The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1904-07-21


/, slopes that fall hundreds Of feet dowr
into the valley below: and also the
Klein Tor little) Schwarzweiss glacier,
name so given it. not because OF its
smallness-for 1t is two miles long.
and In one place, half a mile across
but to distinguish IL from the Gross
SchwarZweiss glacier that hangs above
Oh the other side OF the pass.
IL is lonely and grim road. a road
In which no bird is heard or seen from
the time that the village OF St Chris
toph is left behind on the Swiss side
until the village of Santa Madre is
reached on the Italian side: road that
winds at first. and ut last. through fir
woods and pinet trees. but that i'm the
middle is nothing but a path cut in
some parts and blasted in others.
along the granite sides of the rocks.
and hanging in many places above
tht valley far below. Patches of snow
and pieces of rock that have fallen
from above. alone relieve the view on
The side of the path: on the opposite
side OF the ravine is nothing but
huge wall of granite that holds no
snow, so slippery is it: but above which
hangs, white and gray. like the face
OF corpse, the glacier from which
the pass derives its name.
a lonely and grim road even in the
daytime. when Il few rays of sunshine
manage to penetrate il at midday.
when occasionally party Gi tourists
may he met with. aud when sometimes
the voice of Il goatherd calling his
iocks rises from the valley below; but
lonel;er and more grim. and more
black and impenetraOle at night, and
rarely or even then trod by human
foot. For he who should atiemut the
passage OF the SchwlrZweiss Pass at
night. unless there were a brilliant
moon to light him through its most
Dangerous parts. would take his life
In his own nands.
Yet, on an August night or the wear
in which this tale is told. and when
there was moon that. being near its
full. consequently rose late and shone
till nearly daylight a man was making
his way across this pass to Italy.
Midnight was close at hand as, with
weary steps, he descended a rough
hewn path in the rock-a path which.
for safety. had rude handra!l of iron
attached TO the side from which it was
cut-and reached a small plateau. the
size. perhaps. of an ordinary room.
and Ifnm which again the path went
on. From this plateau shelvcd down,
for hundred feet or more. an almost
perpendicular mOraine. on glacier he'd.
and at the foot OF this lay the Klein.
Schwar%weisS. with its crevasses glis.
tening in the moonlight: for the moon
mad topped eVeI the great mountains
above hy now. aud lighted up the PISS
II was evidently considered danger
ous pIrt of The route, since between
the edge OF t4e plateau and the side
of the mOraine u wooden railing Lad
been erected, consisting OF two short
upright posts and long cross one. AS
the man reached this plateau. holding
10 the raj with one hand. while with
the other lie used his alpenstuck as a
walking stick. he perceived a stone
II may have been placed there for the
purpose-large enough for seat: and
taking of his linapsack wearily. lie sat
down upon it.
Time presses" he muttered TO him.
self, yet must rest. Otherwise
snail not lie at Santa Madre by eight
O'Clock TO -:orrow. can go no farther
without Il rest"
There is an indefinite feeling Of sw,
'ulness In ling alone at night amongst
he mountains, in knowing and feeling
hat for miles around there is no other
creature in these vast, cold solitudes
1ut ourselves; and this man had that
L cling now.
How still-how awful this pass
s. he said to himself with no sound
Dut the creaking OF that glacier below
with NO human being here but me-
Yet, | should be glad | am alone"
At this moment few stones in the
noraine slipped and fell into the gla-
,!er, and the man started at the dis
inct sound they made in that Wild
erh"ss of silence, Then, as he sat
here gazing UP at the moon and the
,now above him, he continued his med
tations.