Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16


cessfully In many parts OF the city.
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Trials of Woman Mountain CIfubar
Miss Annie Peck who climbs mountains
Tor fun and who has probably been higher
up in the world than any other American
woman, is back in New York from Peru
acknowledging herself repulsed. but not
beaten by the peak Huascan. Twice she
attempted to reach the summit Of this.
the loftiest OF the Andes, and twice she
failed. She says she will try again.
TO climb this unexplored volcanic peak
which bears the name Of one Of the meas
OF the ancient Peruvian empire, relates
the New York Sun, has been the ambition
OF Miss Peck since she made her first
Trip through the Andes several years ago.
Last May she left New York determined to
place little silk American flag on the
summit OF the patriarch OF the Andes.
With an outfit chosen through her ex-
perience as a mountain climber. Miss Peel,
made her way into the Hiatus valley. which
lies at the foot Of one OF Huascan's spurs.
Choosing two South Americans to act as
guides and five Indians as porters the
young woman set out In the early part OF
july TO climb the more than 1000 feet TO
the summit Of the cone.
Miss Peck began TO realize the frailties
OF mere man before the first 5000 feet were
achieved One of the South Americana
she had selected to accompany her was
crazy-just crazy, as Miss Peck puts IT.
and the other was a coward. When the
party found themselves far up in the will
derness Of snow and glacial ice the man
who was u coward quit without shame.
The woman and the six remaining men
pushed on up the white flank of the noun-
tain troubles came I'm assorted lots
The snow blindness began to AFFECT the
indians. Food ran short. The crazy man
lost the barometer. At last the Indians
struck.
On the third day Of the climbing, when
1900 feet had been scaled, the Indians de.
manded three times the amount Of nav
Miss Peck had promised them. She refused
and then all FIVE Of the porters began 10
take the downward path in long strides.
The one woman there alone with the crazy
Peruvian citizen In the cloud Of waste
called the Indians back and agreed to their
terms.
The upward march was again commenced
but before an hour he'd passed Miss Peck
thought she discovered the cause for the
Indians belligerency. Six quarts OF raw
alcohol brought along for the purpose OF
heating the canned food had been absorbed
by the five Indians during the progress up
the mountain. Raw alcohol at the elevation
OF 1900 feet began to have an effect
There were devils in the air the Indians
said' and If they gained the summit. where
no man had ever set foot and where the
spirit or Huascan slept, they would all be
turned TO stone
The woman gave Il up She could not
80 on alone and her porters refused 10 20
on with her. Back down the mountain
the party took its way
In August the American woman surprised
the natives about the village OF YunRay
AT the foot Of Huascan by announcing that
she was going TO go up the mountain again.
rms time she chose new porteTs and she
took double precautions against their fail
Ing her In making her choice.
But all Indians in South America are
alike, Gays Miss Peck; they are all lust as
bad as the worst Of them. The second
trip ended like the first, IN failure. The
porters were lazy, supersutious and sullen.
Each insisted In eating as much as three
men and they were prone to lie absd late
In the mornings. To complicate things the
snow was very dangerous and there wers
some places that had TO be crossed that
/ would have tried the courage Of a better
man than an Indian. After 1900 feet had
been climbed Miss Peck again Tave il nm
and came down the mountain beaten.
Il hope 20 climb that mountain before
give up" she said. Il believe 1 will
II Is not absolutely unsoslabIe, but
will have to get better guides and portsrs
than had. With Swiss can 10 IL"
.
An Ada Eden.
An Adamless Eden IN Texas ia the dream
OF Mary F. Hayden, the Chicago novelist
who Is arranEing 70 establish a colony OF
loo women IN RefugiO county Texas. She
mas acquired title 10 5000 acres and is at
work on the plans for her colony.
woman colonists may have husbands II
that condition cannot be avoided. but the
males must he a mar. ,,ot,h - .,,