APPENDIX. 273

sure of the air, which prevents respira-tion.”

“ About four years ago,” continued he,

“ some travellers arrived late at night inthe convent. The weather appeared lower-ing, and we kept them two days, but thethird they would leave us in spite of ouradvice, which was dictated by long ex-perience. Seeing our efforts useless, wesent our servants with them, and they de- -parted about nine in the morning. Scarce-ly had they quitted our gates when anavalange parted like lightning, and theyall instantly disappeared. At the roar ofthis fall I opened my window, lookedtoward the lake, and no longer perceivingour guests, alarmed the house; we as-sembled, armed with long poles, andbraving the danger, each threw ourselves «into the snow, and after two days of infinitefatigue we had the good fortune to recoverall but three, whose bodies were foundtwo months afterwards, frozen into anenormous mass of transparent ice.”

T