Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-05-22

ties havS determined to make the effort
during The Coming summer, the one di-
rected BIZ MI, Henry G. Bryant. vice pres
ident of the Geographical Society of Phiia-
delphia, and The successful explorer Of the
Grand Falls Of Labrador, and the other
conducted by Fittorio Sela. probably the
most eminent of landscape photographers
That the lWof3d has yet seen, and Prince
Luigi ofTSayby, Duke of AbruZzi, with
retinue or some of the most experienced of
Alpine guides.
The expedition under the direction of Mr.
Bryant ncntemplates the scientific exami-
nation Of, the, St, Elias region. central to
which are the ascent of the giant noun
tain, the, deteEminatiop; of its geological.
geological and botanical features. and the
examination of the claims of Mt. Logan
ESTIMATED to be 10, 800 feet in height) to be
the loftiest summit of all North America
Mt. Logan is distinctly on British terri
tory. but the valuation of its altitude is de-
termined from measurements of Prof
Israel c. Russell, calculat ted in the bureau
OF the United States coast survey.
Ascending St. Elias.
The attack on Mt. st. Elias it is ex-
pected. will be made from the side of the
Malaspina glacier, to which a seemingly
most accessible face is turned. Mr. Bry-
ant will be accompanied by Mr.. Samuel ].
Entriken. who was associated with the
Ae1lprin-Peary relief expedition of 1892
and subsequently. 1884. with Mr. Peary
ana special topographer from the United
States service at Washington Three or four
additional aids will be taken up on the
California side. one of whom served as
special guide to the Russell party in 1888
The elevation of Mt. st. Elias, as re-
Gently determined by Prof. Israel C. Rus
sell. Is about 300 feet, or nearly 1.5OO
feet lower than was assumed from the ear
lier measurements made by officers Of the
united states coast survey. The noun
tam. consequently, lacks between three
quarters of a mile and a mile of the aIti-
tude OF Aconcagua and the Pioneer peak.
But IT has factor in its construction
which Will tend largely to increase the
difhcultfes In the way Of its ascent This
Is the enormous development of its SNOW
covering, Whlcn mas greater vertical ex-
tension than Is known on any other noun
tam, extending continuously from about
the level Of 1000 feet to the summit mr.
through an interval of 10000 feet. It is
a eaS sod e no, winch VIII tax the best en-
elgles OF the mountaineer, and call out a
resource winch perhaps no previous noun
tain exploration has done,
Knowledge of n Mountain.
Notnlng SO convincingly demonstrates for
successful mountain work the need of that
particular knowledge Of a mountain which
Is held by and is seemingly Unborn with
the class Of men known as the Swiss
guides than just these very successes at.
tanned by them. Whymper, in his remark.
ably rapid ascents of the equatorial Andes
Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, etc.-had the sery-
ices of the famous Alpine guide. Jean-An-
tome Carrel: Hans Meyer in his ascent Of
khima, marc. relied upon the resources of
ritb cine ea +hs conway took Zurbrggen
gerald Is essaying the services of the same
mountameer IN the Argentinian and Chile
an Andes What. 1t may be asked, is the
special knowledge Of a mountain that these
Alpinists possess-a knowledge that nerrnits
itself to be applied from the mountains of
one part Of the world to those removed
thousands OF miles away? To the mex
perienced. mountain faces look largely
alike. and they seemingly present few fea-
lures of contour or structure that are mot
within the grasp of the lay student, In
reanty, A1Weyer: they are very complex,
wants Of the tmountaineer il success in an
| effort and avoidance of danger are prime
eona,dera ratio with him TO be able to
| follow wynn tne eye an available ridge or
| crest, to know where and how imnend;no
| crags ana cofnfces can be circumvented
TO have certain knowledge of position OF
staple and unstable SHOWS. of the positions
| are likely to1imperil the traveller of the
| hrmness Hor insecurity of Ice bridges. etc
these are some of the details Of mountain
| STUDY when can only be acquired after
L
perience: and not least important add.
ton to this knowledge is that which DER.
tains to ferecasting the weather to know
the signs OF approaching storm, of those
SWIFT changes OF temperature and all
movements which are the fnheritance M
the mountain world.
Treacherous Shows.
Every mountain that rises well into the
domain Of perpetual Ice has its accumula.
tons Of hard lying and soft lying or NOV.
able SHOWS The former are usually a safe
II not always agreeable, route Of travel
but IN the latter the mountaineer en-.
counters particular dangers which are fire.
quently not readily appreclable on theiI
face. The avalanche has proved itself t.
be an unremitting foe to the mountaineer
and its death-dealing work continues from
year to year. despite all efforts that arr
made to avoid its presence. 1t Is an ex.
ceedingly small and insignificant efIort
that calls Il into. existence. which frequent
ly bafiies the experience Of the most az
perienced to give 1t wide BERTH It 1,
well known that the discharge Of gun