The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-11-16
ON TIE TOP OF ARAFAT.


The London Spectator, speaking Of the
recent successful ascension Of Mount
Ararat by Mr.. Bryce, says:
MIR. Bryce has gwen to the world a
wonderful word picture of that amazing
and awful spectacle, of that landscape
which is now what it was before man
crept forth on the earth, the mountains
which stand about the valleys as they
stood when the volcanic fires that piled
them up we're long ago extinguished;;'
but he could not tell us what were his
thoughts, his feelings there, what the
awe and yearning that came over him in
that tremendous solitude, where Nature
sits enthroned, serenely calm. and speaks
10 Ter children only in the storm and
earthquake that level their dwellings in
the dust
"His vision ranged over the vast ex-
panse, within whose bounds are the
chain of the Caucasus, dimly made out,
Dut Kazbek, Elbruz, and the mountains
Of Daghestan visible, with the line of the
Caspian sea upon the horizon; to the
north, the huge extinct volcano of Ala
Coz, whose three peaks enclose a snow
patched crater, the dim plain of Erivan,
with the silver river winding through it;
westward, the Taurus ranges; and north
west, the upper valley of the Araxes, to
be traced as far as Aui, the ancient capi-
tai Of the Armenian kingdom; the great
Russian fortress of Alexandropol, and
the bill where Kars stands--peaceful
enough when the brave climber looked
out upon this wonderful spectacle.
while It was growing upon him, not
indeed in magniEcence, but in compre-
hensibility, while the eye was still IN
satisfied, with gazing the mist curtain
dropped, EMBODIED him, and shut him up
alone with the awful mountain top.
The awe that fell upon me- he says,
with the sense Of utter loneliness, made
time pass unnoticed, and might have
fingered long in a sort Of dream, had not
the piercing cold that thrilled through
every limb recalled me to a sense Of the
risks delay might involve Only four
hours Of daylight remained, the thick
mist was an added danger, the ice-ax
marks were his only guide, for the COM
pass is useless On volcanic mountain
Ike Ararat, with iron in the rocks. Tho
descent was made in safety, but BY the
time Mr.. Bryce came in sight Of the
spot, vet far Off where his friend had
halted. the sun had got behind the
southwestern ridge Of the mountain and
his gigantic shadow had fallen across the
Great Araxes plain below; while the red
mountains Of Media, far to the southeast,
sill glowed redder than ever, then turned
swiftly to splendid purple in the dying
light
eat six aclock he reached the bivouac
! and rejoined his friend, who must have
looked with strange feelings into the eyes
which had looked upon such wondrous
sights since sunrise. Three days later
Mr. Bryce was at the Armenian monas-
tery of Etchmiadzin, near the northern
foot Ct Ararat, and was presented TO the
archimandrite who rules the house. This
Englishman,' said the Armenian gentle
man who was acting as sinterpreter, says
he has ascended to the top Of Massis'
| l(Araratl The venerable man smiled
.weetly, and replied with gentle decis-
iveness, That cannot be. No one has
ever been there. 1t Is impossible"