The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-11-24
10000 Foot High.

| 10000 Foot High.
! Ihcy who have mastered the Alps,
| and found them already mastered by
their predecessors, sigh for new
| world, and find it in the IIimalayas.
There is singular correspondent be-
tween the two chains. India is the
Italy Of ASIA. Each has magnificent
island for it's satellite. Bombay COR
responds to Genoa, Calcutta to Venice,
Delhi to Milan, while the Oranges and
the Indus are humbly represented by
the Po and tho Adige. Both chains
run from east to west, presenting their
boldest and steepest front to the south.
Both have their ancient and well
known passes. In both cases tho most
| rugged OF outlines and eternal snow are
the horizon of fertile and populous
plains. AS to scenery, while the Hima-
layas are moro sublime, the Alps are
more beautiful, for they are generally
seen with a surrounding or wood and
water, tho latter Of which is entirely
wanting in the Himalayas, except OF
Of sight, at the bottom of deep gorges.
The Alps and tho Uimalayas both
throw out long branches east and We It,
| as ii to claim whole continents for their
own. Northward tho resemblances
ceases, for middle and northern Europe
supply no parollel to the elevated step
pcs, the aterminable deserts, the frost
| and Swamp OF Sibella. The uimalayas
looked and spoke to the south, and the
railway has brought them within q few
days Of Bombay and Calcutta. With
IN six months an Englishman may leave
London and return after seeing all that
most worth in fi,o
peninsula, including tho IIimalayas, in
IL climate as bearable as an average
summer at homo. So they who pine
for the distinction of first ascents have
now no obstacle In tho way. True
there have been strange tales, or idle
| surmiscs, that at the height OF &c, QUO
feet, OF even less, life is impossible.
Man could not breath there or could
only breath in vain. That, however.
| was one OF tho points to be Investigate
| ed. and 1t is understood that noun
| tam climber must be prepared to risk
llls life Tor sufficient object. Mr..
| Graham has not attained an absolute
success; but he has paved tho way to
successes. llo has demonstrated that
1t IS possible to breathe and live at an
! elevation many thousand feet higher
than Mont Blame, and that it is pOssi-
Die to undergo the fatigue Of much
longer and sleeper ascents tllan those
from Chamounix or Zermatt. He has
brought tic highest peaks Of the Hima-
layas within reach Of moderate strength
activity and perseverance.
! Inc dllilcnltleS surmOuntcd by Mr.,
Graham to within sight of complete
success speak well for the courage and
! power OF our race. He had with him
two picked guides from Switzerland.
! Ono of them was an utter failure: ana
the other could DO "scedy" and incapa-
be-. lie had IL journey of twelve days
to The scene Of action, and as he had to
90 much Of it in rain, it could not but
take some strength out Of him. He
had then to cross deep guliies, through
| which dashed enormous streams. lie
had to make series OF ascents, pa
| ing over two peaks higher than Mont
Blanc. After five days of this wc.k he
mad TO ellcamp at Il still greater eleva-
ton, and send back his coolies, who ate
more than they wore worth. After q
climb or some hours on an ascent that
would be steep for Switzerland, ho had
TO leave behind one of his two SWISS
guides. Iio got within sight of sum-
nit 23,OOO feet high, and would have
reached it but that there suddenly
came on one OF those storms Of wind
and snow which it was impossible to
face III such a situation. How they got
I back safe at I'll Mr.. Graham does not
know. They reached tho camp, and
had to pass Il night in their wet clothes
without tirc. After this he tried Nanda
Dew, the Indian N1atterhorn, nearly
twice as high as it's European brother,
but the coolies again proved faithless.
Recording several failures, he is glad to
note one peak Of more than 20, QUO feet
which he ascendod, and in which no
sees the earnest Of greater ac.ieve.
ments. Iio is still undaunted, and we
catch our last glimpse Of him for the
present preparing for the ascent Of q
giant over 29, OOO feot, the famous Kin
chinJunga. Others, moreover, arc on
the track, and if, as seems likely, there
will bo II few failures, Mr.. Grlham's
examples leaves little doubt that in
course of time, by one way or another,
every peak OF this famous chain will be
reached, and will be ever afterward as
sociated with the prowess Of somo
young English gentleman anxious to
achieve bloodless victory over mater
ial difficulties.