Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-10-28
ABRUZZI AS AN EXPLORER.
Began Mountain Climbing at Age Of
Nineteen.

|
Nineteen.
The Duke of the AbruZzi Is declared
| by Prof. Charles E. Fay to be "the
most distinguished and the most ver-
satile" of the worlds living explor-
ers. I'm his first Alpine campaign,
at the age of 49," writes the profess
sor in Golfers, "he made record
for ascents that at once attracted the
the same company, a skillful Alpinist.
1T included two passes and seven
peaks: The eastern and central peaks
Of the Levanna, as practice climbs,
then the Grand Paradis, Mont Blanc,
the precipitous crag Of the Dent
du Geant, the Breithorn and a ira
verse from the Italian side over the
summit Of the Matterhorn. His
chosen mentor was Signor Grancesco
Gonella, whose name recurs often In
the same company. as skillful Alpinst.
1.-TWO years later. in 1894, again
with Gonella, he won (for novice)
laurels unapproachable, at once
springing to the forefront OF the
worlds most noted climbers. His pre-
vious climb on the Dent de Geant had
| Is one of those seemingly inaccessi-
BILE aiguilles. we'll called needless, that
tower threateningly along the great
outlying spurs of Mont Blanc, and to
ascend which demands a far higher
capacity than the long plod to the
main summit itself. A steady tread,
strong heart, firm grip, sure foot and
perfect self-reliance are absolute
essentials merely for the start.
Like 1t, when not more difficult,
are the Aiguilles du Moine and des
Charmoz the Petit Dru, the Grepon.
All four of these ascents Of the first
order, two Of them (the Charmoz and
the Grepon) being traverses, they ac-
complished at the outset Of that sum-
mers campaign. Then from the Ter
matt Valley he made a similar quartet
of notable ascents-the dangerous
Dent Clanche, the FINAL Rothborn, in
one day two peaks of Monte Rosa,
and finally what is regarded as the
most difficult of them all, the Mat
terhorn, by way Of the Zmutt arete.
Such was the apprenticeship Of the
worlds greatest Alpinist. 1t Is inter-
esting to discover even here the quail
ties which dominated him when he
became himself a leader. Most strik-
ing is intrepidity coupled with cool
ness which later will appear as judg-
ment and discretion.
Ever ready to attack the most
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 accomplishes
in the wake of others the great feats
of the Whympers. Sellas and Num-
merys in the way Of achieving sum-
mits long regarded as 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 Sans Nom 13,0SS feeD one
of the most difficult needles in the
fearfully jagged ridge descending
from the Aiguille Verte over the Dru
to the Mer de Glace. With three
guides he set out at daylight from a
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 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 days later the
hitherto tnvincible third crag Of the
Grandes Jorasses was vanquished.
Again, on August 7, 1901, only just
back from establishing the furthcst
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 the class of athletic climbing,
for which the Swiss Alps offer a field
unsurpassed. But enterprises call
ing for a much higher order Of ability
had already begun to invite the more
ambitious alpinists-the exploration
and ascent of the worlds highest
SUBMITS in however distant lands.
The demand was now for a capacity
to plan where the conditions were
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 fore
most explorers. He would be the last
to claim all the honor for his bril-
liant results. When he has succeed
ed where others had failed he is quick
to acknowledge his debt to the pub
lished story of their failure, every
circumstance of which he had con-
ned and knew by heart.
$50 in his first distant expedition,
that to Mount Saint Elias in 1897.
Several futile attempts had been
made by Englishmen and Americans,
notably the two splendid assaults of
Prof. Russell under the auspices OF
the National Geographic Society.
From Russell's reports the young eX-
plorer Of twenty-five knew the ground
in advance and planned his expedi-
ton even to minor details.
with Gonella. Sella (the distin-
guished alpinist and photographer),
Cagni (later to figure among the cap
tors of the furthest north), De
Fillippi physician and historiographerI
of the eXpedition), and five Italian
guides, he reached the inhospitable
shores of far Alaska. Over glaciers
at ever higher stages and of in
creasng difficulty they made their
way, through alternating storm and
sunshine, and on the fortieth day
from the coast planted the flag of
Italy at the icy summit, 1S,1O0 feet.
Ten days later they were back at their
yacht, having scored a perfect sue
cess. This was also the school for
that brilliant Arctic exploit of 1899
1900.
About this time the world began
to hear frequently the mysterious
name of RuwenZori, and the marvel |
Gus story of range of snowy noun
tains under the hot sun of equatorial |
Africa. Several adventures had been
at their base, not seeing them by
reason of the ever present clouds, or,
distant glimpses, had disbe-
lieved their eyes. Stanley really dis
covered the range in 1883, thus bring
ing forth from their hiding the |