The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-11-29

Its exquisite valleys at height OF
$500 feet above sea level we came to
one point where we were able to look
over precipice that sank straight
down for 1000 feet to the bed Of the
Teesta River itself, here no more than
1900 feet above the sea.
"On the opposite side of the valley
was a deep rift In the tree-clad hills,
and looking up this gorge the eye sur
mounted ridge after ridge in quick
succession, until 1t finally rested on the
top of Kinchinjunga, 2s,150 feet, the
third highest mountain in the world
No more than thirty miles separated
the Teesta from the top Of its lordly
neighbor, and In the clear air 1t was
almost impossible to believe the dis
tance was 80 great"
The panorama spread before the
traveller at this point did not fail to
make conquest Of Mr.. Fraser. ut
looked" he said, "as If the very foot
of Kinchinjunga was set In a tiny
thread of silver that cleaned far be-
low us, and that his mighty TANKS rose
sheer until they ended In the twin
white peaks, 26,65O feet above. The
dark hillside and rushing waterfall, Of
serrated ridges and gloomy gorges, Of
le glacier and lofty snow fields af-
rded by this scene Is surely one of
a u,ondora nf tha world -
Peak Five Miles High.
Heights Of mountains In the Hima-
va region, where they are the great
In the world are difficult to COM
ehend by those who have never been
fortunate as to climb, or attempt to
NIB, these immense elevations. But
fair Idea Of the height of Kinchin-
nga may be had by the simple state
ent that, could the mountain be laid
Its side, and Its base placed at Del
gare avenue, Its summit would be
und to be at Goth street, or within a
hundred feet of five miles,
The traveller found another marvel
country In the regions stretching
rth from Slmla, where official India
ends the summers, 1000 miles west
Slkkim. From the summer capital
India" he says, "the foothills of the
eat backbone Of mountain lie tum
ed in inextricable confusion and
ored at intervals by the sources of
famous rivers that give its name
the Punjab, The first encountered ,
the Sutlej, rising in the distant
)untains OF Tibet and racing through
rk gorges until 1t debOuches in the
Tins 300 miles below the point where
crossed. Over the .Jaolewrl Pass,
200 feet. we cross into the lovely
LEY Of Kulu, which lies about 1000
It above the sea. Then over the Ro-
* Pass, 1880 feet into Lahoul, a
Intry bare and desolate beyond be-
(. and at no point lower than 10
} feet. Crossing the Shlngo Pass.
600 feet, we are in the most rugged
all Hlmalayan countries, Zanskar.
lere we cross four passes of over
,,009 feet above sea level before de.
scending into the valley Of the Indus
and reaching the ancient and curious
town OF Leh, 1880 feet"
Travel Through CIoudland.
Here 1t seems that the voyagers have
hardly made beginning, for immrli
ltely north of Leh lies the KharduNg
Pass 1880 feet, quickly followed by
4 drop to 10000 feet. and then another
rise to the Saser Pass. $4,000 feet.
Between these two" says Mr.. Fra
ser, 1--WE engage large caravan of
ponies to carry the baggage. for In
fourteen days travel there will be no
labltations, no food for man or beast |
lor even fuel by the way. Everything |
must be carried except water of which, |
HAS, there Is too much In this sum- |
ner season, when the hot sun daily at |
.acks the eternal SHOWS that flank the |
'oute. From the top of the Saser we
irop into the valley of the Shyok Riv-
sr, 1900 feet, where great glaciers
loke their snouts across the valleys |
md choke up the passes. Through
ong, deep gorge we slowly and labor
ously climb to the Depsang plain,
,reat stretch of smooth gravel beds, H.
100 feet above the sea. and over which
We take a day to travel.
Beyond Depsang we rise to the
ofty Karakorum Pass. 1850 feet, and
n three days later cross the Suget
Pass. 1900 feet, after which we drop
lown 10 11,000 feet, and once more en-.
'ounter human beings and some vege-
alton"
From CameIs to Yakn.
Arrived at Kurgah. the travellers
we're on Chinese territory, and the
'onies were exchanged for eamsls, for