Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/312

 by to mass, advised them to come down, having just before observed a body of snow tumbling from the mountain towards them. The man descended with great precipitation, and fled with his son, he knew not whither; but scarce had he gone 30 or 40 steps, before his son, who followed him, fell down: on which looking back, he saw his own and his neighbours houses, in which were 22 persons in all, covered with a high mountain of snow. He lifted up his son, and reflecting that his wife, his sister, two children and all his effects were thus buried, he fainted away; but soon reviving got safe to a friend's house at some distance.

Five days after, Joseph being perfectly recovered, got upon the snow, with his son, and two of his wife's brothers, to try if he could find the exact place where his house stood; but after many openings made in the snow they could not discover it. The month of April proving hot, and the snow beginning to soften, he again used his utmost endeavours to recover his effects, and to bury, as he thought, the remains of his family. He made new openings and threw in earth, to melt the snow, which on the 24th of April was greatly diminished. He broke through ice six English feet thick, with iron bars, thrust down a long pole, and touched the ground, but evening coming on, he desisted.

His wife's brother, who lived at Demonte, dreamed that night, that his sister was still alive, and begged him to help her; the man, affected by his dream, rose early in the morning and went to Bergemoletto, where Joseph was; and after resting himself a little, went with him to work upon the snow, where they made another opening, which led them to the house they searched for: but finding no dead bodies in its ruins, they sought for the stable, which was about 240 English feet distant, which having found, they heard a cry of, Help, my dear brother. Being greatly surprised as well as encouraged by these words, they laboured with all diligence till they had made a large opening, through which the brother who had the dream immediately went down, where the sister with an agonizing and feeble voice told him, I have always trusted in God and you, that you would not forsake me. The other brother and the husband then went down, and found still alive the wife about 45, the sister about 35, and a daughter about thirteen years old. These they raised on their shoulders to men above, who pulled them up as if from the grave, and carried them to a neighbouring house: they were unable to walk, and so wasted, that they appeared like mere skeletons. They were immediately put to bed, and gruel of rye-flour and a little butter was given to recover them. Some days after the intendant came to see them, and found the wife still unable to rise from bed or use her feet, from the intense cold she had endured, and the uneasy pofture she had been in. The sister, whose legs had been bathed with hot wine, could walk with some difficulty; and the daughter needed no further remedies.

On the intendant's interrogating the women, they told him, that on the morning of the 19th of March they were in the stable 