THE DEATH OF AN ENGLISH CLERGYMAN IN THE ALPS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2376, 1 October 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE DEATH OF AN ENGLISH CLERGYMAN IN THE ALPS.

* Mr Jamks Sullv, writing to the Times from Samadcn, Engadine, under date July 20, says: —“A sad accident occurred here this afternoon, of which I was the solo witness. The Rev. D. fV heeler, the English chaplain at Samaden, ami myself walked hi the morning from the Bernina House to the tup of tlie Diavolessa Pass, intending to return the same way 4 . Seeing a track leading on to tiio Pera glacier at the foot of tlie Pass, Mr Wheeler proposed to take it. 1 tried to dissuade him from venturing ou to a glacier without a guide, but be said he would have n look at it. He walked on to the glacier, I keeping cautiously bcbehiud. After he had gone about a couple of hundred yards I shouted to him asking whether he still saw the track. He answered, ‘ All right, and about a minute afterwards ho sank iutoacrevasse, calling out ‘ Halloa ! ’ I went as near the edge as I dared, and shouted to him. He rejoined, quite distinctly, ‘ All right, go for a rope.’ I asked him whether I could be of any help, and again he said quietly and distinctly, “"Go for a rope.’ At the same time I heard him hacking at the ice with his axe. Knowing him to he a far more experienced mountaineer than myself, I left him, reaching tlie Bernina House in about two hours. There I fortunately found a friend just driving off to •Samaden, and lie took me to Poutresina, whore we engaged three guides for the rescue. I tried to accompany them, bat was not equal to another ascent of the Pass. By dint of a noble perseverance they succeeded after an hour or two, hy help of my description, and in face of the darkness and a heavy thunderstorm, in dtscoverng the unfortiiim'e gentleman, drowned in tlie water at the bottom of the crevasse. Mr Wheeler’s gentle and kindly ways had won him much popularity at Samaden, and his sudden and shocking deatli lias cast a gloom over the place.”