Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-26
ON A CRATER,s EDGE,
Mr.. Whymper's Night on the Sum.
Ell OF C0tODaXis

large anu distinguished company lately as
semo.ed at the Royal Institution, Aibemarle
street, 10 hear Dir. Edward WhyIoper describe
his escents OF ChlmooraZo and Cotopaxi
While purely athletic mcuntaineefS had hi,
sympathy IL the practice OF mountaineering
as q sport, Mr. Wnymper confessed that hts
SyInpahlts were muca more with those who
employ Cd Jheir brains as well as their muscles
bis journey 10 the Andes was 20 be one OF work
and all It's arrangements were devised so as to
economiZe time TO tie utterIno5E. In OOServa-
Mons lor ai'iIuaes ana position, IN studying the
manners AID customs OF The country, In pn0to-
graphy and Sle!chtEg, in the collection of
OBJECTS or interest, from beetles on the sum-
mlts Of mountains to antiquities buried IN the
ground, he found quite sufficient to occupy his
tine. From B0degas the party was composed
or TWO Swiss mountalneerS-the cousins Car
rel, OF Val Tournanche-Mr Perring, some
muleteers and their teams. About two tons
weight Of the most portable and most con-
deDsed provisions went OUT for their USE and
irrespective OF the things which were bought
already timed, more than 2,OCO tins were SOL
dered down. When they reached the
SUMMIT OF CHIMBoRAzo,
On the Sd OF January, after most arduOuS
climb, they found the wind blowing at the rate
OF MY miles an hour from the northeast, and
driving the SNOW before It, With extreme diff
Guilty a reading OF the mercurial barometer was
Effected. The mercury fell to 14.1 inches With
Temperature OF q degrees, Fab. This being
worked cut. In comparison with a nearly sim
ultaneous observation at GuayaquI, gave
2O,545 feet for tie height OF Chimboraza. They
began the descent at 20 minutes past 5. with
scarcely an hour and q quarter OF daylight, and
reached their camp (abOuJ L 400 feet ABOVE the
sea leseD about p. H., having been out nearly
!6 hours. and on foot the whole time.
RAISING from an extinct to an active volcano.
Mr. Whymper next gave an account OF his
Journey 10 the crater OF CoGopaXi. Observing
with the telescope, during an enforced stay at
Maehachi, that much less smoke or vapor was
given Off at night than by day, he resolved, IL
possible, to pass night on the summit On
n q or
OF the crater, having passed almost the whole
way from their camp. at the height of rs 600
ieet to the foot OF the final cone over snow. and
thon over ash mixed With Ice. The final cone
was the steepest part OF the ascent and on
their side presented an angle OF SO degrees.
When they reached the crater vast quantities
or smoke and Vapor
WERE BOILING UP,
ana tney could only see portions of the opposite
side at intervals, and the bottom not at all
Their tent was pitched $50 feet from the edge OF
the crater. and during violent squal the In
dia-ruober door OF the tent was found to be on
the point OF melting, a maximum thermometer
showing temperature of 10 degrees On one
side of the tent, and of but so degrees on the
ether; In the middle Ii was 1875 degrees. Out.
Side IL was intensely cold, and thermometer
on the tent cord showed minimum of Is de.
grees. AT night they had fine view of the
crater, which has diameter from north to
soutn OF 1000 feet, and from east to west OF
about 500 feet.
In the interior the walls descend to the bot.
Noi a.. oSiiOoo VI CeCfo VI pIcClpiCS anu Slope q
good thousand feet, and at the bottom theres
was nearly circular spot Of glowing fire, 20 4
ieet In diameter. On the sides of the interior
higher up assures. from which rickering flames
were leaping, showed that the lava was red.hot
a very snort distance below the surface. The
height he found to be 10 600 feet. The party
remained at the top for twenty six consecutive
hours, sleeping about 1870 feet below the lorJiest
point. At first they had felt the effects OF the
low pressure OF the atmosphere, and again, as
at ChlmbolaZo, took chlOrate OF potash with
good eHectS. All signs Of
MOUNTAIN SICKNESS
1ao passed away before they commenced the
descent. and did not recur during the Journey.
Nearly nVe months later MI. Why mper returned
" Cnimporazo, and from second reading OF the
barometer at Il. OPS inches with a temperature
OF 10 degrees Fab, he made the height 20,4S9
teet, the mean OF the two readings giving 2O,5l7
Ieet. While on the side OF ChimDorazO he wit
messed magnificent eruption of Cotopaxi, ash
rising In Column 10000 feet above the rim OF
the crater and then spreading over an area OF
many miles Professor BOnney had submitted
the ash to microscopic examination, and found
tnat the nneneSS varied from 1000 to 25 600
particles to the grain In weight, and from OBJ
eerVatlon OF the area over which the ash fell
MI. Whymper calculated that at least two mil
lion tons must have been elected in this eruD.
ton.