The sun., 1896-01-26
FATAL MOUNTAINEERING.
NOW AN ENGLIsHMIN LOST HIS
LIFE IN TIE HIMaEATAS.
The Experience or Party on nm Uncon.
auernbIe Penk-Two Days and One Night
Ascending . 900 Ecot-A Fatal Avalanche

The Experience OF n Party nm Uucon.
auernbie Penk-Two Days and Ono Night
Ascending 5000 Fcot-A Fatal Avalanche
IRON TIE London Times.
Details have been received respecting tho cx-
petition 10 explore tho Manga Parbat region of
tho Hmnlaya Mountains, which ended so disas-
trously in tho death Of its leader, Mr.. A. +.
Mummcry. In addition to that wcll-known
monntaineer, the party consisted OF Mr. Gcof-
frey Hastings and DR.. Norman Collie, members
OF the Alpine Club. They arrived ut bombay
early in July, pressed rapidly through Kashmir
to Astor, and built their main camp few days
journey beyond that place on the south side Of
Manga Farbat, at an elevation of 5000 feet.
The party was there Joined by capt. the Hon. &.
& Bruce OF tho Fifth Gurkhas, who brought
with him Rugbnir nnd CONAN Singh from his
regiment These were excellent companions
md splendid climbers while their conduct
throughout was characteristic OF tho courage
and fidelity N their race.
some weeks were spent in the explorations OF
notwithstanding tho great difficulties ti,cy en-.
coun,,red. good work was accomplished. Tho
surrounding country was totally uniuhabited
and uncultlvated. rendering tho supply OF
necessary provisions matter of thr utmost
difficulty. Tho heat OF the sun aud tho rare
faction OF tho n,r at tho erentcr height wore
soon became acclhnatizcd, aud about the
middle ,,G ot Anrnst ,N an attempt to climb
made from tho DiarmHTai Valley. Sir.
Mnmmcry,s plan was to build a series
where provisions could he deposited and shcltor
found, For this purposes light silk tent. ,woigh-
and this he ultimately carried to n height OF
10000 feet. Az the time he attempt was made,
blistcrcd foot, was absent at Astor obtaining
p supplies So 9i 9 provision; put AS tho weather.
Of ing M un M il !" was asa Decided eide that Mr Num-
merry. DR.. Collie, md n Gurkha should start
On reaching a height Of $4,000 feet. DIR. Collie
WAS taken III and had 10 return leaving Num-
merry and the Gurkha TO proc,e ed. Tho nature
and it was only bv dint of that energy and deter-
minntlon which Mumm"ry possessed in SO ex-
traoidinnry degree thn, way, was forced to
hrght Of 10000 feet. On reaching this elcvn.
ton the Gurkha was a!sn taken III. and was ,in-
able To go any further. No alternative was,
therefore, eft but to descend. Mummery was
greatly disappointed. ~ he felt that had ho
upon tlo face OF the mountain he would have
had better chance OF reaching the summit
OF the ascent may be guessed whrn it is stated
that it took Mummery and the Gurkhn (who
rate Swiss guide, two days and n night to climb
from l3,ooo feet to 10000 feet, an ascent OF
This attempt upon one of the highest and steep
est mountains in tho world. though it d,d not ac-
tun!ly succeed. WAS certainly one of Munmery's
greatest mountaineering feats. After this ak
attempts to climb the main peak from that val.
lev were abandoned, and 1t was decided to move
ern side OF the range In the hope that, perhaps,
fsom there better route up the peak might be
Mr. Hastings and Dr.. tollic should take the
baggage and the coolies round by valley route,
explore what, appeared to bo an easy glacier
pass. ana join his friends upon the other
sNolld MummSry 'encoHnter my diiicuity ;,S
at the further end of the pass, he should como
FOR use in the event Of his return. Mr !" Mum. i'm.
mcry much preferred to cross tho pass and cX-
rny %lS nt %Fon an %t @ hDl dG ya wn'n
us nmy previous traveller. To the alternative OF
going rouud with the others by the uuinterest-
ing valley route Tho glacier to be crossed. so
far as could be seen, presented greater DIM
cult!Gs than an ordinary Alpine pass. and. the
weather being fine. there was no reason why
this u.an should not be adopted But il was
here that the life Of the distinguished noun
taineer and explorer was lost.
In accordance with the arrangement made,
MIR hastings and DIR. Collie left with the bag
gag" on Aug. %. aud duly reached their desti-
Gurkhas started the same way UP the main
SILK tent. With rations for two days. and they
should have arrived at the appointed place at
mn"n IT. ne me- sM" tms @ NJ ms ,GT @thsrs ETnmin , I
sido Of the p.ss Was bounded by the great
ps peak * Of T Nearly @ $.ooo % feet ct" summeTyy Tian
] was eSnScted Sn to n,vn have returned to his
taken by the OF hers. This would have. taken
several days. but when the coolies who had
alone it was evident that something had hap
pcncl. although at the time neither Mr.. Hast
that he had missed his way or was unwcll 1t
was. therefore, determined that, as br Colio
had to start at once for England. Mr.. Hastings
should go back with provisions to he valley
where Mumncry was last seen. while pr. Collie
arS Lack i" i" M H'o Tom Ws MSm-
mcry had started. There everything was found
ju,t MS II lad been left, with the reserve found
/, was now certain that an accident had oc-
Garred an4, though from the lapse Of time, all
doucd, every effort was made To discover his
BODY, 4 breakup Of the weather with heavy
iIIgS 10 do anything further BY himself. though
even had the weather remained fine he could
were unable to follow him upon tho glacier. MIR.
Hastings, Therefore, TO inform Dr. collie oiwhat
graph by forced marches up the Indus Valley.
undergoing great privations by the way. DR.. Col
lie, on hearing the news, immediately abandoned
hIs iutcnttom OF returning to lnglnnd, and
expeditions. The greatest kindness and courtesy
were shown by the authorities. The best hunt
crs and natives in the district, to tho number OF
iop,y or more, We're sent through the valleys
and nullAhs of the district in several search
turned to the Indus Vnrywth the intention Of
pass. If It we're at al! possible To do So, The
II, sn.Te absence Of population and iEe rough and
one OF great difficulty; No food could be ob-
tanned on III. way. and everything had to be
On arriving after seven days Of incessant
,rayr! near The place from which Mummery
IltiI tNE!l'll. iItS ltNlu liiHt lht HcHNy SIDW-
tal; IN "d alton TO "b!tcrnting ali traces had
mplc IL absolutely impossible to even reach the
camp from " niGl Numucry had started tor the
pass, All chance Of lullowu. upon Ia 5 steps
lad. therefore. gone With sJmc GitllCulty they
fTS il 4SsSnf w "SThsTr9s Of hs c5S nli Es
obtgincd and nuln".uus uhutugrnlhs were
taken. 1t .h'n Appeared that the Iass wRs lia-
bic TO BE- swept by nva!unchcs which at tho
point whence they started we're hidden from
ihr view Of any one below. The pass itself
was II narrow valley, walled in by cliff on the
south s.G" which were dominated by
huge Slopes Of ice and snow. From the
valley Tie slopes were marked by pro-
jcct'ng lower ellis. aud IL would probably
be- mpuss BE for any on, even in tie very centre
OF the valley to see the nature of th" heights
ahuNr. - harrow indeed wa, the valley that
any large avalanche falling from Sr"nt height
and VIII. great velocity might s"cep right
across IT from side to sac. bury.ug everything
IN its track. During the time MIR, Hastings and
Dr. Collie were there. several aNAianchcs came
down. These were, no doubt, caused by hb
recent fall, Of snow, aud probably ut the lime
MUmWrrN was on the pass no prcI ipus GEn-
lulIChc had d.. -cculrd to warn him Uf his dan