The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-19

Out. ole Was nearly SullOCdleu ITolIl lHc
rarity of the air. Her eyelids dropped in
overpowering sleep. The guides thought
she could go no further, and in truth her
bodily forces were practically exhausted;
but her will power remained, and making
a supreme effort she exclaimed, Promise
me that If die on the way you will carry
me to the top" and the guides, astounded
by her determination, could only reply,
"Oui, mademoiselle."
Fatigue Vanished.
The plucky lady arrived, however, in
due course, and once there all fatigue
vanished as If by magic. A quadrlle was
danced, and then the heroine was lifted
on the shoulders Of the tallest of her fol-
lowers, so that she might ascend higher
than Mont Blanc" Thus was accom-
plshed the first noteworthy Alpine climb
| by woman.
Very different were the expeditions at \
later date of the two Misses Pidgeon.
| They climbed from their youth up and be-
came so expert that either could. at a
pinch, act as a substitute for a guide who
| failed to do his business properly. On
one occasion they had started to cross the
Lys Joch, an easy though lofty glacier
pass near Zermatt. Missing their way in
fog, they struck the wrong passage. and
commenced by mistake the descent of
the OeSld JOc0f one Oh the HdTueSt cllinDS
in the Alps, but once previously crossed,
when the wall was mounted, It's descent
being considered impossible.
One good guide and a clumsy porter
formed the escort, and as the guide had
to go first to choose the way, II fell to the
porter's lot to bring up the rear. But he
proved worse than useless; so one of the
ladies roped herself in his place, and I'M.
dertook the responsible post of last man
4 l. 4 CHI f,,Ia
duties that after many hours of hazard
Gus climbing on the sheer face of a prec
pice. the little band at last came safely
to the bottom and learned the same night,
to their utter amazement that they had
made the passage OF the dreaded Sesia
Joch.
Within our own times one OF the most
distinguished lady climbers has been Miss
Kate Richardson. to whom belongs the
credit of being the first lady to ascend
the Meije. The Nellie is a peak 1900 feet
high in the Dauphine Alps, and for years
It defed all attempts to gain its summit
So difficult was the climb that none of
the early successful parties managed to
get off its formidable cliffs before night
fall, and one still notices scattered along
the route almost from top to bottom low
walls and lodges cleared Of stone, the
sleeping quarters of various shivering
! climbers VINO IdlItu 10 utSttuu ny udy
| light and dared not move afterward.
1t is not only English women who have
become successful mountaineers. Holland
It was who sent Frau Imminck to the
Dolomites, and this intrepid woman, not
content with tacking the most difficult
peaks in Europe in summer has also
been up more than one In winter. From
the states we have Mrs. Bullock Work
man, whose explorations in the Himala-
4 1t g..
mention, and Of whom we are soon to
hear more.
France Well Represented.
France is particularly well represented.
From the time of Mile dAngeville till
the present day French women have ex-
celled on the Alps. Nine. Vail at first
took up the pastme in order to accom-
pany her husband, already an enthusiastic
climber, and she has now a large number
of the hardest climbs In Europe to her
credit Nine Paillon. at the age of 81, as
| cended Mont Blanc In a snow storm. and
at rs went up the Galibier and returned
| to GrenobIe by the arduous Breche du
Perrier. In the same year she crossed
the Belledonne walking for nineteen
i hours in the snow with the thermometer
| showing many degrees of frost.
| No wonder therefore, that her children
are keen climbers, her daughter Mile
Mary Paillon. having not only accom-
plished a large number of extremely diff
| fcult ascents, but being now the recog-
nized authority in France on everything
connected with the history of feminine
AIpinism Mile. Paillon has studied the
question also from the point of view of
| health. and her writing on the subject are
practical and instructive. lady who
| has remarkable record In the New
| Da1nhinQ Is Miss Com