The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-22
'FORSAK|NG TRENCHES
THEY CLIMB The ALPS

Washington. D c., July 1s.-'Dis-
patches from Geneva stating that
nearly 300 mountain climbers have
lost their lives in the Alps since sign
ing of the armistice indicates that
what has been called the 'noblest CT
sports is destined to spring into re-
newed popularity after Its eclipse by
the war" says bulletin from the Ma
tional Geographic society
The death toll likewise conveys on
obvious warning. not applicable alone
TO the Alps, that those who engage in
this pastime should not be foolhardv
enough to attempt going over the top
of the worlds peaks without comnc-
tent guides and adequa'e safeguards,
TT is one of the queer quirks az
human nature that the unknown ex
renses Of mysterious waters should
have lured explorers from earl.ss.
times and that mountain exploration
should have been neglected until few
centuries ago Indeed, it was neatly
800 years aft-~ Coluni bus made his
daring voyage TO the New World that
Europeans looked to their mourta ins
which, like the poor. always Were WITH
them. and made the Arst successful as
cent of Mont Bianc.
Some OF this seeming lack Of Gu
riosity concerning the ridges and
peaks about them may be attributed
Ito the fear of ancient peoples for the
gods they believed TO inhabi the high
hills. ard TO the later superstitions
that devils. had fairies and evil spirits
lurked among them The Alps. for
exam pie. were believed to be the
dwelling place of dragons which. II
disturbed, would swoop down to wreak
vengeance unon the people below
-,-1,.
mountains were not considered beau
itiful until recent times Even In the
time Of Sir Walter Scott mountains
were regarded as sore spots TO mar
the eye filing sweep Of the plains
Writers OF the Psalms. with sensitive
appreciation of natural beauty, refer
to hills as holy. rather than as beau
! tiful places
| There were sporadic attempts a
mountain climbing through the cen
turtles before the epochal ascent o.
Mont Blanc in 1885. Trajan. frs
mountain climber of profane history
assembled Etna TO see the sun rise, but
. he was lone pioneer.
For the most part the medieva
attitude toward mountain passag sc
seemed to be summed up by a Canter-
bury monk who prayed in the twelfth
century, after traversins the Bremen
| Pass, Lord restore me to my brethren
that l may tell them that they come
not into this place of torment He
| prayed thus. he said. because tn
marble pavement Of the stony ground
| is ice alone. and you cannot set your
i foot safely. put my hand In my
scrip that might scratch out a syl-
liable or two TO your sincerity; To-
found my ink bottle filled with drs
mass OF ice. my fingers. too refused
to write, my beard was stiff with frost
and my breath CONCEALED into a long
ticiele.'
Not until 1857 was the English AL
pine club formed and the scores Of
similar organizations have all beer
| founded Size that date. Within the
past half century the sport has -four
! ished. the Alps have become thor
cughly known, and mounta ms of other
continents. Including America have
been explored. Hand In hand witt
the sheer sport of climbing has gone
the adventure Of scientific study. and
1.-THE secrets of the hills which the an.
clients feared. have given TO moderns q
marvellous insight into glaciers, me
Iteorology. and hitherto unknown plan
and animal lief of the peaks OF snow
and ice
How the worlds history woulc
nave DeeN transformed Hdu the an
clients conquered attitudes as bravel,
as they did the seas. is a fascinating
subject for speculation, But noun
itains have played momentous part IL
| national life. from the time whel
Moses came down from Sinai with TIL
Ten Commandments, to the presen
day when the sacred mountains o
Shantung figured large In peace con
ference consideration of Japan
iclaims to part of that peninsula"