Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-09-09
THE ASCENT OF CHIMBORAZO.
Mr. Nhymper's second Trip to the
Highest Su- unit of the Mountain.

Highest su- INIT of the Mountain.
The Star and Herald publishes the
following translation of a declaration
made by one of the two Ecuadorians
who accompanied Mr.. Whymper on
his second trip to the summit of CHM
borazo;
l, Javier Campana, of Quito, hereby
declare that on July 8, 1880, accom-
panied Mr.. Edward Whymper to the
very highest point of the summit of
ChimbOrazO. We were also accom-
panied by Jean-Antoine Carrel and
by Louis Carroll (Mr. Whympers two
Italian mountaineers) and by David
Beltram of Machachi.
Mr.. Whymper placed his tent, on
July ,, 1880, on the northwest side of
ChimbOrazo, at Il height. so he tells me,
of about 10000 feet, and he provided
for the use of myself and of David the
things which were necessary for an as
cent, namely, good strong boots with
large nails, warm gloves, spectacles to
protect the eyes against the glare of the
snow, and ice-aXes to help us along
We started from the tent at 81 on the
morning of July 3, 1880. and at once
began to ascend toward the summit.
The way at first was over loose stones,
but after we had assembled for about
1000 feet we came to snow, and the re-
malnder of the ascent was entirely over
snow, with the exception of one or two
places where rocks came through the
snow. We stopped to eat on one of
these little patches of rock at $50 A.
NJ. and after Mr. Whymper had exam
ined his mercurial barometer he en-
couraged us to proceed by telling us
that we had already got more than half
way up from the tent. From this place
we saw the sea.
We went on again at 9:05 A. NJ, and
found that the snow got sleeper. We
were all tied together with a good strong
rOpei III case any one should slip, and
except for this and for things with
which we had been provided | should
not have been able to get along at all.
Sometimes it was very cold, and there
was much wind, but when we were in
the sun it was very hot Whether in
the sun or in the shade the snow was
very soft, and we sank in deeply, often
sinking up to the knees. This was
very fatiguing, and it was owing to this
that we took so much longer time in as
cending the upper than the lower part
of the mountain.
To break the ascent we Zigzagged
about, and at one time came round to
the side fronting Guaranda, and then
came back to above the place where
the tent was pitched. At last we got on
the top and could see the two SUBMITS.
The snow vas very soft indeed here,
and we went along very slowly, and had
often to stop to get breath. The highest
of the two SUBMITS was on our left
hand, that is, upon the north side of
the mountain, and we went to it, with
out going upon the lower one. As we
approached the very highest point we
saw that there was something strange
upon it, and when we got up we found
the pole of the flag which Mr.. Whym-
per had put up on Jan. 4, 1880. 1t
stood up about II yards above the
snow, and very little of the flag remain
ed as it had been torn to pieces by the
wind took small piece of flag to
show to my friends below, and was filled
with Joy at being the first Ecuadorian
to reach the summit Of the great Chin
bOrazO.
We arrived on the very highest point
of the summit at 1 30 p NJ, and about
the same time ashes from Cotopaxi be-
gan to fall. They filled our eyes, noses,
mouths, and ears, and made the snow
quite black Mr.. Whymper, however,
prepared his instruments, and was at
work during the whole time we were on
the summit. He did not once sit down
to refresh himself from the time we
left the tent in the morning until the
time that we returned to it in the even
ing. He took the height of the noun
tain with his barOmeters and told us
that the observations he now made
agreed very well with those which he
made upon the first ascent of CHM
borazo on Jan. 4, 1880.
At 2! p. NJ. we left the summit, and
came down as fast SIS we could, only
stopping little from time to time to
allow Mr.. Whymper to collect rocks at
various places. We arrived again at
the tent at $40 P. NJ, and found it
covered with ashes from Cotopaxi,
which were still falling. and filled the
whole valleys with thick cloud. On
the 4th of July we continued the tour
of the mountain, and arrived at night
close to the Tortorillas; and on the 9th
we returned to Riobamba, having had
a most successful journey, without &C
cidents of any sort whatever, not only
having made the tour and the second
ascent of Chimborazo, but having also
made en- route on the Goth of June the
first ascent of Carihuairazo.
Francisco il. CANIPANA.
GUAYAQUIL, July 10, 1880.
Declared and subscribed at Guaya-
quill this Goth day of July, 1880, before
me, GEORGE CHAMBERS,