The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-15
WONDERFUL CLIMB
Story of the Ascent of a
Glacier.
EXPLOIT OF AN ENGLIsHMAN.
What Has Been Accomplished by
Member of the Royal Geo.
graphical Society.

w. M. Conway, who was sent out by the
Royal Geographical Society of London last
spring to explore the Kara Koran Noun
tains and their mighty glaciers north of
Cashmere. has accomplished the most bril-
liant feats of mountain and glacier climbing
that any explorer has achieved in years,
says the New York Sun. He has sent to
the society report OF his ascent Of the
Baltoro glacier, over forty miles In length,
and the longest glacier that is known in
temperate regions. and of his ascent of an
ice-eovtred mountain over $4,000 feet high
at the upper end of the glacier.
He began the ascent of the Baltoro gla-
eier on August %. He had little idea on
starting of the dscomforts before him. His
party included three Englishmen besides
himself, an Alpine guide and four Sepoys
detailed from an Indian regiment Fully
tw0-thirds OF the entire length of the
glacier was so completely covered with
stone debris that the ice was not visible
except where lakes or creavasses occur.
He was unable TO ascend along the banks
at the sides OF the glacier, for they were rot
traversable. He was therefore forced to go
up the horrible middle Of the ice. The sur
face was not fat but was a series of pro-
digious mounds. He measured one of them,
which was over 300 feet high, and it was
than to circumvent them. The stones that
rested upon the ice were constantly giving
way under foot. The consequence was that
the progress Of tue heavily laden Sepoys
was slow and the marches had to be short
The party was nearly two weeks ascend
ing this Ice river, four days of which time
they remained in camp on account OF stormy
weather. When they finally turned up
tributary glacier In order 10 ascend the
mountain, they had reached a height of
16. 600 feet above the level of the sea. All
through the journey the cold was very
severe. The party was very heavily laden
because in addition to their food supplies it
was necessary TO carry quantity of fuel.
1t was not till August 26, twenty days
after they had left the foot Of the glacier.
that they began the assault upon the ley
reak which they intended to surmount
Two or three of the party had become dis
abled by cold and fatigue, aud had to return
to a camp established ON the glacier The
party complained of some discomfort which
travellers among the Himalayas have often
mentioned. The sun day after day came
out with scorchiDg power, and while their
feet were numbed with cold their bodies
were far too hot TO be comfortable. Mr..
Conway says the great variations between
biting cold and griliing heat ara the chief
impediments to mountaineering at high alt-
tudes In those regions. Not only the cold
and the heat alike are hard to endure, but
the change from one to the other seems to
weaken the forces and render the whole
body feeble.
Ascending the steep slope of the final
peak their climbing-rons were of the
greatest assistance. They found to their
dismay. after climbing a few hundred feet,
that the upper part Of the peak was not of
snow but Of bard blue ice covered with
thin layer of snow. Every step they took
had to be cut through the snow into the ice.
Theice was too hard for the steel points of
the climbing-iroDs to penetrate until it had
been prepared by stroke or two of the ak.
The Alpine guide said the work of STEP
cutting was far more fatiguing than he had
ever experienced in Switzerland. One of
the Sepoys was overtaken by mountain sick
ness and had to be left behind. Now and
then a puff of air inspired The party with a
little life. NJ ost of the time they suffered
from the Iarefeation of the air.
Reaching the top. about %, 900 feet above
the sea. Conway named the mountain
glorious mountain views on every side.
The whole panorama of valley, noun
tain, glacier and snow has an effect
at that elevation Of majestic repose,
The observers were far above the noises of
avalanches and rivers, and natures forces
were reduced to mere insignifcance as they
gazed thousands OF feet below them upon
the scenery. Many OF the mountains they
saw had not before been seen by human
eye. They remained at the top for an hour
ana quarter, Tor IL was nara 10 tear thcnl-
selves away from a scene so magnificent
and so rare. They could look straight
down the Baltoro glacier The southwark
scenery was wholly new to them as it burst
into view for the first time when they
reached the summit, but it was TO the west
ward that the greatest area was displayed
to their gaze. Que of the mountains to the
west. which Conway says is the finest noun
tain ne ever saw, is.about $4,000 feet high,
and is unmarked on any map Conway
named the mountain the Guardian of the
Mustagl.
1t was comparatively easy to descend the
peak to their Camp of the night before.
After they had got below the region of ice
only long snow slope separated them from
their tent, and they seated themselves on
the steep snow and slid down to their camp
in less than quarter of an hour.