The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-22
MISS PECK own ACCOUNT.

MISS PECK S own ACCOUNT.
ZERMATT. Switzerland, Aug. Y.-We
reached the summit OF the Matterhorn today
in six hours from the nut. There were no
mishaps; the weather was fine and clear and
the view on all sides superb. Nothing W as
wanting. The Mont Blanc range stood out
clear and massive TO the west Nothward,
the Bermese Oberland, with its its serried
peaks presented picture OF surprising
beauty. The Weisshorn in the foreground,
with what might be imagined as troop OF
peaks fn-ifne behind -IHHgffet- cutting
the horizon pure and white and noble. fit-
ting warder 10 such a noble band.
One could hardly resist imparting person
ality 20 peaks so grand, so individual "a these
Switzer battlemeuts, and nowhere but from
the Matterhorn on one OF its rare, clear days,
can one realize the picture 70 the life. small
wonder that Whymper and Iyndall and
Giordano pinned and struggled for long years
TO reach this coign of vantage. The gentle
srt OF mountain climbing has no nobler re-
ward. To conquer the rugged decSivity ana
then 70 look about on fair and smiling cre-
atom where the eye Is tilled for once. There
may be higher peaks, but Tor wide ana va
ried outlook, the Matterhorn sfs pre-eminent.
To complete the cycle of Wow one could
speak OF tine great mass Of Monte Rosa 70 the
eastward and the sunny slopes of the Vaidi
Aosta 10 the south, but even the details OF
any view would each be aggregated beauties.
upon which. If one had time. the eye would
delight TO linger in rapt analysis.
All too soon comes the warning voice OF
the guide that the day is waning, and that
no man. and least of all. woman, may dare
the perils of the Matterhorn in the night. Its
arretes, ice slopes and crags must be labori-
ously retraced, and when the glacier below is
reached there is more than thankfulness for
dangers passed. There is glorious memory
TO be treasured forever, of glimpse at Ma
" ''' '''' S' s ANNIE S. PECK.
Miss Peck's record rs mountain
climber is remarkable one. During her
course as a student az the American Col
lege of Archaeology at Athens she went
to the tops of Hymettus and Pentelicus.
Since then she has been the Is, 600 feet 10
the summit OF Mount Shasta riding the
first 1000 feet TO the snow line and climb
ing the rest of the way. She has also
reached the crest of Clouds Rest peak in
the Yosemite Valley, climbed TO the sum
nit of Mount Washington and ascended
and crossed the northernmost peaks OF
the Presidential Range in the White
Mountains alone.
the top OF Gross Glockner, II, 400 feet, in
the Tyrolean Mountains, and 10 days
later ascended Monte Cristello.
DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS OF THE
MATTERHoRN.
The Matterhorn is one of the border
peaks between Italy and switzerland,
and is nearly midway of the Alps, at
least of the higher class of peaks. IL Is
admirably situated from scenic stand
punt, u fndlCultSS view vi III
the higher Alps.
Extreme changes in temperature be-
tween night and day, the successive melt
ing and freezing of the snow disrupt the
rocks, bringing down showers OF bowl
ders on the climber who would dare its
heights. The routes to the summit,
therefore, are very few. confined TO the
crest of two or three ridges leading W
the side of the mountain. The path has
nearly every pitfall known ia the climb
ing OF the mountains, ana some OF them
! in their most aggravated form. After
climbing up the rugged, but more ol
less safe, foot hills of the peak, the trav'
eler reaches the summit of an enormous
"col, around the verge of which the
! climbers must walk for nearly half 9
mile, as IL on the ridge pole OF house
/ with steep pitch on one side going 3OOI
! feet down and on the other side nearly
/ 90, but at somewhat safer angle. a
! misstep here means a fall OF nearly halt {
; imlc.
! The peak proper is then entered upon,
/ and the climber has no more than stlt
crock work. for a time till he reache:
! the chimney" an almost perpendicular
/ climb of 80 feet through an ice-linec
trough, down which big and little bowl
ders have pleasant way of shooting nov
and then. A little further up comes thu
"corner," place where one ridge end
4 dN an dbuAAAbb SHOulitT u IbNhf hipuhN
which the climbers must work their wa,
the best they can to an ascending ridg'
on the other side. From that up TO TIT
summit is steep and icy climbing over
rock foundation, which, from the dis
indignation due to frost, is never fount
| twice alike as regards n footing. Th
hut spoken OF IN Miss Peck's dispatcl
is rough structure, percheC ON shel
OF rock at height of about 1l,OOO feet.
The first successful ascent was made n
1865 by an explorer named Mhymper
I'm 1871 Miss Brevoort of New York di'
the same thing and she was followed b.
Miss lCArrel. daughter of the famous gnid
and mountaincer of Breil.
Miss Peck is the sister OF DIR. GeoSg
IL. Peck OF North Main street, and OF Mr.
William r. Peck, teacher i'm the Provi
| dence High School. She Is a graduate o
Michigan University. has been profcsso
OF Latin at Smith College and Is al
acknowledged authority On the subject Q
archaeology.