The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-22 00:00:00

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METROPOLITAN COUNTIES and
GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY, 27, Regent-
street, Waterloo-place, London. Cwital, 100,000/.
TRUSTEES.
Rt. lin. Spencer H. Walpole,M. P. Richard Spooner, Esq., MP.
I
Henry Peter Fuller, Esq. E. Yansittart Neale, Esq.
Life Assurance business transacted in all its branches.
N.B. The bonus declared at the last division of profits averaged
33 per cent, on all the premiums paid.
F. FERGUSON CAMROUX, Manager.

ESTABLISHED 1837.
RRITANNIA LIFE ASSURANCE COM.
PANT.
Empowered by Special Act of Parliament, 4 Viet., cap. 9.

BRITANNIA MUTUAL LIFE ASSOCIATION,
Empowered by Tier Majesty's Royal Letters Patent.
MAJOR-GENERAL ALEXANDER, Blackheath-park, Chairman.
Every description of Life Assurance business transacted, with
or without Participation in Profits.
E. It. FOSTER, Resident Director.
ANDREW FRANCIS, Secretary,
1, Princes-street, Bank. London.

NATIONAL REFORMATORY UNION.

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dawn on The 14th we resumed
tainly was toilsome and . slow,
less, satisfactory. I
From an elevation of about 14,000 fact above the
level of the ,sea .we saw th ,sUn .rige in unclouded
majesty, 14,hting nla simultaueol,zsly to our view'
vast tracts of the Russian, Persian, and Turkish
empires; that was a glorious sight, never to be for-

but was, uevert:

gotten.
About 1,200 feet from the summit we came upon.
an oak cross that had been fixed there in the rock
by Professor Abich in the year 1845 ; it was in
perfect preservation, and -the inscription, in Itus-
sian characters, was still legible.' . . ~
. This was the most difficult part of 'our ascent,'
the obstructions were freqsient, and the climbing at
time; Perilous ;- but caution and perseverance en-
abled us io overcome everything, and at 9 a.m.
we hod the satisfaction of standing.pn the highest
point of the mountain. Here I stuck to the hilt
in the snow a lama, or short double-edged sword,
which we found at the foot of Abich 3 cress. Here
also, an loyal Britons, we tliank theabealth, cif our
beloved Queen in brandy. Her Mejeaty will per-
haps deign to acoept this expression of allegiance
on considering that hers is probably the first name
that has been pronounced on that solemn height
since it was quitted by the groat patri,reli of the
harnan race ; fsr no record or tradition exists of
the ascent having ever been made before, although
repeatedly tried by men of different countries, both
Enropean and Asiatic. •Professor A ich made
several attempts. but failed ia all, as is,t
roved by
the position of the cross, by the testimeny of the
natives, and even by the confession of -his own ••
countrymen.
We descended on the tracks of the others, and
got back to the tents about 4 par. .
The whole surface of Mount Ararat bears evi-
dence of having been subjected to violent volcanic
action, being seanied and scored with deep ravines.
The rocky ridges that protrude from the snow are
either basalt or tufa ; and near the summit we
found some bits. of pumis on a spot which still
omits a strong sulphurous smell. • .
The summit itself is nearly level, .of a triangular
Shape, the\base being about 200 yards in length,
the perpendicular about 300.
Tile highest point is at the apex of the triangle,
'which points ':itearly duo_ west ; separated from it
by a hollcw is another point of nearly equal altitude, 5- ..- • .
and the base of the triangle is an elevated ridge,
forming a third eminence. These three points
standout in distinct relief onettplear day.
The-snow on the top is almost as dry as powder,
and in walking over it we did not sink more than
half-Way to the knee. The impression loft on the
mind is, that the summit is an extinct crater filled
with snow. We experienced no difficulty of respi-
ration, except being sooner blown by exertion than
we should have been at a lower level. The cold.
was intense ; and though a perfect calm prevailed.
at the time at the foot of the cone, as we after-
wards learnt, a keen wind was blowing from the
west, which raised a blinding mist of fine snow that
prevented us taking any distant views.
As may be supposed our success has created no •
Small sensation throughout the country ; the fame
of it preceded us wherever we went. It was an-
nounced as a sort of wonder to the . caravans tra-
velling eastward ; and tho Kaimakan of Bayazid
has made it the subject of a special report to Con-
stantinople.
From the sacred character of the mountains, and
the - traditions associated with -it throughout the
East, identical as they are with Sdriptural records,
I am inclined to think that a degree of importance
willattach to this performance, in popular estima-
tion, beyond what is due to a mere exhibition of
nerve or muscle, and this, no doubt, will tell in
favour- of our national prestige.
0;1 the 15th we ascended Lesser Ararat, but
this tieing an ordinary affair does not call for a de-
tailed account. I would only observe that, per-
haps, from no other. spot in the world can a finer
or more extensive view be obtained. This view
wo had the goud feitune to enjoy to perfection,
with a cloudless sky and clear atmosphere.
I may state that the summit of Greater Ararat is
17,323 foot above sea level, and 14,300 above the
plain : from base of cone to summit may be about
6,000 feet.
Lesser Ararat is 13,093 feet above sea level. #
ROBERT STUART, Msjor, Special Service,
Asia Minor.
Erzeroum, July 26.

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"ght as well as could be expected, and at peep of
11,. 14. h we resumed the ascent. It cer-