200 Mountain Meteorological Stations and an 



arrived at a point where the wind struck us again with almost hurricane 

 force, which was an additional and very serious impediment to our pro- 

 gress. The Sergeant led the way and braved the dangers with great hero- 

 ism, but human nature, however molded, has a limit beyond which 

 it cannot survive. He appealed to me and said that I must not 

 again recline upon the ground, or even assume a sitting posture, 

 because I might easily become too helpless to aid myself and it would 

 be utterly impossible for him to assist me, as he must husband his 

 strength to safely guide the way. I readily assented to this plan and 

 approved the Sergeant's good judgment. My Alpine pike now became 

 indispensable, for, when exhausted, I rested upon it in a standing pos- 

 ture. We now passed along the edge of the Great Crater and left be- 

 hind us the limit of vegetation. Nothing but dark, volcanic rock, 

 surrounded us on every side; not in solid, compact masses, but in 

 broken pieces of all sizes and shapes, lying about in utmost confusion, 

 as if distributed by recent volcanic action. What a struggle to make 

 headway over these jagged rocks, and especially as we were going 

 almost directly upward. It was a time when I felt as if the mercurial 

 barometer strapped to my back would drag me down to destruction. 

 We were reaching the summit by a circuitous course in order to avoid 

 an almost perpendicular ascent, which we had not the strength to 

 undertake. 



As we left the Crater, dark clouds descended upon us like belchings 

 from a live volcano and for a time the darkness was so intense that 

 further progress was impossible. The terrible silence all about us, 

 only broken by the rushing sound of the wind, coupled with the 

 peculiar apparition of the clouds, made the scene one of awful 

 grandeur. Soon the clouds lightened and then came a blinding snow- 

 storm, such as is only seen on high mountain peaks. We could not see 

 ten yards from us, and it was absolutely necessary to keep within that 

 distance of each other and then, when one stopped, to call out to the 

 other to do the same. We must push on as fast as possible, for it was 

 getting very late and, although only about 500 feet more remained to 

 ascend, a detour of about one mile was necessary in order to reach the 

 station. On getting nearer to the summit the snow changed into 

 sleet and hail, the peUets being jagged pieces of ice which cut the face 

 like a knife. From this point to the door of the station we faced this 

 terrible musketry of ice, our bodies encased in it and our faces bleeding 

 at every step. Within a short distance of the station building I be- 

 came partially unconscious and did not regain full control of my 

 senses until about half an hour afterward, when I found myself on a 



