New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-15

summit OF ChimborazO. whereas he now saw
that there were two well-defned SUBMITS. Both
Humboldt and Boussingaut agreed in saying
that the mountain had no glaciers. Il saw nG'a-
ing" was Humboldt's statement. neither IN
Quito nor in Mexico. resembling the Swiss
glaciers" while Boussingauts declaration was
that he found only one glacier in Ecuador. and
that was on the Mountain TunguraGua. yet
saws Mr. Whymper II saw Chimborazo crowned
with glacier and streaming with glacier" AS
Mr. Whymper comedies that both his famous pre-
decessors reached the limit Of the ice cap which
crowns the peak. IT is possible that their denial
and his affirmation rest upon difference in the
Interpretation OF the word glacier. Certainly
Mr. Whymper describes nothing that perfectly
resembles the rivers of ice which flow down Al
pine cations or the immensely greater streams
which are said to fill the gorges Of the Himalayas
flowing from peak to valley and melting away
upon the plain In the ascent Mr.. Whymper
chose the route which he thought had been fol-
lowed by Humboldt and Boussingault direct
approach to the eastern summit from the south
side Of the mountain not TO be thought Of,
for the ice from both SUBMITS fell over cliffs. and
above nearly perpendicular precpces there rose
perpendicular walls of Ice. which broke away az
the glacier flowed downward. The grooves and
scorlngs made by failing bodies could be plainly
Giscerned from below. To venture into such Il
region would have been to court certain death.
1t finally determined TO make the assault by
way Of a ridge or buttrcss that extended toward
the southwest. In oider TO insure the party
against fatigue the encampments were at COM
paratively easy intervals. Neither the author nor
his Alpine assistants had ever assembled greater
height than 5000 feet. and in order to make the
test more convincing neither of the two noun
info of NJ he
expedition. The second camp was at point on
the mountainside where the barometer stood
sixteen inches and half It's ascertancd height
was 1864 feet To this point mules were used
burden-bearers, and they the first to
show signs Of suffering. They staggered under
loads less than halt as great as they
were accustomed Il carry. The native
drivers were the mex, 10 succumb and
it was with great difficulty that the camp
was completed. Then the Ecuadorians and
the mules sent away. The author and his
European compa Mons arrived al the site Of the
camp IN fine spirits and apparently in good con-
diion. one reason for this was that all three
men had ridden as far as the mules could carry
them and therefore had been obliged to walk only
the last stage Of the Journey Fatigue could not
be factor in the case at all. Nevertheless, In
about an hour all three were completely pros
same way before. they knew that they were ex-
periencing tneir first attack Of mountain sickness
We were feversh. had intense headaches and
unable to satisfy our desire FOR air. except
by brea thing with open mouths. This naturally
parched the throat. and produced craving FOR
drink. which were unable to sausfy-party
from the difficulty in obtaining IT. and partly
from the trouble in swallowing 1t. When We got
enough could only sip. and not 10 save our
lives could We have taken a quarter OF pint at
"A irdught. Before a
obliged to breathe and gasp again, until
throats were az dry as ever. Besides having
our normal rate Of breathing largely accelerated
we found it impossible 10 sustain life without
every and then giving spasmodic gups. Just
Ike fishes when taken out Of water. OF course
there was no inclination to eat; but wished
to smoke and found that our pipes almost re-
fused to burn for they. like ourselves. wanted
more oxygen. This condition OF affairs lasted all
night and all the next day.
Then Mr. Whymper and one Of his mountaineers
took a dose OF chlorate OF potash and were re-
Ieved But the other mountaineer recovered
as quickly they and he utterly refused TO
take any doctors stuff" His remedy for every
thing from dysentery to want Of air. red
wine He had also an original for head |
ache namely. to keep the head warm and the
feet cold. and he practised what he preached
II can remember no curious sight" remarks !
Mr.. Whymper. than that Of this middle aged |
man. lying nearly obscured under a pile Of pom |
chos. with his head bound up In a wonderful
arrangement OF handkerchiefs vainly attempt |
ing to smoke short pipe whilst gaspng Ike
a choking Goldfish. his naked feet sticking out
from underneath his blankets when the temper !
allure in the tent much below the freezing
point" There was still another member Of
the party. not a mountaineer. and without any
purpose OF clambering to the top Of Chimborazo
He Is described by the author a rather de-
blitated man who could scarcely walk on n fat
road without desiring TO sit down. traverse |
a hundred yards n mountains.de without |
being obliged to rcst-and yet he had not trace
OF the sickness from which the others suffered !
Mr.. Whymper says that he has a theory 10 ac- |
count for this mans immunity. but he has neg
lected to give It, except in far az to ray that
the man had already been accustomed t. low
pressures Of the air. Az soon as the mountain |
about thirty-six hours, they were eager to con !
tinue the ascent. and they did push their way |
W TO the level Of 1890 feet. but returned TO the
camp. Keeling like drunken men. cast them !
selves on the floor Of the tent and went 10 |
sleep without eating or drinking. Subsequent
advances TO higher and higher points. until at
last the summit Of the mountain reached |
marked by increasing lassitude and inca
pacity for exertion. On other mountains there |
was recurrence Of these symptoms but head |
ache was not felt again until the final ascent |
and complete exploration Of ChimboraZo with !
which the travellers completed their labors Mr. |
Whympers conclusion is that mountain sickness T,
IA due wholly to the diminution in atmospheric !
pressure, which operates in at least two ways !
by lessening the value Of the air that can be IN
spired in a given time. and by causing the air
gas within the body to expand and to press
1.r0D no mi nj no off
by this internal pressure may pass away. but |
those due to thin air and lack OF oxygen must |
be permanent. Other investigators. notably NJ /
Paul Bert, think they can be overcome by arti- |
fetal means; for example. by supplying the re- |
Glrel q u Mr