Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1907-02-07
Life on Mont Blanc.
New York SUM-

Life in the observatory on the
summit of Mont Blanc is ever
frostier than on all arctic expedi-
tion. The observatory was found
ed by Pieere Jansen, the French
scientist, in 1893 and since the
first ascent OF the mountain in
1886, a temperature above freez-
ing was never recorded until last
year, when for a few minutes a
temperature of 2 degrees cent?
grade. or about 36 degrees Fahr-
enheit, was observed.
The observatory is generally
occupied from about the begin
ming OF June to the end OF Sep
tember. These are the utmost linn
its at wo;ch men could live there.
The work is both astronomical
and meteorological.
Last year important observa-
tions were made ON Venice and
Jupiter. Jansen himself, though
50 and lame, used it when it was
first erected to study the effect OF
the atmosphere upon the solar
spectrum.
One OF the greatest draw backs
to the work is the stream of tour
lists in July and August, who ex-
pect to have everything shown to
them regardless of the loss of
time to the men of science.
One of these, W. de Fauvielle,
in a recent account of the work
on the mountain top dwells on
the courage thatit takes to spend
weeks and months amid the mo-
notony of the snowfelds and gla-
ciers. The mental depression isall
the harder to fight on account of
the physical conditions, to which
it is very difficult to become ac-
custOmed.
At that elevationhuman beings
are tortured by an unceasing
thirst, due to the rapid evapora-
tion OF moisture from the body.
On the other hand, the appetite
almost entirely disappears.
At first all the system can stand
is a few glasses of warm tea dill
ly, with plenty OF sugar and pull
verized milk in it. Recourse to al
cohol is absolutely forbidden, as
spirits of all kinds are found to
be exceedingly harmful.
When the men begin to get ac-
climated, a diet principally made
up of meat is found to be best.
The meat is carried up fir m
Chanpunix and frozen in order to
insure its preservation.
1t is stored in the cellar of the
observatory, where the tempera-
ture ranges from 12 to Is degrees
Fahrenheit. Canned or preserved
meat is uever used. 1t is found to
be too trying to the digestive
powers in that region.
The meat is for the most part
boiled. Green vegetables are eat
en- with it to prevent scurvy and
similar disorders.
The process Of cooking is far r
more tedious than at ordinary
levels. AS water boils far below
212 degrees, it takes four or five
times as much boiling to render
the food fit to be eaten as it does
in ordinary places.
The scientific men who spend
their summers at the Observable
ry have to live in arctic clothing.
They spend day and night in an
atmosphere at freezing point. 1t
is true that the building is warm
ed with fires of coal and wood.
But it is only warmed at 32 de-
grees Fahrenheit. The moisture
from the breath of the inhabi-
tants condense on the walls in a
thin coating of ice, aud icicles de-
pend from the ceilings, beams and
| lfintels. When it gets q little too
warm the ice melts and there is a
veritable rain fall in every room.
The observers gradually learn
to be comfortable at 32 degrees.
! They take off their gloves to ham
| die the more delicate instruments.
Thev slean in haps and keen their