66 Tableau of High Asia. [No. 1, 
may state, that for short periods of ten or twelve days, man may con- 
siderably exceed this height, not without suffering, but at least with- 
out positive injury to himself. During our explorations of the [bi 
Gamin glaciers, August 13th to 23rd, 1855, we encamped and slept 
during these ten days in company with eight men at very unusual 
heights. During this period, our lowest camp was pitched at 19,326 
ft—the greatest height at which we ever passed a night : — another 
was at 19,094 ft.; two camps exceeded 18,300 ft., and the remainder 
ranged between 18,000 and 17,000 ft. Apart from the extreme ele- 
vation and consequent cold, the bodily exertions imposed upon us 
during our stay, proved a great tax upon our powers. Once we cross- 
ed a pass of 20,439 ft., and three days earlier, August 19th, 1855, we 
had ascended the flanks of Ibi Gamin to a height of 22,239 ft. This, 
as far as we know, is the greatest height yet reached on any mountain, 
though considerably below that to which man has arisen in balloons. 
On the Sassar peak we attained (August 3rd, 1856) an elevation of 
20,120 ft. As early as 1818, however, the brothers Alexander and 
James G. Gerard ascended (October 18th) a peak in Spiti 19,411 ft, 
high, not far from the Porgyal, or Tazhigang. Subsequently, August 
31st, 1828, Dr. James G. Gerard reached 20,400 ft. 
From Captain T. G. Montgomerie we learn, that a station of 19,979 
ft. has been reached twice by Mr. W. H. Johnson, and another of 
19,958 ft.* in height by Mr. W. G. Beverley. Mr. Johnson took, 
besides, observations in Ladak at one station more than 20,600 ft. 
high, the greatest altitude yet attained as a station of the Trigonome- 
trical Survey of India.t A trigonometrical mark has even been erect- 
ed on a point 21,480 ft. above the level of the sea, ‘‘ but unfortunately 
there was not sufficient space to put a theodolite on it.” 
In the Andes, Humboldt ascended the flanks of Chimborazo (June 
23rd, 1802) to a height of 19,286 ft. ; this being the extreme elevation 
attained at that period. Some yearsafterwards (December 16th, 1831), 
Boussingault reached, on the same peak, a height of 19,695 ft.t 
In the Alps, my brothers Adolphe and Hermann once remained in 
the Vincenthiitte, on the slopes of Monte Rosa, fourteen days at a 
* See this Journal, 1861, No. II., pp. 99, 110, 
+ See this Journal, 1863, No. II., p. iii. 
t Humboldt’s “ Kleinere Schriften,” p, 157, 
