Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-12-28
AN ALPINE

StSiS az "a YAH Down INC
Matterhorn.
"One OF the most thrilling stories in
Alpine history is that of Mr.. Slogge;t's
fall on the M~atterhorn." writes Aubrey
lie Blond. With w Zermatt guides
-Alphons Furrer and Augustin Gcnli-
netta-this young Englishmun had
made a quick ascent of the mountain
and was Il long way down on the re
turn Journey. AT II spot it is neccs-
sarF to cross 4 couloir. or gully OF
snow and ice. and down this channel
fall most OF the stones that detach
themselves from the shattered face of
the peak, The leading guide. Furrer.
was making his way over when Il
stone, dropping from a considerable
height, struck him full on the head
and instantly killed him. The two
others, attached by their rope to his
dead body, We're unable in their pre-
carlouS foothold to resist the shock and
We're immediately swept away down
the couloir at terrific speed. Their
axes We're torn from their grasp, and
Gentlnetta, who never lost conscious
ness. was convinced that death must
await them at the end of that awful
journey, but this man of iron nerve
Kept his presence Of mind and showed
what a stout heart and Il keen intel
llgence can 10 even in the most des-
perate situation.
About 500 feet below the spot where
the party We're carried off a small
bergschrund or crevaSSe ran across the
Ice slope which forms the base of the
Matterhorn on its eastern side. This
crevasse is not always open-in fact,
IN October, 1908. when | Went on to
the mountain to photograph the scene
or this accident. it did not exist at all.
Beneath it are ice cliffs. and any one
shooting the crevasae and falling over
these would have a sheer drop which
must Immediately be fatal. but in Mr..
~Sloggett's case the crack was several
feet wide and into it the two still liv-
ing men and their dead companion
were precipitated. The chasm was
partly filled with stones and sand. and
MI. Sioggett fell face down. Cent
Meta, though terribly bruised, without
an lnstants delay seized the helpless
form of his employer. pulled him out
OF the position in which he lay. alnlost
sutfocating, and cleared he San.i o..
Of his throat and eyes.
His Jaw was broken. and his bruises
We're even worse than those of Cent
Meta. but no other bones were broken.
The disaster was already bad enough.
put at any moment an even more ter.
rlble catastrophe threatened the two
poor wounded men in the crevuSSe.
h couloir a as | have said, Il nat.
ural channel for falling stones. and il
was just the hottest hour of the day.
when the SNOW was thawing fast ana
loosenins from it's letters the missiles
it had earlier held fast frozen to the
mountain. 1t was imperative to lose
no time in waiting for assistance from
the other parties who were on the Mat
terhorn. SO the guide and the English
man. without axes, bruised, shaken
n weak. started on the desperate
task of climbing back up that CLASSY.
blood stained wall, q task hard enough
even for an uninjured and fully equip
ped party.
How it was accomplished Gentinat-
ia declares he does not know. but by
an extraordinary display Of pluck and
skill the two at length reached their
old tracks and gained Il place of safe
". Assistance was now at hand, and
with the help Of the other parties the
wounded men eventually arrived at
the schwarze hotel. Though laid up
for many weeks after, both in the end
made an excellent recovery. Poor Fur
rer's body was with much difficulty
brought down next day from the Gre
| vase"