New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-04

California, the 1900 feet of the latter
awakening in her new ambition. which
found It's crowning fulflment in her rec
ord ascent of Mount Huascaran, In Peru,
In 1905, till then untrOdden by manor
woman. Indeed, the fame of her sex was
one of Miss Pecks indictments to her
doughty deeds.
This narrative of her South American
travels and climbs stands apart in the
literature of mountaineering. Arecord OF
perseverance i'm the face of repeated fail
ures, of indomitable pluck in discouraS-
Ing circumstances, it reveals its author
also as the possessor of an enviable OPP
timism and of saving sense Of humor.
II was only on her fifth and her sixth
and uccessful-attempts on Huascaran
that she could afford to engage the ser
vices of two Swiss guides; on her earlier
climbs she was accompanied by am
ateurs. who invariably failed her at the
critical moment. IT was thus with the
Professor" with an Austrian resident in
Peru and with an American adventurcr.
sailor and miner both; it was thus also
a
was recommended TO her as altogether
desirable. though slightly loco this
shortcomlng evidently being considered
as a recommendation rather than the
reverse by Miss Peck's indolent southern
hosts, who, she suspects. considered her
somewhat loco" herself OF all the
men who accompanied her, including her
Swiss guides she observes:
One of the chief difficulties in a womans
undertaking an expedition or TINS nature
Is that every man believes he KNOWS bette"
what should be done than She The INDIANS
are not aggressive, and are likely 10 40 as
they are hidden; though even these, In
descending below the snow, urged their own
notions of the proper route, IN Opposition
10 my experience. The crazy man, In 1870,
was confident that two days on the snow
supplied him with complete and superior
knowledge; while my companions IN 30
lvia believed that they could give me
POINTS in all matters whatever my eXperl-
ence and their lack. II is not strange:
therefore, that the Swiss guides should
conclude that my three abortiye enorts
counted for nothing in comparison win
their judgment.
Miss Pecks narrative begins with her
failure to climb Mount Sorata, in Co
lombia, in 1903. and with her all but
successful second ascension of that peak
in the following year. 1t includes. Also
accounts OF her trip TO the sources OF
the Amazon, of visit TO the prehistoric
ruins of Peru, and Of two minor climbs.
Huascaran, her trophy, established the
highest record reached by mountaineers
on this continent.
A delightful feature Of this book is
its incidental descriptions of the places
and regions visited by Miss Peck on the
way to and from the mountains and of
the life of the people in town and coun-
try. Those who have visited the west
coast of South America and travelled on
muleback or horseback through its
mountains will recognize at a glance the
fidelity of these sketches. In Lima the
author met an American, who had been
so long resident there that he seemed
almost like a native:
lie would doubtless elicit encomiums from
our worthy eX-President on having b' en-
the proud father of twenty eight childi-n
born, as he himself informed me, OF de
same mother in twenty-four years only
one pair OF twins. IL may be unnecessary
10 state that his wife was a Peruvian, or
that she is dead
On DeIUS utSeIltO ny ltI IISl "HIlS
companion Miss Peck decided to try
again alone. with only Indian and cholo
carriers, who. she was assured, were abb
solutely trustworthy. So she made truly
feminine choice Il engaged" she says, "a
fatherly looking arriero with nice. kind
face, upon whom felt / could rely"
1t is rather curious to learn that this
faf. eli aI.ar ~ lxr
never took the trouble Of getting into
condition for her arduous expeditions,
but that, as rule. she left New York
more or less of a physical wreck. The
sea trip sufficed TO provide her with the
necessary energy and stamina. Her
equipment. too, usually left much 10 be
desired. and she had TO improvise on the
srct the proper clothing and footwear
fer her native followers. 1t may be worth /,