Arizona republican., 1910-10-15


difficult and even dangerous of
peaks, no serious accident to self or
guides has ever saddened any one of
his numerous Alpine successes. And
we can almost feel the spirit of
initiative growing in him as he &C
complishes in the wake of others the
great feats of the Whympers, SelIas
and Mummerys in the way of
inaccessible.
only four years later, in 1898, we
find him laying siege to certain of
the forbidding peaks of the Alps
that still remained unconquered
Among the most prominent of these
was the Aiguille Verte over the Dru
to the Mer de Glaze With three
guides he set out at daylight from
a high refuge, the Charpoua hut. On
reaching the lofty crest, exceedingly
narrow, their way was barred by up
leaping towers of rock, the so-called
gendarmes. In descending they were
overtaken by darkness and had to
pass the night roped together under
the protection of a crag-a genuine
protection, for in the darkness two
enormous rock avalanches fell, one
passing directly over their shelter,
the other close beside them.
"Of this notable climb the duke
says modestly: The ascent cannot
exactly be called difficult, except for
the guides, who have to cut innum-
cradle steps, but he allows that it
is dangerous. A few later the hith-
erto invincible third crag of the
Grandes Jorasses was vanquished.
Again, on August Z, 1901, only just
back from establishing the furtherest
north record in the allied field of
polar exploration, he scaled the sec
ond highest of the Danes Anglaises,
exceedingly difficult aiguilles on the
southeastern spur Of Mont Blanc.
THE feats thus far cited all fall
within thee class of athletic climbing,
Tor which the Swiss Alps offer a
field unsurpassed. But enterprises
calling for a much higher order of
ability had already begun to invite
the more ambitious alpinists-the ex-
plOratiOn and ascent of the worlds
highest SUBMITS in however distant
lands. The demand was now for a
capacity to plan where the conditions
where more or less unknown and to
execute with resolution and decision
under trying circumstances. 1t is
his rare ability in meeting these that
has given AbruzZi a place among the
very foremost explorers. He would
be the last to claim all the honor
for his brilliant results. When he
has succeeded where others had fail
ed he is quick to acknowledge his
debt to the published story of their
failure. every circumstance of which
he had conned and knew by heart
so in his distant expedition, that
to Mount Saint Elias in 1897 Sew
eral futile attempts had been made
by Englishmen and Americans, nota-
bly, the two splendid assaults of
Professor Russell under the auspices
of the National Geographic society.
From Russelrs reports the young ex-
plorer of % knew the ground in ad
vance and planned his expedition
even to minor details.
With GOnell, Sella (the distin-
dlDlIlSl anu DlOlo6IdDlltIJ.
Cagni Cater to figure among the
captors of the furthrest nOrth). De
Filippi physician and historiograph-
er of the eXpeditiOn), and five Italian
guides. he reached the inhospitable
shores of far Alaska. over glaciers
at ever niger stages and of increas-
ing difficulty they made their way.
through alternating storm and sun
shine, and on the fortieth day from
the coast planted the flag of Italy at
the icy summit, 1900 feet. Ten days
later they We're back at their yacht,
having scored a perfect success. This
was also the school for that bril-
liant Arctic exploit of 1S99-1900.
About this time that world began
to hear frequently the mysterious
name of RuwenzOri, and the mar
Vicious story OF a range of snowy
mountains under the hot sun Of
equatorial Africa. Several adven-
turers had been at their base. not
seeing them by reason of the ever
present clouds. or, catching distant
glimpses, had disbelieved their eyes.
Stanley really discovered the range
in 1888, thus bringing forth from
their hiding the Mountains of the
Moon of Ptolemy. unseen by civilized
man for over seventeen centuries.
Since this rediscovery various ex-
plorers had penetrated the wilder
ness, a few had even reached the
lofty glaciers, but no one had scaled
a dominating summit In the spring
Of 1906, although two parties, Eng
fish and Austrian, were in the field,
entered for the prize Again
a carefully planned campaign, under
so opposite to those Of the
Saint Elias expedition, met with an
brilliant success