SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10263, 22 January 1895, Page 7

SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

Continued from page o'

AN ALPINE SUCCESS. RECORD ASCENT OF MOUNT EAENSLA.W, 0105 FEET. NINETEEN AND A-HALI? HOURS, INCLUDING journey pkom and EHTUKN TO KINLOCH. Acting npon the suggestion of Mr Jacae9 Reid, 'tile genial manager of l'outebnm statiou, a party oi yo'uig gentlumuu, consisting of Messrs G. A. Julius (of Chrii-teliurch), U. A. M'MilUu (ot Auckland). G. G. Sal;.-, ami tt. G. Hod.litwtt (of DiiLodin)) started from Kinlooh on the 2nd January to attempt an assent of Mount JTStroshiw «nd a rato.ru tn Kinloch within the "4 hours. Mr Ite'til wan Isiad enough to volunteer his services, and h\a special knowledge lit part of tho routo was promptly availed of. Ernest Bryant, of theGJuoier Hotel, also joiuwl the party, now nuiubaiing six.

Their kind hostess, Mrs Bryant, oommonerd nt midnighb to prepare a substantial breaklast —by no mentis a small undertaking—and at 1 a.m. the party had risen, each trying his hardest tt> apptmr refreshed—rather n diUk'u!"". task when only one of them had nmimgtd to got moro than ouu hour's aleop. A !oug rosvimj txcursiou ou th« previous clay (New Year's Day) had prevented their getting to bed bi'fon: midnight. However, their shortcomings in skt-p were made up at tho breakfast table (shall we call it supper ?), and tho horses being brought forward already saddled and provisions packed) n raount was made afc 2 A.m.

Fording the swollen strnams of the Dart enil Rats rivers by pale starlight Mid enjoying their rough vide of 20 miles up thrt beautiful valloy of the Keen, the party miEaddlnl and kurued their horses loose. n little above tl>e Lennox Falls, but uot until they had enjoyed to their utmost a magnificent viow from hero of those celebrated {alls and of snowclad E'lrnslavf, now a mas? of chining gold, rearing his lofty head ssb.ive * bank of clouds gitt with the rising ami. Clirubius commenced at 6 a.m. in all seriousness. However they were bo far bloat with clear weather, and were, moreover, oue and ail iv the beat of training, ,;o that there appeared every prospect of a record ascent.

But disappointment root them at the outset. A hard climb of an hour through the burnt bush, up steep banks, over fallen logs, &c, withnos.iepioiou of a track, brought the party abov« tbe bush line. But no eooner was the Hoe's ufcelter reached than a mist showed signs of gathering, aud of making things uncomfortable. Hero & halt was called for a hurried breakfast, but half an hour later caw them sgaiu on the march' through the "flower garden," a sheltered dell whera flourishes a rn-jst wonderful collection of niauutam lilies, geutiaDS, edelweieß, celmisia, snd other varieties too numerous to mention snd too beautiful to describe. The ground here was hidden by the thick carpet of Uowera of choice colourings. Ths scenery, too, waa magnificent— on cither side towered precipitous ciiff3 over which fell numerous waterfalls, while itnescf.utely above them was the great Birley Glacier.

Climbing was continued past the snow-line, where a second halt was called, for the mist was now denser than ever, and the party bad to wait fur a pmtial clearance. They wore ioth to commence the tedious work of cutting steps in the ice when there appeared so small a chance of reaching the summit thf.t day. Surplus enthusiasm and energy prevailed, however, snd they were soon tiara at it with ice-axes. The steal spikes in their boots weva of no use here. Such Qeauß of aiCDBt was very slow but warm, though it was not 'sufficient to protect them from a freezing atmosphere which swept down tha tifrep slopes. Tub weather bad until i:i;w been ccitainly warm, which wither iuwiOfilitdthis sudden changß, and it was with difficulty thut they could hold thsir alpeu'stocks rtc times Occasionally, when the suu did burst t&ougb., the heat and glare from tha bqow appeared so intensified by contrast thr.t tho one was almost unbatrable, and the other blinding to unprotected eyes. It was quito a new experience for them to hear the avaUuches rumblirg down the ravines below, bub it was fully appreciated.

They were now able to find a path over a bed of loo'jO rooks and mica schist to the leading spur, aud were just Ebout to report an improvement in the v:eather and excellent progress generally, when a driving mist, followed by a heavy snowfall, shut out any possibility of reaching or even seeing the summit that day. Despite this the party were for going on, but finally, within five or six hundred feet of, the lop were obliged to abandon all hope of success. They were tired of waiting for clear weather, and it was madness to thinit of goicg on against such edds. At 2 p.m. wss to be Heea a picture o£ abject misery, a party of six, the rem»in3 of what were once fine, stalwart young fellows, now half-frozen specimens, commencing a reluctant return, with disappointment written in every look.

Messrs Julius, Sale, M'Millan, and Bryant •were, however, not to be beaten, and on January 7 made the second attempt, which proved most successful. Messrs Hoddinott and Keid, owing to pressure of business, were unable to accompany tho psrty. Ib is not niiceasary to describe again the assent to the poinc reached by the party five days earlier, except that Kinloch was left at 2.30 a.m., and climbing again commenced at 6 a.m., but this time under a sky beautifully clear. From this point 3 descant hud to be made several hundred feet, and then commenced the last short stage of the climb—and the oteepsst. A narrow gutter led to the ridge, End thence to the summit. Some very trying work was here undertaken, but Buccessfully managed, and at 1 p.m. the highest peak of all (9165 ft above the sea level) was reached.' Here thsyfound the cairn containing (he name 3of previous climbers.

l'lie view from here was indescribably grand. Mount Aspiring in the distance towering over all ether snowclad peakn. Glaciers were to ba eeen ia every direction, while the rumble of avalanches below was the only sound to ba heard—in the 'distance Lakes Eurley, Harris, and V/akatipn were plainly visible. Dense clouds on the tar ranges obscured the view of the sea, and as the mist was rapidly gathering on the pe-ks the party madcj a speedy decent in order to get over dangerous ground while they could yet one their way. The descent was made in phenomenal time owing to the opportunities for glissading on the hard snow. Kock shelter waß reached at 5 p.m., and a rest of three-quarters of an hour was taken to boil the billy and refresh the inner man. The fcot of the mountain was segained at 6.30 p.m., and after resaddling the torses the return ride to Kinloch was, accomplished by 10 p.m. An accident—and one only—occurred to mar but slightly the general enccess of tho undertaking. This might easily have ended seriously, but the'exceptional luck of the young gentleman who fell carried him through with only the loss of a little flesh, part of fcia nether garment, and a sßveru shaking. But even the accident had a bright side, for it served to furnish the comic element. The variety of positions a»3umed in rolling and e'iding down the steep saow slops were singularly funny, and caused shrieks of unsympathetic laughter from above, furaishiug much amusement to at least five out of the six persons Comprising the party.

The ascent of Mount Earnslaw ordinarily occupies three days. It has been ascended by a few in two days. This patty without a guide and very little preparation accomplished the journey from Kinloch in 19i hours, which constitutes a good record. Mv Bryant, though a guide in the district, had never before tried Barnslftw, vrbi:e the remainder of the party may well call this their first attempt »t; Alpine climbing proper. These young gentlemen are entitled to every credit for their bold attempt, which was rewarded with so well deserved a success. Ths energy and enthusiasm which carsied them through must remain the envy of many, whilst their record is one which many p. more experienced climber would have reason §T ftel proud of.