CLIMBING MOUNT SORATA.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 3956, 23 January 1900, Page 3

CLIMBING MOUNT SORATA.

- 24,255 FEET ABOVE THE SEA. ' Sir Martin Conway contributes to TlarpcrV Magazine” for November a fascinating account of what is perhaps the greatest climb recorded in. the history of. mountaineering. To-Tench, after several failures and increcubie difficulties, an altitude ox 24,255 feet, and then to return, baffled by a beggarly 250, is probably o'.nc, of the bitterest experiences that ever befell a mountaineer; but such was the fate of Sir Martin Conway in his great climb of So-vata in the Bolivian Cordillera Real. Sir Martin, accompanied by Ins Alpine guide and Indian carriers, started on his" great climb from Umapusa, and, without dismounting from his mule, reached an altitude of 10,000 feet, and at 17,500, where all vegetation had ceased, xpitchcd his tents, dismissed his Indian companions, and spent the night on a. ridge uetween two ■ glaciers. Hero ho Jiad a narrow escape from a much more serious danger than avalanches or crevasses: — • . That night a party of superstitious Inmans from the village of_ Chiara-uyo crept up in the darkness, intending to murder us in our sleep. They knew that we had come to profane the sanctuaries of the mountain gods, and to carry away from the summit or Illampu the cross or gold and the bull of gold which to them are well known to be planted there. Hostility to the Indians of the village from which our men came had also something bo do with the raid. Fortunately for all parties, the camp was found empty, and •is the Indians dare not ascend by the glacier, we were left in peace. Next day the three mountaineers continued tile ascent, dragging their sledge across tno glaciers and over inmimeraole crevices; reaching a height of 19,000 feet,'where the second night was passed. The next day was lost in struggling with mist, and, the clay after, all hopes of a successful descent were lost:—: The storm broke once more, and the clouds swooped down in yet blacker battalions : so, piling the sleeping-bags and provisions into a heap, and rolling the tent about thorn, we left the bundle to take its chance, and hurried away for less boisterous regions below. With no sledge to drag ana no packs to carry we ran in a few hours down the 4000 feet it had taken two days to aschnd. By sunset wo were in the base camp, and next da,f wo returned to Uniapusa. Even thither the had weather pursued us; snow .day on the potato-fields. Such weather m September'is almost unknown in Bolivia. What could be the causer The Indians wertvin no doubt.. The gods wore enraged at our attempt to profane their sanctuary, and had risen in wrath to drive us down. All men looked askance at ns. ■ ■ The next attempt was-more successful, and brought the expedition to within a short distance of the summit. Of his experience this time. Sir Martin says: The secret of how to gain a very nigh altitude, is to ascend by short stages and to stop at night at each stage. : Above 17,000 feet 2000 feet is enough. You can fto more, but the loss in rest and rehabilitation outweighs the apparent gain in time. .'I have slept for foul - nights al about 20,000 feet, and am satisfied that this is by no moans the limit of height where a man can sleep. Probably 23,000 feet is not an impossible camping altitude, if it is reached by stages of 2030 feet or less. But the magic of the great mountain amply repaid hardships and fatigue;The climb in the night up the glacier was delightfully romantic, The darkness, the uncertain flickering of our fire-

fly candle, the utter silence, the angry clouds, the starry heaven and the expanse of gnmv vaguely felt, rather than seen, and peaks in the bonds or a frost Uko the grip of u demon’s hand, combined to produce on all of us an nnnexise © spolco none but ■ mcemvy . The silence was too vivful to be lightly broken. At last, when but if Jew hundred feet emuined to be surmounted. .a- crevass some fifty feet across was met to cross which would have involved chut >* mg a sleep slope covered with powasO, .now, accumulated by recent storms, with the probability of starting an avalanche. To accept the risk would have been loot, lardy, and the ascent was abandoned. Before returning Sir Martin determined die exact height of Mount So rat a to be 34.719 feet. Ho concludes : As our climb recedes into the past, the memory of its dangers grove? less, whilst tho' desire for complete success 'ibidos unchanged. I ask myself whetner that slope might not hare been crossed; whether a better lllatJ Could' not iiav. l risked it and won. There come hours when I stand condemned at the bar of my own judgment. But in saner moments another conclusion obtains tm mastery, and I decide that at. the supreme instant T did right not merely to risk my, own life for what is, after all. S passing, triumph, -ut not to risk the lives of my two admirable guides. The tangible results of a journey of exploration are not the mere attainment of, particular points, but the accumulated group of, observations and collections, whereby the sum or human knowledge is, however' little, increased. In turning my back on the peak, I knew that I did so for the last time. Maquignaz might come to it again with another employer, but I should not return; for that year it was certain the mountain would not come again into climbable condition before the beginninglof the rainy season (November to March), whilst future years ■would bring other duties.