The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-09-11
MISS PECK CLIMBS SORATA.
First to Ascend Highest Peak in the
Andes-Great Danger Attends the
Wonderful Feat.
New York WORLDLY

n. NJ, september e.
Miss Annie S. Peck, of New York, has
accomplished the feat of ascending
Mount Sorata in Bolivia, the highest
peak in the Andes. Every previous
attempt by mountain climbers of repu-
tation to scale the face of this peak
has resulted in failure.
1t is the first time the summit, esti-
mated to be more than $4,000 feet above
the level of the sea, has ever been
reached. Miss Peak made her success
full ascent accompanied by Prof. w. CT.
Tight, presiden of the University of
New Mexico, n two Swiss guides
who We're specially engaged to aid her
in the climb.
Miss Peck has an international repu-
tation as a mountain climber, being
one of the only three women who have
ever reached the summit of the Matter
horn. She has made a successful as
cent of the Jungfrau and the only wo-
man that ever climbed the Flunffinger
Spite, the most dangerous rock climb
in all Europe. where a slip from a two
inch rock ledge meant a sheer fall of
1000 feet.
Miss Peck was anxious to Guido all
mountain climbers and finally selected
Mount Sorata. She sailed on the Pana-
ma steamship Seguranea from New
York ON Jun 18th.
81 will succeed or 1 will never. come
back" Miss Peck told her friends when
she left New York.
GREAT DANGER.
The expedition was one of great dan
ger. Miss Peck fully appreciated this
and procured for her guides Maquignaz
n LAUDER. They were with Sir Mar
tin Conway when he made the unsuc-
cessful attempt to scale Mount Sorata
n almost lost his life.
The party went directly from New
York to Molendo, Peru, from which
place they went by horses to Arequipa,
which is $4,000 feet above sea level. 1t is
at this point the Harvard observatory
is located. From there the party went
at the base of Mount Sorata. Miss
Peck planned to climb many of the
minor peaks before attempting Mount
Sorata. to accustom herself and her
party to the atmosphere.
Mount Sorata presented almost in
su~rmountable obstacles. AS it had
never been assembled there were no
guides. no paths or routes up it's steep
slopes and no shelters.
The air at the summit Is so rarifed
that Miss Peck's party carried rubber
tanks filled with oXygen to breathe
during the last part Of the ascent.
Scientists say it is placing life in a
delicate balance to venture $1,000 feet
above the sea level.
Miss Peck tool with her a magni-
ficent suit of Esquimau furs brought
to her by Lieutenant Peary. the Arctic
explorer. In explaining her plans be-
Tore starting, she said:
PROF. Tight, the two guides and my
self will constitute the party. Each
will e the rubber bags Of oxygen
as a soldier wears his blanket. DIR.
Tight will make the gas as it is need
ed. For provisions we will depend on
parched maize and native wine, desic-
Gated foods and the staple marching
food Of the German army. erbWurst.
DEPENDS ON LUCK.
THE ascent and descent, if We are
mighty lucky, may be made in ten days.
If we are not lucky we may never re-
turn. 1t may take US a month OF six
weeks to climb up. 1t all depends on
the weather.
Our greatest dangers are from freeZ-
ing in the rare air which nay burst our
blood vessels, and falls into c~revasses
or on the rocks.
II have climbed every mountain peak
or Importance in this country and Eur
rope. but 1 am convinced Mount Sorata.
Will be the worst. But If l am success
full, we'll. then. 1 shall have accom-
pltshed something no n else has ever
done.
"Popocatapti and Orizaba, the volca-
noes Of Mexico, l climbed as a special
representative of The World. and they
were hard propositions. They ave all
seasoned me for the one great effort Of
my life, to scale Mount Sorata."
Miss Peck, in addition TO gratifying
her own ambition by making the sue
cessful ascent. expected to add ma
terial to the meteorological. geological.
geographical. Typographical. nhysiolog-
ical n archaeological knowledge. The
party left fully equipped with scientific
instruments in the use Of which both
Miss Peck and DR.. Tight are proficient.
Miss Peck in all her mountain climb
ing discards skirts. She wears knicker
bockers or loose boomers. She is well
on toward middle g Inc was former
ly professor Of Greek and archaeology