The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-08-26
DISCOVERIEs hMONG THE MoUN-
TlINs OF THE WORLD.

tsins Have Lately Afforded the Most rr,.
portsnt Discoveries-DeveIopment OF the
Art OF NountaineerinE-The Great value
of This Rind OF Re~-earch-AIpins Gu,de-
A-oug the Mountains OF May Lands
Our Government is about to undertake a Sc
ries Of explorations among the lesser known
mountains Of Idaho and a few other districts of
our Cordilleras, to bring to light the unknown
sources Of rivers, TO find new valleys adapted for
settlement, and, in a word, 10 throw the fullest
light upon the geography and resources NJ these
almost unknown areas. We shall thus take
part In the new exploratory movement which Is
attacking large areas oil over the world tina, are
covered by mountains, regions whose thorough
study Is difficult, and which, therefore. have
been left to tho last. The most notable work ex-
plorers are doing to-day il among the mountains
Of Asia, Africa, and South America. The two most
conspicuous books OF geographical discovery, in
the past two years, are those that record tho
work of Whymper In the EcuadOrian Andes
and Of Conway In the IIimalayas. The largest
expedition now en- route in Africai Is pointing for
the snow-clad Rowenzori Mountains Of the lake
region. The most important discoveries in
Africa, for some time, have just been reported
by italian explorers. who among the highlands
south Of Abyssinia have solved the vcNcd ques-
ton Of the sources of large East African rivers.
''F - VIZ h'A' " hlNAh y tthlN
at least to work out all the intriCucies Of the
1Iimalayas. Probably mere than II century will
elapse before the great mountain chains the
world over, are a. well known as the plains.
The art Of mountaineering has developed in
this century. The idea was once common that
the upper regions of mountains were the abode
~ evil spirits, and good places to avoid. IL was
due ~ this superstition as much rs anything
that the Alpine peasantry knew almost nothing
N nrs,,r. n.. ~ .1,tr ,,,,u,ns,. .L... ~
snow line. II is only thirty-eight years since a
few men in London who had learned to love
mountains and had acquired some dcxtcrity in
snow climbing formed the first Alpine Club.
These clubs are now found in almost every
country of Europe, and our representative in
this line is the Appalachian Mountain Club,
whose explorations, literature, and maps have
been excellent contributions to geographic
knowledge. The members OF these clubs have
carried out nearly all the mountain cx plorations.
the volume of their literature is enormous. and
they have made the science of mountaineering
what it is. Through their devotion our known
edge Of mountains has vastly increased.
Less than thirty years ago the Caucasus Noun
taiis. which cover a territory as large as the
peninsula of Florida. were shown on the maps
by a few hachnres. merely TO Indicate that
to disentangle the intricacies of these great
groups; Many OF their submits rising three
Englishman Frcshield and his Alpine guide
were the first. in 1865. to make the Caucasus
tens. Since then the exploration and survey OF
the Caucasus have made steady progress. and
the advance In the past nine Years he. been
prOdigiOus. The Arrowsmith map of 1899 did
not not s AnGSs a single mRogn'ain pass lin in
clearly defined and mapped. The New Zealand
Alps are among the finest of snow mountains,
but they We're almost unknown until W. :.
Green made, his explorations in 1852 work
Alpine club Of their own. and explore with great
zeal and success. II was the engineers OF the
the seikirks OF British Columbia. and this ssme
Mr., Green convinced every one that Canada has
IN the Selkirks scenery almost equal TO that Of
the Tyrol. and that its glaciers are not far be-
hind those OF the eastern Alps. A dozen explor-
err. have made themselves famous by their reve-
lations Of Asian mountains. and a number of
great ranges like the Tian-Shan and the Allyn
tagh have been added to the maps.
But a great deal remains to DC done. None Of
the greater mountain systems has been studied
With any approach to thoroughness except the
dor has actually changed the position on the
maps of the Andes IN respect Of longitude
tains is almost unknown as far rs any accurate
detail il concerned. Most OF the plain and coast
and their study in detail, as in Africa, has be-
gun. We cannot say we yet know many OF fhe
mountain systems in all their broader aspects.
This work must lie completed, and the study in
detail, now more or less advanced in many re-
gions, will long be continued.
y ~ NV i'll IN ''ilN lliNt Any lllt vi TINS
great Importance OF this sort Of work. We
shall say nothing here of the more obvious re-
and OF passes that will serve as commercial
highways. The wonderful impress that noun
not always realized. Everywhcre in the tropics
the people of mountainous regions. breathing a
pureE air are healthier; stronger and suIsTior
America was discovered the great native civil
i q. found in the tropicI were planted on
The only native empires IN tropical
africa were found in the healthier highlands.
aaIy s dne Of % 9Seir man %iRSid f ina@ssce IS
In the Russian possessions, for instance,
try Of central Asia. 1t Is an rs almost cirea-
lar plain, entirely surrounded by. noun
plain, whose greatest diameter i only only about
supports 100000 people. The melting
all the moisture needed TO make it blossom like
a garden. and alluvium is constantly being
productiveness of the soil; while all outside the
barrier is a desert. 1t is here that
freight receipts from this product OF the Trans
Caspian Railroad have nearly placed that desert
The curious fact has recently been observed,
both in Europe and In India, that rs a rule the
that where the slope is gradual on one side and
on the other. as Il usually the case, the
the crest and occupies the steep slope also.
Thus the French and German races have as
cended the Rentler slopes and descended 10 the
Italian foot OF the Alps. Our own mountains
have helped Ia make US tho nation we are. They
no barrier between the people living
on the opposite slopes. and the great valley be-
tween them unites the whole country. Phys
seographers have long said that nature In
tended the United states to be one great state.
All the work that has been done has brought
the art OF mountaineering To its present ad-
vanced position. II is really IA craft that re-
luires an apprenticeship Judgment and fore
thought count for far more than mere physical
force. Mr.. Conway said in a recent lecture that
he invention of tho craft Of climbing was made
m the Alps during the third quarter of this
century. Before that time "A few hunters and
sOme groups Of men like the MarOncs of the
treat ST. Bernard knew something about how
% go ON glaciers, but their knowledge was I'M
developed. The true uses Of the rope were
lOt known, though parties were sometimes
together 10 keep individuals from
'alllng into hidden crevHsses. out of many ex-
leriments the ice axe was evolved, and II takes
long apprenticeship To become skilhl In the
Use OF IL. Mr.. r.. =. BalCh, one of the most expr-
fenced mOuntaineers OF this country, saws that
are apt 10 use only the arms in step
'utting and are soon exhausted. while the expert I
1as Learned m tlg. The nuEflpa ~ tho EH,ttIl..s