Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-09
THREE NIGHTS IN A cREvAseE.
Terrible Experience Of Three German
Climbers on the Jungfrau.

| The adventures OF three young Ger
mans on the Jungfrau have been the
! topic of much discussion and the cause
! of great anxiety at Grindelwald. A
few days ago the three young men. two
OF whom have had considerable Alpine
experience. while the third, an Alsa-
clan, is a novice started without a
guide to make one more Of those fool
ish attempts at a big climb unaided
which have been SO common and 50
fatal this season. eLaving I4autes-
brunnen in the afternoon they passed
the night ut the Rottal cabin. A storm.
however, overlook them on the way up,
signal OF danger which no prudent
Alpinist would have failed to profit by.
At 2 A. M. the next morning, though
bad weather was threatening. they re-
sumed their march. The Alsacian was
already showing signs of distress. but
refused to go back or to listen to the
advice Of his more experienced COM
panions. Three hours afterward
binding snowstorm broke over them,
rendering progress both dangerous and
difficult, and plotting out all signs OF
the track and landmarks. Flooding
doggedly on. however the trio man.
little below the summit. where they
were compelled to pass the night.
Shelter was difIicuit to find. and
their position appeared desperate,
when one Of the party noticed that a
crevasse near at hand appeared to ter
inmate at a depth Of some twenty feet.
Carefully roping himself one Of the
party was lowered over the edge and
found that there was sufficient space
and excellent shelter at the bottom.
BY firmly wedging their ice axes into
the ice his companions were able To
lowe: themselves also. and in this con-
nned space. walled in by solid fee ana
in imminent danger from failing ice
above. the night was spent. Fortu.
nately small stove and a good supplv
OF eatables formed part of the clirnbetAe
equipment. and the hot coffee which
they were enabled to brew probably
was the means Of saving their lives.
Huddled together and almost frozen.
the three waited for dawn. The snow.
however. still fell pitilessly all next day
and the day following: progress or re-
treat was impossible and a second
night. and then a third, had to be facAI
in the icy shelter.
Inc Aisacian. unable to stand the
bitter cold. began to complain Of sever.
pains in his feet, a well-known sign NJ
evil omen among snow climbers Nert
morning his two companions emeree,i
from Their refuge to find the weather
still and clear, and completed the as
cent, returning to find their companton
evidently in great pain and quite una
BILE to move. The two others there.
upon set off for the Coricortia hut hair
leading and half Carrying their unfor-
tunate cornrade. There the half frozen
man was left while one Of his friend.
hastened down to the Eggishorn Hote,
A relief party was at once sent on,
ana with great difficulty the sufferer
was borne down to the hotel. Roth an.
teet were frozen and his condition; ~
some time caused the greatest anxIe.
~. Meantime. from the LAuterbrun.
men side search parties were at work
hunting for the missing men, who N
was believed. could not have lived
through three days OF such weather IN
'he IVY heights Of the Jungfrau. It -
sara to be the first time that a climbin.
party has ever emerged safely from 40
prolonged stay below the surfaces ~
'he glacier ice.-Pall Mall Gazette