True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-05-27
Ascent of Mount Ararat.

II was stated some weeks since that
party OF English army officers had sue
ceeded in making the ascent of Mount
Ararat, where tradition says the Ark of
Noah rested after the Hood. 1t is believed
that human foot has never before pressed
the summit of this mountain since the
flood. A Russian, Professor Paris, had
claimed the achievement in 1916, and
one or two others at different periods
since; but this was uniformly denied by
the most intelligent men about Ararat,
who were acquainted with the Professor
and others who attempted this feat; and
also by the guides who attended them,
who attested that they had reached a
high elevation, but turned back before al
tanning the summit. One of the party
which recently made the ascent, Major
A. J. Fraser, an English officer who was
attached to the staff of Gen. Williams,
during the siege of Kars, has given
thrilling description of the ascent, which
is communicated TO the New York Jour-
nal Of Commerce by its Beirout (Syria)
correspondent We make the following
extracts:
July 18th, at quarter past three in
the morning, the party started on their
daring adventure. Unfortunately, Major
Fraser parted from his companions in the
darkness, and pursued his rough and steep
route alone, both in the ascent and de-
scent. In an hour and half he reached
a ridge, from the summit of which he
looked down upon the plain of Erivan,
while in the distance he saw the Araxes
winding its way, looking like thread as
it pursued its silvery course. For twelve
thousand feet Of ascent his way lay over
black, slippery rocks Of volcanic origin,
on which lie could hardly maintain foot
hold, while breathing became so difficult
that he was obliged to halt. In the mean
time his strength became exhausted, and
he was obliged 10 throw himself down for
rest, when he fell asleep upon the edge
of cliff, from which fall would have
been instant death. Yet there he lay
and slept, he knew not how long, with no
one TO wake him, and with no one to pro-
tect him but an Unseen Hand.
CATER ascending $4,000 feet, he came
10 the region of snow and ice. Breath
ing became more and more difficult, and
he began 10 despair of success. A lone
.ly feeling came over him; and the world
seemed 10 be gone, as clouds came and
covered up all below, while nothing was
10 be seen above except a white peak
which seemed to pierce the very heavens.
But even here were seen the traces of a
power almost as energetic and terrible as
that which pured the ocean over this sub.
lime elevation. and according 10 tradition
drove the ak into so strange harbor
for around him the traveller saw several
craters of volcanoes filled with red Gin
ders. The wind became strong, and end
ed in hurricane, which he feared woult
blow him off and send him into the Rus
sian territory, which is adjacent to ont
side of the mountain. Attempting t
turn he was driven on to a space between
two ridges, which was mere bed of ic'
covered over by the snow, where his foo
slipped, and falling, he slid down thu
steep mountain side upon his back, full
1900 feet, as he judged, making frequen
gyratons and corvolutions in his rapit
descent, and every moment expecting in
Simultaneous death by being hurled into
the terrible vortices that yawned to re
ceive him.
"In this condition he lost his senses
but Providence kindly watching over him
was better than his reason and strength
for as he plowed his way downward, will
his feet foremost, the snow was force
into ridge between his legs, and steadil
diminishing the momentum that was car
E rying him downwards, at last stoppe
4 him in his unwilling career. With fin
: gers frozen, and hands bleeding from Gu
made by the ice, and afraid to rise lest h
0 should start on his journey again, he .
$ last struck the barbed end of his walkin
!. pole into the ice, and carefully and tren
Il bingly drawing up his feet few inche
{: and wriggling his hips about so as
d move hands breadth or so, he stuck
his pole again, till, at last, by dint Of mu
o cular effort and perseverance, he reache
$ position of safety. An immense aby'
b lay beneath the glacier, on whose brin
= he was stopped almost by miraculous il
S terposilion. An hour and half we
}, spent in these painful struggles for extr
q cation.
Q Being obliged to re-ascend, his progre
was slow and painful after quitting Il
glacier. Breathing became extreme
/, difficult, which was increased by ST
d phurous smell sent up from ravil
1t which almost created suffocation. Nv
le thirds the distance up the mighty co
l. for whose summit the traveller was stru
}, Cling, he encountered a wooden crC
which had been planted by the Russian
err and probably was the terminus of th'
II, ascent. At last he triumphed over
difficulties, and was standing on the su
il nit Of Ararat, $4,000 feet above the L
* el of the sea, and standing alone, whit
no human foot had trod, since the solita