Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
HimoIoyon Snow Man
Moy Be Agile Bear
Only Odd Looking Tracks
Have So Far Been Seen

Only Odd Looking Tracks
Have So Far Been Seen
By Thomos R. Henry
The "abominable snow man mys-
ferrous unseen animal of the high
Himalayas-is four-footed, five-toed
creature which weighs from $50 to 200
pounds and lives in groups.
It may be the worlds largest undis-
covered animal. There is high proba-
bility that it is big bear.
These are some Of the conclusions
which DR.. Edouard Wyss-Dunant,
leader of the Swiss Mount Everest ex-
petition of last year, reported to the
Royal Geographic Society. They are
based on deductions from the creatures
tracks in the snow covering q frozen
lake at an altitude of about $4,000 feet.
Although its tracks are bear-like. the
animal apparently has completely
un-ursine ability to leap from rock to
rock on migrations from one high
Himalayan valley to another. DR..
Wyss-Dunant deduced. The high prob
ability that the animal was of the bear
family was recognized when the first
footprints were reported by British ex-
plorers about five years ago. British
scientists have even assigned it bear
species name, UrSuS arctoS isabellinuS.
Various Reports ON Footprints.
It has never been seen by man. The
snow prints were first reported as ape
like, or even almost human, and led to
speculation that some unknown type of
big ape might have developed in the
high mountains. The lower mountains,
just above the tree-line, are the home
of the so-called monkey of the SHOWS"
a large, grotesque monkey whose foot
prints would be identifiable. 1t would
not have been impossible, however. for
still another type to have evolved under
the harsh conditions of higher alti-
tudes.
The footprints. the present report
says, are undoubtedly those of large
"plantigrade animal'-that is one that
walks on the sole of the foot with the
heel touching the ground like bear
or a man. The sole part of the foot
alone is from four to five inches long.
The stride is about foot long. The
weight is indicated by the depth Of the
tracks in the snow. compared to those
made by men of different weights.
OOAAC NOlAol0C1oOly oAAdAACA &OOkRA AAto
were found, believed to be those of
young animals. Three Of the tracks
showed imprints of claws. On two Of
them small triangular markings on the
heel were attributed to tufts of hair,
showing that hair grows on the bot
tom of the creatures foot.
The tracks of one were followed until
they came to rock several feet high
over which it was necessary for the
creature to jump. On the other side
tracks of three feet were found close
together. Apparently the animal had
landed on these three feet. The track
of the fourth foot was considerably
ahead, indicating preparations for an
other Jump.
Beyond. DR.. Wyss-Dunant picked up
more trails. Three were coming out Of
a deep valley. The fourth came from
side of glacier These paths joined.
Therceforward they continued as
single set of tracks. The animals ap-
parently have adopted the practice of
stepping in each others footsteps while
they proceed in single file. This is a
customary procedure for mountaineers
crossing a glacier or for proceeding over
polar ice where there is danger of fall
ing into crevaSSes.
Mountaineers' Name For 1t.
Nepal mountaineers have been famil-
lar with the mysterious tracks for years
but nobody yet has been found who
has seen the animal. They call it a
yeti
I'VE have to deal with quadruped."
the Swiss explorer reports. This is
proved by the Jump over the rock.
The yeti doesn't live alone but in
family. The converging footprints
of different size confirm this, as does
a track on the lake which indicates a
young specimen.
Il could find no trace Of meals nor Of
excrementS. This confirms that the
animal only passes through and does
not frequent these heights. We should
at least have found place of refuge. if
not lair, if the yeti was living and
hunting in the neighborhood I rather
think 1t passes over the coils (paSSes
between adjacent peaks in mountain
chaln) only when, having secured one
valley, 1t tries to reach another
This bear Is wanderer, avoiding
zones inhabited by man and making
for high attitudes haunted by the pam
Their, wild beast of which the yeti ap-
pears to have no fear"
The animal it is indicated by the
report, probably is not carnivore. since
there is little other animal life even
in the high valleys upon which it could
feed. The high probability of it's being
bear is little questioned but it OBJ
viously is an animal of quite superior
intelligence to subsist at great attitudes
and to have kept itself hidden from
human beings for so long.