Evening star., 1900-11-22
A NOTED MOUNTAIN CLIMBER.
Edward Whymper Tells of Some o
His Thrilling Experiences.

From the New York Sun.
Edward Whymper, the distinguished
mountain climber, who was a member of
the first party which reached the summit
Of the Matterhorn in 1865, and who later
achieved renown by climbing Chimborazo
in Ecuador and attaining a height of 2D.-
500 feet, feat unparalleled at the time
and which has been eQualed by few persons
since, lectured last night at Mendelssohn
Hall under the auspices of the American
Geographical Society. Mr.. Whymper, who
is an Englishman, is on his first visit to
this country, and last night was his first
appearance IN New York. While here Mr..
Whymper is going to spend a few days in
British Columbia looking over the noun
tains there and may do little climbing If
the weather is favorable. This in spite of
the fact that he is now sixty years old and
has done no great climbing for six or seven
years.
Mr.. Whymper, who, when only twenty
one years Of age, astonished the world by
the boldness and success Of his mountain
climbing, is particularly robust and his
feet, he says. have still the steadiness
which enabled him to scale the Matterhorn
and return alive, after four of his COM
panions, including Lord Francis Doug. as,
had lost their lives by the breaking of the
rope. Mr.. Whymper is a little above the
average in weight, and one would hardly
credit him with possessing the agility need
ed to navigate mountain peaks. On his
climb Mr.. Whymper has always carried a
camera, and his lecture last night was
plentifully illustrated by the stereopticpn,
some of the pictures shown having been
taken at points as high as 10000 feet above
sea level. Mr.. Whymper's talk last night
was more particularly on his explorations
among the Andes, in the course of which
he attained his greatest height. that of 90
800 feet. This was in 1885. Before relating
that part Of his adventures, however. he
told Of the earlier attempts of noun a. n
climbing and the different ascents of Mt.
Blanc. The different Alpine societies form
ed since 1853, he said, now had more than
100000 members, which he thought was an
evidence of the popularity mountain c.imo-
ing had attained. Mr. Whymper said the
equipment now in addition to the proper
shoes was an ice axe and a quantity of
half-inch manila rope. Most persons gener-
ally wore a covering for the eyes, too, he
said. In very difficult rock work, he said.
1t was the custom to use what is called
fixed rope in addition to that to which all
are tied. The fixed rope is fastened to
rocks and taken up at intervals. The one
indispensable thing, however. for the noun
taneer to cultivate was the art of keeping
on. his legs, and to illustrate this, pictures
were thrown on the screen showing guides
standing on single rock with precipice
behind them.
Mr.. &Nhymper gave thrilling description
of the manner in which Lord Douglas and
three OtherS OF the Matternorn party lOSt
their lives just after the descent was be-
gun. When the first one lost his footing he
with guide held on jagged rock and the
rope broke with the weight Of the fourth
man, leaving them in safety. 1.-The acci-
dent said Mr.. Whymper, "ought not to
have happened and 1 have always laid 1t
to division Of responsibility due to the
fact that there was no authorized leader:
I think it probable that all the mountains
in the world could be conquered with proper
expenditure of time, trouble and labor but
for one thing, which nature has made so far
an insurmountable obstacle. That is the
mountain sickness resulting as one alta MS
high attitudes. This sickness is peculiar
one, and long ago l decided it was worthy
OF careful investigation 1 determined to
find out whether it's effects were perma-
nent, and where it first became observed.
Up to that time it had never been learned
whether cures could be effected by aging
on the spot. and persons. when seized by it,
had invariably descended. That was the
only cure then known. 1t was my desire to
Investigate this which led me to undertake
ascended in 1903 to a height of 5000 feet.
When we arrived at the second camp at an
altitude of 16,6OO feet the sickness had
seized all of the party The symptoms
were fever, intense headaches and terri
BILE craving for drink, which we were un-
able to satisfy. One Of the peculiar things
about the trouble was the inability to talk,
as one is constantly gulping like a fish. At
this altitude our pipes refused to burn.
This condition Of affairs lasted night and
day. When the intensity of the symptoms
diminished two days later. we went up
higher and pitched our camp at an altitude
of 1890 feet. Then the feverishness and
the gulping disappeared, although most of
us still felt lfeless Two days later. how
ever, we were able to move and finally
reached the summit; the barometer showed
141 inches pressure, denoting an altitude Of
20, 800 feet.