Year: 1871

GUS position, nerves and muscles stretche


70 the utmost to keep myself there, look
ing at the sky above my head, and at tn


ice around me, but not daring again t


glance into the gulf below. The bloc,


was flowing from wound had receive,


in the cheek, and felt that my right leg


upon which, fortunately, was not rest


ing, was severely bruised, the left leg


however, panied by the effort of standing


and the cold, was beginning to give way


1t was impossible to change my position


without the risk of losing my balance


Inc cold OF the wall of ice against whlcl


l was resting, more and more benumbe(


me, the water continued to fall, and dare(


not STIR


called my companion; no one replied


l called again. Nothing! Nothing! No


a human being within reach of my voice


l was seized with giddiness as a terrible


thought crossed my brain.


He has gone to see if the help is com


ing, and he cannot find the crevasse again


there are hundreds such-I am lost?'
| commended my soul to God. MY
strength was quite exhausted. had never
yet given up all hope 1 was seized with
desire to let myself fall, and thus put an
end to this agony


AT the critical moment, l heard myself
called. My friend had run to look for
the guide, but when he wished to return
he was orror-stricken on perceiving that
the surface of the glacier was rent by
countless crevasses, all so similar that there
was not single sign by which he could
| recognize the abyss in which l was buried
alive. In this cruel perple2ity God guided
him to see little knapsack, which the
oJ1ida hod loft of fho o1r o. +lo T
cried to him to look at his watch Five
minutes more had elapsed The cold was
becoming more and more intense, the
blood was literally freezing in my veins. |
called; | asked if there was any one in
sight. The guide had started thirty five
minutes ago, and not soul had yet ap-
peared. 1t was scarcely probable that he
could return SO quickly, as we had taken
three-quarters of an hour to get to this
spot, and he had to go and return


felt that could hold on but very little
longer. The frail support on which my
safety alone depended might yield at any
moment and break beneath me. remem-
bered that had a strong knife in my
pocket, and | resolved to make use of it
to draw myself out. informed my com
panion of this project; he implored me to
do nothing of the kind; but my situation
Ad0 pSCoIuC IHlOICldUIC. l. ulduC d
in the ice, high enough for me to reach it.
and large enough for me to insert my hand
in it; then about two feet above the little
bridge, dug out hole sufficiently large
for me to place my foot in it. succeeded,
and grasping these two points of support,
my back resting with all my strength
against the opposite wall, I was able to
raise myself and keep myself firm in this
new position I descended again upon the
bridge, and began another notch above the
first. | f1attered myself that should thus
be able to escape from my prison; but
single slip false step, would precipitate
me into the abyss.


l was working diligently at my second
step, when heard a joyous cry above me-
Here they are! three men with ropes
they are running as fast as their legs can
carry them"


I s.eadied myself as firmly as possible
upon the narrow and slippery bridge, so as
to be able to seize the rope they were
about to lower, and tie it round me- I saw
the end of it swinging about two yards
above my head May God have mercy
upon me! it is too short!"


We have another"


That was fastened to the first aud let
dewn. I seized the end of it. 1 bound it
strongly round my waist, and grasping the
rope with both hands I gave the signal for
them to pull up.


They began-I was saved. A minute
afterward | was standing upon the glacier
I had passed fifty minutes in the crevasse,
during which time I had happily lost
neither my confidence in God nor nv
presence of mind.


When placed my foot upon firm ground
again, an overpowering feeling of deep
gratitude te the Almighty who had de
llVered me in so great peril filled my
breast; l fell upon my knees and tainted.
When | again became conscious, our party
was preparing to start for the Montanvert.
Before leaving | wished to cast one last
look into the crevasse where | had nearly
been buried alive. [ saw how completely
impossible it would have been for me to
get out of it as | had projected The
opening at the top was too wide to have
allowed me as | reached it to lean against
the opposite wall, and without that support
themost agile of climbing animals would
have found it impossible to scale this per-
pendicular wall of ice.


The guide had run to the inn, where he
could not find single rope suitable for the
purpose. In despair he started for Cha
mounix; when on the way he met two
muleteers. Their animals were laden with
wood, tied on with ropes. which he i'm
plored them to give him to save poor
traveller who had fallen into a crevasse.
These good people at once unloaded their
mules, and came with the guide to my as
sistance. Tying them together-there
were three-the ropes reached the depth
of thirty to forty yards, where had been
arrested in my fall.


Assisted by my deliverers, was able to
reach Montanvert, where, in a good bed,
and with ny bruises attended to- I had
leisure to dream about the danger from
which had escaped, and the remembrance
Of which often haunts me both sleeping
and waking. I trust that future travellers,
the risk Of penetrating into the midst of
these icy regions without providing them
selves with axes and ropes, and especially
with a first confidence in Gods goodness,
the surest of supports, and the best safe
guard here below.-Londoa Ctatter5or.