The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-11-28
MISCELLANY.
ASCENDING LOFTY PEAKS.
The Difficulties In Climbing the Himalayas
Guides Give Out.


They who have mastered the Alps, and
found them already mastered by their pre-
decessors sigh for a new world, and find it
in the Himalayas. There is a singular cor
respondence between the two chains. Indin
is the Italy of Asia. Each has magnif-
cent island for its satellite. Bombay cor
responds to Genoa, Calcutta to Venice, Del
hi to Milan, while the Ganges and the In
dus are humbly represented by the Pc and
he 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 the
most rugged of outlines and eternal snow
ara the horizon of fertile and populous
plains As to scenery while the Himalayas
afemore sublime, the Alps are more beautiful,
for they are generally seen witha surround
ing of wood and water, the latter of which
Is entirely wanting in the Himalayas, except
out of sight, at the bottom of deep gorges.
The Alps and the Himalayas both throw out
long branches east and west, as if to claim
whole continents as their own. Northward
the resemblance ceases, for Middle and
Northern Europe supply no parallel to the
elevated steppes, the interminable deserts,
the frost and swamp of Siberia. The Him.
alayas looked and spoke to the South, and
the railway has bought them within few
days of Bombay and Calcutta. Within six
months an Englishmen may leave London
and return after seeing all that is most
worth seeing in the Indian peninsula, in
Guiding the Himalayas, in climate as bear
able as an average summer at home. So
they who pine for the distinction of first as
cents have no obstacle in the way True
there have been strange tales, or idle sur
misses, that at the height of 10000 feet, or
even less life is impossible. Man could not
breathe there or could only breathe in vain.
That, however, was one of the points to be
investigated, and it is understood that
mountain climber must be prepared to risk
his life fer q sufficient object. Mr.. Graham
has not obtained an absolute success, but
he has paved the way to great success. He
has demonstrated that it is possible to
breathe and live at an elevation many thou.
sand feet higher than Mont Blanc, and that
it is possible to undergo the fatigue of much
longer and sleeper ascents than those from
Chamounix or Zermatt. He has bought the
highest peaks of the Himalayas within reach
of moderate strength, activity and persever-
ance. The difficulties surmounted by Mr..
Graham to within sight of complete success
speak we'll for the courage and power OF
our race. He had with him two picked
guides from Switzerland. One of them
was an utter failure, and the other could be
:" seedy" and incapable. He had journey
Of twelve days to the scene of action, and as
he had to do much of it in rain, it could
not but take some strength out of him. Hs
had then to cross deep gullies, through
which dashed enormous streams. He had
TO make a series of ascents, passing over
two peaks higher than Mont Blanc After
five days of this work he had to encamp at
q still greater elevation and send back his
coolies, who ate more than they were worth.
After q climb of some hours on al ascent
that would be steep for Switzerland, he had
to leave behind one of his two Swiss guides.
He got within sight of q summit % 900 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
10 face in such o situation. How they got
back safe OF all Mr.. Graham does not know.
They reached the camp, and had to pass a
night in their wet clothes without fire.
After this he tried Nanda Dew, the Indian
Matterhorn, nearly twice as high as its Eu-
ropean brother, but the coolies again proved
faithless. Recording several other failures
he is glad to note one peak of more than
10000 feet which he assembled, andin which
lie sees the earnest of greater achievements.
He is still undnunted, and we catch our last
glimpse of him for the present preparing
for the ascent of a giant over twenty eight
thousand feet, the famous Kinchinjungs.
London Times.