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HOUSEHOLD WORDS.

A WEEKLY JOURNAL.

C O N D U C T E D BY C H A R L E S D I C K E N S .

N°- 414.] SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1858. I f “ “

N E A R L Y L O S T O N T H E A L P S . N o w th a t com m on-place se c u rity an d accom ­ m odations o f ev ery d escrip tio n have, league by league, clim bed u p th e A lp s, to u ris ts lau g h a t th e id ea o f au y accid e n t'o cc u rrin g on even th e m ost difficult passes. T h e in ex p erien ced ! tra v e lle r, to be su re, a b ro a d for th e first tim e, a n d b ew ild ered b y novel im pressions, con­ v e rts th e sleet-sh o w er t h a t o v ertook him on th e Col de B alm e, in to a te rrific sto rm ; a n d even a sto n ish es ta b le d ’hô tes w ith his j th r illin g h isto ry of h o w h e w as n e arly

d a sh e d to pieces on th e G em m i, b u t fo r th e : iro n g rip o f h is g uide. B u t th e chronicles I o f th e fa ith fu l M u rra y co n tain few reco rd s o f a n y th in g re m a rk a b le h av in g h a p p en ed to anybody, an y w h ere, a t a n y tim e, w ith in th e la s t h a lf - cen tu ry . H en ce, th e follow ing p la in n a rra tiv e m ay b e in te re s tin g a s d e ­ ta ilin g a v e ry n a rro w escape from d eath , in th e h e ig h t o f th e season, u n d e r v ery o rd i­ n a ry circum stances, an d on one o f th e m ost 1 p o p u la r passes o f S w itzerlan d . T h e G re a t St.

B e rn a rd :

A lp in e to u ris ts kn o w t h a t th e o rd in ary ro a d from C h am o u n i to th e C onvent is b y th e d u ll b o u rg o f M a rtig n y , in th e C an to n I de V allais. I t is a w re tch e d place, by all

m ean s to be avoided, i f possible. R a n k v eg etatio n , p u tr id sw am ps, an d a sta g n a n t, stifling a ir com bine to m ak e it a h o tb ed of g o itre a n d idiotcy in t h e ir w o rst phases. H ideous, w en-laden head s on s tu n te d m is­ sh ap en bodies m op a n d m ow a n d g ib b e r a t you from filthy doorw ays ; a hopeless le th a rg y p erv ad es alik e th e n eglected tow n, th e g asp ­ in g tra d e , a n d th e sp iritle ss people : th e re is n o t one single th in g to observe in th e day ; a n d a t n ig h t, w h en th e in u n d atio n of th e R h o n e is subsiding, th e m u sq u ito e s— “ cou­ sins,” a s th e y a re te rm e d b y th e c o u n try people— come in su ch sw arm s, an d clouds, a n d flights, a n d b ite w ith su ch inflam m a­ to ry viciousness, t h a t V enice, o r N ap les, o r C airo w ould be a place o f refuge b y com­ parison.

I h a d slep t a t th e com fortable little in n on th e T ête N o ire, a n d s ta rte d a t seven in th e m orning, on T h u rsd a y , th e te n th of S eptem ­ b er last, w ith tw o chance fellow -travellers, a n d V eu an ce F a v re t, a C ham ouni guide, to see, i f we could re a c h O rsiêres— a little to w n

h alf-w ay u p th e St. B e rn a rd p a ss—w ith o u t going dow n to th is w re tch e d M artig n y . W h e n w e a rriv e d a t th e to p of th e Fo rclaz, th e old g en d arm e, w ho lives th e re to sta m p p a ssp o rts a n d sell refresh m en ts, to ld u s t h a t th e re w as a ro ad , b u t t h a t it w as v e ry diffi­ c u lt ; and, th ere fo re, as I h ad a b ag g ag e m ule w ith me, w e m u s t ta k e a n o th e r h and. T h e ro u te is n o t in M u rra y , an d c ertain ly it w as troublesom e enough to find : b u t, a fte r a g re a t deal o f lab o u r, a n d g e ttin g a stra y , an d re tra c in g o u r steps, w e a rriv e d a t O rsiêres, a t th e an g le w h ere th e V a l d ’E n tre m o n t jo in s th e V a l de F e rre t, a t tw o in th e a fte r­ noon, in a h eav y th u n d e rs to rm . M y com ­ pan io n s w ere kno ck ed up, a n d declined com ing on a n y f u r th e r t h a t d ay ; b u t I w as an x io u s to re ac h th e C onvent. F o r, O rsiêres is a d re a ry little place enough, a n d th e H ô te l des A lpes, a lth o u g h clean a n d m o d erate, does n o t offer m an y a ttra c tio n s . Sm all m o u n ta in tr o u t a re a ll v ery w ell in th e ir w ay ; b u t I am n o t one of those tra v e lle rs w ho th in k th e m ere' te n m in u tes occupied in discussing th em com pensates fo r sev eral h o u rs o f y aw n in g in a g a u n t ro u g h ly -fu rn ish ed salle-à-m anger. T h e e atin g of w h ite b a it itself w ould form , in th e a b strac t, a d u ll en jo y m en t if lim ite d to t h a t p a rtic u la r th in g , ru d e ly serv ed -u p in th e b a ck room o f a th ir d - r a te inn. I am bold enough to d eclare t h a t I d o n ’t care a b o u t w h ite b a it ; th a t, in fact, I th in k it a n in sipid failu re ; a n d t h a t little sh red s o f b a tte r, w ith lem on ju ic e a n d cayenne p ep p er, w ould go dow n j u s t as w ell. B u t ad d stew ed eels, w a te r souchêe, and salm on c u tlets, c h am ­ pagne cup, b rig h t eyes, a n d d u ck s a n d g reen peas : an d th en , M r. H a r t, o r M r. Q u a rterm ain e , if you please I am y o u r fre q u e n t visito r. So w ith Sw iss tr o u t : n e v er be lu re d a w ay from w h ere you w a n t to go, by its being m ade a spécialité o f a ttra c tio n , except th e re a re som e o th e r inducem ents to b ack it up. F o r th e p leasu res o f th e p a la te a re fleeting, b u t e n n u i is continuous.

I s ta r te d from O rsiêres ju s t as th re e in th e aftern o o n s tru c k fo r th e second tim e, accord­ in g to th e custom o f m any ch u rch es in th e V allais, from th é sto rm -w o rn g re y steeple. I h a d above five h o u rs’ good w o rk before m e ; so, a lre a d y to le ra b ly tire d , I g o t a m ule, a n d a m an to b rin g it back, w hose n am e was, as closely as I can recollect, A le x is P e lle u c h o rd .

I m en tio n th is, fo r h e tu rn e d o u t a r ig h t good fellow. F a v r e t w as g e ttin g h is d in n er w h ile h e r e s te d his baggage-m ule, a n d th e o th e r a sk e d to s it dow n w ith h im fo r a while : so I w e n t off alone, k n o w in g th e ro a d p e r­ fectly w ell, leaving th em to come on as th e y pleased. T h e sto rm h a d passed, b u t th e w e a th e r w as still v e ry su llen a n d th r e a te n ­ in g ; a n d I h e a rd t h a t p e cu liar m oaning noise am o n g st th e m o u n tain s, w hich m akes an A lp in e tra v e lle r g et on as fa st as h e can.

I have crossed th e St. B e rn a rd tw elve o r fo u rteen tim es, b u t I n e v e r saw th e p.ass so u tte r ly d e se rte d as i t w as th is day. J u s t above O rsières, w h e re y o u m ak e a steep s h o r t cut, to avoid th e lo n g zigzag o f th e ro ad , som e m en w ere p u ttin g u p a little w ooden cross on th e edge o f th e precipice. I t w as to m a rk th e scene o f a te rrib le acci­ d e n t w h ic h h a d h a p p en ed th e w eek before. T h re e m e n —P ied m o n tese— w e re going u p to th e C o n v en t in one of th o se sidew ay cars, used on m o u n ta in roads. J u s t a t th is p o in t th e m u le shied a n d b ack ed th e c a r o v er th e edge o f th e ro ad . T he d riv e r ju m p e d off a n d w as saved ; b u t th e car, th e m ule, a n d p assen g ers w e n t o v e r th e precipice, an d w e re a lik e sm ashed to pieces : th e y m u s t h av e fallen, a t a ro u g h estim a te , a h u n d re d an d fifty feet. A f te r I le ft these w o rk m en , I d id n o t m ee t a n o th e r so u l u n til I g o t to S t. P ie r r e —th e la s t village u p th e pass — an d th e r e a s trin g of m ules, w ith some g u id es s ittin g in th e ir side-saddles, w ere s ta r tin g on t h e ir w ay b a ck to O rsières.

I t w as now five o’clock, a n d th e w e a th e r w as g ra d u a lly becom ing v e ry bad. I h a d b een th o ro u g h ly w e t th ro u g h som e tim e, so th e r a in d id n o t incom m ode m e so m uch, b u t th e w ind wap aw ful. I t flew, sh rie k in g and h o w lin g ro u n d th e a n g le s o f th e pass, like an icy knife, u n til it w as as m u ch as th e m u le could do to b a ttle a g ain st i t — sen d in g th e chill clouds, w hich n o w cam e r ig h t dow n th e m o u n tain s, in w h irls o f m is t a ro u n d an d above me, a n d blow ing flakes o f th e cold b ra w lin g D ra u se q u ite across th e p a th , w hich is h e re j u s t on a level w ith th e to rre n t. T h ere w as n o th in g lik e d a n g er of an y kin d , o r a n y ­ th in g a p p ro ac h in g to it ; b u t th e d ead lo neli­ ness of th e place, w ith its g rim lichen-covered bo u ld ers, a n d ro a rin g g lacier w a ters, and free z in g a tm o sp h ere, a n d e n tire absence of ev ery tra c e o f an im al life, w as a lto g e th e r so d is p iritin g in th e declining day, th a t, a lth o u g h ev ery m in u te w as a n object, w hen I g o t to th e “ C anteen,”— th e la s t h u m a n h a b ita tio n u p th e pass,— I p u lle d up. T u m b lin g , r a th e r th a n g e ttin g , off m y m u le (w hich I could n o t h av e done p ro p e rly in a n y m an n er, as th e re w as a sack o f co rn on th e c ru p p er), I b lu n d ere d th ro u g h th e doorw ay. M y te e th c h a tte re d so, t h a t I could scarcely a sk fo r a. glass o f h o t b ra n d y a n d w a te r ; a n d w h en I g o t it, m y h a n d s w ere so. nu m b ed an d h e lp ­ less, I could h a rd ly lift i t to m y m o u th . I t m u s t be b o rn e in m in d t h a t I w as now a t

a n elev atio n o f n e a rly seven th o u sa n d feet above th e lev el o f th e se a —tw ice th e h e ig h t o f Snow don.

“ A l a Ca n t i n e,” as a d ism al little c re a k ­ in g w eath er-w ash ed -o u t b o a rd d escribes it, is supposed b y th e people w ho k eep it, to be a n inn ; b u t rem o te dw ellers in m o u n ta in s have e v er b een given to su p e rstitio n s a n d h a llu c in a ­ tions. A llo w in g i t to be such, for an in s ta n t, th e n a ll th e e a b in s o f th e F le g è re , th e F a u lh o rn , a n d th e Col de B alm e, ta k e th e co m p arativ e ra n k o f th e H ô te ld e L o u v re in P a ris, th e G re a t W e s te rn in L ondon, a n d th e L o rd W a rd e n a t D over. T h a t re a d y anonym ous a u th o rity of com pilers o f in stru c tiv e w o rk s—“ a re ce n t tr a v e lle r ” — m ig h t describe i t a s an irr e g u la r ­ shaped m ass o f hollow g ra n ite , w ith sq u a re a p e rtu re s p ierced a t in terv als, som e glazed to ex clu d e a ir a n d a d m it lig h t— o th e rs open to le t o u t sm oke a n d d ilu te sm ells. I t s stone step s a n d p assage afford su ch ad m irab le sk a tin g -g ro u n d , t h a t ow ing to h is sm ooth shoe-nails, th e to u r is t u su a lly e n te rs h e a d o v e r h eels ; and) o n reco v erin g from th e su rp ris e n a tu r a lly in cid en t to th is n ovel in tro d u ctio n , finds he has p an to m im ically flip-flapped in to th e salle-;X-manger, w hich is v e ry lik e th e in side o f a larg e b a th in g - m achine, a n d fitted u p w ith a w indow , a s h u tte r, a bench, a n d a latc h . H e re you can h av e b lu n t knives, a n d firew ood, a n d salt, a n d a ll so rts o f sim ila rly nice th in g s, in clu d in g a v e ry cu rio u s w ine, w hich loo k s an d taste s like— a n d m ay bp for a u g h t I k n o w t e th e c o n tra ry — p ickled-cabbage ju ice.

I found tw o tra v e lle rs m ore, w ho h a d d e te rm in e d up o n re m a in in g for th e n ig h t, r a th e r th a n face th e w e ath e r. I was, how ­ ever, reso lv ed upon re ac h in g th e C o n v en t t h a t n ig h t ; an d w h ilst I w as finishing m y cognac, as th e lan d lo rd w as pleased to call i t —b u t th e re is no good b ra n d y in S w itzerlan d , even in th e b e s t h o tels ; i t is chiefly a d u lte ra te d ru m — m y m a n fro m O rsières cam e in, h aving w alk ed uncom m only well. H e to ld m e F a v r e t w o u ld n o t be a f te r u s for a n h o u r ; so we left w o rd t h a t he w as to follow, an d once m ore s ta r te d on o u r jo u rn ey .

I t w as g e ttin g q u ite d u s k as we crossed th e w ild d re a ry p lain t h a t s u rro u n d s th e C anteen, b u t th e lig h tn in g w as p lay in g incessantly— alm o st w ith o u t interm ission. W e h a d now th re e h o u rs ’ w ork to reach th e C onvent ; th e a c tu a l ro ad h a d ceased, a n d a ll h u m a n life w as le ft b e h in d us. T h e re w as n o th in g on ev ery side b u t snow -covered peaks, g re y d éb ris o f g ra n ite , a n d cold ru s h in g w a ters, sw ollen an d tu r b u le n t from th e con tin u o u s ra in s . I n a b o u t tw e n ty m in u te s we h ad tra v e rs e d th e level, a n d a rriv e d a t th e foot o f th e s p u r o f M o n t V elan , w h ich a p p e a rs to fo rb id a ll f u r th e r p ro g ress ; fo r i t is h e re t h a t th e a c tu a l clim b in g th e pass com m ences : h ith e rto th e ro a d from M a rtig u y h a d n e v er b een steeper, to give a fa m ilia r in stan ce, th a n S o u th a m p to n S tre e t, S tra n d , L ondon, o r th e B u e de Courçelles, P a ris ; t h a t is to say, on th e

av erag e ; b u t th e n i t is con tin u o u s— a ceaseless p u ll a g a in s t th e co llar fo r n e a rly tw e n ty -fo u r m iles. T h e difficulties en co u n tered h e re by N ap o leo n in tra n s p o rtin g h is a rtille ry , w h en h e crossed th e A lp s in eig h teen h u n d re d , w ere e q u a l to th o se in th e fhm ous fo rest o f St. P ie rre , tw o o r th re e h o u rs below.

T h e w o rld ap p eared to close b eh in d u s as w e m o u n te d th e first rid g e ; a n d th e sto rm red o u b le d its fu ry in th e gorge— so m uch so, th a t, a t one tim e, th e m u le could scarcely m ak e h ead ag ain st it. I t w as now a b o u t h alf-p ast six ; b u t th e lig h tn in g c o n tin u ed v iv id enough to show u s th e tr a c k c le arly enough ; an d th e w a te r w as p o u rin g dow n so fa st fro m th e h e ig h ts, t h a t we w ere re a lly w a lk in g u p sm all cascades a ll th e w ay, th e ro u te, such as it w as, affording th e re a d ie s t ch an n el. N o th in g o c cu rre d fo r a n h o u r, u n til we reach ed th e d re a ry dead-house, an d th e n e ig h b o u rin g re fu g e — tw o low sto n e-h u ts a t th e side of th e p a th ; one affording th e r u d e s t sh elter, a n d th e o th e r fo rm in g a d ep o sito ry fo r th e b ones o f tra v e lle rs lost, fro m tim e to tim e, u p o n th e pass. T hese m u s t n o t be con­ fo unded w ith th e a c tu a l M o rg u e, n e a r th e C onvent, w h ere th e bodies a re n o w placed. W h e n th e w e a th e r is v e ry bad, th e s e rv a n t o f th e C o n v en t comes dow n as fa r as th is p o in t in th e aftern o o n , to see i f an y assistance is needed ; an d , if th e snow is deep on th e pass, th e n i t is t h a t th e services o f th e dogs a r e m ost v alu ab le. T h ey scen t o u t th e way, a n d find a tr a c k -where a false ste p to th e r ig h t o r th e left w ould be fa ta l ; th e d rift m a k in g p a th a n d p recipice a ll sm o o th alike. T his, a f te r all, is th e ir c h ief use ; an d th e m o n k s them selves re p u d ia te th e ro m an tic sto ries to ld a b o u t th em .

B eyond th is p o in t o u r tro u b le s com m enced. T h e lig h tn in g ceased, an d th e ra in w as g ra ­ d u a lly tu rn in g in to a c u ttin g sleet. F o r h a lf an h o u r o r m ore, w e g ro p ed o u r w ay as w ell as w e could, b o th b ein g to le ra b ly ac­ q u a in te d w ith th e g ro u n d , as I h av e s ta te d ; b u t, on a rriv in g a t th e P o n t d ’H u d ri, w hich e is a m ere sla b o f stone a b o u t th e size o f a T u rk is h h e a rth -ru g , over a th u n d e rin g to r­ r e n t, I d id n o t th in k i t safe to rid e any fu r th e r . So I g o t off, a n d w e se n t th e m ule on first, w hich w as a good n o tio n ; fo r h e r life h a d been passed in g o ing u p a n d down th e p a ss ; a n d she kn ew every hole she h a d to p u t h e r foot into, and every block she h a d to ste p over.

W e w en t on— I c an n o t say in silence, for th e r o a r o f th e sto rm a n d th e w a te r com­ b in ed w as a lm o st deafening, b u t w ith o u t sp e a k in g to one an o th e r, u n til su d d en ly th e m u le sto p p e d a n d tu r n e d ro u n d , a n d we fou n d w e w e re upon h a rd snow . W e could only te ll th is by' o u r feet, for it w as now too d a rk for even th e re fra c tio n o f th e w h ite surface.

“ W h a t is to be done, now ? ” I ask ed of P ellen ch o rd .

“ M ais, M onsieur, je n e sais p as,” w as th e re p ly ; “ f a u t re tro u v e r la ro u te.” (R eally, I

don’t k now , s ir ; w e m u s t find o u t th e ro a d again.)

B u t to go b a c k w as o u t o f th e question. P re s e n tly th e m au said,

“ W e c an n o t sta y h ere, sir.”

“ A n d we can ’t go on.”

“ O ne m u s t sto p w ith th e m ule, a n d th e o th e r m u s t see if h e can reach th e C onvent. I t is n o t tw e n ty m in u tes ah ead of us.”

E ith e r a lte rn a tiv e w as d re a ry enough. A t la s t w e decided t h a t I sh o u ld rem ain w ith th e m ule, a n d P elle n c h o rd sh o u ld t r y if t h e r e w as a chance o f g e ttin g som e assistance. H e cru n ch ed o v e r th e snow for a few steps, a n d th e n h is footfall w as lo st in th e noise o f th e ra in a n d sle e t a n d th e to rre n ts.

F o r t h e f ir s tt e n m in u te s o r so, I d id 'n o tm u c h care. I g o t to th e leew ard o f th e m ule, w hich k e p t a litile o f th e c u ttin g d rift from m e, and, stick in g m y b â to n in to th e snow as firm ly as I could, tie d th e h a lte r ro u n d it. B u t before long I g o t v e ry cold. I d id n o t d a re m ove ; for I h e a rd ru s h in g w a te r on ev ery side of m e—it w as even ru n n in g over th e surface o f th e snow a g a in s t m y feet. A n d th en , as one d re a rily prolonged m in u te c re p t on a fte r an o th e r, I th o u g h t, “ W h a t w ill becom e of m e, if P e lle u c h o rd should n o t come back ? ”

I h av e tw ice in m y life k n o w n w h a t i t is to e x p ect im m ed iate d e ath . I h av e h ad th e m uzzles o f th re e o r fo u r loaded g u n s to u ch ­ in g m y head a t th e sam e tim e ; a n d I have been falling, in a r u p tu r e d balloon, from a h e ig h t of se v e ra l th o u sa n d fe et ; m y s ta te o f feeling, in each case, was t h a t o f a dead, alm o st p r e te rn a tu ra l calm , w h ich I n e v e r could a cco u n t fo r : b u t th e agony o f m in d I now e n d u re d w as too g r e a t to p o r­ tra y , a p a r t from w h a t w o u ld a p p e a r a c are ­ fu lly -b u ilt exag g eratio n . I knew , t h a t w ith m y feet freezing, a n d ice h a n g in g a b o u t m y b e a rd a n d m oustaches, on th e v e ry edge of th e A lp in e level o f p e rp e tu a l snow , and en ­ tire ly u n ab le to m ove a foot from w h e re I was, th is s ta te o f th in g s could n o t las t long ; th a t I sh o u ld g ra d u a lly becom e drow sy, w ith ­ o u t th e pow er to ro u se m y se lf; an d t h a t m y body w o u ld b e fou n d n e x t m o rn in g , s ta r k a n d dead, by th e first people w ho cam e dow n from th e C onvent. M u c h else t h a t I th o u g h t a b o u t I do n o t care h e re to m en tio n ; b u t, th ro u g h all, th e m ost rid icu lo u s and com m on­ place ideas w ould k e ep th r u s tin g them selves, even to th e ro a r o f th e w a te r accom m odating itself, in tim e, to th e w o rd s o f stu p id songs ; an d a th o u g h t th a t, w ith th e ice a b o u t m y face I m u s t have looked lik e a p ic tu re o f C h ristm a s I had seen so m ew h ere in a n illu s tra te d paper.

I w as in th is te rrib le p osition m o re th a n h a lf a n h our. S e v e ral tim es I sh o u ted as loud as I could ; b u t m y voice w as n o th in g ag ain st th e w in d t h a t w as te a rin g dow n from th e so u th -w est ; in fact, it w as c a rrie d aw ay from th e H ospice. Once I h e ard th e dogs, a n d m y h e a r t beat a s if i t w ould h av e come th ro u g h m y rib s ; b u t th e b a rk w as n o t r e ­ p eated . I h ad a little b ran d y w ith m e, a n d

I finished i t off fro m a flask : a n d th e n I got th e sack of c o rn fro m th e m u le’s back and stood up o n it for a little tim e, to keep m y feet o u t of th e w a te r ; b u t I w as too cold to feel any re m e d y o r change. I even th o u g h t o f a sto ry I h a d re ad y e ars and y e a rs ago, o f some one w ho, overcom e b y a snow -storm on a m o o r in D evonshire, k ille d h is horse, and c u t th e body open to g et in to i t ; a n d how b o th w ere found frozen n e x t m o rn in g ; a n d I felt in m y pouch to see if I h a d still g o t m y k n ife th e re .

S u d d en ly I h e a rd a d ista n t sh o u t ! I a n ­ sw ered it, a n d it w as re p eated ; a n d th e n e x t m in u te I saw a lig h t u p th e pass before me, ra p id ly com ing dow n, as i t zig-zagged along t h e different tu r n s ; and, in a few m inutes, P e lle u c h o rd w as a t m y side. So g r e a t w as th e re v u lsio n o f feeling, a n d m y w hole ch est flu tte re d so— I can find no b e tte r te rm —t h a t I could h a rd ly sp eak ; nor, indeed, do I c learly recollect how I re ac h ed th e C onvent. I only re m e m b e r t h a t w h en I did g et th ere , I b u rs t o u t in to a violent, h y ste ric al flood of tea rs, a n d found m y old friend, M . M edian, th e C lav en d ier, w ho receives th e guests, em ­ b ra cin g m e w ith th e m o st h o n e st d elig h t, as soon as I w as recognised.

H e d ra g g ed me, th a w in g a n d d rip p in g as I was, in to th e v isito rs’ room , w h e re a dozen tra v e lle rs h a d j u s t finished su p p er, am o n g st w hom , to m y g re a t jo y , I discovered a m em ­ b e r o f m y ow n club, a n d a n o th e r friend, w hose p leasan t book o f a d v e n tu re is a t th e p re s e n t tim e bein g review ed in th e papers. T hose o th e r lad ies a n d g en tlem en w ho w ere a t th e S t. B e rn a rd on th e te n th o f Sep­ te m b e r la s t y ear, m ay re m e m b e r how I was p u t in to a h o t-a ir room to d ry ; how I w as u n a b le to to u ch th e su p p e r th e good m onks p rovided, from re-actio n a n d e x h au stio n ; a n d y e t how m an y q u estions I h a d to answ er.

B u t th e y w ill n o t be ab le to describe w h a t m y ow n feelings w ere, w h en I fou n d m y self in m y bedroom ; o r how I expressed m y g ra ­ titu d e fo r m y g re a t deliverance.

I t m ay be added, th a t, ou recollecting we h a d to ld F a v r e t to follow us, P elleu ch o rd a n d a n o th e r g uide s ta rte d off again, a n d found h im — m ule, baggage, a n d all— on th e very s p o t w h ere w e h a d been stopped. T h e snow w as n o t th is y e a r’s,— i t w as th e re m a in d e r of a n a v alan ch e t h a t h a d k illed tw o p o o r fellows in th e sp rin g ; an d M e d ian show ed m e th e ir bodies in th e M o rg u e n e x t m orning.

T h e sto rm I h a d en co u n tered w as one of th e m o st vio len t th e y h ad experienced for y ears. T h a t sam e n ig h t, i t carried a w ay an e n tire village, w ith all its in h a b ita n ts, close to th e F o r t B a rd in th e valley o f A o sta. T he road, also, w as so destroyed, t h a t th e Iv re a diligence could n o t leave A o s ta ; an d I passed th e sp o t on foot, tw o d ay s afterw ard s, w ith th e frien d s allu d ed to above. T h irty b odies w ere th e n ly in g cru sh ed a n d drow ned, in th e little church.

I w as r ig h t a b o u t th e dog’s b a r k I h a d h e ard . M e d ia n to ld m e it w as t h a t of “ n o tre je u n e chienne D iane.” She w as th e only' one o u t t h a t n ig h t, b u t d id n o t come dow n, as P e lle u c h o rd d id n o t w a n t h e lp w h en h e h a d once g o t a la n te rn . I m ay add, t h a t | m y ex cellen t frien d g av e h e r to me, n e x t m orning, as a so u v e n ir o f th e occurrence : a n d t h a t sh e is now a t hom e in E n g lan d .

A S E R M O N F O R S E P O Y S .

W h i l e w e a re still fig h tin g fo r th e pos­ session of In d ia , ben ev o len t m en o f v a rio u s ! religious den o m in atio n s a re m ak in g th e ir a rra n g e m e n ts fo r ta m in g th e h u m a n tig e rs in t h a t c o u n try b y C h ristia n m eans. A ssu m in g t h a t th is w ell-m ean t schem e is n o t an e n tire ly hopeless one, i t m ig h t, p erh ap s, n o t bo a m iss j

to preach to th e people of In d ia , in th e first j instance, o u t of som e of th e ir ow n books— ii or, in o th e r w ords, to beg in th e a tte m p t to j

p u rify th e ir m in d s b y re fe rrin g th em to th e ! excellent m o ral lessons w hich th e y m ay lea rn fro m th e ir ow n O rie n ta l lite ra tu re . S u ch lessons e x ist in th e shape o f a n cien t parables, once addressed to th e ancestors o f th e sepoys, I an d s till q u ite sufficient fo r th e purp o se o f i

teach in g each m an am ong th e m h is d u ty to- w ard s h is n eig h b o u r, before he g e ts on t u h ig h er th in g s. H e re is a specim en o f one of th ese O rie n ta l apologues. I s th e re a n y reaso n w h y i t sh o u ld n o t b e tu rn e d to ac- I count, as a fa m ilia r in tro d u c tio n to th e first C h ristia n serm o n ad d ressed to a pacified n a tiv e congregation in th e city o f D e lh i Ì

I n th e se v en teen th c e n tu ry of th e C h ristia n era, th e E m p e ro r S h a h J e h a n —th e wise, th e bountiful, th e b u ild e r of th e n ew city o f D elh i — saw fit to a p p o in t th e pious "Vizir, Gazee E d D iu, to th e g o v ern m en t o f a ll th e d is tric t of M orodabad.

T h e p erio d o f th e V izir’s a d m in istratio n was g ra te fu lly acknow ledged by th e people w hom h e governed as th e p erio d of th e m o st precious blessings th e y h a d ev er enjoyed. H e 11 p ro tec te d innocence, h e h o n o u red lea rn in g , h e re w ard e d in d u stry . H e w as a n o bject for th e a d m iratio n o f a ll eyes,— a su b je ct for th e p raise o f all tongues. B u t th e g ra te fu l people observed, w ith grief, t h a t th e m ercifu l r u le r w ho m ade th em all happy, w as h im self n ev er seen to sm ile. H is tim e, in th e palace, w as passed in m o u rn fu l solitude. O n th e few occasions w hen h e ap p ea red in th e p ublic w alks, h is face w as gloomy, his g a it w as slow , \

his eyes w ere fixed on th e gro u n d . T im e | passed, a n d th e re w as no change in h im for j

th e b e tte r. O ne m o rn in g th e w hole popula- i tio n w as astonished an d afflicted b y new s th a t he h a d resig n ed th e re in s o f g o v e rn m e n t an d h ad gone to ju s tify h im self before th e em p ero r a t D elhi.

A d m itte d to th e presence o f S h ah J e h a n , th e V iz ir m ade h is obeisance, an d sp o k e th ese w ords :—

U n i c o m S t r e e t ,

B L O X H A M ,