The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-01-17

last twelve years several futile attempts
have been made 20 reach It's summit.
II Is only sixty miles from the south
coast but eight explorers have In vain
attempted 10 reach its top. defeated in
every case either by the difficulties In
the way or the refusal OF timid native
porters 10 ascend a mountain which il
the object OF superstitious dread. 1t
was reserved for Sir William Mac
gregor. last year. 10 reach the goal,
and he trnmphcd because he discover
ed, west OF the routes OF other ex-
plorers. a river the Vanapa. rising
on the slope OF the mountain and along
whose valley he Travelled far on his
way.
IL was very difficult undertaking.
and would not have succeeded under
less determined leadership. When
most OF his carriers refused to 90 fur
thcr Macgregor told them he would
join the natives against them, aud they
would have TO reckon with whites and
blacks as enemies. When they said
they were too sick to travel he cured
them instantly with big doses of quiz
nine. aud when they asserted that men
who had been sent back for food did
not intend 10 return he told them they
lied and said he would 90 with or with
out food. Ia the latter part of the as
cent he made six days rations hold out
for ten days. in spite of the ravenous
appetite OF Fiji Joe. who. it was dis
covered later. ate two of the three new
specimens OF birds discovered on the
mountain.
Ii took fifty days TO reach the top of
Owen Stanley from the coast. Hewing
their way through the dense under
growth the party sometimes did not
travel over a mile day. Two men
were kept clearing path with large
knives. The upper attitudes were
more difficult than other parts OF the
journey, for bamboo stems an inch
thick were almost as close together as
wheat in field. But in the upper
regions the party emerged above the
zone of clouds, in which they bad wan
dered for days. seeing nothing save
their immediate surroundings. They
found this stratum of clouds TO be
nearly a mile thick. II was necessary
now aud then TO make halt while a
bridge was built over an uufordable
branch OF the river, aud fall from
one of these bridges. fclled tree.
would have meant instant death, for IL
SPAWNED the stream just above a lofty
waterfall.
Macgrcgor and his white comrades
nearly forgot the hardships of that
rugged wilderness. which in all its
characteristics gradually merged FROM
4 tropical into Alpine. IN the surprising
novelties which now and then beguilad
! the weary way. One day they came
TO suspension bridge over 200 feet
long and spanning a chasm so feet
above the water. The cables were fif-
teen rattan canes knotted together at
the ends and fastened to trees on eth
CT bank. The floor was four canes
fastened 10 the cables live feet above
by othor rattans and the sides were
| formed of five stretches OF rattan. A
| cross section of the bridge was nearly
v shaped. The party crossed it live at
a time. and from all appearances il
could have Borne many more. Plat
form approaches were built nj tho
ends. and, altogether. IL was re-
lsmarkable structure 10 be conceived
aud carried out by so primitive pco-
pie.
/ =
90 to the coast They were on very
friendly forms with the expedition.
and sold Macgregor an abundance OF
food as long rs he was within reach.
They told him they used the bow aud
spear, but he never saw weapon In
their hands. aud they apparently left
them behind when they visited him.
fearing that their intentions would be
misunderstood II they came armed.
They told him their legs were too weak
aud their breath too short TO permit
them 10 90 with him to the mountain
top. He thought them physically SUI
perior TO the coast natives and less dis
irustful of the whites than those abort
gines who had seen more Of them.
They urged him to go no further and
tried to tempt him by lavish supply
of sugar cane. pigs, yams, sweet po-
tatocs. and bananas 10 sojourn awhile
In their villages. Previous explorers
who attempted Mount Owen Stanley
by routes further east had very differ
ent stories TO tell Of the natives. with
whom some OF them had serious trou-
BILE.
AS the climb went on moss aud
heath succeeded TO grass. stunted nn-
dcrgrowth TO line timber and n tenn
perslture OF about GO degrees Mt noon
to swcItcrng heat. The crest OF Owen
Stanley. with its six little peaks. was
gained Mt last Many days before the
party had passed the upper limit OF
tropical fruits. but far up the noun
tain. they RECALLED themselves with lus-
cions strawberries. lciclos were found
on the crest. aud little frog, bcnunsb-
ed with cold. Ia pool Of water Far
away was glorious vision OF the sen.
hut near at hand nm nccan-like expanso
III snow-whito clouds chung 20 the
- -.------- M.