Terrors-Rnpidity With Which the
Mind Acts In such n Case.
Scientists say life contains few expert
ences more agreeable and enjoyable than
falling over Il precipce or slipping into
glacier crcvassc. Even the landing
which many p!ungers through space have
found bit unattractive is said to be free
from anything of pain or terror. Merely
a jar and then Inconsistencies.
In a lecture delivered by Professor
Heirn, the gcologist of Zurich and an
ardent Alpine tourist, he cited his own
experience to prove that death by falling
contains horror and pain only for the OBJ
server, not for him who falls He said:
"A party of lis. all good climbers, went
in 1871 from Saints toward the Scealp.
| was in front. Near the Fchlalp, at Il
height of about 5000 feet, we came upon
a steep Snowted which descended ut
sharp incline between two rocky points.
The others hCSitated, but | started at
once to slide standing down the incline. |
slid rapidly. \ gust of wind took my hat.
Instead of letting it go | made the mis-
take of trying to grab it. This motion
caused me to fail, and | could no longer
control my course With the speed of the
wind | slid toward the left rock, struck
on its edge and plunged head first over
a 60 foot precipice and landed on snow
pile at its foot. As soon as stumbled
when my hat blew off | saw that would
be dashed over the rock and awaited the
sho.l- I Il INT 81 -,
the cndeavor to stop myself, but merely
tore open my finger tips, causing them all
to bleed but feeling no pain from so do
ing. plainly heard the striking of my
head and back against the rock and the
thud when | landed. Pain. however,
did not feel until half an hour later. when
| revived During the fall came the flood
of thought-what | thought and felt dur
ing the five minutes cannot be told in ten
times that space of time.
Every thought and impression was
clear, in nowise dreary and confused, and
was logically connected with the ono
which followed. First | contemplated
the probability of my fall and said to my
self: The rock over whose ledge will be
dashed evidently desccnds sheer for |
cannot see the ground the other side of it.
1t becomes, therefore, question as to
whether or not there is snow at the foot
of the rock. If so. then the snow will be
melted near the wall and will form
ledge on which | will land and thus es-
cape with my life. If not, then will
strike on rocks below, and death will be
unavoidable. If | am not killed and am
not unconscious. | must at once take out
little vial of liquor which on starting
from Saints | didn't leave in the tourists
bag, but stuck into my vest pocket. and
must drink a few drops of it. My alpen-
stock | must hold on to, for it may prove
of use to me- thought that should
take off my snow glasses and throw them
away for fear they might be broken and
the spllntered glass get into my eyes, but
the position in which | was falling pre-
vented my moving my hands sufficiently
to do this
Another train of thought busted itself
with the effect my fall would have upon
my companions. l said to myself that
when | landed no matter whether | was
hurt or not, | must if possible call out
with all my might, 4 am in nowise in
Jured, in order that my comrades-my
brother and three friends-might rouse
''4N4''+'' ANto lipll llltlI ltIIOE ana De 1DlC
to make the difficult descent necessary
for the bringing of assistance to me.
also thought that | would not be able to
deliver the lecture which five days later
was to mark my entrance into the pro-
censorship. / realized how the news of
my death would shock my family and in
thought tried to console them.
Then | saw as if upon a stage my en-.
tire life pass like series of tableaux be-
fore me- saw myself as the chief actor.
Everything seemed glorilied as by some
heavenly light, and all was beautiful and
free from pain, from anxiety and sorrow.
Even the memory of sad events was dis
tinct, but not sad. There was no strug-
gle, no strife Exalted and beautiful
thoughts dominated and connected the
single scenes, and divine quietude sank
like sweet music into my soul. Ever
more and more plainly felt myself sur.
rounded by a heaven of glorious blue
filled with clouds of rose color.
Il sank gently and painessly into it
and saw that | was flying through the
air toward a field of snow. Objective OBJ
servations, reasoning and subjective feel.
ing were INDUCED in clearly and stimuli.
taneously. Then heard a small thud,
and my fall was ended. At the same
moment it seemed to me that black OBJ
Ject rushed by me, and | called two or
three times as loudly as | could. L am
in nowise injured | took some drops of
the liquor. reached out for my snow
glasses which lay unbroken beside me
on the snow. | felt of my back and my
limbs to see that no bones were broken.
Then | saw my comrades coming slow
~, cutting their way step by step down
the snowiield near the rock over which
had fallen.
II could not understand how it hap.
pened that they had already come so far
down the incline. They told me that
for over half an hour | had been silent
and had not answered their call. From