Mountain Observatories [pp. 33-44]

OVERLANDI) MONTHLY
he required four and a half hours on the
mountain to perform experiments which took
less than three hours in the valley. Here
we have something like a numerical measure
of the falling off in ability due to great
altitude.
Hitherto I have only spoken of the dis comforts and inconveniences of mountain
stations at very high levels. It is necessary
to recall the positive danger incident to such
establishments. A glance at the illustra tions of this article, or a reference to Mr.
Serviss's account of his ascent of Mont Blanc in August, 1895, (see ilIc('lre's illag zide for May, 1896,)' will exhibit the risks
which must be met in the ascent or during
the more dangerous descent. "Men have
lost their lives here and will again lose
them," is the remark of Mr. Conway, the
Himalayan climber, in speaking of the Petit
Plateau. "The Grand Plateau has taken
more lives than its ill-starred neighbor below." In describing the loss of a party of
climbers Mr. Serviss makes the grewsome
remark, "Every boy in Chamounix understands how a dead body should be brought
down from Mont-Blanc."
A few such references tell the tale. It
is not necessary to quote the long list of
persons who have met their death on the
mountain.
On August 15, 1891, a party of workmen
were engaged in excavating tunnels at the
summit of Mont-Blanc in connection with
the building of M. Janssen's observatory.
Here is the diary of their work:
August 16, snow-storm, no work possible.
August 17, 18, working.
August 19, 20, heavy wind-storm, no work.
August 21, very heavy snow-storm; a tourist and
guide killed by an avalanche.
August 22, 23, 24, violent storms.
August 25, 26, 27, no work; the party goes to (hamounix for more men.
August 28, bad weather, no work.
August 29, 30, working.
August 31, hurricane of snow, no work.
September 1, 2, fine days, working; Dr. Jacottet dies
on the summit.
September 3, descent to Chamounix.
Such a record requires no commentary.
It is clear that a station on Mont-Blanc will
have to be extremely favorable in other respects to counteract the disadvantages of
its summer hurricanes of snow and wind,
1See also "The Observatory on Mont-Bllanc." lcChlre's Magazine, February, I894.
and the perils of the journeys to and from
the summit.
In a volume which has just reached this
country M. Vallot, who has a mineteorologi cal station on the flanks of Mont-Blanc,
presents some pregnant criticisms on the
plan of M. Janssen which has resulted in
the establishment of a permanent a.troom, ical observatory at the very summit. All
the difficulties that were predicted before hand have been met, and some of them are
quite insuperable. The experience of the
past few years has made it very probable
that the building of this summit station
will prove to have been an expensive mistake.
Transportation presents no great diffi culties until the line of perpetual snow is
reached. Among the glaciers everything
must be carried by porters. The ordinary
load for Mont-Blanc is from thirty to fifty
pounds and the price per pound to the
summit is fifty-two cents. Single pieces
weighing as much as one hundred and thirty
pounds have been transported but at a
special rate of payment. The ascent of
Mont-Blanc is often impossible for a week
at a time (and this in the summer season)
and the observer must be provided, for a
siege of this length at least, with every
necessary of life. It is not storms alone
that render the ascent dangerous. Avalanches and ice-falls are frequent. Cold
and snow blindness are two great drawbacks, which interfere with the work of the
observer far more seriously than with the
progress of the mere mountain climber.
The very high winds materially increase the
discomfort from cold. Electric storms and
lightning constitute a real danger. The
observatories on the mountain are provided with lightning rods, but the difficulty
of making a ground connection remains.
M. Janssen's observatory at the summit has
already been struck. The problem of heating is a serious one. Wood or coal is
practically out of the question as fuel, and
petroleum must be used. The air of the
room must be frequently renewed or its
oxygen is soon exhausted so far as to produce nausea. Water for drinking and
cooking must be provided by melting snow,
and this is a work that never ends, for it
is impossible to store water in reservoirs or
tanks. It soon freezes, of course, and all
has to be begun once more. After great
difficulties the instruments of the summit
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