A MOVING MOUNTAIN

Evening Star, Issue 17792, 14 October 1921, Page 6

A MOVING MOUNTAIN

STRANGG PHENOMENON IN AUSTRIA. This summer is remarkable for an event in Nature which may liappon onco in many centuries— I the rare phenomenon of a “wandering mountain” (writes a correspondent of tho London ‘Observer’). In this cants it is tho handling, near Alfc-Aasscc, a village in tho beautiful lake district of Styria and Upper Austria, called Sakkammcrgut. Tho cause of tho catastrophe has not yet boon cleared up. Probably tho inundations of last September softened tho ground in many places, and tho pressure of tho rocks must have boon so strong that halfway up to the summit of the Sandling (which is moro than 5,000 ft, high) tlm mountain began to “ wander”—i.c., to move. A perpodicular wall which reaches up to tho top has been demolished by tho sinking of the masses of earth, and a_ river of mud 300 ft wide is rolling down into the valley, . Tho Sandling was covered with Alpine huts, and ibo first inkling the owners bad of_ the catastrophe was, when tho domestic animals became alarmed and began to tear lit their chains as they do before a heavy storm. Bocks -is high as houses slid downwards, and from tho top ridges stones of tho size of a rnan’o head whistled through the air like shells. Tho shepherds had to loavo all thoir belongings and flee. During tho flight tiny experienced tho strange feeling that at ono moment they took a step too high, and in the next .second a step too low, as if ono missed a step going down or up stairs; tho ground heaved and sank under their foot. One hut was thrown bodily into a cleft which bad just opened; other huts were moved from place to place or wore buried under crashing ftp trees and i debris. When the moving mountain will come to a standstill cannot lo predicted. It is hoped that the winter will freeze The ground, and so put a stop to tho peril.