164 Historical 



As we were painfully climbing, a strong desire to sleep seized us, 

 and the coolies could not resist it when we stopped. One of them was 

 even unable to go on and we had to leave him on the way. We ended 

 the ascent with great difficulty, and reached the summit at noon 

 exactly. (P. 172.) 



Kamschatka.— The only known ascent of the highest volcano 

 of Kamschatka, Klioutchef (4805 meters), was made by Erman r " : ' 

 September 10, 1829. He does not mention any physiological 

 disturbance. 



Hawaii.— June 15, 1825, for the first time Europeans ascended 

 Mauna Kea, the "White Mountain" (4195 meters); they were a 

 missionary and some officers of the English vessel Blonde. The 

 commander Byron" 00 says in narrating this expedition: 



The lieutenant and the purser were so overcome by sleep that 

 they lay down on the bare rocks to rest. 



Lord Byron in his turn ascended June 27; but he speaks of no 

 discomfort. 



January 12, 1834, ascent of Mauna Kea by David Douglas,- 61 

 and January 29, of Mauna Loa, "the Great Mountain" (4250 

 meters) : no mention of physiological disturbances. Same silence 

 on the part of Loevenstern,- - who ascended Mauna Loa in Janu- 

 ary, 1839. Anyway, his account contains only a few lines. 



The great expedition which the government of the United 

 States sent around the world under the command of Wilkes 

 made a long stay in Hawaii. From December 21, 1840, to January 

 13, 1841, Wilkes and several of his officers camped on the side of 

 Mauna Loa; several times they reached its highest point. It was 

 not with impunity that they lived thus for three weeks at such 

 heights; while they were ascending, they suffered severely: 



The thermometer had dropped to 18°, and many of our men were 

 severely affected by mountain sickness, with headache and fever, so 

 that they were unable to do anything. I myself suffered greatly from 

 it, with violent throbbing in my temples, and short, painful, and 

 distressing breathing. (P. 149.) 



Officers, sailors, and natives reached with countless difficulties 

 the foot of the terminal crater, at 13,440 feet (4095 meters) . The 

 next morning, their distress was somewhat abated. The camp 

 was kept at this great height for three weeks, and the detailed 

 account of the geodetic and physical operations in which they 

 were engaged shows that they suffered frequently from mountain 

 sickness: 



