Kindred Journals
The Alpine Journal.
No. 200: In “A Fourth Visit to the Sikhim Himalayas,” Mr. Kellas, amongst much other interesting matter, describes in detail the sensations of an involuntary glissade down a thousand-feet ice-slope. Mr. Bourdillon, in his quaintly named paper, “Without are Dogs,” tilts good-humouredly at the intrusion of the mere tourist into Alpine sanctuaries and against the mountain-railways built and projected for their entertainment. Mr. Yeld writes, with his accustomed charm, of some new climbs at Cogne, and Mr. Irving, of a solitary tour, at Easter, in the Bergamasque Alps, both papers a strong contrast, in the conditions met, to those described by Mr. Parker in his story of the grim, but successful, assault on Mt. McKinley, when, for twenty-eight days, the party trod on nothing but snow or ice. In “The Growth of a Legend : Paccard v. Balmat,” Mr. Freshfield puts Dr. Paccard in his rightful place alongside Balmat as the first to climb Mt. Blanc, and deals faithfully with his detractor, M. Bourrit. But, perhaps the most interesting paper to Ramblers is that on Mr. Barrington’s climbing of the Stack-na-Biorrach, in St. Kilda, which we commend to any of the “New School” in quest of a new sensation.
No. 201: In “The First Ascent of the Finsteraarhorn,” Capt. Farrar examines, in detail, the claims of Meyer and his guides to that honour; Mr. Howard Palmer describes the first ascent of “The Monarch of the Selkirks,” which surely deserved a happier name than “Mt. Sir Sandford.” Mr. Yeld sings of still more new climbs at Cogne – surely there can be no more; Mr. Morris Slingsby, one of ourselves, sends a note on his second attempt – and failure – on Kamet, made when suffering from “f1ue” and in bad weather, and we can only and heartily wish him success next time. There is a note on, Dr. Wollaston’s ascent of Mt. Carstenz, in New Guinea – the latest field for mountaineering – and one on the Mt. Robson Camp of the Alpine Club of Canada, where our friend, Mr. Haskett Smith, met with an annoyingly small, but troublesome, accident from falling stones, of which we are glad to know he has recovered; one on the newly-completed Lotschberg Line and one on the Mountains of Bussahir and Spiti, by Capt. H. C. Reeves.
No. 202: has an article on “Some Dolomite Climbs,” by Mr. H. C. Bowen, with an interesting comparison of their difficulties with those of Walker’s Gully, the third pitch of which he considers as impressive as anything on the Campanile di Val di Roda, or, indeed, on any of the Dolomite climbs with which he is acquainted, and of the N.W. Pillar climb which he thinks as difficult as the Marmolata (south side). Mr. O. K. Williamson describes an impressive crossing of the Gletscherjoch, at the head of the Lauterbrunnen Valley; Capt. Strutt attempts to clear up the orographical muddles – and worse – of Italian and other mountaineers concerning “The West Wing of the Bernina,” known to us a The Bregaglia Group. Another ascent of Mt. McKinley is recorded and the lamented death of Dr. Paul Preuss, in the Salzkammergut, is described.
No. 203: contains the retiring President’s (Sir Edwarn Davidson) interesting “Valedictory Address” and Mr. Geoffrey Howard describes some sporting Scrambles in Sinai, not personally conducted; Mr. Bicknell, an ascent of the Ober Gabelhorn, by the N.W. ridge, by himself and Mr. Claud Elliott, without guides; Conrad Kain, an Austrian guide, of Raxalpe, the ascent of Mt. Robson; and Mr. Stuart Jenkins an ascent of La Sengla, from the Col de la Reuse d’Arolla; Dr. Neu has a note on the Brahma Peaks of the Pir Panja Range in Kashmir.
Each number contains the usual miscellany of Bibliography, New Climbs, Alpine Accidents, Reviews and Notices, and Proceedings of the Club, records which become fuller an more interesting every year, and there are “In Memoriam” notices, models of feeling and good taste, of the late Dr. Wilson that fine soul who died with Capt. Scott; M. Loppé, the painter of snow and ice; F. F. Tuckett, one of the pioneers of the Alps; Sir Alfred East, R.A.; C. G. Heathcote; Herr Paul Preuss, a brilliant climber, cut off at the threshold of career of great promise as a scientist and philosopher; and our own friend and fellow member, Dr. Tempest Anderson.
The Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal.
No. 71: The Editor and Mr. E. Backhouse describe the varied weather of the Easter Club Meet at Aviemore, an Mr. Farquhar a delightful day on Clisham, in the Outer Hebrides, looking across the western waters to the “Gem-like Trinity of St. Kilda,” a contrast to the Editor’s “Fifteen Hours’ walk in Benderloch,” where he seems to have touched bottom in weather even for Scotland. We have read the Rev. Wm. Watson’s paper on “Lichens” with mixed feelings. After describing lichens in general, and Scottish lichens in particular, and telling us that we may probably find “the oldest of living things in the form of lichens covering the glaciated surfaces of quartz on the summits of our highest hills . . . where they have been since the prehistoric days when the glaciers of the Great Ice Age melted”, he calmly goes on to tell us that to “collect ‘these finger-prints of antiquity . . . these colour patches on the palette of the Great Artist,’ all we need is a strong, sharp, fiat-bladed knife, a geological hammer and a well-tempered chisel, to split off a slice of rock as thin as practicable,” after which the “specimens” may be wrapped in soft paper and put in a haversack or “vasculum.” He seems to ignore the unsightly patches of raw stone this would leave behind, to be for years as much an eye-sore as the “pattern” made on a boulder by a shot gun. Surely it is time folks learnt that collecting in this fashion is no longer good form among real students, and that if people really must collect something, they should collect postage stamps. If we had a moor, our keeper would have strict orders to look out for Mr. Watson and his “vasculum.” Mr. Cumming continues his pleasant excursions into old travel books on Scotland, and the Club Song: “Oh! My Big Hob-nailers!” is reproduced. The frontispiece is an excellent photograph of Briariach and Sgoran Dubh in snow.
No. 72: The Club Meet in the Knoydart district, Eastern and Western, is recorded. Mr. Wm. Douglas describes, lovingly and minutely, the coast between St. Abb’s and Fast Castle, with special reference to bird life. The Editor describes “The Duke of Argyll’s Bowling Green,” in Argyllshire, a triangular piece of mountain land between Loch Goil, Loch Long and Glen Croe, now included in Lord Rowallan’s splendid gift to the City of Glasgow of a “National Park” of nearly 15,000 acres. (English Peers please copy!) The Editor goes on to describe Glen Croe very fully, and under “Excursions and Notes,” collects all the information to be had about the “Rest and be Thankful” Stone there. It seems the original stone of 1748 had been chipped away by tourists and was renewed sixty years ago. Perhaps they were “collecting” lichens!
No. 73: “Glencar, Co. Kerry,” by Mr. James A. Parker, describes a mountain tour in Kerry and Connemara, and we notice that the Bibliography of Irish Mountaineering (a sport still in its infancy) includes our Ex-President’s article on “The Ancient Kingdom of Mourne,” (Y.R.C.J., vol. I., p. 155). Six gullies in Coire an Uaigneis, overlooking Loch Coruisk, by Mr. E. W. Steeple, are described. The article on Scottish Place Names contains the appeal by a Special Committee of the Ordnance Survey to all interested for help in the accurate recording of Gaelic and other place-names, and gives an official glossary of common Gaelic place-words which will be of great value in interpreting the Ordnance Map. May we, as mere Saxons (we would say “Sassenach” if we were not certain to spell it wrong), ask for more information as to the pronunciation of all consonants, vowels, diphthongs and triphthongs in Gaelic. We thankfully believe that all Gaelic words are pronounced according to fixed rules, but we think those rule are very little known. Our Highland friends must please believe that we are really not trying to be facetious, but when we are told that the Gaelic spelling of “Ardroil” in the Lewis is Eadar-da-fhaodhail, we think we are entitled to ask for more help.
The deaths of an Honorary Member – Lord Strathcona, of Dr. John Macmillan and of Donald Fraser, keeper of Derry Lodge at the foot of Ben Muich Dhui, a friend and companion of princes and of climbers, are recorded.
Among the “Excursions and Notes” will be found the first expedition of Messrs. Ling, Raeburn, Young and Johns, to the Caucasus, and a very tempting description of camping in California, with the Sierra Club, by Mr. J. Rennie.
J. J. B.
THe Cairngorm Club Journal.
Nos. 40, 41 and 42: The majority of articles deal with various aspects of the mountain group from which the Club takes its title, and afford fresh evidence, if it were needed of the endless variety of mountain walks at the disposal of our friends in Aberdeen. Miss Adams’ artless confessions of her experiences with the Canadian Alpine Club, in their Summer Camp in the Rockies, are both amusing and instructive and there are pleasant descriptions of Loch Kinnora (by A.G.): Jura (by Mr. A. I. M’Connochie). Dr. Levack’s story of beginner’s wet fortnight at Zermatt excites our sympathy. The “Excursions and Notes” contain much “miscellaneous feeding,” and the account of the opening of the Allt-na-Bienne Moire Bridge is a permanent memorial of a useful piece work, for which all mountain walkers are grateful.
The Climbers’ Club Journal, 1914.
We congratulate the new Editor, Mr. N. T. Huxley, on his success in maintaining the characteristics of this Journal. Varying in kind, from the “precious” to the practical, the contents are all interesting, though at times slightly bewildering to the wayfaring man. The Editorial summarizes in poetical terms what an Editor desires, if he does not always get, and we cordially agree with his dictum that an Editor should “edit rather than angle.” In “The Narrow Stream,” E.H.Y. describes, at first hand we presume, a narrow escape from drowning when fording a stream; in “Ale for Sixpence” L. scarifies some unnamed popular magazine climbing story; Mr. G. Mallory deals with “The Mountaineer an Artist” in language, metaphysical and aesthetic; “Lola’s Philosophy” (Mr. G. N. Clark) leaves us gasping; “Mountains in Dreams” (Mrs. O’Malley), bewildered; “A Lunndon Mountaineering Essay,” by Mr. A. L. Huxley, mystified; and “A Happy New Year” (J. Laycock), amused. So much for the “precious.” Of the practical, Messrs. G. and M. Finch describe some new and exciting “Climbs in Corsica,” made in spring, when there seems to be some snow on the mountains; and Anon “A Midsummer Holiday in Norway in 1913,” chiefly spent at Turtegrö. Mr. Eckenstein has a technical article on the new Tricouni boot-nail; Canon R. Camber Williams furnishes from the diary of Capt. Jenkin Jones’s “An Ascent of Snowdon in 1819;” and Mr. S. W. Herford describes, with a good sketch-plan, some new climbs on Scafell, Kern Knotts and the Napes Needle. Mr. F. A. Winder’s article on “Photography in Caverns” will be of special interest to some of our members, even if it does not tell them anything new, and there is a summary of new work already recorded in the Club Bulletins. Last, but not least, are some pleasant holiday verses by Mr. W. P. Ker, and an altogether charming “Lithuanian Medley” by Miss Katharine Cox, describing her lively experiences with her Russian friends.
We must not omit the novel expedient of covering a photograph of the south face of Mt. Blanc with a sheet of tissue paper marked into the various lines of ascent so as to show the latter on the photograph without marking it.
Journal Of The Fell And Rock Climbing Club.
(Vol. III., No. I.)
Full, as usual, of well-written climbing matter, mingled with articles of more general interest, it would seem that if Lakeland, as a climbing district, is not soon exhausted, it will not be for want of effort by the untiring “Rockyfellers.” Mr. Herbert P. Cain writes of “More Buttermere Climbs”; Mr. Laycock of “New Ascents”; Mr. G. F. Woodhouse of “Two New Climbs” ; and the Editor catalogues a long list of “Climbs : Old and New.”
Messrs. Thackrah and Craigie have been in the Pyrenees, wandering unconventionally and climbing arduously; Mr. Herford and Mr. Sansom found the greatest Dolomite climbs a little over-rated, and compare them, from actual experience, with our Cumberland rocks; Mr. J. Coulton invites us to the Marble Mountains of the Italian Alpi Apuave; while Mr. Ascroft has been up the Wellenküppe.
Miss Murray describes very vividly a plucky climb on Dow Crags under severe winter conditions, and the Editor describes a midnight tramp on the Fells. A very useful description of the ferns of the Lake District is given by Mr. and Mrs. Darwin Leighton, and Mr. J. P. Rogers describes some thrilling adventures in photographing wild birds at home – a sport which we hope is superseding the egg “collecting” of our youth.
But the outstanding feature of this number is a delightful chapter of reminiscences by Miss Douglas Selkirk, full of the folk-lore and the country life of West Cumberland fifty years ago. With reproductions of old drawings of the Lakes, this is a chapter that ought to be read by every lover of Lakeland. Mr. Millican Dalton writes of the charms of camping, and Mr. Dent has a parable drawn from a “sentinel” thorn tree near Keswick.
Several climbing songs from various sources will be welcome at meets of this and other clubs, “Lines Written in Depression near Rosthwaite” among them. The Club is perpetuating its officers in a portfolio of photographs, and the other illustrations in the journal are excellent.
J. J. B.
The Rucksack Club Journal.
(Vol. II., No. 4.)
The stories of members’ tours in the Alps – Dauphiné, by Mr. R. B. Brierley, Andorra and Aragon, by Mr. Morley Wood; Cortina, by Mr. J. Walter Robson; The Oberland, by Messrs. Minor, Seaton, Cookson and H. E. Scott, are all well told and whilst successfully conveying the experiences and impressions of the average climber, contrive also, as might be expected from Lancashire men, to give a lot of useful detail which more pretentious writers often omit. Mr. Schaaning went, to the Hardanger Jokelen, near Finse, for climbing, and Mr. Pearce had some good ski runs from the Parsenn Hut, near Davos. Turning to what we may call the English section, Mr. J. Rooke Corbett writes with real sympathy of many Christmases spent among many hills from Snowdon to the Cuillins; Mr. Wallwork got a good time and Mr. Melldrum some splendid photographs in Glen Brittle; Mr. F. C. Aldous names and illustrates some good bouldering on High Neb, near Bamford, and Mr. Isherwood writes of Laddow Rocks lovingly, and makes some very timely suggestions as to the way rock climbs in England ought to be described, which we commend to all future editors of climbing guide books. Mr. Hobbins’ account, of a proposed camp in Langdale is very funny, and R.W.’s definitions in “Boulder Bits” very searching. Last, but not of least interest to Ramblers, is Mr. Wilding’s suggestive “High Level Walk in the Pennines,” from Hawes Junction by Nine Standards to Tan Hill Inn, thence across Stainmore, by High Cup Nick and across Cross Fell and Great Black Law Hill to Brampton, fifty-four miles as the crow flies, and bad going at that. Mr. Wilding suggests it as a rival – and we think a successful one – to the Lake District Fell record. Mr. Wingfield might try it on ski when the next big, snowfall comes.
The Annual Of The Mountain Club Of South Africa.
Nos. 16 and 17: This Annual is a model of what a club journal should be, with List of Members, Rules, Club Proceedings and short accounts of climbs and excursions of members, well illustrated by photographs. The articles are too numerous even to mention, still less to review, and besides those of a more strictly mountaineering character, include others on topics of more general interest, e.g., Botany, Antarctic Exploration, South African Scenery, Climate, Snakes and Biology. It would seem to be the Golden Age of South African climbing, and the pioneers are fortunate in having such a hospitable shelter for their exploits.
Ski-running, the youngest of British sports, is being nursed into strength by many clubs, both at home and abroad. Of these, we deal here only with British clubs. As ski-running can only be carried on with any certainty at foreign “winter-sport” places, where conditions are further complicated by the limited number of hotels open in winter, there is room for a proprietary and commercial interest, which may lead to a good deal of heart-burning. Most Englishmen wish to excel in their own branch of sport and a great many wish to pass some kind of examination and to receive a certificate of proficiency.
The Ski Club of Great Britain, founded in 1903, has always insisted on a test called by it a “third-class test,” and whilst at first it admitted all candidates of good standing who could prove a practical interest in ski-ing, but its policy of late has been to make the qualification much stricter.
The British Ski Association was formed in 1912, under the auspices of Sir Henry Lunn, and has conducted tests at places in the Alps within his sphere of influence, e.g., Villars, Morgins, Wengen and Murren.
The National Ski Union, founded in the Autumn of 1912, was the natural reply to this of the S.C.G.B., and for some time there was much rivalry and bitterness between the two bodies. Happier counsels have prevailed and there has now been formed:
The United Ski Council, composed of representatives of all the clubs, and this body will, in future, hold tests and grant badges for proficiency in the same way that the National Skating Association does for skating.
The clubs concerned mainly with touring, all of whom have agreed to join the United Ski Council in place of holding their own tests, comprise:
The Ski Club of Great Britain, mentioned above;
The Scottish Ski Club, which does for Scottish ski-ing what our friends of the S.M.C. do for climbing;
The North of England Ski Club, connected with the Northern Counties, chiefly Cumberland and Northumberland;
The Winter Sports Club, started in 1912 with the object of securing better terms for its members at foreign winter sport places, is not concerned with tests, and publishes The Winter Sports’ Review in four numbers during the Winter, as well as The Winter Sports’ Annual;
The Public Schools’ Alpine Sports’ Club, founded in1905, has for its object: “To secure the presence at one or more Swiss resorts during the season of a congenial society of people interested in Winter Sports and to make such arrangements for their comfort and enjoyment as may be desirable.” It is a proprietary club under the control of “Alpine Sports, Ltd.,” and lastly:
The Alpine Ski Club, founded in 1908, which takes no account of tests and is concerned entirely with ski-touring. By the strictness of its qualification for membership it is for British ski-ing what the Alpine Club is for climbing. – J. J. B.
We have received for review the following publications of these clubs:
The Year Book Of The Ski Club Of Great Britain And The National Ski Union.
Mr. E. C. Richardson suggests an amalgamation of the Year Books of the various British ski clubs and enlarges on the difficulties of an editor under present conditions. The editor of this Year Book, however, does not seem to suffer from lack of material, though some of the articles are very brief. Travel information may be found in papers dealing with Arosa and Dalwhinnie, Hindsaeter (Jotunheim), Lapland, the Dolomites, Two Himalayan Passes, Canada, Val Ferret, Saas-fée and the Britannia Hut, Kosciusko in Australia, the Riesengebirge and Aare in Sweden.
Commander Victor Campbell, R.N., writes on the use of ski in the British Antarctic expedition, and it certainly seems as if our English explorers were slow to take lessons from their Norwegian rivals in this matter. But there is this to be said for the 1902 expedition, that the snow was hard and wind swept and in Captain Scott’s last expedition ski were taken and used.
From a paper by Mr. Alec. N. Milne on Pinkerton’s Voyages, and a treatise, “De Calceo (1711),” it seems that the Lapps were expert ski-ers two hundred years ago. It is even said that they could run “faster than thought.”
Technical articles on Snow Photography, First Aid to the Injured, International Regulations for Competitive Races, “Controlled Running,” and last, but emphatically not least, a detailed list of Swiss Alpine huts available in winter, are of great value.
Several pieces of verse and a very notable lot of photographs give an artistic completeness to the whole number.
J. J. B.
The Alpine Ski Club Annual, 1913.
Capt. Daukes writes on “Ski-ing in the Himalayas” and of how he spent three days in a small hut during a blizzard, enduring agonies of sleeplessness, which he considers to be a winter form of mountain sickness. He was rewarded by a glorious vision of new snow and unclouded peaks. Of Nanga Parbat, he says: “I may mention here that after living at the foot of ‘Nanga Parbat’ for nearly two years, I have not yet met anyone who knows that famous mountain by this name. There is but one name here – Dyamir. Fairies are popularly believed to rule over those wonderful snow-fields, which seem, perhaps not unnaturally, more closely allied to the blue of heaven than the brown of the Indus valley. Mummery’s name is unknown, but the story of the sahib who, it is believed, is still held a prisoner by the fairies, is known to everyone and has often been told me. Dyamir is his monument, and those who, like myself, worship her from afar, will agree that she is not unworthy.”
Dr. Goehrs writes in French of “Le Mönch en Hiver”; Dr. Tauern of the Oetzthal valleys and mountains, which, from summer experiences, we should imagine well adapted and certainly well “hutted” for the sport; the editor tells of ski-ing over the passes between Zermatt and Saas-fée. – J. J. B.
Year Book Of The North Of England Ski Club. (Vol. I., Nos. 3 and 4.)
The Club’s carefully-thought-out plan for informing its members of any brief intervals of ski-ing weather is described, and they, in turn, contribute articles full of interest and information for anyone seeking ski-ing at home in such places as Alston and Teesdale, whilst others write of Morgins, Grindelwald, Wengen, Andermatt, Fjaeldsaeter and Aare.
Ski-ing.
(Vol. I., No. 2.)
Mr. Arnold Lunn discusses the use of the rope when ski-ing on snow-covered glaciers, and insists on the need for it, suggesting for a party of two the use of a second rope, with loops, to act as a ladder for the man who has fallen into a crevasse – a doubtful expedient. The Hon. E. C. Pery, in “Rucksacks and Runs,” gives many valuable hints, and Mr. Baggallay describes the much-travelled route from Montana to the Plaine Morté Glacier.
The Winter Sports’ Review.
(Vol. II., No. 4; Vol. III., Nos. 2 and 3.)
We have not space even to mention the various articles on Ski-ing, Skating, Curling and other forms of Winter sport in this well-written and up-to-date journal, but we strongly recommend it to every winter-sporter who wants the latest information. The “Interviews with Celebrities” have much quiet humour and “A Blizzard at Finse” is grim reading.
Scottish Ski Club Magazine.
(Vol. II., No. I.)
We congratulate the Editor on this, the first number of a new volume. It includes accounts of ski-runs in the Cairngorms, Ballater, Blair Atholl, the Grampians, Glenshee and elsewhere, and a plain-spoken article by Mr. E. C. Richardson, in which he attributes the accidents, now so numerous, to over-tight ski bindings. The season 1912-I3 is described as exceptionally snowy, the violence and frequency of the storms were very remarkable, but on no occasion did ski-ing conditions hold for more than a day or two.
The Public Schools’ Alpine Sports’ Club Year Book, 1914.
This handy little volume gives every information about the P.S.A.S. Club and the fun enjoyed by its members and others at Sir Henry Lunn’s centres – Wengen, Mürren, Villars and the rest – and is adorned by numerous snapshots of winter sporting.