Evening star., 1923-07-08

preaching mysterious Coropuna. We
| offered bonus of thirty soles-fif-
teen dollars--if they would 60 on
for another hour, and threatened
| them with all sorts of things IL they
would not. At last they readjusted
the loads and started climbing again.
THE altitude was now about 49,
L 900 feet. but at the foot of a
steep little rise the arrieros stopped
again. This time they succeeded in
unloading two mules before we could
scramble down over the sand and
boulders to stop them. Threats and
prayers were now of no avail. The
only thing that would satisfy was a
legal document! They demanded an
agreement "in writing" that in case
any mule or mules died as a result OF
this foolish attempt to get up to the
snow line. 1 should pay in gold two
hundred soles for each and every
mule that died. Further. l must agree
to pay a bonus of fifty soles IL they
would keep climbing until noon or
until stopped by snow.
This document having been duly
drawn up by Prof. Coello of our
party, seated on a lava rock amidst
the cinders of the old volcano, was
duly signed and sealed. In order
that there might be no dispute as to
the time. my best chronometer was
handed over to one muleteer to carry
until noon. The mules were reloaded
and again the ascent began. Present
w hn ov,tt, a
pretty bad going. on a steep slope
covered with huge lava boulders and
scorlaceous sand. We expected more
trouble every minute. However, the
arrferos. having made an advanta-
geous bargain, did their best to carry
it out. Fortunately the mules reached
the snow line just fifteen minutes be-
fore twelve o'clock. The Tejadas lost
no time in unloading. claiming their
bonus, promised to return In ten days,
and almost before We knew 1t had
disappeared down the side Of the
mountain.
We spent the afternoon establish
ing our base camp.
This was at an elevation of 1900
feet. We were surprised and pleased
petites and no soroche (mountain
sickness.) Less than a hundred yards
from the wall tent was a small dur
nal stream. fed by melting snow.
Whenever l went to get water for
cooking or washing purposes l no
ticed a startling and rapid rise in
pulse and increasing shortness of
breath. My normal pulse is 20. After
walked slowly hundred feet on a
level at this altitude, it rose to 12O.
After / had been seated awhile it
dropped down to 100.
Gradually our sense of being
departed and was followed by feel
ing of malaise and general disability.
There was a splendid sunset, but we
were too sick and cold to enjoy 1t.
That night all slept badly and had
some headache. A high wind swept
around the mountain and threatened
to carry away both of our tents. AS
we lay awake, wondering at what
moment we should find ourselves de-
serted by the frail canvas shelters, we
could not help thinking that Coro-
puma was giving us fair warning
of what might happen higher up.
1t was decided to carry with us
from the base enough fuel and sup
plies to last through any possible
misadyenture even of a weeks dura-
ton. Tucker decided to establish a
cache Of food and fuel as far up the
mountain side as he and Coello could
carry fifty pounds in single day
climb. = This they did while I
remained at camp, taking a series OF
observations.
TINE following morning, after ad-
i justing our fifty-pound loads to
our unaccustomed backs, we LETT
camp about 9 o'clock. We wore APP
palachain Mountain Club snow creep
ers, or crampons. heavy scotch
mittens, knit woolen helmets, dark
blue snow glasses, and very heaVy
clothing. 1t will be remembered by
visitors to the Zermatt Museum that
the Swiss guides who once climbed
Huascaran, in the northern Peruvian
Andes. had been MANNED for life by
their experiences in the deep SHOWS
of those great attitudes. We deter
mined to take no chances, and in
order to prevent the possibility OF
frost bite each man was ordered TO
put on four pairs of heavy woolen
socks and two or three pairs of heavy
underdrawers.
The snow was very hard until about
1 o'clock By 3 o'clock it was so SOFT
as to make further progress impos-
sible. We found that, loaded as we
were, we could not climb a gentle rise
faster than twenty steps at a time.
On the more level snow fields we took
twenty-five or thirty steps before
stint it seemed as though they would
be the last steps we should ever take.
Painting violently, fatigued beyond
belief, and overcome with mountain
sickness, we would stop and lean on
our ice axes until able to take twenty
fivesteps more.
1t did not take very long to recover
ones wind. Finally we reached a
glacier marked by a network Of
crevasse, none very wide, and nearly
all covered with snow bridges. We
were roped together, and although
there was an occasional fall no great
strain was put on the rope. We
pegged along until about half-past 2,
when the rapidly melting snow
stopped all progress. At an altitude
of about 18.450 feet, the Tucker tent
was pitched on a fairly level snow
field. AS the sun declined the tenn
perature fell rapidly.
Mountain. climbers at high attitudes
have occasionally observed that one
of the symptoms of acute saroche is
a very annoying racking cough, as
violent as whooping cough and fire.
-, -..,xz~ vro