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THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



The study of the glacier, however, is 

 not complete. Professor Tyndal on Mt. 

 Blanc demonstrated that the vast com- 

 pact mass of ice actually moved. And 

 the climber of to day, knowing these 

 facts, realizes that there must somewhere 

 on the mountain side be a vast reser- 

 voir plateau which feeds this glacier, 

 and, tracing it to its source, finds the 

 means of access to the peak. The pru- 

 dent traveler also investigates the con- 

 dition of the snow and ice in order to 

 insure safety from any possible ava- 

 lanches. 



The next point to be considered is 

 proper food and stimulants, but I re- 

 gret to say I found most guides entirely 

 ignorant or extremely careless regard- 

 ing this important matter, and often saw 

 them administer stimulants most indis- 

 criminately. The constant climatic 

 changes from a heavy to diminished at- 

 mospheric pressure renders it absolutely 

 necessary that a rigid regard be had for 

 the maintenance of the physical con- 

 dition. 



And lastly, the climbing implements 

 must be carefully selected. To insure 

 success in climbing the axe had to be 

 invented and the use of the rope stud- 

 ied, and I am free to say that in both 

 these particulars perfection has not been 

 reached. The great Matterhorn acci- 

 dent of a few years ago taught a lesson. 

 A large party, securely tied, were en- 

 deavoring to scale a precipitous and 

 snow-clad peak, when one lost his foot- 

 ing and went down, carrying all the 

 others with him, to meet death in the 

 frightful, almost bottomless chasm. It 

 taught the lesson that large parties are 

 impracticable, and now we find one or 

 two guides for three persons or three 

 guides for five. 



The foremost guide fastens the rope 

 around his girdle, allows about six yards 

 between himself and the climber, who 



also fastens the rope around him, and 

 then it is attached to the guide in the 

 rear, who acts as an anchor. Another 

 acts as a porter and carries the provis- 

 ions, being capable of carrying 80 pounds 

 if long journeys are planned, as two 

 pounds are allowed each person per 

 day. 



The Alps have been quite thoroughly 

 explored, but yet they compare very in- 

 significantlv with the ranges of Africa, 

 Asia and South America, where peaks 

 pierce the clouds at altitudes of 25,000 

 to 29,000 feet, whereas the Jungfrau, 

 the highest peak in Switzerland, is 14,000 

 feet, and Mt. Blanc (now by cession on 

 French territory), 16,000. 



Mr. Conway, the celebrated mountain 

 climber, has made great observations in 

 the Mustagh, Hindookush, Himalaya 

 and Andes of Ecuador, and has demon- 

 strated that man can reach an altitude 

 of 24,000 feet, with the possibility of 

 going higher. We can readily see from 

 this that mountain climbing is yet in its 

 infancy, and that the celebrated ascent of 

 Mt. Blanc in 1786 was but child's play in 

 contrast with future possibilities. Con- 

 way, however, has expressly called at- 

 tention to the fact that the rarified at- 

 mosphere greatly impeded the ascent — 

 an obstacle which man cannot counter- 

 act. 



The exploration of the Alps has result- 

 ed in the creation of corps of mountain 

 troops in Switzerland, France and Italy. 

 Near the summit of Mt. Blanc I met a 

 corp of Italian Alpini (as they are called) 

 — a body of strong, well - disciplined 

 men, carrying their rifles, food and am- 

 munition with them. We can readily 

 imagine how impregnable a mountain 

 pass must be when guarded by such 

 trained men, hence the security from 

 invasion. It recalls to mind the story of 

 Leonidas and Thermopalse and the won- 

 derful Alpine achievement of Hannibal. 



