Year: 1871




again trust in God and take courage.
The guide has run to Montanvert to seek
men and ropes; he will come back di-
rectly."


"If he is long shall not come up
alive" l replied.


My position was terrible one; the


thin ledge of ice was so narrow that


could not place both feet on it. could


only support myself on one leg, half rest
ing against one of the ice walls, and


pressing the other with my hand. The
ice was smooth as a mirror, and there


was nothing to grasp. A stream OF ice


water flowed down upon my shoulders,


piercing me to the very bones above


my head l saw the long and narrow


streak of the sky round which the mouth


of the crevasse formed frame. The
ice, which was Of the darkest blue color,


encircling me on all sides, looked threat


ing and gloomy. The two walls seemed


as if they were about to meet in order to


crush me, rather than. to release their


prey. Numerous water-coursess streamed


down their sides, but in this extent Of


more than sixty yards l could not see
any projection or obstacle, except this
ledge on which / had so miraculously
, fallen.


risked looking, for one second, down
! into the terrible abyss above which |
f was suspended. At the spot where l
t was the crevasses narrowed rapidly, and


hundred yards below the two sides ap-
= peared to touch each other. believe If
| had fallen but few inches on either
side from the narrow bridge which had
arrested me, / should have been buried
q and iammed up at depth where no rope
e could have reached me. ! had remain
i ed about twenty minutes in my terrible
a position, nerves and muscles stretched to
,s the utmost to keep myself there, looking
~ at the sky above my head, and at the
u ice around me, but not daring again to
% glance into the gulf below The blood
70 was flowing from the wound | had receiv-
: ed in the cheek, and felt that my right
N leg, upon which fortunately was not
70 resting, 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
NV balance. The cold of the wall oi


ice against which | was resting more and
- more benumbed me, the water continued
i to fall, and / dared not stir.


n Icalled my companion no one replied
ur | called again. Nothing! Nothing
w. Not human being within the sound o
or my voice was siezed with giddines
;ts as terrible thought crossed my brain
cd "He has gone to see if help is coming
od and he cannot find the crevasse again
,,r there are hundreds kuch-I am lost"
ig- commended my soul to God. M,
es. strength was exhausted. had neve
IN yet given up all hope. l was seized witt
to desire to let myself fall, and thus pu
it. an end to this agony.


til, At the critical moment heard mysel
me called. My friend had run to look 70
hes the guide, but when he wished to retur
We he was horror-struck on perceiving tina
asst the surface of the glacier was rent b
1t countless crevasses, all so similar thf
ds, there was not single sign by which b
ice, could recognize the abyss in which wa
t ] buried alive. In this cruel perplexit,
md God guided him to see the little knal
run sack which the guide had left at tt


to edge of the gulf Five minutes MOI
our had elapsed, and the cold was becomir
the more and more intense; the blood W;


it, literally freezing in my veins. | called
ger | asked if there was any one in sigh


The guide had started thirty-ive minut
had ago, and not a soul had yet appeare
ck. 1t was scarcely probable that he cou
was return so quickly, as we had taken thr
ith- quarters of an hour to get to this spc
,on- and he had to go and return.
lsly | felt that | could hold out but We
the little longer. The support on which
foot safety alone depended might yield at al
wn moment and break beneath me. !
not membered that | had a strong knife
,uld my pocket, and resolved to make use
anne it to draw myself out. l informed 4
f. companion of this project; he implor
ON me to do nothing of the kind; but 7
nsa- situation had become intolerable.
ddy made notch in the ice, high enough
and me to reach it, and large enough
the me to insert my hand in; then about t
% a feet above the little bridge | dug lit
ash hole sufficiently large enough for me
,ath. put my foot in. / succeeded, and gra


felt ing these two points of support, my ba
rain. resting with all my strength on the opl
eI a site wall, | was able to raise myself a


keep myself firm in this position. l
on a scended again to the bridge, and beg