New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-01

AKORAN HIMALAYAS ~ william M13run
SrSrse IIunlred Illustrations by \. u. Mccor-
mick and a Map PIP. xviii 100 - Apii''o"
Co.
Mystery Will be foreign T. The great NSi-
attic Highlands The most secluded valleys are
becoming familiar even in those wid" regions
where travellers find ~ other human beings. ~
lands uninha bitable by man and hitherto rarely
visited by him there are many stretches IN TIE
Himalayas Peak beyond peak. range after
range % vast mountains wide cNpons"s -
glacier. namelcss even 10 the nearest trlbesmon.
m the soul 81 him who gazcs upon them with
awe and horror T. one who approaches this
frozen chaos from the south. the high mountains
seem to have no end Ridge behind ridge crest
behind crest. they stretch away in monotpnous
parallelism IN utter silence save for the noises
made by their own aValanches. Almost the
northward limit OF Mr.. Conways journey WAS the
great Hispar glacier. which lies In the square
formed by the seventeenth and sevcnty-six,h de-
grees Of east longitude. and the thrty-siXth and
thirty-seventh parallels. 1t flows q the north
Of west, and along the valley which II has
helped to form there Is a wonderful view u
mountain scenery The valley IS unnaturaily
straight and the long ridges monotOnously regu-
lar and from favorable height near the foot
OF the glacier its whole length OF forty miles
more careful observation showed endless variety.
They were merely the buttrcsses Of long tvns-
verse mountain ranges the successive atten-
dants Of a nameless aristocracy Of peaks" And
beyond these peaks there were others higher
still and further away. This was the outlook
up the glacier to the eastward. Westward the
scene was the same in general and 1t was pos
sible TO the Hunza Mountains, almost the
outermost limit Of British influence From east
20 west mountain tops were In sight for a dis
lance Of ninety miles And II looked ninety
miles" remarked Mr. Conway: There was no
doubt nor mistake about the scale ~ the thing.
There was the glacier 10 measure by in one dIrcc-
ton; In the other the mountains were well known
70 us; we had seen them from close at hand
and learned 10 wonder at the grandeur Of each
alone. After long gazing al the whole view the
eye finally rested upon the glacier-so vast a
thing-so much vaster than any glacier ever
Imagined. It's last twenty miles are entirely
stone-covered. so that the nearest white Ice was
far away The whole surface looked level and
there were no Ice falls 10 be surnounted Many
tributary glaciers swept round corners 70 toin
the main stream, but they appeared neither 10
add to its volume nor 70 disturb It's tranaullItv
There was nowhere any visible trace Of M. or
man. 1t was a glimpse into a world that knows
"i' "o'' bidHu SDI'Hln, unuttcrdDlY lonely
such under the soft gray light. the great IIispar
glacier revealed Itself"
The ancient dispute. renewed by every dobat-
Ing society," as 10 whether there can be sound
where there IL no hear it, receives a curi-
Gus practical answer in these Infinite recesses Of
the mountains Above a great glacier there was
continual disturbance Of some kind, now in one
place and again in another. Clouds Of snow and
dust showed whore an avalanche was I'm motion
the heap Of snow and ice and rocks might be
miles In area. and IL might fall thousands Of
feet Yet at certain distance its descent would
field on which Natures forces were at work was
so enormous that sound could only now and
then testify to the results. Long before Mr.. Con-
way and his party reached the IIspar Glacier
they travelled through the Western valleys from
the Hunza Mountains. While the author was tx
aiming the Bualar Glacier which lies near the
valleys Inhabited by the Nagyr nountalnccrs
he suddenly observed that the whole chasm be-
tween the ridges. spacious as IL IT, was filled with
dense cloud which was carried away by the
wind almost as soon as II appeared. 1T was a
dust cloud. caused by some great stone avalanche
fallen I'm the recesses OF the hills" but not ;he
faintest echo reached the OF those who saw
these signs OF catastrophe. Yet. near at hand.
IL. within the limits OF a
march that might be several hours in length-the
roar Of these missives from peak TO valley was