The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01

impulsed to turn and himself seek for the object of contemplation. They are re- gardng those strange and awe-inspirine freaks of Mont Blanc known as seracs Other mountains possess these seracs but none of them are so clearly defined and so pronounced as those of this giant of the Alps. Thus the horn of the North Cape is most remarkable formation, bearing semblance to a mammoth perti' fled rhinocoros, but 1t is rarely pictured in prints of the cape. Yes, the seracs of Mont Blanc are unique and inimitable. To ascend them Is deemed quite a feat, care to indulge.
 They stand out like the whitened tusks of a mastodon of the prehistoric eras. Again, as they glisten in incandescent brightness under the rays of the mid day sun, they may be likened to gigantic ta- pers illumined with a perpetual fire to do reverence to the glory of the majestic mass of which othey are part.
 As fitting companions to the seracs are the aiguilles of the Mer de Glace, one of the largest glaciers in all Switzerland. I have always contemplated this queen of congelation with commingled emotion of awe. adoration and fright. It is so su- perbly beautiful so coldly pitiless, so exquisitely cruel. Tn its passage one em- ploys sharply pointed and stoutly steel ed Alpine stock, wears heavy socks over his boots to prevent slipping and his guide carries an adz with which notches for foot rests are cut in the ice. Nor is this all; ladder is also taken along to serve as bridge in crossing the fear ful chasms and yawning crevasses adown the depths of which the mighty under-cur- rent may be heard swishing and roaring and rumbling with a ferocity that is aro- vocative of shudder. A fall means d death of horror and not long ago a tour ist was precipitated down one of these crevasses. The force of his fall wedged him in between the walls of ice and his arms were pinioned to his sides. He could be plainly seen and in response to his cries for succor ropes were lowered to his assistance, but his imprisoned arms prevented his catching hold of them and in the presence of his helpless compan- ions he froze to death in his prison of ice. His body was recovered at the mouth of the glacier six years afterwards. l at tempted the Crossing of the Mer de Clace but abandoned 1t ere the passage was half completed, paying the guide a hand some porbore to conduct me back; and well it was, for upon the eastern side of the glacier is passage appropriately named the mauvais pas tbad step), con sistng of iron rungs imbedded in the side of the rocky wall to which the traveller has to cling in his progress.
 The Organ mountain of Brazil in the vi- cinity of Rio de Janeiro constitute sn- other specimen of the ups of mother earth. They are so named from he resemblance which their rocky pinacles bear to the pipes of a huge church or gan. The Chief of the group is known as the Dedo de Deus Ginger of God,) and I shall ever recall it. as once re garded it in the dying gasp of departing day. It had become in the afterglow sub Timely incandescent and full thousand feet below it's digital apex long-drawn cloud of spotless fleece rested .ithwart the mountains contour. forming gigan- tic cross It recalled to me an immense stone cross in the corridor of the lepers'