May 12, 1893.] 



SCIENCE. 



257 



ascent next day. A ride of six or seven hours over a steep but 

 fairly good road for horses takes one to a cave, at an elevation of 

 about 13,700 feet, where camp is usually made for the second 

 night. The work of the third day is severe, and preparations 

 should be made for a good breakfast and an early start. These 

 items must be looked after by the tourist himself, as the guides 

 are in no hurry, and an ordinary Mexican breakfast would not 

 do for an American or Englishman who has a day of hard work 

 before him. Starting early on the third morning, one rides to 

 the foot of the moraine, near the 16,000 feet level, above which 

 the slope is too steep for horses and the real vrork of the ascent 

 begins. (See A, Fig. 1.) 



The ascent from this point is made along a ridge which forms 

 the eastern boundary of the glacier. In the dry season the 

 tourist climbs slowly upward over rock and ice without danger, 

 except such as may arise from severe exertion in the rarified air 

 of such great elevations. 



In the wet season the rocks and ice are more or less thickly 

 covered with snow, which necessitates precautions not called for 

 during the dry season. The eyes should be protected by colored 

 glasses, and the face by a thick veil from the heat and light re 

 fleeted from the snow, and the feet should be wrapped in coarse 

 cloth to protect them from cold and to prevent slipping on the 

 crusted snow. The chief guide leads the party, cutting steps in 

 the snow for himself and followers. One might miss his footing 

 and slide to his death on the rocks below, but the danger is not 

 great if the instructions and example of the guide are followed 

 carefully. It requires considerable exertion to climb steep slopes 

 at low elevations, but when the elevation is so great that nearly 

 ©r quite half the air is below, the least exertion is exhausting. 



The descent is made to the cave or to Chalchicomula for the 

 night, and Vera Cruz may be reached on the fourth day, thus 

 practically making a journey from the tropical to the polar re- 

 gion and return in four days. Nowhere else on the earth can 

 this be done as easily, quickly, and safely as on the eastern slope 

 of Citlaltepetl, the Star Mountain of North America. 



I'iG. 6.— The Peak from the west at the 10,000 ft. level. 



The lungs can get oxygen enough to supply the system when at 

 rest, and one may ride from the sea-level to the 16,000 feet level 

 without discomfort from light air. Above 16,000 feet, one not 

 accustomed to the air of such elevations can climb but a few 

 feet before sinking down in utter exhaustion, gasping for 

 breath, with palpitating heart, oppressed brain, and possibly a 

 qualmy stomach. After a brief rest the unpleasant symptoms 

 pass away, then a little climb, then a rest, and so upward, the 

 climbs getting shorter and the rests longer till at length the sum- 

 mit is reached. Some can climb faster than others; a good rule 

 is to climb so far as possible without opening the mouth to 

 breathe, then rest. On the average, one does well to climb 500 

 feet an hour. 



Edward Why m per speaks of a "mountain sickness" which 

 affected him and his assistants while exploring among the high 

 Andes. Some of us had a little nausea, hut we did not attribute 

 it to the rarified air, and Mr. Bunsen had a severe headache 

 while on the summit, which passed away soon after the descent 

 began, but none of the party was affected with the mountain 

 sickness of Whymper. No other locality on the globe affords 

 such a full and comprehensive panoramic view as does the east- 

 ern slope of Citlaltepetl, whether seen from shipboard some 20 

 or 30 miles at sea. or from the summit of the mountain. The view 

 from the summit is clearest during the forenoons of the wet 

 season when the air is free from dust and usually clear. During 

 the dry season a dust or haze pervades the air to an elevation of 

 9,000 or 10,000 feet so that objects below that elevation cannot 

 be distinctly seen. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



In October, 1891, Thomas George Hodgkins, Esq.. of Setauket, 

 New York, made a donation to the Smithsonian Institution, the 

 income from a part of which was to be devoted ' ' to the increase 

 and diffusion of more exact knowledge in regard to the nature 

 and properties of atmospheric air in connection with the welfare 

 of man." With the intent of furthering the donor's wishes, the 

 Smithsonian Institution now announces the following prizes to 

 be awarded on or after July 1, 1894, should satisfactory papers be 

 offered in competition: 1. A prize of $10,000 for a treatise em- 

 bodying some new and important discovery in regard to the 

 nature or properties of atmospheric air. These properties may be 

 considered in their bearing upon any or all of the sciences — e.g., 

 not only in regard to meteorology, but in connection with hygiene, 

 or with any department whatever of biological or physical knowl- 

 edge. 3. A prize of $2,000 for the most satisfactory essay upon 

 (a) The known properties of atmospheric air considered in their 

 relationships to research in every department of natural science, 

 and the importance of a study of the atmosphere considered in 

 view of these relationships. (6) The proper direction of future 

 research in connection with the imperfections of our knowledge 

 of atmospheric air, and of the connections of that knowledge 

 with other sciences. The essay, as a whole, should tend to indi- 

 cate the path best calculated to lead to worthy results in con- 

 nection with the future administration of the Hodgkins founda- 

 tion. 3. A prize of $1,000 for the best popular treatise upon 

 atmospheric air, its properties and relationships (including those 

 to hygiene, physical and mental). This essay need not exceed 

 20,000 words in length ; it should be written in simple language, 

 and be suitable for publication for popular instruction. 4. A 

 medal will be established, under the name of the Hodgkins Medal 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, which will be awarded annually 

 or biennially, for important contributions to our knowledge of 

 the nature and properties of atmospheric air, or for practical 

 applications of our existing knowledge of them to the welfare of 

 mankind. This medal will be of gold, and will be accompanied 

 by a duplicate impression in silver or bronze. The treatises may 

 be written in English, French, German, or Italian, and should be 

 sent to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 

 before July 1, 1894, except those in competition for the first prize, 

 the sending of which may be delayed until Dec. 31, 1894. A 

 principal motive for offering these prizes is to call attention to 

 the Hodgkins Fund, and the purposes for which it exists. Sug- 

 gestions and recommendations in regard to the most effective 

 application of this fund are invited. It is probable that special 

 grants of money may be made to specialists engaged in original 

 investigation upon atmospheric air and its properties. Applica- 

 tions for grants of this nature should have the indorsement of 

 some recognized academy of sciences, or other institution of learn- 

 ing, and should be accompanied by evidences of the capacity of 

 the applicant, in the form of at least one memoir already pub- 

 lished by him, based upon original investigation. To prevent 

 misapprehension of the founder's wishes, it is repeated that the 

 discoveries or applications proper to be brought to the considera- 

 tion of the committee of award, may be in the field of any science 

 or any art without restriction; provided only that they have to do 

 with " the nature and properties of atmospheric air in connection 

 with the welfare of man." Information of any kind desired by 

 persons intending to become competitors will be furnished on 

 application. All communications in regard to the Hodgkins 

 Fund, the Hodgkins Frizes, the Hodgkins Medals, and the Hodg- 

 kins Fund publications, or applications for grants of money, 

 should be addressed to S. P. Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, Washington, U.S.A. 



