WOMEN CLIMBERS.

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 18

WOMEN CLIMBERS.

Miss K. Gardiner, of Liverpool, who recently climbed Mount Cook, 12,349 ft., in 15hr. 45min., has added to the series of thrilling performances by women climbers in recent years. Only a little more than two years ago Miss Sheila Macdonald, a London typist, climbed Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, being the first woman to do so. Dr. Dorothy Jordan Lloyd, who is a D.Sc. of London University, made the ascent and descent in a day last August of the Eiger, 13,949ft.' high in the Jungfrau Alps. About the same time Miss Evelyn Curry, of Manchester, a typist, reached the summit of Mont Blanc in six and a half hours, half an hour less than the guides’ allotted time. Last summer, another London woman, Miss Maud Cairnway, achieved the distinction of being the first of her sex to ascend Dent Blanche, 14,318 ft., near Zermatt, from the eastern side. Miss Dorothy E. Filley, of Camberwell, had a similar distinction in 1926. when she went up Mount Baker, a 14,000 ft. mountain in the Rockies. Another amazing performance was that of Miss Wheston, an Englishwoman, who climbed the Wet-erhorn’s 12,000 ft. at the age of 72, in 1925.

GRETNA GREEN STILL POPULAR. “During the past year the number of marriages contracted at the historic smithy at Gretna Green has created a record. It would appear that this form of celebration is distinctly increasing in favour,”- writes “A Northern Solicitor” in the “Aberdeen Press and Journal.” “No doubt the recollection of olden times is responsible for the popularity of the famous blacksmith’s anvil at Gretna. The name itself is inseparably associated with the crinoline gown and the romance of the hastily-arranged flight of the couple across the Border to render'' futile the refusal of his daughter’s hand by the wrathful parent, who, in all probability, was hot in pursuit of the runaway pair. Romance, however matter-of-fact the age, never goes out of fashion with lovers.' “The procedure in carrying through a present-day irregular marriage may be of interest. • /

“The contracting parties make the necessary acknowledgment in the presence of two witnesses,' and sign a declaration, which is also signed by the witnesses. Within three months (usually at once) the couple and the two witnesses appear before the Sheriff and present the declaration, together

with a petition craving the court to certify that the parties have been married, that one of the parties has resided in Scotland for twenty-one days, and to grant warrant to register the marriage. “The witnesses take the oath and state that they were present when the parties acknowledged each other husband and wife. The Sheriff then grants the necessary warrant, which is transmitted to the registrar. And so the irregular marriage is completed.. Evidence of the contract is obtained in the usual way by getting from the registrar an extract certificate of the registration.”

Eggless Cake. —Amongst the eggless cake recipes is the following, plain cake, which' the owner of the recipe used to make to send to the soldiers at the front: One pound butter, 1 breakfastcup sugar, 2 breakfast-cups flour, 1 tablespoon treacle. 1J breakfast-cups water and milk, 1 teaspoonful of soda, 2 breakfast-eups raisins. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add treacle, then flour and soda sifted in; mix well with milk and beat well; bake in a good oven for 2 hours or more. A particularly delicious pudding may be made by adding to a puree of blackberries the yolk of one or more eggs, and spreading over it a meringue made of the white of the eggs, allowing 2qz. of castor sugar to each white. Bake in the oven until just coloured. ______