A few minutes later a sharp-eyed lad ran into the Monte Rosa Hotel,
saying that he had seen an avalanche fall from the summit of the
Matterhorn on to the Matterhorngletscher. The boy was reproved for
telling idle stories; he was right, nevertheless, and this was what he
saw: Michel Croz had laid aside his axe, and in order to give Mr. Hadow
greater security, was taking hold of his legs, and putting his feet one
by one into their proper positions. "At this moment," says Mr. Whymper,
"Mr. Hadow slipped, fell against him, and knocked him over. I heard one
startled exclamation from Croz, then saw him and Mr. Hadow flying
downward; in another moment Hudson was dragged from his steps, and Lord
F. Douglas immediately after him. All this was the work of a moment.
Immediately we heard Croz's exclamation, old Peter and I planted
ourselves as firmly as the rocks would permit; the rope was taut between
us, and the jerk came on us both as one man. We held; but the rope broke
midway between Jaugwalder and Lord Francis Douglas. For a few seconds we
saw our unfortunate companions sliding downward on their backs, and
spreading out their hands, endeavoring to save themselves. They passed
from our sight uninjured, disappeared one by one, and fell from
precipice to precipice on to the Matterhorngletscher below--a distance
of nearly 4000 feet in height. From the moment the rope broke, it was
impossible to help them. So perished our comrades."

The bodies of three of the men who thus miserably perished were
afterward recovered; but that of Lord Francis Douglas was never again
seen. It was a melancholy ending, and may well excite a feeling of
surprise that so many brave and useful men can thus be found year by
year hazarding their lives for what is in many cases no higher purpose
than that of pleasure or sport.

THE GOLD DIGGINGS OF IRELAND.

Although Ireland is not generally regarded as one of the gold-producing
countries of the world, gold has been found there in paying quantities,
especially in the county of Wicklow.

Tradition commonly attributes the original discovery of the Wicklow gold
mines to a poor school-master, who, while fishing in one of the small
streams which descend from the Croghan mountains, picked up a piece of
shining metal, and having ascertained that it was gold, gradually
enriched himself by the success of his researches in that and the
neighboring streams, cautiously disposing of the produce of his labor t