Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-21

The three mountains that nearest approa CHI
1t in height have seen at comparatively
short distances. The technical difficulties
they present appear to me to be very great.
IF these four mountains are ever con-
quered It will only be by hardy, bold. thor
oughly trained mountaineers, provided with
means Of transport superior to any now OBJ
tainable, after prolonged seges. during
which they will have TO meet and overcome
not only the physical obstacles presented by
the peaks themselves, but also those offered
by altitude, heat cold, snow, wind and
weather which will become more accen-
tuated the higher they climb.
One or more OF the best trained noun
taineers, excelling in physical strength and
with unusual capacity for resisting the en-
feebling effects of rarifled air at very high
attitudes might possibly, under the most
favorable conditions of weather and snow,
be able to reach the top of Mount Everest.
But these mountaineers cannot go alone
among these mountains. They must have
coolies to carry their camp equipment and
the base camp must be very high, or there
is no hope OF reaching the top. Coolies I'M
fortunately soon become discouraged and
cannot be forced up to the point necessary
to the attainment Of the mountaineer's am
biton.
If I could have placed my camp on
Pyramid peak at p 900 to 1000 feet there Is
little doubt that should have reached the
top on the next day. for it was MINDLESS
and the finest day Of the summer. But
could not induce the coolies. even with Of
fers of twelve times their usual wages, to
carry the camp to that altitude.
When and my two assistants mad
reached height OF 1884 feet we did not for
moment entertain the idea Of attempting
to reach the summit, some 100 feet higher
This, under the circumstances, would have
been foolhardy undertaking. 1t is prob
I able we might in the course of the after
noon have reached the top. but the peak
would have been our mausoleum for we
could not have regained camp that night,
and night in the open at that altitude
/ would have meant certain death from cold
to say nothing Of the danger from fatigue.
i have grave doubts that any party could
| stand the rarefaction OF air above the eleva-
! tions now attained. We found the difficulty
greatest when we went TO bed in our camp.
AS soon as we began 20 doze the respira-
tory movements diminished in number and
force. the tissues did not get enough oxy-
! gen, and we would awaken with a start,
gasping for breath. At these attitudes a
person can breathe better when sitting or
standing than when lying down. We could
! not get sleep enough. The fact that the
whole party was kept awake by want Of
breath while trying to sleep at 10, S5s feet
points to the possibility that in case Of an
attempt upon one Of the highest SUBMITS.
/ If camps could be established at heights of
1900 feet 10 5000 feet and above, as they
would have 10 be, sleep might be entirely
prevented or interfered with by deficient
| oxygenation OF the blood TO such an extent
/ that a party would be incapacitated from
this cause alone from going any higher.
"Himalayan mountaineering. however. is
| vet In its infancy. The work accomplished
up 10 this time must be regarded as pioneer
work done in spite Of many obstacles some
| OF which may in the future be eliminated. -