The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-21
HIGH MOUNTAIN CLIuBING.
Tho Earth's TAllest Pinnacle May Yet
he Reached.


Three years ago one OF the leading noun
taineers OF Europe espresso 4 the opinion that
the limits Of high accents had about been
reached. He did not believe the human
animal could stand UP and work in the in
creasing rarefaction OF the air above an
elevation OF % 900 feet He had no idea that
man would ever stand on the summit OF
Mount Everest, the eliminating point OF
the earth, 20, 900 feet above sea level,
Since then large amount OF fresh en-
perience has been collected as to the effects
Of altitude on the human frame. Critics
would hardly presume to-day to question
the veracity of W. W. Grahams claim that
in 1889 he reached a point within fifty
feet OF the summit OF Kabru (24,0l6) In tho
Himalayas simply because he did not suffer
from mountain sickness. Sir Martin Con-
way and others did not accept his statement
for the reason that neither he nor his oom-
panions experienced any Of the effects Of
diminished atmospheric pressure.
The incredulity freely expressed ten or
fifteen years ago as to the possibility OF
attaining such attitudes is now quite out
Of date. The British expedition that crossed
the Himalayss to Lhasa a year ago proved
that men may climb, carry loads on their
backs and even fight at an altitude Of 10000
feet and Col. Waddel SAYS In his book that
the Tibetans. fleeing before the advancing
army, crossed snow fields at an elevation OF
2s, 600 feet. When men carry on a military
campaign at heights nearly as great as bal
looms have attained, Mr.. Freshfield and other
famous climbers who assert that the top
most pinnacle Of the earth will yet be con-
4 Al1@ts
contention.
There is no longer any doubt that ex-
istence may be maintained at q height
greater than that Of Mount Everest 1t is
believed that Coxwell and Glaisher, in their
most famous balloon ascent, reached an
elevation OF about 80 900 feet. though they
claimed an altitude of $1,000 feet. Paul
Bert submitted himself in Paris to very low
atmospheric pressures during period OF
eighty-nine minutes, and for several min
utes he hreathed under q pressure about
the same as that which would be expe-
rienced on the top of Everest. There ia
danger undoubtedly in the rapid ascents
which aeronauts sometimes make to very
high attitudes In two hours Messrs Croce-
Spinell Sivel and Tissandier rose in bal
loon to height Of %, 900 feet, and for two
hours more they we're between that altitude
and IS, 900 feet with the result that two OF
them were suffocated and Tissandier was
the sole survivor.
But mountaneers usually take weeks to
reach the upper altitude, and they no longer
ascrbe most Of their ills to mountain sick
ness. The guide Zurbriggen. writing OF the
Last stretch on high Himalayan climb says
that the party was weakened, not by the
work OF the few previous hours, but by the
continued strain of the last three weeks.
Prof. Roy writes that fatigue or excitement
rather than the rarefaction of the air is the
ca,lse OF the quick pulse rate that is asso-
ciated with mountain sickness. Mr.. FRESH
field, writing last month. says that all recent
experience goes to confirm the fact that the
violent ndisposition often felt on reaching
heights of 1900 to 5000 feet tends to dis
appear on further advance after resting for
q short time.
The only good photograph ever made OF
Mount Everest was taken while ago by the
British in part OF Tibet which Europeans
had not visited for several generations.
The mighty mass snow covered and pier
cling the sky. has all the majesty OF great
mountain and all the grace and the light
ness we see in white cloud. There are
famous climbers who believe that Everest
may be conquered. and that when the time
for attack comes neither mountain sickness
nor rarefaction will be a serious impede
ment.