The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-10-19

were immense bare grey cliff with
their needle like points hundreds
of feet above us. From the bot
toms of these ran down slides of
sand and gravel for hundreds OF
feet more. We were near the top
as we started around the great cup
shaped slope. There were huge
ravines over which we had to be
I led one at time by the Grobner
son who is as much at home on
the mountains as any guide. We
knew that a slip or false step
might start a slide and,-For an
hour we crawled around the side
before | asked where we were to
get out of place. / was shown the
top of one of the peaks then hid
den in clouds. For another hour
we went up a slope much of the
time as steep as forty-five degrees
and covered with loose stones over
which we often had to crawl on
all tours.
In the meantime the clouds had
come down and capped the val
ley like a great cover so it was
twilight though the sun had not
set outside. There was no open
ing to the valley. 1t could only
be reached by going over the
tops of the mountains enclosing
it as we had done. Great black
salamanders were everywhere. All
about we've the black crosses put
ND in the places where some one
had been killed. 1t was a gorgeous
place and | was glad to leave it
for | didn't know what was to
follow.
When we finally reached the top
the view was magnificent. Direct
ly in front of us was another peak
a little lower than the one we
were on but over beyond that the
sun was still shining. After the
darkness we had Just left is was
dazzling. The valley far below
with its silvery river, glistened and
the little peasant houses painted
in bright colors with their fields
of different shades of green and
brown made the whole look much
more like some fantastic picture
than reality. Four enormous
glaciers were in sight and innum-
cradle high peaks.
We were already later than we
had intended to be at the top so
we started hastily down the steep
descent by a little path that
wound back and forth over the
face of the cliff. For perhaps half
an hour we went along easily,
then the clouds came down and
covered everything. They felt eX-
tremely cold and clammy and we
could not see a yard in front OF
where we stood. Worst of all they
made everything as wet as hard
shower and It was almost impossi,,
Bile to stand up as the grass and
stones were as slippery as glass.
For a while | had to go sideways
across a great steep grassy slope
with my stout iron pointed stuck
in one hand and the other on the
ground. Before we had gone far
in this fashion we found we had
lost the trail. 1t was growing dark
fast and we hunted frantically for
it. Finally we came to a little
barn made of logs where the pea
SAINTS store the hay till the snow
comes so they can take it down on
bob-sleds. Wet and cold as we
were we tried to crawl into the
hay to spend the night. The barn
was so full it was impossible.
We went on and soon came to
the top of the forest. 1t was now
perfectly dark. We went on for
another hour with our hands on
the shoulders of the one in front,
the Grobner boy leading the way
end feeling for a foothold before
he yentured to take step /
Sometimes we went down over
places where we had to sit down
and slide for yards at a time. 1t
was terribly steep, rough slope 7;
and when | saw it the next morn,
ing I couldn't see how we could
possibly have escaped falling over
some precipice.
At length we found ourselves
on a narrow ledge with a steep
rock in back of US and, as far as
we could find, nothing on the other
three sides. Just here the Grob-
ner Girl tainted and we leaned up
against the steep bank behind US
and began to call for help. The
son hunted a while for path then
rave it up. We called and called
but we knew it was very unlikely
anyone woul hear US while Tony
tainted again and again. Finally
the son said no one could posi-
bly, hear us and he would try the
descent alone as it was the only
CHANGE. kissed his mother and
sister,-said a little prayer and
started off.
After he disappeared we kept on
calling as long as he would an
swer and after that just to keep
ourselves awake We watched the
lights in the valley, hoping one
would come toward us, till they all
began to dance about and | could