The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07

Mdttefnofn is one Oh the Alpine
giants that is treated with great
respect by even the most experienced
climbers
When Whymper made the first ascent
in 1866 Lord Francis Douglas and three
others of his party were killed by falling
1900 feet, and since then accident has
succeeded accident.
The form of the mountain inspires awe.
A steep pyramid in shape, it rises l4,705
feet in a series of tremendous precipices.
On all sides it stands menacing, its over
handing crags defying the amateur In
spite of its forbidding appearance. how
ever. the Matterhorn is now climbed from
three sides by experienced Alpinists bold
enough to attempt it, The mountain,
however. must be in good condition and
the weather fine.
When suggested cinematographing the
mountain there were smiles of derision.
Fer two weeks an Englishman with excel
lent guides had been .trying to reach
the summit without baggage-he refused
even to carry small camera-and had
been repeatedly repulsed. The only party
TO reach the summit this sea-
son were a Swiss and guides who
found the mountain in bad condi-
ton and who were caught aloft by
the oncomng darkness. On this occasion
Zermatt people were extremely anxious
as TO their safety. When | began maxi
ing arrangements for carrying up a
cinema camera and tripod weighing 60
pounds, and the necessary accessories,
many thought me crazy.
shall never forget my first close view
of the Matterhorn. Many times before
I had seen the mountain scores of miles
away when climbing in the Mont Blanc
rcrge but when seen from the train
rving at Zermatt it is the most superb
peak imaginable, by far finer than any
thing else in the Alps. AS 1t came into
view, towering above us some Germans
In the train broke into cheers. 1t looked
impossible to conquer
Studied With Telescope
lost no time studying it with tele-
scope. | could see plainly the iced face
of the mountain. in places sloping only
20 degrees from the perpendicular. across
which it would be necessary to carry the
cinema outfit. From the Ryffelalp the
mountain>looked SO dangerous that several
Alpinists advised me not to try 1t so
early in the season. 1t was then
climbed up to see it from the Zermatt side
where 1 found it much less appalling.
My arrangements were quickly made,
but as it continued to snow on the noun
tain, making all ascents impossible we
were forced to wait 1e days for propitious
weather. At last two things favored our
starting. For two days tremendous
wind had been sweeping the Matterhorn
blowing much OF the fresh snow aways
after which came two fine days of sun
shine. AS the barometer remained high
we made arrangements to leave Zermatt
on the morning of July l. and sleep that
night at the Matterhorn cabine at 10000
feet.
The news spread through Zermatt like
prairie fire. and when we started early
In the morning a considerable crowd was
out to see us off.
There were five of us. MY first guide
Was Gabriel Zumtaugwald, who has been
in the Himalayas with Mrs. Bullock
Workman. who holds the worlds record
for altitude for women; and with Miss
Annie Peck, the American climber, ON
Mt. IIuascaran in Peru. The second
guide was Heinrich julien, very capable
man, while the task of carrying the
cinema camera and tripod fell to the lot
of David Biner and Franziskus Tang
walder, who accomplished a feat of en-
durance rare in Alpine history To save
the men as much as possible we used
three mules as far as Schwarzsee and one
of these as far on the Hornti ridge as the
snow would permit.
Except passing through Alpine scenery
of rare beauty our journey to the Lac Noir
hotel was uneventful Several times we
stopped to cinematograph the surround
ings and produce Photographic evidence
of the interesting fact that mules, by in
stinct. walk on the outer edge of the
path next to the precpice. This procliv-
ity. extremely uncomfortable to tourists
riding on the mules back, is due to the
animals desire not to scrape his load
against the adjacent mountain side
At the Schwarzsee hotel we had a good
lunch and by 1:30 p. m. on July we were
making for the Hornli ridge and Matter
horn cabine. Half way between Schward-
see and the cabine the snow grew so deep
that our mule began to founder We
sent back therefore, this faithful dumb
assistant, and divided the load among
ourselves The upper part of the Horni
ridge was covered with snow and ice, sug-
costing what we might expect on the
morntainf Itself on the morrow, but in
spite of this drawback we reached the,
cabine early in the forenoon.
Powdered Snow on Floor
1t was very cold. On the floor of the
bedroom allotted me there was hard pow
dered snow which whired about In eddies
when one opened the door. must say,
however, that I was more comfortable
here than have been elsewhere in an
Alpine cabine at 10000 feet. The room
WAS expensive, IL francs night with food
extra or "a francs II no food Is taken in
the hotel, but considering the limited
number Of customers and the fact that
porterE bring up food and even firewood,
on their backs, the prices are not un-
reasonable. A wood fire was made for
us in the dining room, and by leaning
against the stove and eating hot SOUP an
omelette and beefsteak one managed to
forget there was frost on the window
panes. As the sun went down and twi-
light shadows began creeping over the
glaciers around us the guides turned in
for I abort sleep. and to wonder At my