Washington sentinel., 1898-11-19

the Flood, Ararat has been one OF
the most famous mountains in the
world, oil which the ancientS be-
lieyed it TO be the centre. Its rep
utation tor inaccessibility rather
surprises one, for 1t does not-at
least seen from the northern side
look as sharp as the Matterhorn,
or, though it is in reality, as lofty
as Mont Blanc, perhaps because
OF the much greater height Of the
snowline in summer. The finest
view 1 obtained OF it was from the
road above Erivan. Immediately
at ones feet lies the city, with all
it's Oriental picturesqueness oil
mud houses peeping out OF masses
OF rich gardens; beyond it stretches
some thirty miles oil plain, broken
uD by patches Of trees, and from
this foreground the huge noun.
tain towers up in the air. great,
dark cone tipped with the whitest
snow. On one side it is connected
with a low, bleak range; on the
other, or rather part Of Ararat IT.
sell, is Little Ararat, dwarfed by
its brother, and free from snow in
midsummer, yet a sharp, stately
cone, rising to nearly thirteen
thousand feet above the sea level.
In the saddle between the two,
at a camp called Sedar Bulakh,
about three hundred soldiers are
stationed during the summer to
escape the heat Of the land below
and to keep in some sort Of order
the bands OF wandering Kurds.
We proceed slowly enough,
with very frequent rests, the delay
coming from the guide, who early
became exhausted and complained
Of age and illness. AT about halt
past four we reached a spot where
there was a general desire to camp.
The Kurds naturally wanted to
stop as soon as possible the soldiers
thought it would be cold higher
up, and the guide was tired out.
On the other hand, it seemed ab-
surd to halt when there was still
so much daylight, and when it was
desirable to get we'll ahead for the
morrow. As means OF cutting
short discussion, | started on, fol-
lowed with more or less willing
ness by the rest OF the troop; and
though we did not go much fur
ther, even a little was a decided
gain. The place where we did
camp was respectfully smooth. and
the night, owing to the fortunate
absence of the wind, was not as
cold as we had supposed il would
be. The party, therefore, slept
we'll; only the guide tossed and
tumbled about, groaning with
teYer, and keeping me, his next
neighbor, uncomiortably awake.
Luckily | had 9uinine with me,
and, after filling him up with il,
told him next day to remain be
hind with the Kurds and with one
soldier, also fever stricken.
We did not get away until 5 a.
m, but then moved steadily and
fast, keeping on the ledge ofrocks
that borders the snow, and stop
ping with increasing frequency
only from fatigue and want Of
breath. To a veteran Alpine
climber it might perhaps have been
child's play; there was nothing
perilous, nothing really difficult
about it; il was only a persistent
scramble upwards. To a tourist
Of sedentary habits it was, at least,
exhausting, as the way was very
steep, and the raTefed air made
one lose ones breath easily, be-
sides causing headache. Spiked
shoes and good alpenstock, in
stead Of a birch stick with a
sharpened end, would haze been
considerable help. On we pushed,
every man for himself, wasting
our strength in amateur fashion,
but making such continuous
progress that, in Just about four
hours and half, the first three Of
US, not many minutes a5art,
reached the summit, which con-
sists of two cones one a few feet
higher than the other, and by ten
o'clock all fourteen were as
sembled on the top Of the snow.
There are two ways in which
one can take the view that spread
below US, for we were fortunate in
our weather, and had time enough
to get good look before a cloud
closed in on US. One can survey
the empires oil Russia with its
great present and future, Turkey
and Persia with their great pasts;
one can repeat that the thin stream
beneath is the ancient Araxes, one
can think OF the exploits Of famous
conquerors, the cradles OF former
civilizations, and OF Noah's Ark
the scene IS one that appeals
strongly to the imagination. From
what we might call the photo
grapher's standpoint, it is less sat
isfactory. On every side lie un-
lovely plains, relieved only occa-
sionallV by little water or a patch
of green; beyond them are high,
dull mountains, all with the same
barren, scorched look save for
few 1istant snow peaks. Perhaps
at a season or on a day when there
is no heat mist dimming the land
scape, the prospect may be more
attractive. Somehow, with all its
historical associations, it did not
tempt me to linger very long in the
glare, but made me willing to join
the soldiers in partaking OF refresh
ments, or investigating the box
with the names Of previous visitors.
And yet, though the view left only
a blurred outline in the memory,
-.nAL.--.- L. L = L i