Year: 1869

CHAPTER l.


There was no braver guide, or more skill


full hunter, that ever set foot upon the Met


terhorn, or crawled over the dangerous gla-


ciers of Monte Rosa, than Uric Peterson.


He was a man of immense strength and


great daring; and had often tracked the


wilderness Of snow when those who followed


the same calling willingly remained in their


cottages in the well protected villages. He


lau2h he'd at his companions, when they talked
Of danger; and made light Of the fears of


his good wife, when she trembled at the
bowling of the fierce winds, or the avalanche
, Of snow, that now and then swept down


with irresistible force, upon the little chalets.
With well-spiked shoes, {; stout alpcnstock,
! confidence in himself, and a firm and fervent
f trust in God, he avowel that a man was as
safe upon the topmost cliffs of the cloud
piercing Matterhorn as in the brook thread
ed valley of Tourmauches. But the timid
heart of womanhood could not look upon the


matter in the same light, although her trust


in the good Lord was equally strong, and


so, when she saw him take down his trusty


rifle, powder-born, and heavily-shod iron


staff, one morning, she clung 10 him and
begged him not to go upon the mountains.
''There is every sign of Storm" she said.


"You know how terrible they are. We


have food enough in the cottage. Do stay
at home with the little ones"


''That would l, wife," was the reply, "If
i had not seen an ibex as | was coming
f home, yesterday evening. He was a stout
, old fellow with huge horns; and | fancied
he was almost laughing at me as | crept
around the cliff upon which he was stand
ing"


''But, Uric, think OF the storm that is
certainly coming"


81 have been in many an one, and care
nothing for them. love the free whistling
of the wind upon the mountain tops, and the
whirling of the feathery snow. So, good


wife, get me something to cat. | must be
off before the day dawns.''


With heavy sigh the woman did as he


had requested; and with his fond kiss still


lingering upon her lips, she saw him climb
the mountain side, until a turn in the path


hid him from her view. Then she sunk


upon her knees, by the bedside Of her still
slumbering children, and committed him
into the keeping Of that God who had thus


far preserved him in the midst of every dan


GER Meantime Uric fastened onward with
, a light foot 1t was still dark in the valley
} but far above him he could see the white
peaks glittering in the dim light Of the
morning, and the fast paling stars. Higher
and higher he climbed and soon the sun
; arose, shedding its rays of rosy gold upon
the icy piles, and making them flash as if


builded Of myriad diamonds. To astranger
it would have been a dazzling sight to the
. brave hunter, it had lost something of its


charm by familiarity, and he pressed on


ward and upward. The road grew more


rough and difficult. He was obliged to pick


his way, to Chamber up steep crags; but at


last he reached the edge of a large glacier


He sat down and rested for little time,


satisfied his hunger, examined his shoes and


the point of his alpenstock, and again set


and guarding against the treacherous cracks.
A wall of polished ice arose before him,


and he knew that he would have to scale it,


before he could get within shot of the
! coveted game. With great difficulty it was
accomplished; and, finding the tracks Of
the ibex, he followed them, until, suddenly
turning ragged point, he found himself
within easy shot, and in an instant the re-
port of his rifle had awakened the echoes of
the mountain. With the ''thud" of the
bullet, the beast sprang forward; but its


tail was dropped, its head hanging heavily


down, its gait slow, and step uncertain. He


knew that the whizzing lead had reached its
mark that the animal would soon die and
! l. Ao Jof J, fo1


lowed him. II will surprise my good wife, .


he thought, "by returning sooner than she
expected; and | will have hearty laugh
at the towards who dared not venture from
their snug cottages for fear Of a storm
With smile upon his lips, he fastened
to where the ibex was laying, and raised it
in his arms. Then, with a cry Of horror,
/ . felt his footing give way, and hunter and
4 game were swallowed up IN a crcvassc of
: almost unfathomable depth. The thin coy


ering of ice had been sufficiently strong tc
t bear the weight of the beast; but that o
4 Uric added, had shiveSed it as if it had
i, been an egg she'll


j Down, down. Hunter al ibex, through
the debris of snow and ice, lying there tol


thousand years. He fancied that the bot
4 tom would never be reached. The most
profound darkness enveloped him !; his hands
could clutch nothing but dampness, but
: chilling flakes. Fortunately the carcass Of
} the beast was beneath him. Yet, for all
a that safeguard, he lay for long time in
e sensible. When consciousness returned
~ ~ another day had dawned, and its golden


glories had found their way even to the


bottom of the yawning grave in which he
c was lying. He thought upon the utter help.
:, essness of his situation; that he must per-
!, ish from cold and hunger; of the lingering
$ tortures he must endure, before death came
o to put an end to his misery; and every
If nerve in his body quivered with horror


He looked around to see if there was no


some possible chance of escape. On either
+ side smooth ice walls arose, emitting {
u blush steel glitter. He felt that he was
l. buried alive. 80, God Why was no
: instantly killed?' he exclaimed, in the
y agony Of despair, and then, as better
l. thoughts swayed him, he thanked the AL
II mighty, with whom nothing is impossible
3 for his safety thus far and praved To him