Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-09-11
EV VENING STAR,
The Ascent Of Mount Ararat by Five En-

Major A. j. Fraser, the Rev. W alter Tbursby
Mr. James Theobold, jr., of Winchester, Mr.
John Evans, of barley Abbey, Derbyshire.
and myself, started from Bayazid We were
accompanied by two servants, and a zsptieh,
or native policeman, and by the kindness OF
the kaimakam, Hsdjee Mustapha Efendi, we
were consigned to the special charge of Issak
Bey, chief Of tho Arsrat Kurds, under whose
safeguard We had nothing to fear from the
plundering habits of his followers At Baya-
I'D we had provided ourselves each with a
| stout pole between five and six feet long, fur
nished with a spike at one end and hook at the
otner Crossing the plain Of Ararat we com.
menced the ascent through a wide ravine en-.
closed between vast ridges of volcanic rock
FOR three hours We wound our way through
| rugged defiles, occasionally traversing fertile
piateaus, verdant with growing crops of wheat
ana barley Our suTefooted little horses, ac-
customed TO this sort OF work, picked their
way through the most break-neck places, and
brought US in safety to the black goats'hair
tents of our host, which were pitched on some
pasture lands on the southern slope of Greater
Ararat, about 5000 feet above the level of
! the sea. Hither the Kurds resort in summer
| Win their hocks and herds, returning to the
villages OF the plain at the approach of win
ter. A portion Of the chiefs tent was set
apart for our use the floor was covered with
| gay-colored carpets, fat sheep was killed,
ana everything was supplied that kurdish
| hospitality could suggest
| AT clock next morning we were on the
move, all except Mr. Thursby. who, to our re.
greet, was obliged by indisposition to remain
| In the tent Three hours of continued ascent
on foot brought US to the base of the cone.
Here Major Fraser bore off to the southeast,
and took line of his own, while Mr. Theo-
bold, Mr Evans, and L commenced the ascent
on the southern side, keeping to the snow,
which presented an unbroken surface TO the
very summit To my two friends, who are
experienced Alpine climbers, this was easy
work, but 1t soon began to tell unfavorably on
my unaccustOmbed limbs. For a time we
kept pretty well together; by degrees, how
ever, Mr.. TheObold began to forge ahead, fol-
lowed by Mr.. Evans, while brought up the
rear rs well as could But my strength was
fast giving way, and when about half way nm
the cone found myself utterly unable to pro-
ceed any further. Accordingly, there being
| no alternative but to descend, sat on the
snow and shot down with the velocity of an
| arrow, undergoing in few minutes the labor
ious toll of nearly three hours. This was a
keen disappointment, amply repaid tc me,
however, as will appear by and by.
- At the foot of the cone L found Issak Bey,
who, with couple Of his people, had come out
to watch our progress He looked on my fail
ure as matter Of course, and seemed to think
the others, too, must soon give il up; but no,
| up they went, higher and higher, his interest
and surprise keeping pace with their ascent.
For some hours We watched their upward
| course, the sharp naked eye of the Kurk plain
| ly discerning what was able to see with the
/ aid of a telescope. At length, at 45, Mr..
The0bOld crowned the summit Great was the
astOnishment of the chief Mashallah,' he
| exclaimed, God is great .'-s What wonderful
people these English are few of them come
here, and without any difficulty walk to the
top OF that holy mountain, thing that never
was done by man before Wonderful, WOE
derful - At so Mr. Evans reached the
summit. He and Mr. Theobold made the
descent together, by the same track that they
ascended, and returned to the tents about
sunset.
-" We must not follow the movements of
| Major Fraser, who, as already stated, took
| line of his own. Not being accustomed like
the others, to snow work, he chose a ridge of
| stone, which led up about two-thirds of the
| ascent Over this he made his way without
much difficulty, and then, taking to the snow,
| he patiently toiled upwards till within q few
! hundred feet of the summit. Here, in at
! tempting to cross towards what appeared q
/; moro practicable line, he slipped on some
thinly covered ice, and, losing all control over
himself, he shot down with fearful velocity,
!: now head and now feet foremost, over a space
! x,esenco of mind he succeeded in arresting
| his perilous descent, and scrambling with
/ d ithclity to a rocky ridge that protruded over
| the snoU, he climbed over it with immense
laboi; ana thus recovering his lost way, he
| won the height about 30 having been thrown
| back fu,t three hours by his mishap. He dos
; cended on the tracss of Messrs. Theobold and
| Evans, and regaine1 the tents at midnia aht,
having been about twenty hours on foot.
"0n the 18Th, about p. m, Mr.. Thursby
| and started from the tents, accompanied by
| two Kurds. We proceeded slowly and leis-
urely until we rea ched about one-third the
4 ascent of the cone. There we were obliged
to dismiss the Kurds, who, from religious fear,
| refused either to proceed iurtner or 10 speno
| the night on the mount am Dul, 10 insure
| their return in the norm ug we thought II
| expedient to detain their arms, the dearest
| possession of these nomade lfecple. As we
! had neither Of US much fancy to Try the ascent
| by tho snow, we chose a new line OF our own
| over rocky surface, facing nearly due south,
| which the wind and sun had barred yearly tC
| the summit
LEFT now Io ourselves, we selected spot
| to pass the night, piled up stones TO wind ward
| az o shelter against the cold, and, having
| dined heartily, we r2ade ourselves as comfoEt-
| able as possible We saw the sun set In lnde-
| scribe glory, throwing The shadow of the vast
mountain far away over Gehrgia and Aderbi-
jan, and even darksning the distant haze OF
the eastern horizon. Wrapping ourselves IN
our rugs, we passed the night as well as could
be expected, and at peep of dawn on the l4tt
we resumed the ascent. 1t certainly was toll
some and slow, but was, nevertheless, sstis
factory. From an elevation Of above IA o0G
feet above the sea we saw the sun rise in pu'
clOuded majesty, lighting up simultaneously
| to our view vast tracts OF the Russian, Per
sian and Turkish empires. That was glo
rious sight never to be forgotten. About ,2Ot
| feet from the summit we came upon on oaE
cross that had been fixed there in the rock by
Professor Abich in the year lS45; 1t was IL
| perfect preservation, and the inscription, II
| Russian characters, was still legible.
| "This was the most difficult part of our as
cent, the obstructions were frequent, and the
climbing at times peri'ous; but caution and
| perseverance enabled US to overcome every
thing, and at 9 a. IN. we had the satisfaction
Of standing on the highest point of the n,Oun
tain. Here 1 stuck to the hilt in the snow
kama, or short double-eged sword, which W,
found at the foot of Abich's cross. Here
also, as loyal Britons, we drank the health O
our beloved Queen, in brandy Her Majest,