Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-13

SO. NV life, for a few days before we
started was made a burden to me by the
enthusiasm which Jack showed for buy
ing all kinds of strange articles, which,
he asserted, might come in handy. Among
these, | remember, were a circular saW,
a churn, and a barrel-organ. The last he
asserted would be invaluable in appeasing
the minds of the natives. In spite OF the
amount of our impedimenta, we were
more successful than most African travel
ers. Gaining information from every
possible source, and accompanied by a
perfect gang of natives from various
tribes, who, in spite of their assertions,
knew as little as we did ourselves,
we wandered, for nearly four months
over hitherto untrodden ground before
we even came in sight of the Moon
Mountains. See them, however, we did
and there, in the midst of "a mighty group,
rose Il giant peak, soaring far above
the rest, and, in spite of the torrid zone,
white with eternal snow.
"On asking, as well as we could, Of the
natives, what the name of this peak was,
they replied something that sounded like
Mumph Jomb.' This delighted us inn
mensely, as their name for it, corrupt as
it seemed to be, was an evident confirma-
llou VI luC luCd COlItdlIGu III lIC dIlCICHt
rhyme that Mumbo Jumbo inhabited the
Mountains of the Moon.
"Well, sir, | need not trouble you with
an account of all the difficulties we en-
countered before we reached the top of
Mumph Jomb. SO often were we driven
back by storms, and mists, and falling
stones, that the natives were confirmed in
their original impression Of the mountain
| hainr haIptaI and absolutely raf1cn6 IN
go with us any more.
Jack and ] were thus left alone to
fight it out with the great peak, and at
last we conquered it. 1t was The third
day after we had been left alone that we
cut our way up the last ice-slope leading
to the top. | happened to be first at the
moment, and as the last step was cut, l
sprang on to the clear space IN the top
with a wild cheer. The sight that met
my eyes there, however, very nearly made
me stagger back over the edge. Quietly
seated on the very highest point was our
friend Zachariah Johnston, picking his
teeth with his bowie-knife. 4 reckon
you're half an hour late, stranger he re-
marked, in a cheerful tone of voice.
while you made tracks up one side of
this ere mountain, l did similar up the
other; but | guess you'll have to grease
your boots better if you want to beat me
at that game With that he took off his
hat, and with a low, knocking bow,
wished us good morning. Three min
utes later he was lost to view down the
same side of the mountain that he had
| assembled by.
Il need hardly tell you that we felt
greatly crushed by this melancholy term
nation of our first attempt, and it was in
rar,r low crirife ,nInol that ,-n wade n,~
way down the mountain and returned,
after some weeks travelling, to Cairo.
at was while staying there that a glori-
Jus plan developed itself in our brains,
more ambitious and more daring than
anything that had yet been conceived by
man. We were in search Of mountains,
why not 60 to the highest of all noun
tains, the Himalayas? and, amongst these,
why not attempt the highest of them all
Mount Everest? The highest noun
tain in the world! We became perfectly
fascinated by the idea. BY day we talked
of nothing else, and at night Mount Ever
est haunted our dreams.
a first, we feared it would be hope
less attempting it, OF account of the very
rare state of the atmosphere on the top;
but, on examining records of balloon as
cents, we found, to our relief, that aero
nauts had been to even greater heights
without experiencing any great difficulty
in breathing. Before starting for the
Himalayas, we sent to England for several
things which we conceived necessary for
u new undertaking.; amongst others,
for a small balloon. This last was owing
to a suggestion of mine, as l fancied it
might, in some cases, prove useful. |
also wrote to Grindelwald for two Of the
best guides at that TIM: in Switzerland
Cachat and Morel, offering them such
liberal terms that | felt sure they would
agree to come. OF these two, | knew
Cachat personally, and had more than
once had occasion to see his skill at ice
work, so you may imagine my annoyance
when | got a letter from him, saying that
he could not go, as he was already en-
gagged for a distant expedition by another
monsieur; he thought he was an American
monsieur who had engaged him. This
was unfortunate, but Morel was able to
come, and duly met us at AL
exaneiria. After a successful voy-
age and a somewhat uninterest-
ing journey through the plains of
Northern India, we at last reached the
base of the great mountain chain contain
ing innumerable vast forms, beside which
Mons Blanc would appear an insignificant
hillock. Well, here began or difficulties;
we were obliged to organize a large body
OF natives to act as porters. 1t being quite
uncertain how many weeks, or even
months, we might be far removed from
human habitation, it was, of course, nee
essary to bring a very large supply of
provisions, as well as tents, warm cloth
ing, and the implements which we hoped
to make use of in the ascent. The best
maps Of that region which we had been
able to procure in Bombay were so utterly
inaccurate that it was impossible to de
pend on them in the least. Having reach
ed the base of Mount Everest itself, we
found 1t necessary to take a sort of rough
sorvey ourselves, and to make a number
or preliminary excursions on the side of
the mountain. We established a camp
about $4,000 feet above sea level, which,
from the vast height of the plateau, was
scarcely above the base of the mountain
itself. We found, however, that the ma
tives could not stand a greater amount of
cold than that. Morel, Jack and I used to
make expeditions high up on the sides of
the neighboring mountains, armed with a
good glass, and from thence try to see
our best route in attacking Everest. Till
about half the distance to the top had
been passed we saw that we should have
nothing but vast snow-ields, but then it
would be necessaryto pass along a terrible
arrete-steep, and bounded by frightful
preclplces. After a careful examination
~ tI,- IL