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Dangerous Plunge from a Snow-Cliff

teen feet, all being tied together, Almer, you dropped into the crevasse below, the other guide, occupying the responsi- which, although partly choked by icicles ble position of last man; the two guides and snow that had fallen from above, was were therefore about seventy feet apart. still gaping in many places, ready to They were quite invisible to each other receive an erratic body. from the mist, and looked spectral even to Croz untied Walker, one of our party, us. But the strong man could be heard in order to get rope enough, and, warning by all hewing out the steps below, while us to hold fast, sprang over the chasm. every now and then the voice of the He alighted cleverly on his feet, untied steady man pierced the cloud: "Slip not, himself and sent up the rope to Walker, dear sirs; place well your feet; stir not who followed his example. It was then until you are certain." my turn, and I advanced to the edge of the ice. The second which followed was what A Huge Chasm.

For three-quarters of an hour we pro- is called a supreme moment. That is to gressed in this fashion. The ax of Croz say, I felt supremely ridiculous. The all at once stopped. "What is the mat- world seemed to revolve at a frightful ter, Croz?" "Matter enough, gentle- pace, and my stomach to fly away. The men." "Can we get over?" "Upon my next moment I found myself sprawling in word, I don't know; I think we must the snow, and then, of course, vowed that jump." The clouds rolled away right and it was nothing, and prepared to encourage left as he spoke. The effect was dramatic. It was preparatory to the "great sensation leap" which was about to be executed by the entire company. my friend Reynaud. "His Leg of Mutton Flying in the Air."

He came to the edge and made declara tions. I do not believe that he was a whit more reluctant to pass the place than we others, but he was infinitely more Some unseen cause, some cliff or obstruction in the rocks underneath, had caused our wall of ice to split into two demonstrative; in a word, he was French. portions, and the huge fissure which had He wrung his hands: "Oh, what a territhus been formed extended on each hand ble place!" "It is nothing, Reynaud," I as far as could be seen. We, on the slope said, "it is nothing." " Jump!" cried the above, were separated from the slope others, "jump!" But he turned round, as below by a mighty crevasse. No running far as one can do such a thing in an iceup and down to look for an easier place to step, and covered his face with his hands, cross could be done; the chasm had to be ejaculating, "Upon my word, it is not passed then and there. possible. No, no! it is not possible."

A downward jump of fifteen or sixteen How he came over I do not know. We feet, and a forward leap of seven or eight saw a toe-it seemed to belong to Moore, feet had to be made at the same time. another of our party; we saw Reynaud, a That is not much, you will say. It was flying body, coming down as if taking a not much; it was not the quantity, but it header into water, with arms and legs all was the quality of the jump which gave abroad, his leg of mutton flying in the air, to it its particular flavor. You had to hit his stock escaped from his grasp; and a narrow ridge of ice. If that was passed, then we heard a thud as if a bundle of it seemed as if you might roll down for carpets had been pitched out of a window. ever and ever. If it was not attained, When set upon his feet he was a sorry spectacle; his head was a great snow-ball, another ridge; then, doubling back, found brandy was trickling out of one side of the a snow-bridge, across which he crawled knapsack, wine out of the other.

We bemoaned its loss, but we roared with laughter.

I must pay a tribute to the ability with which Crozled us through a dense mist down the remainder of the route. As an exhibition of strength and skill it has probably never been surpassed in the Alps or elsewhere. On this almost unknown and very steep glacier he was perfectly at home, even in the mists. Never able to see fifty feet ahead, he still went on with the utmost certainty and without having to retrace a single step, and displayed from first to last consummate knowledge of the materials with which he was dealing.

Now he cut steps down one side of a gully, went with a dash at the other