The Washington herald., 1909-06-29
MOUNTAIN CLIMBING.
BY FREpERIc J. HAsKIN.

/ 4 - AAAhAN.
It has been said that mountain climb
ing claims more lives than polar expIora-
ton. The eternal mystery OF the pole
exercises a wonderful fascination over
fthe minds Of the adventurous sons OF
men. lure scarcely more compelling
than that which makes men. and women.
also. TO scale the snOw-crested heights OF
the Alps. the andes and the Himalayas.
The Duke Of the Abruzzi. the most dis
tinguished member OF the royal family OF
Italy. IS also one OF the most distinguish
ed mountain climbers living. and is even
now Ia Asia. bent upon reaching hither-
20 unattainabie heights OF certain peaks
OF the Himalayan range. Much secrecy
has surrounded preparations for his ex-
pediuon, but IL is believed he and his
party are headed for the GoOdwen-Austen
I Peak--K2" II IS sometimes called. It's
crest has never been reached. although
several attempts have been made %
scale its forbldding sides
The Duke Of the AbrGzzi wen fame as
g mountain climber when he conquered
St Elias. in Alaska. In lSs7 For forty
DAYS the duke and his party were above
the snow line. tolling toward Elias dome.
and in constant danger from storms.
avalanches. and those terrible crevasses.
into the depths Of which the explorer Of
ten piunges. his body 10 remain forever
locked IN the arms OF the eternal ice. IN
less. perchance. the ever-creeping glacier
may yield II up IN years TO come. But.
Abruzzi conquered, and won the applause
/ q the scientific world by his achieve
ment.
Since climbing Elias the Duke OF the
Abruzzi has scaled and measured Ru-
wenzori. demonstrating that il Is not
Africa's highest peak. F5s is now IN the
!neighborhood Of the Ioftiest mountains on
} the globe-''The Roof Of the WORLDS
the Himalayan range Is called. Mount
Z Everest. Gaurisankur Of the old ge0gra-
phies. the highest peak of the range. is
wore than .. Coz feet, and GOOdwen-Aus-
ten, or S2 which Abruzzi viii chaI-
I lenge. rs &2S7 feet high. Kakenchunga
Is the most Inaccessible peak OF the
Himalayas. but Good Wen-Austen. with ar
unbroken mass Of ice and snow extend
ing down for more than three miles from
It's summit. has defed every attempt OF
man 20 scale It's forbidding sides A
few years ago a party OF Englishmen
spent eight weeks on the face OF "K2 "
braviug constant dangers from storms
avalanches. and crevssses. while they
tCiled in vain 20 reach its crest. Should
the Duke Of the Abruzzi reach the summit
he VIII be acclaimed the worlds great
est mountain climber.
The history OF mountain climbing Is
made up Of stories OF hardships. peTEs.
! tragedies. and. frequently enough. OF IN
hinching courage in the face OF death IL
self. A story Illustrating al these. as
vel as a self-sacrifce 50 rare as 20 Ie-
vive the cynic's tagging faith in human
kind. Is that OF Edward and Louis Nor
risOn. who attempted some years ago 20
go % the crest OF Mont Blanc The
brothers were connected by rope after
the fashion OF mountain climpeTs Cross
ing an ice field Louis lost his footing
and slipped over the brink OF a crevass.
where he hung suspended his brother
bracing himself 10 hold his own footing
Edward. who was the older. was able 10
hold his brother. but was not abe 20
draw him back For several hours he
put forth superhuman ef19rts. while Louis
prayed him 10 cut the rope But Ed
ward declared he would save his brother
u or plunge 20 death with him in the yawn-
ing chasm. Finally when his strength
was almost gone. Edward wrote IN the
ice on which he way dying. the story Of
the tragedy. save the last chapter. and
then went over the brink with the broth
er whom ne would not desert 10 save his
own life Climbers crossing the field that
n afternoon read the ice manuscript. and
learned the story Of the brothers devO-
ton.
Only a short time ago four French tour
lists were killed and two italian climb
ers were fatally hurt while trying 10 as
cend Grand Dent. one Of the most diff
cult OF the virgin peaks OF the Alps. A
rope broke at a critical point in the as
cent. and the four French and six Ital-
ian tourists plunged over a precipice. The
guides saved themselves by clinging 10
projecting rocks The four Frenchmen
were killed outright and two OF the ItaI-
ians were dying when assistance reached
them.
Y IN 1858 a party OF three tourists and
/ eight guides reached the crest or Mont
Blanc. but on their return were OverJaken
by one OF the furious snowstOrms which
/ constantly sweep over the face Of the
mountain. A crowd Of their friends IN
I ChamOuni. in the plain below. saw them
huddled together as II for warmth, when
the snowclOuds again shut them from
view. Ten days later Eve bodies were
forever in the bosom OF the snow. One
OF those whose bodies were recovered
was an American. who left a diary con-
! tanning a record OF the sufferings OF the
4 party. continuing 10 write until the cold
numbed his body and paraiyzed his fac
ulties-
/ Americans have made some wonderful
records as mountain climbers DR.. and
! Mrs. Workman and Miss Anna Peck are
among the most celebrated. Miss Peck
/ has scaled mountains in all parts Of the
world. but is proudest Of having con
quered Serato. Of the Andean range. DIT.
and Mrs. Workman only this year reach /
ed an altitude Of 2l.S5o feet in the noun
tains Ct Turkestan. She dared one peak
her husband would not attempt He
stood in the valley below. watching the
plucSy woman fight her way upward over
treacherous snOwbanks and yaWning
chaslns. while a snowsform ragged often
hiding the daring climber from view Dr.
Workman and his wife came near being
slain by a wild tribe n the mountains OF
Turkestan. and onlT escaped BIZ display
Ing great bravery and the exercise OF
much diplomacy