The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-06-10
NRORAlMA'S BIG FLAT ~
) oEEsor THE MOST REMARKABLH
II ~ MOUNTAINS IN THE WORLD.

\ =
m. a,most inaccessible Summit--A
. wall of Rock 1000 Feet High
What Explorers Found.
IGOR the fret time white men id
~ November last spent night on
the summit Of the famous Mount
Rorania, on the border OF
British Guiana and Venezuela, noun
tain whose summit for many years was
supposed to be inaccessible. When Sir
Robert Schomberg discovered the noun
tain, he declared it was impossible to
reach its top except by balloon. Three
|xlaters explorers, Messrs. Brown, Whet.
liam and Whitley, were eager to solve
I, the mystery of Mount lIoraima's summit'
] but all came home declaring that the
uoper 1000 feet of the great sandstone
| mountain was perpendicular wall, and
tbey believed 1T to be impossible to gain
| the summit. 1t was left for Mr.. Ever
ard Thurn to conquer Roraima. He
gained its summit in December, 1881.
He was so fortunate as to find on one
face of the mountain a narrow ledge,
rather perilous of ascent, which Afforded
a pathway to the summit.
The mountain is about 5000 feet
above the level of the sea, but the ex,
plorer, when he reaches the base OF tho
nercipitous ascent, is already 5000 feet
above the sea. The explorer was not
able to carry up the mountain supplies
for soiourn there, and he was therefore
compelled to return to his camp on the
ame day. His collections, however
made both on the mountain top and
around its base, were of much value. l
bad been supposed that the fora of tn
m0uutain top would be found to be diff
fdrent from that of the plain. To som'
extent this expectation was realized b!
the discoveries of Mr.. Thurn.
The mountain was not afterwar,
visited until November of last year
lwhsn it was climbed by Mr.. E. Crome,
and MIR. Seyer, collectors of orchids
They not only succeeded in reaching it
fop, but they spent night there, tool
Several photographs Of the scenery, aud
J. ,.t;rssndered over a considerable part of tn,
surface, which stretches back twelv,
Smiiea from the face on which the aseeu
was made. Tho Indians felt the cold a
j the top of the mountain SO severely tha
theyJSsere sent back.
II Th8two white men then explored tn,
n summit, finding toward the south man
& gigantic and marvelously shaped rocks
sforring, as Mr.. Bromer describes them
fsma3estic palaces, churches aud fort
E3essos,f Other smaller rocks resembl
Epyramids, umbrellas and kettles, ant
lone bore striking resemblance to tn
statuet1of a man. Between thes'
Egrotesqne masses of rock, whose shap
EtG evidently due to woatheriug, the rock
being pf unequal hardness, were in
numerablc little lakes. some joined to
IAgetheEby channels. Most of these lake
wefe Shallow, though here aud there
..E depthof six feet was found. Many new
species OF orchids and other plants were
eli found, but the mountain top seemed
ifalmost destitute of uuimal life. Th,
discoveries included also one blacl
i butterfly, few spiders, some small frog'
II aud lizards, aud an unnamed dark col
+ ofsd nam nal, which on the appr3ac oI
. lstRs & Snlessts 1 kg'sRd hkesa whistl
: 3 \ sss ~. s.so S'din; iss
E4s4x6.y -, ~ d ss,,rm;r,