New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-27
TRAVELS IN THE ANDES.
THE PROBLEM OF LIFE AT GREAT ALTI-
tubes.

This interesting book of travel and noun
taneering is The result OF Mr.. Whympers desire
to ascertain whether the physical effects of re-
duction Of the atmospheric pressure attendant upon
ascent TO great heights can be overcome by
hebituaton to low pressure The authors pre-
vous personal experience as an Alpine climber
had led him to doubt the trustworthness of the
experiments in The same direction made by Pro-
fessor Paul Bert The latters theory was that
the painful and often disabling physical effects of
great elevations were due mainly TO deficiency
Of oxygen in the atmosphere at those heights
lie tested his hypothesis BY means of large metal
cylinder, arranged that the atmospheric pressure
within it could he reduced at will or increased.
Into this cylinder he himself entered, provided
with bags of oxygen, and the pressure having been
reduced to what it would have been at an elcvs-
ton of "a, 600 feet, he noted the feelings he en-
pcrienced, and refreshed himself at intervals with
draughts of oxygen. From such experiments he
derived the conclusion that mountain sickness was
caused by deficiency OF oxygen at great eleva-
tons and he thought 1t possible for climbers
to obtain relief by taking oxygen in bags up
mountains, or By setting up machinery for pro-
ducing the gas. and making it on the spot.
mfr. Whymper makes o good deal of fun of this
suggestion, which certainly cannot be commended
for its practically, and he resolved TO travel among
the great Andes of the Equator in order to solve,
if possible, the whole problem.
Mr. Whymper says: LAS the main object Of
the journey to observe the effects of low pres
sure and to attain the greatest possible heights in
order TO experience il, Ohimborazo naturally
claimed the first attention, on account of its abso-
lutte elevation above the sea and proposed TO
encamp upon this mountain, at gradually increas
ing heights, with the ultimate aim of reaching
the summit He took with him. as a staff. his
IL ln;r ID Val
Tournanche; Carols cousin. Louis also an eX-
perienced guide. and Mr.. Perring. engaged in
Ecuador. The Carrels rendered valuable service
throughout the Journey. and We're in fact. indis-
pensable. Mr.. Whymper's experience a vet
eran traveller stood him in good stead in Organiz-
ing the commissarat department. He knew that
when he got into the mountain camps il would be
very difficult, and perhaps impossible, to obtain
fresh provisions and therefore he laid in ample
supplies of all necessaries, and the way he ar
ranged bis provisions was so ingenious that
sketch OF II would be interesting. They were
packed in boxes measuring 2s ga IL IA
10 3-4 inches. weighing about seventy-two pcu' IS
apiece. Each of these boxes contained three tin
cases, measuring 9 ga 9 3 ga inches and
each tin case held food for four men for one day.
The tins, being thoroughly soldcrcd down. could
be left exposed in the worst weather, or dipped
in water without taking harm. The contents COM
prised nearly every thing that was requisite
except water and firing" Each tin case contained
the following: OK cheek pounds; mutton.
pounds beef pounds; potted ham, tin; Lie
bg's extract, . ounces, in tins; preserved soup,
2 pint tins cocoa and milk, one tin: condensed
milk one tin; sugar. ounces mustard, ounce
salt, ounces; pepper, l ounce; biscuits about
. pounds in tin; lemonade powder. in tin: Seid
litz powders, in tin; pills; small bottle OF
chlorodyne black currant and cayenne lozengos,
. ounces; muscatelle, IL ounces tea, 3 ounces.
The author says that with the exception Of sugar,
OF which the allowance proved rather scant
there was found TO be enough and to spare OF
everything.
An unfortunate occurrence, however, inenacc1
the whole ccmmissariat. When the first tin of
cx-check opened, it was found 10 he bad-in
fact putrd and il necessary to open hundreds
If tins and remove this oA-cbcek. while in many
cases il had burst the tins and tainted the other
provisions aS to render them TIMETABLE. II IS 10
be regretted that these spoiled provisions were sup
piled from Chicago. Everything else was in good
condition., and remained so to the end, and when
ne left Ecuador the traveller realized handsome
profit BY the sale of his surplus stores. The sue
cess OF Mr. Whympers instrumental obs-rvattons
was clearly due 10 the care and sklll with which
the mercurial baromcters three in number were
were only sources of confusion from the beginning,
for their readings neither agreed with one another
nor with those CT the mcrcuria baromctcrs and
they seem to have proceeded on the "go-asyou-
please" principle all through The mercurisls
were then the main reliance and two Of them were
always carried by Jean Antoine Carrel who called
them his babies, and took the greatest care of them
in climbing. And now it is time 10 Introduce the
first ascent of Chimborazo when the party, with
one exception, became personally acquainted with
the mountain sickness
The first camp at 1873 feet, was reached easily
and this elevation produced no unpleasant sen
sations The second camp was made at 1864
feet. The mules got there with great difficulty,
Mmbling, falling on their knees, and showing that
they were on the verge of exhaustion. The tray
ellers themselves arrived in good condition, but,
slys Mr. Whymper =" in about an hour | found
myself living on my back, along with both the
CarreIs. placsd 'hors du combat and incapable
of making the least eXertion. We knew that the
enemy was upon us, and that we were eXperlcnc-
ing our first attack of mountan-scRness. We
were feverish, had intense headaches, and were
unable 10 satisfy our desire for air, except by
breathing with open mouths. This naturally
parchcd the throat and produced a craving for
drink, which we were unable to satsfy-partly
from the difficulty of obtaining it, and partly from
trouble in swallowing it. When we got enough
we could only sip, and not TO save our lives could
we have taken quarter Of pint of wafer at
draught Before a mouthful was down we were
obliged TO breathe and gasp again, until our Threats
were as dry as ever. Besides having our normal
rate of breathing largely accelerated, we found
It impossible 70 sustain life without every now and
then giving spasmodic gulps, just like fishes when
taken out of water. OF course there was no in
clination to eat but we wished TO smoke. and
found that our pipes almost refused to burn. for
they. like ourselves, wanted more oxygen" THIS
painful condition lasted all that night Next day
Mr.. Whymper found energy enough to get out some
chloride of potash which had been tried oy some
previous travellers with good enect one theory
: that the large proportion of oxygen contained