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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fb0ded2 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #61083 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61083) diff --git a/old/61083-0.txt b/old/61083-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index bb66211..0000000 --- a/old/61083-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9143 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Assault on Mount Everest, 1922, by -Charles Granville Bruce - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll -have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using -this ebook. - - - -Title: The Assault on Mount Everest, 1922 - -Author: Charles Granville Bruce - -Release Date: January 2, 2020 [EBook #61083] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ASSAULT ON MOUNT EVEREST, 1922 *** - - - - -Produced by Tim Lindell, Barry Abrahamsen, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - - - - - THE ASSAULT ON - MOUNT EVEREST, - 1922 - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -[Illustration: - - The Second Climbing Party descending from their record climb. - LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD & C^{o.} -] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE ASSAULT ON - MOUNT EVEREST - 1922 - - - By - - Brigadier-General Hon. C. G. BRUCE, C.B., M.V.O. - AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION - - - - - WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS - - - - - NEW YORK - LONGMANS, GREEN & CO. - LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD & CO. - 1923 - - All rights reserved - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - Made and Printed in Great Britain by - Butler & Tanner Ltd., Frome and London - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - PREFACE - - -The Mount Everest Committee desire to take this opportunity of thanking -General Bruce, Mr. Mallory, Captain Finch, Mr. Somervell and Dr. -Longstaff for having, in addition to their labours in the field, made -the following contributions to the story of an expedition whose chief -result has been to strengthen our confidence that the summit of the -highest mountain in the world can be attained by man. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - INTRODUCTION. By SIR FRANCIS 3 - YOUNGHUSBAND, K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E. - - - THE NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION - By BRIGADIER-GENERAL HON. C. G. BRUCE, C.B., M.V.O. - - CHAP. - I TO THE BASE CAMP 17 - II THE ASSAULT ON THE MOUNTAIN 50 - III THE RETURN BY KHARTA 77 - - - THE FIRST ATTEMPT - By GEORGE H. LEIGH-MALLORY - - IV THE PROBLEM 121 - V THE HIGHEST CAMP 150 - VI THE HIGHEST POINT 183 - - - THE ATTEMPT WITH OXYGEN - By CAPTAIN GEORGE FINCH - - VII THE SECOND ATTEMPT 227 - VIII CONCLUSIONS 251 - IX NOTES ON EQUIPMENT 262 - - - THE THIRD ATTEMPT - By GEORGE H. LEIGH-MALLORY - - X THE THIRD ATTEMPT 273 - XI CONCLUSIONS 287 - - - NOTES - By T. HOWARD SOMERVELL - - XII ACCLIMATISATION AT HIGH ALTITUDES 299 - XIII COLOUR IN TIBET 309 - XIV TIBETAN CULTURE 313 - - - NATURAL HISTORY - By DR. T. G. LONGSTAFF, M.D. - - XV NATURAL HISTORY 321 - INDEX 338 - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - The Second Climbing Party descending Frontispiece - from their Record Climb - - PAGE - - Frozen Waterfall, Chumbi Valley 28 - - Nuns at Tatsang 34 - - Rongbuk Monastery and Mount Everest 44 - - The Expedition at Base Camp 46 - - View at Base Camp 50 - - Camp II at Sunset 54 - - Mount Everest from Camp III 60 - - Watching the Dancers, Rongbuk Monastery 72 - - The Chief Lama, Rongbuk Monastery 78 - - Tibetan Dancing Woman 84 - - Tibetan Dancing Man 84 - - Old Tibetan Woman and Child 90 - - Fording the Bhong Chu 98 - - Panorama at Shekar Dzong 106 - - In Khamba Dzong 110 - - Lingga and the Lhonak Mountains 114 - - Base Camp and Mount Everest in Evening 124 - Light - - Serac, East Rongbuk Glacier 140 - - View from Ice Cavern 146 - - Seracs, East Rongbuk Glacier, above Camp 150 - II - - Party ascending the Chang La 156 - - Peak, 23,180 feet (Kellas’ dark rock 162 - peak), from the Rongbuk Glacier, above - Camp II - - Mallory and Norton approaching their 204 - Highest Point, 26,985 feet - - Summit of Mount Everest from the Highest 210 - Point of the First Climb, 26,985 feet, - May 21, 1922 - - The First Climbing Party 218 - - Frost-bitten Climber being helped down 222 - to Camp II - - Mount Everest from Base Camp 232 - - East Rongbuk Glacier, near Camp II 236 - - Oxygen Apparatus 242 - - Captain Noel kinematographing the Ascent 242 - of Mount Everest from the Chang La - - The British Members of the Second 248 - Climbing Party - - Chang La and North-east Shoulder of 290 - Mount Everest - - Religious Banners in Shekar Monastery 314 - - Romoo, the Lepcha Collector who assisted 322 - Dr. Longstaff and Major Norton - - Karma Paul, the Expedition’s Interpreter 322 - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - MAPS - - - Sketch Map of Mount Everest and the 366 - Rongbuk Glaciers - - The Route of the Mount Everest 367 - Expedition, 1922 - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - INTRODUCTION - - By - SIR FRANCIS YOUNGHUSBAND, - K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - INTRODUCTION - - -Colonel Howard-Bury and the members of the Expedition of 1921 had -effected the object with which they had been despatched. They were not -sent out to climb Mount Everest. It would be impossible to reach the -summit in a single effort. They were sent to reconnoitre the mountain -from every direction and discover what was for certain the easiest way -up. For it was quite certain that only by the easiest way possible—and -only if there were an easy way—would the summit ever be reached. In the -Alps, nowadays, men look about for the most difficult way up a mountain. -Hundreds every year ascend even the Matterhorn by the easiest ways up. -So men with any turn for adventure have to look about for the difficult -ways. With Mount Everest it is very different. The exhaustion produced -from the difficulty of breathing in enough oxygen at the great heights -is so fearful that only by a way that entails the least possible -exertion can the summit be reached. Hence the necessity for spending the -first season in thoroughly prospecting the mountain. And this was all -the more necessary because no European so far had been within sixty -miles of Mount Everest, so that not even the approaches to the mountain -were known. - -During 1921, under the leadership of Colonel Howard-Bury, this -reconnaissance was most thoroughly carried out. Mr. Mallory found what -was quite certainly the easiest—indeed the only practicable—way up the -mountain, and Major Morshead and Captain Wheeler mapped the mountain -itself and the country round. They brought back also much valuable -experience of the conditions under which a definite “all-out” attempt to -reach the summit might be made. Ample data were therefore now at the -disposal of the Mount Everest Committee for organising an expedition to -make this attempt. - -And first the question of leadership had to be decided. This was a -definitely climbing expedition, and a climbing expert would be needed to -lead it—and a climbing expert who had experience of Himalayan -conditions, which are in so many ways different from Alpine conditions. -The one obvious man for this position of leader was Brigadier-General -Hon. C. G. Bruce. He could not be expected at his age to take part in -the actual climbing. But for the command of the whole Expedition no -better could be found. For thirty years he had devoted himself to -climbing both in the Himalaya and in the Alps. He was an expert climber, -and he knew the Himalayan conditions as no other man. And, what was of -scarcely less importance, he knew the Himalayan peoples, and knew how to -handle them. Any climbing party would be dependent upon the native -porters to carry stores and equipment up the mountain. But climbers from -England would know nothing about these men or how to treat them. It was -essential, therefore, that there should be with the Expedition some one -who could humour and get the best out of them. - -This was the more necessary as one of the chief features of these -expeditions to Mount Everest was the organisation of a corps of porters -specially enlisted from among the hardiest men on that frontier for the -particular purpose of carrying camps to high altitudes. This idea -originated with General Bruce himself. So far Himalayan climbing -expeditions had been dependent upon coolies collected at the highest -villages and taken on for a few days while the climb lasted. But this -was never very satisfactory, and coolies so collected would be of no use -on Mount Everest. General Bruce’s plan was very different. It was, -months beforehand, to select thirty or forty of the very best men who -could be found in the higher mountains, to enlist them for some months, -pay them well, feed them well and equip them well, and above all to put -into them a real _esprit de corps_, make them take a pride in the task -that was before them. But to do all this there was needed a man who knew -and understood them and who had this capacity for infusing them with a -keen spirit. And for this no one could be better than General Bruce -himself. He had served in a Gurkha regiment for thirty years. He loved -his Gurkhas, and was beloved by them. He spoke their language; knew all -their customs and traditions, and had had them climbing with him in the -Alps as well as the Himalaya. And Gurkhas come from Nepal, on the -borders of which Mount Everest lies. - -For organising this corps of porters, for dealing with the Tibetans, -and, lastly, for keeping together the climbers from England, who were -mostly quite unknown to each other, but who all knew of General Bruce -and his mountaineering achievements in the Himalaya, General Bruce was -an ideal chief. - -This being settled, the next question was the selection of the climbing -party. General Bruce would not be able to go on to the mountain itself, -and he would have plenty to do at the main base camp, seeing after -supplies and organising transport service from the main base to the high -mountain base. As chief at the mountain base, and as second-in-command -of the Expedition to take General Bruce’s place in case of any -misadventure to him, Lieutenant-Colonel E. L. Strutt was selected. He -was an Alpine climber of great experience and knowledge of ice and snow -conditions. But for the actual effort to reach the summit two men were -specially marked out. One, of course, was Mr. George Leigh-Mallory, who -had done such valuable service on the reconnaissance of the previous -year; and the other was Captain George Finch, who had been selected for -the first Expedition, but who had, through temporary indisposition, not -been able to go with it. Both of these were first-rate men and well -known for their skill in mountaineering. These two had been selected in -the previous year. Of new men, Major E. F. Norton was an experienced and -very reliable and thorough mountaineer. He is an officer in the -Artillery, and well known in India for his skill and interest in -pig-sticking. But in between his soldiering and his pig-sticking and a -course at the Staff College he seems to have found time for Alpine -climbing and for bird observation. A man of high spirit, who could be -trusted to keep his head under all circumstances and to help in keeping -a party together, he was a valuable addition to the Expedition. Mr. -Somervell was perhaps even more versatile in his accomplishments. He was -a surgeon in a London hospital, who was also skilled both in music and -painting, and yet found time for mountaineering, and, being younger than -the others, and possessed of exuberant energy and a fine physique, he -could be reckoned on to go with the highest climbers. Another member of -the medical profession who was also a mountaineer was Dr. Wakefield. He -was a Westmorland man, who had performed wonderful climbing feats in the -Lake District in his younger days, and now held a medical practice in -Canada. He was bursting with enthusiasm to join the expedition, and gave -up his practice for the purpose. - -As medical officer and naturalist of the Expedition, Dr. T. G. Longstaff -was chosen. He was a veteran Himalayan climber, and if only this -Expedition could have been undertaken some years earlier, he, like -General Bruce, would have made a magnificent leader of a climbing party. -As it was, his great experience would be available for the climbers as -far as the high mountain camp. And this time it was intended to send -with the Expedition a “whole-time” photographer and cinematographer, -both for the purpose of having a photographic record of its progress and -also to provide the means by which the expenses of this and a future -expedition might be met. For this Captain J. B. Noel was selected. He -had made a reconnaissance towards Mount Everest in 1913, and he had -since then made a special study of photography and cinematography, so -that he was eminently suited for the task. - -The above formed the party which would be sent out from England. And -subsequently General Bruce, in India, selected four others to join the -Expedition: Mr. Crawford, of the Indian Civil Service, a keen -mountaineer, who had long wished to join the Expedition; Major Morshead, -who had held charge of the survey party in the 1921 Expedition, and now -wanted to join the present Expedition as a climber; and two officers -from Gurkha regiments, to serve as transport officers, namely, Captain -Geoffrey Bruce and Captain Morris. - -This completed the British personnel of the Expedition. It had been my -hope that a first-rate artist might have accompanied it to paint the -greatest peaks of the Himalaya, but the artists whom we chose were -unable to pass the medical examination, though the examination was, of -course, not so severe as the examination which the actual climbers had -to pass. - -While these men were being selected, the Equipment Committee, Captain -Farrar and Mr. Meade, were working hard. Taking the advice of Colonel -Howard-Bury and Mr. Mallory, and profiting by the experience gained on -the previous Expedition, they got together and had suitably packed and -despatched to India a splendid outfit comprising every necessity for an -Expedition of this nature. The amount of work that Farrar put into this -was enormous; for as a mountaineer he knew well how the success of the -Expedition depended on each detail of the equipment being looked into, -and he spared himself no trouble and overlooked nothing. The stores were -of the most varied description, in order to meet the varying tastes of -the different members. The tents were improved in accordance with the -experience gained. Most particular attention was paid to the boots. -Clothing and bedding, light in weight but warm to wear, were specially -designed. Ice-axes, crampons, ropes, lanterns, cooking-stoves, and also -warm clothing for the porters, were all provided, and much else besides. - -But about one point in the equipment of the party there was much -diversity of opinion. Should the climbers be provided with oxygen, or -should they not? If it were at all feasible to provide climbers with -oxygen without adding appreciably to the weight they had to carry, the -summit of Mount Everest could be reached to a certainty. For the purely -mountaineering difficulties are not great. On the way to the summit -there are no physical obstacles which a trained mountaineer could not -readily overcome. The one factor which renders the ascent so difficult -is the want of oxygen in the air. Provide the oxygen and the ascent -could be made at once. But to provide the oxygen heavy apparatus would -have to be carried—and carried by the climbers themselves. It became a -question whether the disadvantage of having to carry a weight of at -least thirty pounds would or would not outweigh the advantages to be -gained by the use of the oxygen. - -And the Mount Everest Committee were warned of another feature in the -case. They were told that if by any misfortune the oxygen were to run -out when the climbers were at a considerable height—say 27,000 feet—and -they suddenly found themselves without any preparation in this -attenuated atmosphere, they might collapse straight away. It was a -disagreeable prospect to anticipate. But Captain Finch, who was himself -a lecturer on chemistry at the Imperial College of Science, Mr. -Somervell, and Captain Farrar, pressed so strongly for the use of -oxygen, and Mr. Unna was so convinced he could construct a reasonably -portable apparatus, that the Committee decided that the experiment -should be made. The value of using oxygen could thus be tested, and we -should know what were the prospects of reaching the summit of the -mountain either with or without its aid. Captain Farrar, Captain Finch, -and Mr. Unna therefore set about constructing an apparatus which would -hold the lightest procurable oxygen cylinders, and which could be -carried on the back by the climbers. - -This final question having been settled, all the stores and equipment -having been purchased, packed, and despatched, the members of the -Expedition left England in March. But before I leave General Bruce to -take up the tale of their adventures, I must say yet one word more about -“the good” of climbing Mount Everest. These repeated efforts to reach -the summit of the world’s highest mountain have already cost human life. -They have also cost much physical pain, fatigue, and discomfort to the -climbers. They have been very expensive. And there is not the slightest -sign of any material gain whatever being obtained—not an ounce of gold, -or iron, or coal, or a single precious stone, or any land upon which -food or material could be grown. What, then, is the good of it all? Who -will benefit in the least even if the climbers do eventually get to the -top? These are questions which are still being continually asked me, so -I had better still go on trying to make as plain as I can what is the -good of climbing Mount Everest. - -The most obvious good is an increased knowledge of our own capacities. -By trying with all our might and with all our mind to climb the highest -point on the earth, we are getting to know better what we really can do. -No one can say for certain yet whether we can or cannot reach the -summit. We cannot know till we try. But if—as seems much more probable -now than it did ten years ago—we can reach the summit, we shall know -that we are capable of more than we had supposed. And this knowledge of -our capacities will be very valuable. In my own lifetime I have seen -men’s knowledge of their capacity for climbing mountains greatly -increased. Men’s standard of climbing has been raised. They now know -that they can do what forty years ago they did not deem in the least -possible. And if they reach the summit of Mount Everest, the standard of -achievement will be still further raised; and men who had, so far, never -thought of attempting the lesser peaks of the Himalaya, will be climbing -them as freely as they now climb peaks in Switzerland. - -And what then? What is the good of that? The good of that is that a -whole new enjoyment in life will be opened up. And enjoyment of life is, -after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat -and make money to be able to enjoy life. And some of us know from actual -experience that by climbing a mountain we can get some of the finest -enjoyment there is to be had. We like bracing ourselves against a -mountain, pitting our mettle, our nerve, our skill, against the physical -difficulties the mountain presents, and feeling that we are forcing the -spirit within us to prevail against the material. That is a glorious -feeling in itself and a real tonic to the spirit—even when it does not -always conquer. - -But that is not all. The wrestling with the mountain makes us love the -mountain. For the moment we may be utterly exhausted and only too -thankful to be able to hurry back to more congenial regions. Yet, all -the same, we shall eventually get to love the mountain for the very fact -that she has forced the utmost out of us, lifted us just for one -precious moment high above our ordinary life, and shown us beauty of an -austerity, power, and purity we should have never known if we had not -faced the mountain squarely and battled strongly with her. - -This, then, is the good to be obtained from climbing Mount Everest. Most -men will have to take on trust that there is this good. But most of the -best things in life we have to take on trust at first till we have -proved them for ourselves. So I would beg readers of this book first -trustfully to accept it from the Everest climbers that there is good in -climbing great mountains (for the risks they have run and the hardships -they have endured are ample enough proof of the faith that is in them), -and then to go and test it for themselves—in the Himalaya, if possible, -or if not, in the Alps, the Rockies, the Andes, wherever high mountains -make the call. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE NARRATIVE OF THE - EXPEDITION - - By - BRIGADIER-GENERAL HON. C. G. BRUCE, - C.B., M.V.O. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER I - - TO THE BASE CAMP - - -The precursor of the present volume, _The Reconnaissance of Mount -Everest in 1921_, sets forth fully the successful and strenuous work -which was accomplished in that year and which has rendered possible the -Expedition of the present year. The whole of our work lying in country -which had never previously been explored by Europeans, it was rendered -absolutely necessary for a full examination of the whole country to be -made before an attempt to climb Mount Everest could possibly be carried -out. We have to thank Colonel Howard-Bury and his companions, especially -his survey officers, for their important work, which rendered our task -in arriving at our base comparatively simple. - -The object of the Expedition of 1922, of course, was the actual attack -on the mountain in an attempt to climb it; but no great mountain has -ever succumbed to the first attempt on it, and therefore it is almost -inconceivable that so tremendous a problem as the ascent of Mount -Everest should succeed at the very first effort. In fact, I myself am -more than satisfied, almost astounded, at the extraordinary success -attained by my companions in this endeavour. The problem that lay in -front of us, I think, should be first explained. - -Mount Everest, as all know, lies on that part of the Himalaya which is -narrowest. It is, therefore, exposed very rapidly to the first assaults -of the South-west monsoon, and this monsoon advances up the Bay of -Bengal at an earlier period in the year than that of its Western branch, -the Gulf current. It is this fact which supplies the greatest difficulty -to be faced in an attack on any of the great peaks which lie in this -region, giving one an unusually short season. However, to a certain -extent this is counteracted by the fact that the winter climate in this -portion of the Himalaya is far drier than it is in the West. There is -less deposit of snow on the mountains in this section of the Himalaya -than there would be, for instance, in the Kashmir mountains, and this, -to some extent, makes up for the early advance of the monsoon, and -consequent bad weather, which renders any exploration of the great -heights during the time that the monsoon blows an impossibility. - -Towards the end of May the monsoon arrives in Darjeeling, and then, -according to the strength of the current, quickly approaches the -Southern faces of the Himalaya, and, as the current strengthens, drifts -across their summits and through the gorges and over the lower ridges. -The problem, therefore, of any party exploring in these mountains -resolves itself into the rapidity with which they can establish their -base of operations in a suitable locality to explore the mountains and -to climb them. During the period of the very great cold, naturally, the -upper heights are impossible, and camping on the upper glaciers is in -itself also almost impossible. Travelling across Tibet in March, -crossing high passes of over 17,000 feet is such that, although it might -be perfectly possible to do, it would be a great strain on the stamina -of the party, and likely to detract from their condition. We had, -therefore, to adapt our advance into Tibet so as to make it at the -latest possible moment, in order to avoid the very worst of the weather, -and yet at the earliest possible moment, so that we could arrive at the -foot of our mountains with sufficient time to attack them before the -weather broke up and rendered mountaineering an impossibility at a great -height. It resolves itself, then, almost into a race against the -monsoon. - -This was our problem, and it is my special province in these opening -chapters to show how we tackled it. - -During the winter of 1921–2, the Mount Everest Committee, owing to the -lateness with which the party had returned after the reconnaissance, had -to work at very top speed. They had to collect all the necessary stores -for the party, and not only that, but also to select a suitable -mountaineering team; this was a considerable difficulty. Finally the -party was made up as follows: myself as leader, Colonel E. L. Strutt as -Second-in-Command, and Dr. Longstaff the official doctor and naturalist -of the Expedition. The climbing party pure consisted of Mr. Mallory (of -last year’s Expedition), Dr. Somervell, Dr. Wakefield, and Major Norton. -We had three transport officers, one of whom belonged to the Alpine -Club, and was considered an assistant of the climbing party, Mr. C. G. -Crawford, of the Indian Civil Service. The official photographer was -Captain Noel. Two officers in the Indian Army were attached to the -Expedition as transport officers—Captain J. G. Bruce and Captain C. G. -Morris. Later, on our arrival in Darjeeling, the party was further -reinforced by Major Morshead, who had been one of the survey party of -the previous year, and whose general knowledge of Tibet and of Tibetans -was of great service to us; and last, but not least, Captain George -Finch, who came not only as a most important member of the climbing -party, but also as the scientific expert in charge of the entire oxygen -outfit. - -This large party was collected in Darjeeling by the last week in March, -and in a few days we were all ready to make a start. I myself preceded -the party by about a month, arriving in Delhi to interview the Indian -authorities about the 25th of February. Through the kindness of the -Commander-in-Chief, Lord Rawlinson, we were supplied with four young -non-commissioned officers of Captain Bruce’s regiment, the 2nd Battalion -6th Gurkha Rifles, and an orderly of the 1st Battalion 6th Gurkha -Rifles, and right well all these five Gurkhas carried out their duties. -As will be seen later, one of them, Lance-naik Tejbir Bura, very highly -distinguished himself. - -I arrived in Darjeeling with Captain Bruce on March 1, and there I found -that our agent in India, Mr. Weatherall, had carried out the -instructions which he had received from England in the most efficient -manner. The large quantity of stores which we had ordered previously -were all beautifully packed and ready for transportation; the tents of -the previous year all mended and in good order; the stores of different -kinds, such as there were, which had been left also from the previous -year, had been put into order; and last and most important, 150 porters -had been collected for our inspection and from whom to make a selection. -He had also for us a large number of cooks to choose from, a most -excellent individual to look after the tents, Chongay, who proved quite -invaluable to us, and a local cobbler who had expressed his willingness -to come with the Expedition. - -Owing to the tremendous hurry in which all arrangements had to be made -in England, the stores were forwarded in different batches. On our -arrival in Calcutta, we interviewed Mr. Brown, of the Army and Navy -Stores, whose work, both for the Expeditions of 1921 and of 1922, has -been quite beyond praise. He told us that only one instalment of stores -had yet arrived, but that the ships containing the remainder were -expected shortly. Luckily for us, we had at the Army and Navy Stores, -and acting in the interests of the Expedition, a most capable agent. As -the ships containing the stores arrived, the latter were unloaded, -rapidly passed through the Customs, and forwarded on to Kalimpong Road, -which is the terminus of the Darjeeling Railway and the Teesta Valley. -On arrival there they were met by our representative in no less a person -than Captain Morris, handed over to the contractors who were moving our -stores, and forwarded on to Tibet in advance of the Expedition. This -naturally required a great deal of arranging. - -I must mention that, shortly after our arrival in Darjeeling, we were -joined by Captain Morris, who immediately left for Kalimpong, two stages -on our journey, to which place the whole of the outfit of the Expedition -was sent. We could not spare the time to wait for the arrival of the -oxygen, and therefore, when the party finally left Darjeeling, Captain -Finch, the scientist in whose charge the whole of the oxygen and -scientific apparatus had been put, remained behind with Mr. Crawford to -bring it up. Luckily, the ship arrived in Calcutta just as we were -leaving, and therefore the delay was less than we had anticipated. - -The people of Darjeeling, both the British and the native -inhabitants—whether Tibetans or Hillmen—were all immensely interested in -our Expedition, and Mr. Laden La, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, -was, if anything, the most enthusiastic of them all. Mr. Laden La has -himself rendered excellent service to Government, and has travelled -greatly in Tibet. He is himself a Tibetan, and, I believe, is an -Honorary General in the Tibetan Army. His influence in Darjeeling and -the district is great, and his help to the Expedition was invaluable. He -arranged in Darjeeling, both as head of the Buddhist Association of -Darjeeling, and in conjunction with the Committee of the Hillmen’s -Association, that the whole of the party should be entertained by these -two Associations, and that the chief Lamas and Brahmins of the district -should bless and offer up prayers for the well-being and success of the -party. The entertainment went off most excellently, and it was -altogether a most interesting function. The Nepalese members of the -party were blessed by the Brahmins, but also, in order to confirm this -blessing, further received the blessings of the Lamas. I think there is -every reason for supposing that this small function assisted in bringing -home to all our porters and followers what was expected of them by their -own people, and it was very likely a good deal in consequence of this -that they behaved on the whole so extremely well. For it must be -understood that all these hill people, whether Nepalese or Tibetan, are -very light-hearted, very irresponsible, very high-spirited, and up to -the present time prohibition as a national measure is not exactly a -popular outlook; in fact, none of them on any occasion, unless well -looked after, lost any opportunity of looking on the wine when it is -red—or any other colour. - -Our cooks had to be chosen with a good deal of care. Captain Bruce and -myself took the most likely candidates out into the hills and gave them -a good trial before we engaged them. One of them, who was a Nepalese, -had been an old servant of my own for many months; he was the only -Gurkha among them. The other three (for we gave ourselves an ample -outfit of four cooks) were Bhotias (Tibetans). They were the greatest -success, mostly because they are hard-working and ready to do any amount -of work; but they were good cooks too. Captain Noel also engaged an -excellent servant (also a cook), and Major Norton’s private servant -(another Tibetan) was very capable in the same way; so that we were -thoroughly well provided with an ample outfit, and wherever we were we -could count on having our meals properly prepared. This is one of the -important points in Tibetan travel, from the want of which I believe a -certain amount of the illness that was experienced in the previous year -was due. - -We also engaged almost the most important subordinate member of the -Expedition—the interpreter, Karma Paul. He was quite young, and had been -a schoolmaster in Darjeeling. He had also worked, I believe, for a time -in an office in Calcutta. He was quite new to the kind of work that he -would have to do. But he was a great acquisition to the Expedition, -always good company and always cheerful, full of a quaint little vanity -of his own and delighted when he was praised. He served us very well -indeed from one end of the Expedition to the other, and it was a great -deal owing to his cheerfulness and to his excellent manners and way with -the Tibetans that we never had the smallest possible misunderstanding -with any officials, even of the lowest grades, to disturb our good -relations with the Tibetans of any kind or class. He also was bilingual, -for he had been born in Lhasa, and still had relations living there. - -On March 26 the whole Expedition started off for Kalimpong by rail, with -the exception of Captain Finch and Mr. Crawford, who remained to bring -on the oxygen. Owing to the kindness of the Himalayan Railway Company, -we were all taken round by rail to Kalimpong Road free, the whole -Expedition travelling up the Teesta Valley in the normal manner, with -the exception of Captain Noel, who elected to ride on the roof of the -carriages in order to take pictures with his cinema camera of the Teesta -Valley. The junction at Siliguri, where the Teesta railway branches off -from the main line, is only 300 feet above the sea, the terminus at -Kalimpong Road about 700 feet above the sea, and therefore as one dives -down from the hills one enters into tropical conditions and passes -through the most magnificent tropical jungle and the steepest gorges and -ravines. It is a wonderful journey. Even the long spell of hot and dry -weather and the heat haze at this time of year were unable to spoil the -scenery. And though we saw it almost at its worst time, it remained -gorgeous. - -At Kalimpong the Expedition broke up into two parties, but before we -left we had a very pleasant function to attend. I had been charged by -Sir Robert Baden-Powell to deliver a message to the scouts of Dr. -Graham’s Homes for European Children at Kalimpong. Not only that, but -incorporated with these scouts was the first small body of Nepalese -boy-scouts. It was a very interesting function indeed, and a most -enthusiastic one. - -From there we pushed on stage by stage over the Jelep La into the Chumbi -Valley. Of course, journeys through Sikkim have often been described. -Again we were disappointed. On my first arrival in Darjeeling, the cold -weather had hardly finished, but now (March 28) we were well into the -hot weather of Bengal, and in consequence we were also in the -hot-weather haze. During the whole of our journey we never got a single -view of the gorgeous Southern faces of the Himalaya, of Kanchenjanga and -of its supporters, and especially of the wonderful Siniolchum peak. This -was a very great disappointment, as from several points on our road a -view of the Southern face can be obtained. Nevertheless, a journey -through Sikkim is always a wonderful experience. The steep and deeply -cut valleys, the wonderful clear mountain streams, and the inhabitants -and their means of cultivation, are all full of interest. The depth of -the valleys is always striking, and can never be anything else. When one -thinks that from Rongli Chu, situated only at 2,700 feet above the sea, -one rises in one continuous pull to close on 13,000 feet on the ridge -which looks down on the Gnatong bungalow, and travels through -cultivation and forest the whole way, passing through every phase of -Eastern Himalayan landscape, one cannot cease to be continually -impressed by the scale of the country. We were too early for the -rhododendrons on the way to Gnatong, but there were just sufficient in -flower to give us a mental vision of what these wonderful rhododendron -forests would be like in another three weeks. - -On the way to Gnatong, at a height of 11,500 feet, we came to the little -village of Lungtung. Here there was a tea-house kept by some Nepalese. -It was spotlessly clean, or at least all the cooking arrangements were, -and here, as we came up, we all indulged in tea and the local cakes, and -found them both excellent. Not only that, but the little lady who kept -the shop was full of talk and full of chaff, and we all sat down and -enjoyed ourselves for more than an hour, keeping up a continuous flow of -conversation. All the men joined us as they came up, and I am afraid we -made rather a noise. As a matter of fact, all through Sikkim these -little tea-shops are to be found, and the tea is generally quite -drinkable. This little lady’s shop, though, was particularly well run -and attractive. When we left we promised to call and see her again on -our return, which promise we were able to fulfil. - -The higher portions of the road from Gnatong over the Jelep are a very -great contrast. It is almost like a march through the Highlands of -Scotland, and hardly represents or brings to one’s mind the fact that -one is among great mountains. The Jelep, which is 14,300 feet above the -sea, is a perfectly easy pass, crossed by a horrid pavé road, very much -out of repair, the descent into the Chumbi Valley being, for animals, -the last word in discomfort. We employed altogether in our two parties -about eighty mules from the Chumbi Valley, and we were all immensely -struck by this wonderful transport. There is a considerable trade -carried on between Tibet and Chumbi in particular for seven or eight -months in the year, as on this road quantities of Tibetan wool are -brought down for sale at Kalimpong, very nearly all of it being brought -by the Chumbi muleteers, and most efficient they are. They thoroughly -understand the loading and care of mules, and the pace they travel at is -something to see. It is only understood if one walks for long distances -with, or often behind, a train of laden mules. No doubt, owing to the -continual changes from cold to warmth and heat, many sore backs are -occasioned, and further, owing to the tremendous stress and continuous -labour involved, many mules are worked that have no business to be -worked. The muleteers themselves, when talked to about it, say that it -distresses them, but they are hard put to it to carry out their work, -and see no method very often of being able to fulfil their contracts and -at the same time lay up their mules. - -After crossing the Jelep La, and leaving Sikkim, it is almost like -diving into Kashmir, so great is the difference in the general -appearance of the country and in its forests. While we were sitting on -the top of the Jelep we had the most splendid view of Chomolhari (23,800 -feet). It showed itself at its very best; the day was quiet and very -warm. Chomolhari stood out clearly, and still with plenty of atmosphere -round it. Snow-streamers were blowing out from its summit. It showed its -full height, and did full justice to its shape and beauty. It is a great -mountain which completely dominates Phari and its plain, and is the -striking feature as one enters Tibet from the Chumbi Valley. We all -admired it enormously, but the enthusiasm of the party was somewhat -damped when I pointed out to them that our high advanced base on -Everest, in fact, the camp that we hoped to establish on the North Col, -called the Chang La, which had been marked out the year before by Mr. -Mallory, was, in fact, only about 600 feet lower than the top of -Chomolhari itself. - -[Illustration: - - FROZEN WATERFALL, CHUMBI VALLEY. -] - -On arrival at Richengong, which is at the foot of the valley which forms -the junction between the Jelep Valley and the valley of the Ammu Chu, -which is the Chumbi Valley, we were met by Mr. Macdonald, the British -Trade Agent, who lives at Chumbi, and his wonderfully dressed -chuprassis, and also by a guard of honour of 90 Panjabis, who supplied a -small guard both at Yatung, in Chumbi, and also at the British post in -Gyantse, on the road to Lhasa. We had a very pleasant ride by the Chumbi -Valley to Yatung. I had previously supplied myself in Darjeeling with a -treasure of a pony, Gyamda by name, who was locally very well known in -Darjeeling. He was only 12½ hands, but had the go and the stamina of a -very much bigger animal. He was attended by a sais who was nearly twice -as big as himself, and was one of the finest-built Tibetans I saw the -whole time. Gyamda himself hailed from the town of Gyamda, which is -about 12 miles South of Lhasa. His enormous sais hailed from Lhasa -itself, and, unfortunately, could hardly speak a word of anything but -Tibetan. However, he improved by degrees, and very soon we got on very -well. He adored the pony Gyamda, but had the habit of giving it, unless -looked after, at least a dozen eggs mixed with its grain. When we -stopped him doing this, he was caught hugging the pony round the neck -and saying to it, “Now they have cut your eggs, you will die, and what -shall I do?” Gyamda carried me right through the Expedition, and could -go over any ground, and came back as well as he left, never sick or -sorry, and always pleased with life. - -We marched from Chumbi on April 5, accompanied by Mr. Macdonald and his -son, who had come to help us make all our transport arrangements when we -should arrive in Phari. Mr. Macdonald helped us on all occasions, and we -cannot thank him enough for all the trouble he took from now on and -during the whole time the Expedition was in Tibet. It was owing very -largely to his help that we were able in Phari to get our Expedition on -so soon, for he warned the two Dzongpens of Phari Dzong beforehand to -obtain adequate transport for us. - -Again, the march from Yatung to Phari has been described on many -occasions, but it is quite impossible to march through it without -mentioning its character. It is, especially at the time of year we went -through, one of the darkest and blackest and most impressive forested -gorges that I have ever seen, and almost equally impressive is the -debouchment on to the Phari Plain at the head of the gorge, dominated as -it is by our old friend Chomolhari. - -We arrived in Phari on April 6, and made our first real acquaintance -with the Tibetan wind. Phari is 14,300 feet, and winter was scarcely -over; the weather also was threatening. Luckily, there is a little -British Government rest-house and bungalow and serai at Phari, and there -we found comfortable quarters. We were joined on the following day by -the rest of the party. This really formed the starting-point of the -Expedition, and, further, it was my birthday, and the bottle of old rum, -120 years old, specially brought out for this occasion, was opened and -the success of the Expedition was drunk to. If we had known what was in -front of us, we should have put off the drinking of this peculiarly -comforting fluid until the evening of the day of our first march from -Phari. The two Phari Dzongpens, probably owing to the fact that Phari is -on the main route between Lhasa and India, were far and away the most -grasping and difficult of any officials that we met, but no doubt their -difficulties were pretty considerable. Although there is a great -quantity of transport to be obtained in Phari, at this time of the year -it is in very poor condition. Grazing exists, but one would never know -that it existed unless one was told, and also unless one saw herds of -yaks on the hillsides apparently eating frozen earth. Everything was -frozen hard. We had difficulty, therefore, in obtaining the transport -required. We found here collected the whole of our stores, with the -exception of the oxygen. Our excellent tindel,[1] Chongay, who had gone -on ahead, had got it all marshalled; the tents were also pitched and in -good order. - -Footnote 1: - - Tent-mender. - -On April 8 we set out from Phari, but had been obliged to reinforce the -local transport by re-engaging fifty of the Chumbi mules. We had been -obliged to do this because we were unable to get a sufficiency of -transport that was capable of carrying loads in Phari itself. But these -fifty mules were our salvation; without them, as it turned out, we -should have been in a bad way. - -There are two roads that lead from Phari to Khamba Dzong, our next -objective; the short road passing over the Tang La and the Donka La, and -a long road which starts first on the road to Lhasa and turns finally -after two marches to the West. On account of the short time at our -disposal, and having regard to the fact that we had now in earnest begun -our race with the weather, we chose the shorter route. Owing to the -condition of the animals, all had agreed that the yaks could not -possibly, even by the short road, get to Khamba Dzong under six days. We -therefore divided our party again into two. The advance party, with -fifty Chumbi mules and a large collection of donkeys and particularly -active bullocks, and even some cows, were to march to Khamba Dzong in -four days, and were to be followed by 200 yaks in charge of our sardar, -Gyaljen, and two of the Gurkha non-commissioned officers, to wit, Naik -Hurké Gurung and Lance-naik Lal Sing Gurung, the other two Gurkhas being -in charge of the treasure-chest which accompanied the first party; -Lance-naik Tejbir Bura and Lance-naik Sarabjit Thapa were to march with -the first party. - -The sardar Gyaljen had accompanied Colonel Howard-Bury’s party on the -first Expedition, and had, apparently, from the accounts given of him in -last year’s volume, not been a very great success. I, however, gave him -a second chance. He was a thoroughly capable man, and I had every hope, -as he knew that I had heard about him and had also seen the report that -had been made of him by Colonel Howard-Bury, that on this occasion he -would pull himself together and do well; in this we were not -disappointed. Of course, as all sophisticated men in his position are -likely to do, he was out to benefit himself; but we were able pretty -successfully to cope with this failing, and, generally speaking, his -services were of great value, especially on certain occasions. -Altogether, I think, he was a success. - -Of course, we were rather well qualified from this point of view—both -Morris and Geoffrey Bruce had an excellent knowledge of Nepal and of the -Nepalese, and Nepalese is the one Eastern language which I may say that -I also have a good knowledge of. All Sherpas are tri-lingual—that is to -say, they talk their own Sherpa dialect of Tibet, Tibetan as a -mother-tongue, and nearly all of them Nepalese as well. Owing to their -being subjects of Nepal, the official language (that is, Nepalese) is -the one they are obliged to employ in dealing with the authorities. Also -nearly every one of the Tibetans we employed and who came with us from -Darjeeling spoke Nepali as their second language. In consequence of -this, nearly the whole of the work usually done by a sardar of coolies -in Darjeeling was carried out by the officers of the Expedition, who -dealt directly both with the men and with the people of the country. - -On April 8 we started out. There was for a good long time a tremendous -scrimmage getting all the different loads packed on to the animals, and -dividing the animals, especially as the Tibetans had no idea of being -punctual, and in consequence the yaks, ponies for riding, mules and -bullocks, all drifted in at different times during the morning. Finally, -however, our two large mixed convoys were got off. It was really a great -piece of luck being able to keep the fifty Chumbi mules. These were -laden in the early morning with what was necessary for our camp and -despatched well before the rest of the luggage. The great convoy of 200 -yaks was finally marshalled and sent off under the charge of the Gurkhas -and the sardar, but the advance party’s luggage was spread over miles of -country. In consequence of this, Geoffrey, Morris, and myself were -delayed until quite late in the morning. - -[Illustration: - - NUNS AT TA-TSANG. -] - -Our first march was about 16 miles, and the day was very threatening. We -pushed along on ponies at a good pace and crossed the Tang La, which is -a little over 15,000 feet, in rough, but not actually wet, weather. -Luckily, the country is very open, over plains of more or less frozen -grass. Over the main chain of the Himalaya the clouds had settled, and -it was evident that the weather was breaking. A little after noon it -broke with a vengeance. The clouds settled down, it began to snow -heavily, and the wind increased to half a hurricane. Luckily, however, -most of our local men knew the road well, otherwise in this great open -and undulating country one could very easily get lost. The track, which -was fairly well marked otherwise, was completely and rapidly obliterated -in places. It was certainly a rather disheartening start. Morris was -delayed for a time to look after some luggage; Geoffrey and myself -pushed on. Going pretty quickly, we were able to pick up different -parties, and were lucky enough to pass one small encampment of Tibetans. -It was curious to see yaks contentedly chewing the cud, the whole of -their weather-side being a mass of frozen snow. They seemed to be quite -as happy lying out in a blizzard as though they had been ordinary -civilised cows in a barn. - -About what is usually known as tea-time we sighted the camp. Our -excellent followers had got a few tents up, and I was fortunate enough -myself to find that the porter who was carrying my big coat had already -arrived. Nearly all Indian camp servants who are accustomed to -travelling in the Himalaya are good in a crisis, and, when things get -bad, come to the fore; but on this occasion they surpassed themselves. -It must be understood that, in Tibet, very, very seldom can anything but -dried yak-dung be found to make a fire with. On this occasion the snow -had obliterated everything, and in consequence a fire had to be -otherwise improvised. Some tents had been pitched, a fire had been got -going, and very soon a hot meal and hot tea were forthcoming. The rest -of the party gradually collected, but it was not until well after -nightfall that the whole of the advance transport had managed to arrive. -As a first march it certainly gave the party a very good idea of what -they might have to put up with in Tibet; it was a real good entry into -Tibetan travel. However, nobody was much the worse, and, the weather -having cleared during the night, we had a brilliant sight the following -morning. - -On April 9, we made what I think was the hardest march undertaken on the -Expedition. Our path led us over the ridge in its three bifurcations -which runs North from Pawhunri and rapidly rises from our last camp, -each of these ridges being just 17,000 feet, slightly more or less, and -most of the path being at about 16,000 feet of elevation. At any time -early in April great cold would be expected at such a height, but on -this day the wind was blowing right over the Himalaya direct from the -snows across these passes, and howling down the gorges between them. It -was painfully cold, and the wind never abated from morning to night. We -left about seven o’clock in the morning, and it was well after nightfall -again before our transport was collected at our next camp at -Hung-Zung-trak. Longstaff and myself pushed on in search of the camp for -most of the day together, arriving before any of the animals at about -4.30 to five o’clock in the evening, and made our camp at the -above-named place under some overhanging cliffs with fairly good -grazing—such as grazing is in April—and with a stream beneath the camp -from which water could be obtained. We were very shortly followed by our -magnificent Chumbi transport, which had been pushing along at a -tremendous pace the whole day long. I do not know what we should have -done without it. - -What was very much brought home to us was the absolute necessity of -windproof material to keep out the tremendous cold of these winds. -Fortunately, I had a very efficient mackintosh which covered everything, -but even then I suffered very considerably from the cold. It simply blew -through and through wool, and riding without windproof clothing would -have been very painful. It was also very fortunate for us that the -weather was really fine and the sun shone all day. I think we should -have been in a very bad way indeed if the blizzard had occurred on the -second day out from Phari, and not on the first. - -However, by night we were all comfortably settled down, although the -whole of our advance stores did not arrive until after ten o’clock at -night again. Unfortunately, three of our porters who had stayed behind -with the slowest of the bullocks lost their way after dark. They stayed -out the whole night without bedding or covering, and in the morning -continued to the nunnery of Tatsang, which was about 4 or 5 miles -further down the valley and rather off our direct route. We here heard -of them and retrieved them. These men had not yet been issued with their -full clothes, and how they managed to sit out the night clothed as they -were and without any damage of any kind passes one’s comprehension. So -low was the temperature that night that the quickly flowing stream -outside our camp was frozen solid. - -We halted the next day, as the transport was overdone, and the following -day (April 11) made another long, but very interesting, march direct to -Khamba Dzong, leaving the monastery of Tatsang on our right and crossing -high plains on which were grazing large herds of kyang and gazelle. The -mounted men had great fun trying to round up and get as close as -possible to the herds of kyang; they were trusting up to a point, but -never let us go close enough to get a good snap photograph of them. -Finally, the road led from the high plateau down to Khamba Dzong, -through what to several of us immediately became astonishingly familiar -country; for the whole surroundings of the Khamba Dzong Valley reminds -one very much of the scenery on the North-west frontier of India. But -what a difference in climate! - -We camped at Khamba Dzong where last year’s Expedition had camped, and -were very well received by the same Dzongpen. We were gratified to find -Dr. Kellas’ grave in good order, and we further added to it a collection -of great stones. The inscription on the grave in English and Tibetan was -clear and clean. We were delayed in Khamba Dzong for three whole days, -partly because of the difficulty in collecting animals; also two days to -allow our main convoy of 200 yaks to catch us up, and we had the good -luck to be joined by Finch and Crawford, who had pushed on at a great -pace with the oxygen apparatus. They showed evident signs of wear and -tear, being badly knocked about by the weather. The storm had caught -them on the Jelep La, and as this is more South, there had been a very -much greater fall of snow, so much so that the Chumbi Valley was inches -deep in it. They spoke very highly indeed of all their followers, cooks -and Tibetans, and especially of a capital boy, Lhakpa Tsering, who had -come along with them as their special attendant. He was quite a young -boy, but had made the march in two days with them to Tatsang, where they -stayed for the night, without showing any particular signs of fatigue, -running along beside their ponies. I make a considerable point of the -following: I think great exertions and long marches at these high -altitudes before acclimatisation is complete would have tended to -exhaust, and not to improve, the training of the party, whereas to have -a pony with one and be able to walk or ride when one felt tired or -blown, gradually allowed the body to adjust itself. At any rate, I am -perfectly certain that if every one had been obliged to walk instead of -being able to ride, even on the terribly inadequate ponies that were -supplied to them in Tibet, but which, at any rate, gave them the -much-needed rest, they would not have arrived at the Rongbuk Glacier fit -to do the work which they afterwards successfully tackled. - -Our march from Khamba Dzong to Tinki and from Tinki to Shekar was -exactly by the route followed by Colonel Howard-Bury in the previous -year, and calls for no particular comment on my part, with the exception -that two small parties of Finch and Wakefield and Mallory and Somervell -made a good attempt at Gyangka-nangpa to climb a 20,000-foot peak, -Sangkar Ri, on the way. This they were not quite able to do. - -We had no difficulty in crossing the great sand-dunes where the Yaru -River joins the Arun, as we were able to cross it in the early morning -before the wind had arisen. But on that morning, when we came to the -junction of the valley of the Arun, we had a most wonderful and clear -view of Mount Everest to the South. Although it was over 50 miles -distant in a straight line, it did not look more than twenty. The whole -of the face that was visible to us was smothered in snow. The entire -setting of the piece was very strange; the country was almost bare -enough to remind one of a crumpled Egyptian desert, and the strangeness -and wonder was hugely increased by the South of the valley being filled -with this wonderful mountain mass. - -At Shekar, where we arrived on April 24, we were again delayed for three -days getting transport. We found the Dzong filled with Lamas. There is a -great monastery in Shekar itself, and one of less account a little -further beyond. The great Lama of Shekar is an extremely cunning old -person and a first-class trader. In his quarters at the monastery he had -immense collections of Tibetan and Chinese curios, and he knew the price -of these as well as any professional dealer. We saw a great deal, in -fact, a great deal too much, of the Lamas of Shekar. They were the most -inconceivably dirty crowd that we had met in Tibet; the dirt was quite -indescribable. Although the people in Lhasa in good positions are -reported to be generally cleanish, here in the more out-of-the-way parts -of Tibet washing appears to be entirely unknown, except to the -Dzongpens, and I believe that the ordinary Dzongpen only has a -ceremonial bath on New Year’s Eve as a preparatory to the new year, and -I should not be at all surprised if Mrs. Dzongpen did too. At any rate, -the Dzongpens’ families were always infinitely better cared for in this -respect than anyone else. These people, however, have the most terribly -dirty cooks it is possible for the human imagination to conceive. For -this reason I never was very happy as a guest, and although the food -provided for one’s entertainment was often quite pleasant to eat, it was -absolutely necessary not to allow one’s imagination to get to work. - -The three days’ delay at Shekar was greatly due to the movement of -officials and troops marching by the same route from Tingri to Shigatse, -and as they had commissioned every available animal, they interfered -considerably with our movements. Shekar was not comfortable during these -days; the wind was not continuous, but came in tremendous gusts, and -dust-devils were continually tearing through the camp and upsetting -everything. Shekar, as Colonel Howard-Bury has described it, is -wonderfully situated. The pointed mass of rock rises direct from the -plains, and the white monasteries and white town are built on its sides. -The illustration will describe it much better than I can. Shekar means -“Shining glass.” All the towns and houses on the sides of the mountain -are brilliantly white and show up very clearly against the dark browns -and reds of the hillside. It is no doubt this appearance which gives it -its name. - -The Dzongpen at Shekar was a most important official. The whole of the -country South of Shekar and the Rongbuk Valley where we were going were -in his jurisdiction. We hoped that if we could only gain his own -goodwill as well as his official goodwill, it would be of very great -advantage to us. We entertained each other freely, and he was very -pleased with the lengths of kin kob[2] which I gave to himself and his -wife, and also with the photographs of the Dalai and Tashi Lamas which I -gave to him. By showing him pictures and taking his own picture, we were -able to make great friends with him, to our great advantage. He sent -with us his agent, Chongay La, who served us well during the whole of -our time in the Rongbuk Glacier; in fact, without him we should have had -great difficulty in obtaining the large amount of stores, grain, and -Tibetan coolies which were necessary for us in order to keep our very -large party properly provisioned when we were high up on the -mountain-side. - -Footnote 2: - - Brocade. - -Among our other presents was the inevitable Homburg hat. Wherever we -went we presented a Homburg hat. I had provided myself with a large -number of these hats from Whiteaway and Laidlaw before leaving -Darjeeling. These were a cheap present, but very much valued. Any high -man of a village known as a Gembo La would do anything for a Homburg -hat; it was ceremoniously placed on his head and was invariably well -received. In fact, all recipients visibly preened themselves for some -time afterwards. - -From Shekar our route differed slightly from Colonel Howard-Bury’s. He -had taken the direct road to Tingri, but our objective was the Rongbuk. -Therefore we crossed the Arun for the first time, and, crossing by the -Pang La, descended into the Dzakar Chu. This was one of the pleasantest -marches that we had made. The country was new—even Mallory had only been -over part of it. The Pang La (meaning “the Grass Pass”) was altogether -very interesting, and from its summit, where we all collected and -lunched, we had again a fine view of Everest, and on this occasion the -mountain was almost clear of snow and gave one a very different -impression. We here recognised the fact that Everest, on its North face, -is essentially a rock peak. Unfortunately for us, it did not remain -clear of snow for long, rough weather again coming up; the next time we -saw it we found it again clothed from head to foot in snow. - -Four marches from Shekar found us at Rongbuk, the final march from -Chodzong to the Rongbuk Monastery being extremely interesting. There is -only one word for it: the valleys of Tibet leading up to the Rongbuk -Monastery are hideous. The hills are formless humps, dull in colour; of -vegetation there is next to none. At our camp at Chodzong, however, on -the hillside opposite our camp, there was quite a large grove of -thorn-trees. We had visions of a wood fire very quickly damped when we -were told that this grove was inhabited by the most active and most -malicious of demons, and that he would promptly get to work if we -interfered and carried away any sticks from his grove. - -The Upper Rongbuk Valley is an extremely sacred valley; no animals are -allowed to be killed in it. In fact, the great Mani at the mouth of the -valley opposite the village of Chobu marks the limit beyond which -animals are not allowed to be killed. We were told that if we wanted any -fresh meat it was all to be killed lower down the valley and carried up -to us. The Tibetans themselves live very largely on dried meats, both -yak meat and mutton. I have never tried it myself, and its appearance -was enough to put off anyone but a hungry dog, but I am told that when -cooked it is by no means bad. Most Tibetans, however, eat it raw in its -dried state. I bought quantities of both sorts for the porters. They -cooked it as they would cook fresh meat, and it seemed to suit them very -well. For the sake of their health, however, I gave them, whenever -possible, fresh meat, and with the very finest results. - -[Illustration: - - RONGBUK MONASTERY AND MOUNT EVEREST. -] - -Rongbuk means “the valley of precipices or steep ravines.” The Lepchas -of Sikkim are occasionally called “Rong Pa,” i.e., the people of steep -ravines. It is also used for Upper Nepal, or rather for the people on -the Southern faces of the Himalayan heights, as they are people of the -steep ravines. I have also heard it used to mean Nepal itself. Some five -miles up the valley one comes out on to a plateau and is suddenly almost -brought up against the walls of the Rongbuk Monastery. Here also, as we -came out to the Rongbuk Monastery, we found the whole Southern end of -the valley filled with Mount Everest and quite close to us—apparently. -In any European climate one would have said that it was a short march to -its base, and one would have been terribly wrong. The air is -astonishingly clear; the scale is enormous. The mountain was 16 miles -off. - -We pitched our camp just below the monastery with considerable -difficulty, as the wind was howling rather more than usual. Then we went -up to pay our respects to the Rongbuk Lama. This particular Lama was -beyond question a remarkable individual. He was a large, well-made man -of about sixty, full of dignity, with a most intelligent and wise face -and an extraordinarily attractive smile. He was treated with the utmost -respect by the whole of his people. Curiously enough, considering the -terrible severity of the climate at Rongbuk, all his surroundings were -far cleaner than any monastery we had previously, or indeed -subsequently, visited. This Lama has the distinction of being actually -the incarnation of a god, the god Chongraysay, who is depicted with nine -heads. With his extraordinary mobility of expression, he has also -acquired the reputation of being able to change his countenance. We were -received with full ceremony, and after compliments had been exchanged in -the usual way by the almost grovelling interpreter, Karma Paul (who was -very much of a Buddhist here), the Lama began to ask us questions with -regard to the objects of the Expedition. He was very anxious also that -we should treat his people kindly. His inquiries about the objects of -the Expedition were very intelligent, although at the same time they -were very difficult to answer. Indeed, this is not strange when one -comes to think how many times in England one has been asked—What is the -good of an exploration of Everest? What can you get out of it? And, in -fact, what is the object generally of wandering in the mountains? As a -matter of fact, it was very much easier to answer the Lama than it is to -answer inquiries in England. The Tibetan Lama, especially of the better -class, is certainly not a materialist. I was fortunately inspired to say -that we regarded the whole Expedition, and especially our attempt to -reach the summit of Everest, as a pilgrimage. I am afraid, also, I -rather enlarged on the importance of the vows taken by all members of -the Expedition. At any rate, these gentle “white lies” were very well -received, and even my own less excusable one which I uttered to save -myself from the dreadful imposition of having to drink Tibetan tea was -also sufficiently well received. I told the Lama, through Paul, who, -fortunately enough, was able to repress his smiles (an actual record for -Paul, which must have strained him to his last ounce of strength), that -I had sworn never to touch butter until I had arrived at the summit of -Everest. Even this was well received. After that time I drank tea with -sugar or milk which was made specially for me. - -[Illustration: - - THE EXPEDITION AT BASE CAMP. - _Left to Right, Back Row_: MAJOR MORSHEAD, CAPTAIN GEOFFREY BRUCE, - CAPTAIN NOEL, DR. WAKEFIELD, MR. SOMERVELL, CAPTAIN NORRIS, MAJOR - NORTON. - _Front Row_: MR. MALLORY, CAPTAIN FINCH, DR. LONGSTAFF, GENERAL BRUCE, - COLONEL STRUTT, MR. CRAWFORD. -] - -A word about Tibetan tea: the actual tea from which it is originally -made is probably quite sufficiently good, but it is churned up in a -great churn with many other ingredients, including salt, nitre, and -butter, and the butter is nearly invariably rancid, that is, as commonly -made in Tibet. I believe a superior quality is drunk by the upper -classes, but at any rate, to the ordinary European taste, castor-oil is -pleasant in comparison. One of the party, however, had managed to -acquire a taste for it, but then some people enjoy castor-oil! - -The Lama finally blessed us and blessed our men, and gave us his best -wishes for success. He was very anxious that no animals of any sort -should be interfered with, which we promised, for we had already given -our word not to shoot during our Expedition in Tibet. He did not seem to -have the least fear that our exploring the mountain would upset the -demons who live there, but he told me that it was perfectly true that -the Upper Rongbuk and its glaciers held no less than five wild men. -There is, at any rate, a local tradition of the existence of such -beings, just as there is a tradition of the wild men existing right -through the Himalaya. - -As a matter of fact, I really think that the Rongbuk Lama had a friendly -feeling for me personally, as he told the interpreter, Karma Paul, that -he had discovered that in a previous incarnation I had been a Tibetan -Lama. I do not know exactly how to take this. According to the life you -lead during any particular incarnation, so are you ranked for the next -incarnation; that is to say, if your life has been terrible, down you go -to the lowest depths, and as you acquire merit in any particular -existence, so in the next birth you get one step nearer to Nirvana. I am -perfectly certain that he would consider a Tibetan Lama a good bit -nearer the right thing than a Britisher could ever be, and so possibly -he may have meant that I had not degenerated so very far anyhow. I -should have liked to know, however, what the previous incarnations of -the rest of the party had been! - -I think in my present incarnation the passion that I have for taking -Turkish baths may be some slight reaction from my life in the previous -and superior conditions as a Tibetan Lama. - -The following morning, in cold weather, as usual, we left to try and -push our camp as high up as possible. Our march now became very -interesting, and we passed on our road, which was fairly rough, six or -seven of the hermits’ dwellings. These men are fed fairly regularly from -the monasteries and nunneries, and do not necessarily take their vows of -isolation for ever all at once. They try a year of it and see how they -get on before they take the complete vows, but how it is possible for -human beings to stand what they stand, even for a year, without either -dying or going mad, passes comprehension. Their cells are very small, -and they spend the whole of their time in a kind of contemplation of the -ōm, the god-head, and apparently of nothing else. They are supposed to -be able to live on one handful of grain per diem, but this we were able -successfully to prove was not the case; they appear, as far as we could -make out, to have a sufficiency of food always brought to them. However, -there they are in little cells, without firing or warm drinks, all the -year round, and many of them last for a great number of years. - -Our march took us right up to the snout of the main Rongbuk Glacier, and -on arrival there we vainly endeavoured to get our yak-men to push up the -trough between the glacier and the mountain-side. There was promptly a -strike among the local transport workers, but the employers of labour -were wise enough to give in to their demands. If we had pushed further -up, we must have injured a great number of animals, and finally have -been obliged to return. So we found a fairly good site, protected to a -small extent from the prevailing West wind, and there we collected the -whole of our outfit and pitched our camp. I do not think such an -enormous cavalcade could possibly have mounted the Rongbuk Glacier -before. There were over 300 baggage animals, about twenty ponies, fifty -or sixty men in our own employ, and the best part of 100 Tibetans, -either looking after us or coming up as representatives of the Shekar -Dzongpen. Finally, all were paid off, and the Expedition was left alone -in its glory. The date was the 1st of May. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER II - - THE ASSAULT ON THE MOUNTAIN - - -Now began in earnest our race against the monsoon. I have often been -asked since my return, whether we should not have done better if we had -started sooner. I think none of us would have cared to have arrived at -our Upper Rongbuk camp a fortnight earlier in the year, nor, having done -so, would any good purpose have been served. As it was, the temperature -and the coldness of the wind was as much as any of us could keep up with -and still keep our good health. This was to be our Base Camp at a height -of 16,500 feet. We made suitable dumps of stores, pitched our mess -tents, put all our porters in tents at their own particular places, and -made ourselves as comfortable as circumstances allowed, strengthening -the tents in every way to resist the wind. Noel also pitched his -developing tent near the small stream that issues from the Rongbuk -Glacier. On our arrival water was hardly available; all the running -streams were frozen hard, and we drove the whole of our animals over -them. Where the glacier stream flowed fastest in the centre, we got -sufficient water for drinking purposes. - -[Illustration: - - VIEW AT BASE CAMP. -] - -The establishment and support of such a large party (for we were -thirteen Europeans and over sixty of what may be termed other ranks) in -a country as desolate and as bare as Tibet is a difficulty. There is, of -course, no fuel to be found, with the exception of a very little scrubby -root which, burnt in large quantities, would heat an oven, but which was -not good enough or plentiful enough for ordinary cooking purposes. - -Our first work, beyond the establishment of the Base Camp, was -immediately to send out a reconnaissance party. Strutt was put in charge -of this, and chose as his assistants Norton, Longstaff, and Morshead. -The remainder of the party had to work very hard dividing stores and -arranging for the movement up to the different camps we wished to make -on the way up the East Rongbuk Glacier to the North Col. It was pretty -apparent from Major Wheeler’s map that our advance up the East Rongbuk -to the glacier crossed by Mr. Mallory in 1921, which is below the Chang -La, would not be a very difficult road. But it was a very considerable -question how many camps should be established, and how full provision -should be made for each? We were naturally very anxious to save our own -porters for the much more strenuous work of establishing our camp at the -North Col, and perhaps of further camps up the mountain. I had, -therefore, on our march up, made every possible endeavour to collect a -large number of Tibetan coolies in order that they should be employed in -moving all the heavy stuff as far up the glacier as possible; in fact, -until we came to ground which would not be suitable to them, or, rather, -not suitable to their clothing. They were perfectly willing to work on -any ground which was fairly dry, but their form of foot-covering would -certainly not allow of continual work in snow. We had a promise of -ninety men. - -We further had to make full arrangements for a regular supply of -yak-dung, the whole of which, as in fact everything to burn in Tibet, is -called “shing,” which really means wood; all our fuel, therefore, from -now on, will be referred to as “shing.” All tzampa,[3] meat, and grain -for the men had to be procured as far down as Chobu, Tashishong, and -even from other villages still further down the Dzakar Chu; that is to -say, very often our supplies were brought up from at least 40 miles -distant. We required a pretty continuous flow of everything. It is -wonderful how much even seventy men can get through. - -Footnote 3: - - Flour. - -The preliminary reconnaissance had fixed an excellent camp as our first -stage out. Geoffrey Bruce and Morris, with our own porters went up, and, -so as to save tents, built a number of stone shelters and roofed them -with spare parts of tents. This camp was immediately provisioned and -filled with every kind of supply in large amounts in order to form again -a little base from which to move up further. Strutt returned with his -reconnaissance on May 9, having made a complete plan for our advance and -having fixed all our camps up to the flat glacier under the North Col. -During this period Finch had also been very active with his oxygen -apparatus, not only in getting it all together, but continuing the -training of the personnel and in making experiments with the Leonard -Hill apparatus as well. He also gave lectures and demonstrations on the -use of our Primus stove, with which everybody practised. Primus stoves -are excellent when they are carefully treated, but are kittle cattle -unless everything goes quite as it should, and are apt to blow up. - -Longstaff suffered considerably on the reconnaissance, and was brought -down not too fit. We also had a real set-back—our ninety coolies did not -eventuate, only forty-five appearing, and these coolies only worked for -about two days, when they said that their food was exhausted and they -must go down for more. We took the best guarantee we could for their -return by keeping back half their pay. They went for more food, but -found it in their houses and stopped there; we never saw them again. -However, it is not to be wondered at. If ploughing in the upper valleys -is to be done at all, it is to be done in May. They were, therefore, -very anxious to get back to their homes. Ninety men is a big toll for -these valleys to supply, but their behaviour left us rather dispirited. -We had to turn every one on to work, and then we had to make every -possible exertion to collect further coolies from the different -villages. The Chongay La who came with us, and who understood our needs, -was frantic, but said he could do nothing. However, we persuaded him to -do something, at any rate, and further offered very high prices to all -the men who had come. He certainly played up and did his very best. Men -came up in driblets, or rather men, women, and children came, as every -one in this country can carry loads, and they seem to be quite -unaffected by sleeping out under rocks at 16,000 or 17,000 feet. - -For the whole time we remained at the Rongbuk Base Camp the equipping -and supply of our first and second camps up the East Rongbuk was mostly -carried out by local coolies, and the supply of these was very difficult -to assure. We never knew whether we should have three or four men -working, or thirty; they came up for different periods, so that we would -often have a dozen men coming down and four or five going up, and in -order to keep their complete confidence, they were received and paid -personally by myself or the transport officers. By degrees their -confidence was restored, and a very fair stream of porters arrived. Not -only that, but many of the men’s own relations came over from -Sola-Khombu, which is a great Sherpa Settlement at the head of the Dudh -Kosi Valley in Nepal. To reach us they had to cross the Ngangba La, -sometimes called the Khombu La, which is 19,000 feet in height. Often -the men’s relations came and were willing to carry a load or two and -then go off again. The mothers often brought their children, even of -less than a year old, who did not apparently suffer. It is evidently a -case of the survival of the fittest. - -[Illustration: - - CAMP II. AT SUNSET. -] - -We had brought also large stores of rice, sugar, tea, and wheat grain, -both for the use of the officers of the Expedition and of the porters, -for fear we should run short of grain, and this proved a great stand-by. -The very rough tzampa of Tibet is often upsetting even to those most -accustomed to it. It was found to be an excellent policy to feed our -porters on the good grain when they came down to the Base Camp, and to -use the tzampa, which is cooked and ready for eating, at the upper -camps. Meat also had to be bought low down, sheep killed low down in the -valleys, and brought up for the use of the officers and men, and often -fresh yak meat for the porters. The Gurkhas got the fresh mutton. Dried -meat was brought up in large quantities for the porters, and proved of -the greatest use. - -On the return, having received a full report from the reconnaissance -party, we tackled in earnest the establishment of the different camps. - -Camp III, which was under the North Col, was first established in full. -This was to be our advance base of operations; and Mallory and Somervell -established themselves there, their business being to make the road to -the North Col while the rest of the Expedition was being pushed up to -join them. On May 13, Mallory, Somervell, and one coolie, together with -a tent, reached the North Col and planted the tent there. - -This must be described as the beginning of the great offensive of May, -1922. Owing to the lack of coolies, all our officers and men had been -working at the highest possible speed, pushing forward the necessary -stores, camp equipage, and fuel to Camps I and II, and from thence -moving on to Camp III, Gurkhas being planted at each stage, whose -business it was to take the convoys to and fro. Finally, Camps I, II, -and III were each provided with an independent cook. - -The duties of the cook at Camp III were the duties of an ordinary cook -in camp; those of the cooks at Camps I and II were to provide all -officers passing through or staying there with meals as they were -required, and right well all these three men carried out their duties. -The distance from the Base Camp to the advance base at Camp III was -fairly evenly divided, Camp I being at about three hours’ journey for a -laden animal at a height of 17,800 feet; Camp II a further four hours up -the glaciers at a height of 19,800 feet, and directly below the lesser -peak which terminates the Northern ridge of Everest; Camp III on moraine -at the edge of the open glacier below the Chang La, at a height of -21,000 feet, about four hours again beyond Camp II. - -As our supply of Tibetan coolies improved, and as the main bulk of the -necessary supplies was put into Camp III, and the oxygen and its -complete outfit had been deposited in this camp, the hard work of -supplying rations and fuel to Camps I and II was entirely in the hands -of the local Tibetans. From Camp II to Camp III one encounters real -mountaineering conditions, as crevassed glaciers have to be crossed, -requiring in places considerable care. The road from the Base Camp to -Camp II, rough enough in all conscience, was such as could very easily -be negotiated by mountain people. - -On May 14, Strutt, Morshead, and Norton left to join the advance party -at Camp III. The weather was even worse than before, the wind blowing a -perfect hurricane during the daytime, and the thermometer sinking to -zero even in the Base Camp. I asked the Chongay La why it should be that -as summer was approaching the weather should be continuously worse. He -accounted for this without any difficulty. He said in the middle of the -month, each month, in fact, at the Rongbuk Monastery there were special -services held. These services invariably irritated the demons on the -mountains, and they attempted to put a stop to them by roaring more than -usually loud. As soon as the services stopped, these winds would stop -too. The services stopped on May 17, and the Chongay La said we could -expect better weather on that date. - -On May 16 the last of the oxygen, with Finch, left for the upper camps, -and it is a curious thing that about that time the weather did slightly -improve. On May 20, I received a letter from Strutt telling me of the -establishment of the camp on the North Col; he himself also accompanied -the party that reached the North Col. Here they made a very considerable -encampment, and put in it such light stores and cooking apparatus as -would be available for parties stopping there and attacking the mountain -from that spot. It is very curious how on this Expedition the standard -of what we expected from all our members went up. It was looked upon as -a foregone conclusion that any member of the party could walk with -comfort to the North Col (23,000 feet). It is quite right, no doubt, -that the standard should have been set so high; but it is a little -amazing, when one comes to think, that only on one occasion before has a -night been spent as high as 23,000 feet, and that on very, very few -occasions has this height been even attained. Strutt was quite by way of -looking upon himself as a worn-out old gentleman because he felt tired -at 23,000 feet. No doubt that is the standard we should set for -ourselves; but even 23,000 feet is a tremendous undertaking, and no one -at any time or at any age of life need be anything but pleased with -himself if he can get there. - -The party established at Camp III made little expeditions to the Lhakpa -La and Ra-piu-la, and obtained a fine view of Makalu and the Northern -face of Everest; but the views so obtained also gave them a sight of the -approaching monsoon, and this made every one very nervous about the -length of time there was left to us for our actual attack on the -mountain. It was this very point, including also the evidence of rough -and uncertain weather which had been experienced round the mountain -itself, that decided Strutt to allow four members to make an attempt on -the mountain without oxygen. Certain defects had been found in the -oxygen apparatus, and Finch was employed in rectifying these -difficulties, and at the same time he was not quite ready to proceed -further. Geoffrey Bruce was also working with him at Camp III, and made -great progress in the use of the oxygen. They also roped in as their -assistant the Gurkha Tejbir, having for him a special rôle. - -It is not for me to describe in detail the great attempt on the mountain -made by the party consisting of Mallory, Somervell, Morshead, and -Norton, but I must point out quite clearly that as a _tour de force_ -alone it stands, in my opinion, by itself. It was the most terrific -exertion, carried out during unfavourable weather and in the face of -that dreadful West wind. Not only did they reach the prodigious height -of 26,985 feet without the assistance of oxygen, but they passed a night -at 25,000 feet. - -I think it is pretty clear from their accounts that any further -expedition must be clothed in windproof suitings, and these of the -lightest, when attacking Everest, or probably any other great mountain -in this particular part of the world. Morshead, who suffered far more -than any of the others from the cold, did not employ his windproof -suiting in the early part of the climb, and I believe by this omission -he very greatly decreased his vitality, and it was probably this -decrease which was the reason of his terrible frostbites. - -It was a tremendous effort, unparalleled in the history of mountain -exploration, but it gave immense confidence to all that the mountain was -not unconquerable. If on the first occasion such a gigantic height could -be reached, we were pretty certain that later, with the experience so -gained, and with the weather in the climbers’ favour instead of the -horrible conditions under which this climb was undertaken, the mountain -would in time yield to assault. - -The following day, notwithstanding their fatigue, they determined to get -down to Camp I. They certainly were a sight on arrival; I have never -seen such a crowd of swollen and blistered and weary mountaineers -before, but they were all naturally tremendously elated with their -performance. Strutt came down with them, and quite rightly too; he had -been a very long time living above 21,000 feet, and this in itself is a -great strain. I thoroughly endorse his judgment in making this great -attempt without oxygen. At first sight it would seem that it was not -wise to send so many of the best climbers at once on to the mountain -before the oxygen apparatus was ready, but he felt (and I consider he -was quite right) that as the weather was so bad and the monsoon was -evidently arriving before its time, and as at the moment the oxygen -apparatus was in such a doubtful condition, it was far better to make an -attempt than possibly to fail in making any attempt at all. - -[Illustration: - - MOUNT EVEREST FROM CAMP III. -] - -During the time that the great attempt on the mountain without oxygen -was being made, Finch was employed in getting the oxygen apparatus into -order. It had suffered in a good many ways, and the method of inhaling -the oxygen appeared to be deficient, the face-masks, in fact, causing a -feeling of suffocation and not allowing a sufficiency of ordinary air to -be inhaled. Finch had a very difficult time getting all this apparatus -into order in this very high camp. It would have been difficult -anywhere, but up here in the great cold and the great height it was -infinitely more troublesome. As soon as the apparatus was in working -order, they made numerous training walks up on to the passes, looking -down into the heart of the Kharta Valley, from where they were able to -see the Southern faces of the Himalaya and to know the way in which the -clouds were pushing up from the South. - -They had also instructed, to a certain extent, the Gurkha Tejbir Bura in -the use of oxygen, as they intended him to help them in their advance on -the mountain. - -About the time the other party left for the Base Camp, Finch and -Geoffrey Bruce set off for the camp on the Chang La, Camp IV, taking -with them twelve laden coolies to carry their outfit. I will not attempt -to describe their subsequent mountaineering operations in detail, as -these must be left to Finch’s narrative in a subsequent chapter, but -there are a great many points to which attention might be drawn. First, -although Geoffrey Bruce is thoroughly accustomed to work on the -hillside, he had never before this big attempt, and before the few -practice walks that he had with Finch, attempted a snow mountain in his -life; the nearest thing he had been to it was following game in Kashmir. -It was, therefore, for him a very great test. The same also applies to -the Gurkha; although he is a born mountain man and has hardly been off -the hillside the whole of his life, up to the time of the climb he knew -nothing about snow and ice as understood by a Swiss mountaineer. -However, they had a first-rate leader, and his trust in them proved -anything but ill-placed. - -Owing to a terrific gale, they had to spend two nights at 25,500 feet. -They were all short of food, and no doubt greatly exhausted, and I think -they would have been perfectly justified, after two nights spent at this -tremendous altitude, if they had given up their attempt and returned, -but they had too much grit for that. Here should have come in the use of -Tejbir if he had been quite himself. He was given extra oxygen to carry, -and their intention was that, after proceeding as far as the ridge, he -should be sent back to their camp to wait their descent. However, Tejbir -was completely played out when he had reached 26,000 feet. - -The party continued until they reached a point which has been found to -work out at 27,235 feet. Here Geoffrey had an accident to his oxygen -apparatus, and, far from becoming immediately unconscious (as we had -been warned would be the case before we left England if climbers were -suddenly deprived of their artificial oxygen supply), he was able to -attach himself to Finch’s instrument while Finch was repairing the -damaged apparatus. Slightly higher than this point they were completely -exhausted, and had to beat a retreat, the whole party finally descending -to the North Col, where food was found ready for them, and by the -evening got down to Camp III itself—a great performance, considering the -altitude and that the descent was over 6,000 feet. I think it is pretty -certain that Tejbir’s breakdown was largely due to his not having a -windproof suit. This biting West wind goes through wool as if it was -paper, and he was exposed to it for a great period of time, and no doubt -it very largely sapped his vitality. - -One result of this last attempt is that it increases our hopes, almost -to the point of certainty, that, with luck and good weather, and when -the oxygen apparatus has been further improved, the summit of Everest -will be attained. - -All the time the porters were working from our Base Camp and up there -was great competition between them, and also considerable betting as to -who would do the hardest work—the true Tibetan-born porters or the -Sherpas from the South. It was rather amusing to see the superior airs -which the Sherpas invariably gave themselves in travelling through -Tibet. They considered Tibetans undoubtedly jăngli,[4] and treated them -very much from the point of view that a clever Londoner does the -simplest form of yokel when he appears in London. At any rate, they -backed themselves heavily to beat the Tibetans. It was a pretty good -race, but finally they came out well on top; in fact, I think all but -one who reached 25,000 feet and over were Sherpas. Paul, the -interpreter, and Gyaljen, had a great bet also about the officers, Paul -favouring Finch and Gyaljen Mallory. As a matter of fact, there was -quite a little book made among all the followers with regard to who -would go highest among the officers. I did not even belong to the “also -rans” between them. Oxygen was looked upon as a matter of no particular -importance, and I believe Paul made Gyaljen pay up, as he had won with -Finch against Mallory. - -Footnote 4: - - Wild. - -On May 27 we welcomed the arrival of John Macdonald with a further -supply of money, as, owing to the large calls of our enormous transport, -we had been afraid of running short. This was very cheering to us -indeed, and also a very great help, for, besides the money, Mr. -Macdonald brought with him two or three servants very well accustomed to -travel in Tibet and knowing all the people of the country. These we were -able to use as special messengers, and we sent off immediately by them -an account of the climbs that had occurred. The second of them was -unfortunately delayed by illness, and this accounted for the slight -delay in letting the world know of our great second “oxygen” climb. The -first messenger rode through in ten days from Rongbuk to Phari, and by -so doing almost caught up the previous letters which had been despatched -through the Dzongpens. Arrangements are, after all, not so bad in Tibet. -When one considers that Tibetans themselves have no understanding or -care for time, the promptness with which the different communications -were sent through was rather wonderful. There were, on occasions, no -doubt, hitches, but, generally speaking, the postal arrangements worked -very well. - -The weather had become more and more threatening, but we could not bring -ourselves absolutely to give up for this year the attempts on Everest; -at the same time, the casualties were heavy. Our medical members had all -got to work and had tested thoroughly each member of the Expedition that -had been employed. It was evidently absolutely necessary that Morshead -should return as quickly as possible into hospital in India, and there -were also several other members who were suffering from their hard work. -Longstaff had “shot his bolt” as far as this year’s work was concerned, -and it was also most important that Morshead should have a doctor with -him. Strutt, too, was very much overdone, and it was time for him to -return. Norton was strained and tired, and Geoffrey’s toes, though not -so bad as Morshead’s, required that he should quickly go down to a -warmer climate. We therefore made up two convoys, which were to start -together from the Base Camp. Longstaff, Strutt, and Morshead to go with -the sardar Gyaljen direct to Darjeeling, travelling viâ Khamba Dzong, -and from Khamba Dzong directly South to Lachen and Gangtok and -Darjeeling by the shorter and quicker route. This would bring them quite -a week sooner to Darjeeling than the route by which we entered Tibet. It -was most important that Morshead should be got back as quickly as -possible; in fact, we were all very nervous about his condition, and we -were afraid that it might be necessary for some operation to be carried -out actually on the march. - -It had always been our idea that as soon as we had finished with our -summer attack on Everest, the whole Expedition should go into the Kharta -Valley, where Colonel Howard-Bury in 1921 made his camps, and there -recover from our labours. The Kharta Valley is far lower than any other -district in this part of Tibet, lying between 11,000 and 12,000 feet -above sea-level; there are also many comforts which do not exist in -other parts. There is good cultivation, trees and grass to a certain -extent, and even some vegetables are obtainable. It is altogether a -charming spot—very charming compared with any other country we were -likely to see. The road was very high for sick men, as it led over the -Doya La, which is only 3 feet under 17,000 feet, but having once got -there, they would be in comfort compared with the Rongbuk Glacier. - -Having decided on sending off this large convoy of invalids and -semi-invalids, we then began to organise our third attempt on Everest, -but so doubtful was the weather that the party was organised for two -complete purposes. It was fully provided with porters, far more than -would in the ordinary way be necessary for an attempt on the mountain -itself, considering that the camps were all fully provisioned. We had -brought every single man off the glacier after the last attempt in order -to give them all a complete rest. Every one had now had a long rest, -with the exception of Finch, who had only had five days. He, however, -was very keen to join the party. - -The second rôle of this party was to evacuate as many camps as possible, -according to the condition of the weather, and it was carefully -explained to them that if in their opinion the weather was such as to -preclude an attempt on the mountain, they were to use the greatest -possible care and run no undue risks. It was organised as follows: The -climbing party to consist of Finch, Mallory, and Somervell; the -backing-up party, Crawford and Wakefield, to remain at Camp III; and -Morris, in whose charge the whole of the transport arrangements were, -was to take charge of the evacuation of camps either after the attempt -had been made, or if no attempt was made, immediately. Such was the -condition of the weather that I had no very great hope that even the -Chang La camp could be evacuated, but it was most necessary to recover -all stores left at the great depôt at Camp III. This was of the utmost -importance, as not only was the oxygen apparatus there, but also a great -number of surplus stores—stores which we should be in need of. We had, -of course, rationed these camps with a view to staying there probably a -fortnight longer, but this year the monsoon had evidently advanced at -least ten days earlier than usual. That, however, we could not foresee, -nor could we foresee the very great severity of the 1922 monsoon of the -Eastern Himalaya. This we only heard about on our return to India later -on. It was a curious thing that the Rongbuk Lama had sent up to -congratulate the porters, and ourselves also, on having come back safely -from the earlier attempts, but he warned the porters to leave the -mountain alone, as he had had a vision of an accident. - -On June 3 the great convoy set off and spent the night at Camp I. On -June 4 we were rather overwhelmed to see Finch staggering into camp. He -was very much overdone, and had by no means recovered from his terrific -exertions on the mountain. It was quite evident that he was finished for -this year, and he was lucky to be just in time to join the detachment -returning to India direct. It was a very great loss to the party. Not -only would he have been of special assistance as the oxygen expert, but -his experience and knowledge of snow and ice under the conditions then -prevailing would have been of the greatest advantage to the party. - -The weather now had completely broken. It was snowing hard; even at our -Base Camp we had 2 inches of snow; the whole of the mountains were a -complete smother of snow. Notwithstanding this, and, under the -conditions, quite rightly, the convoy pushed on to Camp III. On arrival -at Camp III the weather cleared. The wind temporarily went round to the -West, and one perfect day of rest and sunshine was enjoyed. - -Morris all this time was on the line of communication. He had the whole -of the service of evacuation to arrange, and was laying out his convoys -of Tibetan coolies and others with that point of view in his mind. It -was lucky he did so. The great foe, generally speaking, on Everest -during the dry period is the horrible West wind, but now the monsoon had -to all intents and purposes arrived. The West wind now was our one and -only friend. If it would again blow for a short period, the mountain -would probably return temporarily to a fairly safe condition. The South -wind is a warm and wet, though fairly strong, current, but the result of -even a short visit from it absolutely ruins the mountain-side. However, -at Camp III they enjoyed one full day of sunshine, followed by a very -low temperature (12° below zero) the following night, and it was -considered, owing both to the strength of the sun and to the fact that -the West wind had temporarily got the better of the South wind, that the -mountain would in all probability be safely solidified so as to render -an attempt justifiable. Therefore on the morning of June 7 a start was -made to reach the North Col, with the object of spending a night there -and making an assault on the mountain the following day. It was also -proposed to carry up as much oxygen as possible to the greatest height -they could get the porters to go, and from that point only to use the -remaining oxygen to make a push over the summit. I think this was a -thoroughly sound proposition. They were all acclimatised, and it seems -to me that it is probably better, especially if there is any chance of a -shortage of oxygen, to use one’s acclimatisation to go as high as one -can without undue fatigue, and from thence on to use the oxygen. No -doubt it would be possible and of advantage, if the oxygen apparatus -should ever be improved, to use it for the whole of an ascent, say, from -20,000 feet or so, but against that comes the chance that, in case of -any cessation of the oxygen supply, the danger would be very much -greater. - -The caravan consisted of Mallory, Somervell, and Crawford, who was going -with them as far as the North Col to assist them and to relieve them of -the hard labour of remaking the path up to that point. Mallory will -relate further on how at about one o’clock, when about half the journey -had been completed, the snow suddenly cracked across and gave way, and -the whole caravan was swept down the hillside, and seven porters killed. - -On return to Camp III, a porter was despatched to take the news down to -the Base Camp, and arrived that same night at about nine o’clock, having -travelled at full speed—really a wonderful performance. There was -nothing to be done—that was quite evident—and all I could do was to -await the return of the party for a full account, sending news at the -same time to Morris to evacuate the camps at the greatest possible -speed. Mallory arrived by himself, very tired, and naturally very upset, -on Thursday, the 8th. Again was shown what a terrible enemy the great -Himalaya is. Risks and conditions which would appear justifiable in the -Alps can never be taken in the Himalaya. So great is the scale that far -greater time must be allowed for the restoration of safe conditions. -When once the condition of a mountain is spoiled, the greater size -requires more time for its readjustment. The odds against one are much -greater in the Himalaya than in the smaller ranges. Its sun is hotter; -its storms are worse; the distances are greater; everything is on an -exaggerated scale. - -Mallory was followed next morning by Wakefield, Crawford, and Somervell, -who brought down with them a certain amount of the lighter equipment. -Morris was all this time working to salvage as much as he possibly could -from the different camps. We had a large number of Tibetans pushed up as -far as Camp II, and as many of our own porters as were available (not -very many, I am sorry to say, by now) working with Morris in the -evacuation of Camp III. In this work the cooks and orderlies also -joined. - -It was perfectly evident by now that the monsoon had set in in full -force. On his return, Morris gave me a very vivid description of how, -even during the one day that he stayed up after the others had left at -Camp III, although the weather was fairly fine, the whole face of the -mountain sides began to change; how under the influence of the soft -South wind the mountains seemed to melt and disintegrate. Not only that, -but even the great teeth formed by the pressure of the collateral -glaciers, probably great séracs that spring out like the teeth of a huge -saw on the glacier, and which seemed solid enough to last for all time, -were visibly crumbling up, and some of them were even toppling over. The -great trough of black ice up the centre of the glacier which Strutt has -described had turned into a rushing torrent—and all this in an -incredibly short period of time. Snow also fell at intervals, and it was -quite apparent that when the monsoon settled down the whole of Camp III -would be under a great blanket of fresh snow. Under these conditions a -good deal of stuff, especially the supplies of grain, tzampa, and so on, -for our porters, had to be abandoned. As for Camps IV, V, and VI, there -was naturally no chance of rescuing anything from them. Thus was -occasioned a fairly large loss of outfit; nor was there any possibility -that any of it could have stood under any conditions more than a month’s -exposure to the weather. There was a considerable loss in the oxygen -apparatus, but Morris managed to bring down three full outfits in more -or less dilapidated condition. - -On Morris’s return to the Base Camp, the party was completed. One of the -difficulties in having so large an outfit as ours was the difficulty of -obtaining transport when necessary. Therefore, as soon as we saw signs -of the monsoon, it was necessary to make arrangements for our return, as -at least fifteen days were required to collect the still large number of -animals required for our moving. These animals have to be searched for -all down the Dzakar Chu, collected, and brought up; nor when once -collected could they be kept waiting for very long, as the supply of -fodder in the upper valley was absolutely nil—fodder did not exist. When -we sent off the previous party they travelled as lightly as possible, -but even then the small number of animals which was required for their -transport had not been obtained with any great ease. Fortunately, John -Macdonald was with us and was free, and it was owing to his help (for he -speaks Tibetan as well as Nepali, and is thoroughly accustomed to deal -with the people) that the two parties of Strutt and Norton were able to -proceed with such little delay. It had required a full fifteen days to -collect enough animals to move the main body. I had arranged for a -latitude of one or two days, which meant that they should have spare -food up to that extent, but beyond that it would be quite impossible, -naturally, to make provision. Of course, as one of our secondary objects -we had hoped, if our party had not been exhausted, to have explored the -West Rongbuk and the great glens on the Western faces of Everest. And -besides this most interesting piece of exploration, of which really not -very much more than glimpses were obtained during 1921, there is the -prodigious and fascinating group of Cho Uyo and Gyachang Kang to be -explored. - -[Illustration: - - WATCHING THE DANCERS, RONGBUK MONASTERY. -] - -As I before pointed out, of course, not only was our major work and the -whole object of the Expedition the tackling of the great mountain, but -also it was a race against the weather, so we could let nothing -interfere with our main object. It was quite clear now, as we were -situated, that an exploration of the West Rongbuk was entirely beyond -consideration. Not only was the whole party fairly played out, but to -get up enthusiasm in a new direction after what we had gone through was -pretty nearly out of the question. Somervell, the absolutely untireable, -had very strong yearnings in that direction, but it would have been -nothing more than a scramble in the dark if he had gone. The weather was -broken and was getting worse and worse every day. Snow fell occasionally -even at our camp. Further up everything was getting smothered. Everest, -when we had glimpses of it, was a smother of snow from head to foot, and -no one who saw it in these days could ever imagine that it was a rock -peak. - -I am afraid also that most of us had only one real idea at the time, and -that was to get out of the Rongbuk Valley. However, during our wait for -the transport the annual fête of the Rongbuk Monastery occurred. There -was a great pilgrimage to the monastery to receive the blessing of the -Lama and to witness the annual dances. Most of our party went down to -see dances, and Noel especially to cinematograph the whole ceremony, -dances as well as religious ceremonies. I have not done justice up to -this point to Noel’s work. He was quite indefatigable from the start, -and had lost no opportunity during our march up, not only of taking many -pictures of the country and Expedition, both with his ordinary camera -and with his cinema camera, but of studying Tibetan life as well. He had -in the Rongbuk Valley pitched his developing tents near the only -available clear water at the moment, and had there been untiring in -developing his cinema photographs. He had made two expeditions to the -head of the East Rongbuk Glacier, and had even taken his cameras and his -cinema outfit on to the North Col itself where he remained for no less -than four days—a most remarkable _tour de force_. On the last occasion -he had accompanied the evacuation party, and had been actually taking -pictures of the start of the last attempt to get to the North Col and to -climb Everest. Of course, his performances with the camera are entirely -unprecedented. The amount of work he carried out was prodigious, and the -enthusiasm he displayed under the most trying conditions of wind and -weather was quite wonderful. We now feel that we can produce a real -representation of our life and of life in Tibet in a manner in which it -has never hitherto been brought before people’s eyes, and this gives a -reality to the whole Expedition which I hope will make all those who are -interested in mountain exploration understand the wonderful performances -and the great difficulties under which the climbing members of this -Expedition and the transport officers laboured. - -After the news of the accident had been received, we immediately got in -touch with the great Lama of Rongbuk, who was intensely sympathetic and -kind over the whole matter. It is very strange to have to deal with -these curious people; they are an extraordinary mixture of superstition -and nice feelings. Buddhist services were held in the monasteries for -the men who had been lost and for the families; and all the porters, and -especially the relations of the men who were killed, were received and -specially blessed by the Rongbuk Lama himself. All the Nepalese tribes -who live high up in the mountains, and also the Sherpa Bhotias, have a -belief that when a man slips on the mountains and is killed, or when he -slips on a cliff above a river and falls into it and is drowned, that -this is a sacrifice to God, and especially to the god of the actual -mountain or river. They further believe that anyone whosoever who -happens to be on the same cliff or on the same mountain at the same -place, exactly at the same time of year, on the same date and at the -same hour, will also immediately slip and be killed. - -I also received during our return a very kind letter from the Maharajah -of Nepal condoling with us on the loss of our porters. He writes as -follows:— - -“Personally, and as a member of the Royal Geographical Society, I share -with you the grief that must have resulted from the frustration of the -keen hope entertained by you and the party. My heartiest sympathies go -to you and to the families of the seven men who lost their lives in the -attempt. This puts in my mind the curious belief that persistently -prevails with the people here, and which I came to learn so long ago in -the time of our mutual friend, Colonel Manners Smith, when the question -of giving permission for the project of climbing the King of Heights -through Nepal was brought by you and discussed in a council of -Bharadars. It is to the effect that the height is the abode of the god -and goddess Shiva and Parvati, and any attempt to invade the privacy of -it would be a sacrilege fraught with disastrous consequences to this -Hindu country and its people, and this belief or superstition, as one -may choose to call it, is so firm and strong that people attribute the -present tragic occurrence to the divine wrath which on no occasion they -would draw on their heads by their actions.” - -This, I must point out, is, of course, the Southern and Hindu people’s -tradition, and did not in the same way affect all the porters whom we -employed, as they were Buddhists by faith. The whole of our people, -however, took the view common to both and dismissed their troubles very -rapidly and very lightly, holding simply that the men’s time had come, -and so there was no more to be said about it. If their time had not -come, they would not have died. It had come, and they had died and that -was all. What need to say any more? As a matter of fact, this -philosophic way of looking on everything also allowed them to say that -they were perfectly ready to come back for the next attempt, because if -it was written that they should die on Everest, they should die on -Everest; if it was written that they would not die on Everest, they -would not, and that was all there was to be said in the matter. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER III - - THE RETURN BY KHARTA - - -On June 14 we were cheered with the news that our transport was -approaching, and I think a good many sighs of relief were uttered. We -had quite made up our minds to cross over into the Kharta Valley, and, -having had a sufficiency of rest, to explore the Kama Chu more -completely than had been done in 1921, and, if possible, to examine the -whole gorge of the Arun where it breaks through the great Himalayan -range; but our first idea was to get down to a decent elevation where -some rest could be obtained, where we could get adequate bathing and -washing for our clothes and get everybody into a fairly respectable -condition again. Living continuously for many weeks at elevations never -below, and generally far above, 16,500 feet, does not tend to general -cleanliness, and it also, after a time, I think, tends to general -degeneration. At the same time, we were by no means convinced that at -medium elevations there is any particular loss of physical powers or -that acclimatisation takes long to complete. I found, personally, that I -was getting better and better when exerting myself at the medium heights -to which I went. I found, during the march that was in front of us, that -I could walk at elevations of over 16,000 feet very much more easily -than when I first arrived at the Rongbuk Glacier, and this certainly -does not show that one had been degenerating physically. I think, -really, that the strain was more a mental one; and this remark probably -also applies to every member of our party. At the same time, it was most -exhilarating to think that one was descending to a low altitude. - -We made our first march back to the Rongbuk Glacier, and that evening we -were left in peace—by the Lamas, that is to say, but not by the wind, -which howled consistently, bringing with it thin driving sleet. - -[Illustration: - - THE CHIEF LAMA, RONGBUK MONASTERY. -] - -On the following morning we arranged that we should all meet the Rongbuk -Lama; and so, having got our kit packed, we left it to be loaded by the -Tibetans, and the whole party, including all our followers, porters, all -the Gurkhas who were with us (with the exception of Tejbir, who had gone -on in advance with Geoffrey Bruce and Norton), went up to the monastery. -There we waited in the courtyard until the Lama himself descended from -his inner sanctuary in state. Tea was first served in the usual way, -ordinary tea being provided, I am glad to say, for the others and myself -by special arrangement of the interpreter. I think Noel, however, a man -of infinite pluck, took down a bowl or two of true Tibetan tea. The Lama -made special inquiries after the Expedition, and then began the -blessing. He offered us his very best wishes, and presented me, through -Paul, with a special mark of his goodwill, a little image of one of the -Taras, or queens, of Tibetan mythology. My special one was the Green -Tara, who takes precedence among all ladies. This was a mark of very -great favour. Paul was also presented with another little mark and many -little packets of medicine, which were to preserve him from all and -every description of the illnesses which afflict and worry humanity. The -Buddhistic side of Paul came up on this occasion, and he received his -blessings and the medicines in the most humble and reverent spirit. The -Gurkhas all went up too, and were suitably blessed, being even more -humble in their aspect than the very much overcome and reverent porters -themselves; they could hardly be induced to approach his Holiness. -However, we all parted on the most friendly terms, and left our own good -wishes, for what they were worth, with the old gentleman. - -By three o’clock in the afternoon we arrived at Chodzong. But what a -difference there was in our march! The few days of the monsoon and the -small amount of rain which had fallen, even this little way back from -the mountains, had changed the whole aspect of the valley. Flowers had -begun to show, and in places there was even a little green grass. At -Chodzong there was quite a considerable amount of grass, and we enjoyed -here what was more pleasant than anything we had experienced for a long -time—a shower of rain. We had almost forgotten the existence of rain, -and the relief from the very trying dryness of the Tibetan atmosphere, -which parches one’s skin as if one was in the Sahara, was immense. -Still, at Chodzong it was cold at night and the temperature below -freezing-point. Here we found all our ponies and their saises returned -from taking Norton and Geoffrey Bruce over to the Kharta Valley. Also -the gigantic D(r)ubla and his small Gyamda very fit and well. - -This camp at Chodzong was a place particularly impressed on our minds on -our way up, as we had there the very coldest breakfast that we anywhere -indulged in. The wind was blowing half a hurricane, and the temperature -nearly at zero, while our breakfast was actually being brought to us in -the morning, and the misery and discomfort of that particular -temperature was in great contrast to the delightful weather we were now -experiencing. From this place we diverted a large convoy of our spare -baggage to Shekar, to await our return after we had finished our further -wanderings in Kharta. The following day took us up the Rebu Valley. It -was a fairly long and very windy march, but the climate was so greatly -improved that, generally speaking, it was very enjoyable, and again we -camped in a very pleasant spot in grassy fields—such a change from our -late life. Not only that, but in the evening, as the people up here had -no prejudices, we caught a sufficient number of snow-trout, really a -barbel, to make a dish. My own servant, Kehar Sing, the cook, always had -a reputation for being, and always was, a first-rate poacher. At any -form of netting or tickling trout he was a great hand. However, he was -completely eclipsed later on by one of Macdonald’s servants, to whom I -am quite certain no fish-poacher that ever was could have given a -wrinkle. He was also quite a good hand at catching fish with -rod-and-line. The Gurkhas, as usual, took a hand; they are immensely -fond of fish, and their methods are primitive. Tejbir, who came along -with us, was nearly recovered from his exertions with Finch and -Geoffrey; he had lost a good deal of skin from seven or eight fingers -and a large patch off his foot, but though his frostbites were many, -they were slight. He was really suffering from being rather overdone, -and took at least a fortnight to recover. - -The next day’s was an interesting march, though very long, and tiring -for the animals. Our way led over the high ridge which divides the -Dzakar Chu country from the Kharta district. Although the rise was not -very great from our camp at approximately 13,500 feet, still the pass -itself was just 17,000 feet, or rather, to be absolutely accurate, just -3 feet under. The way led for several miles, hardly rising at all, up a -grassy valley, and then over the strangest and wildest and most -completely barren of hillsides. From here, no doubt, we should have a -fine view of the great supporters of Everest, but clouds completely -obliterated the mountains. We had the ordinary balmy Tibetan breezes -through the snows, but modified to what they would have been quite a -short time before. - -The descent from the Doya La was very fine indeed; the colour wonderful, -and very soon giving promise of a greener land. The first 300 feet on -the Kharta side is down a very steep rocky track, and I was told -afterwards by Geoffrey Bruce that he never dismounted, and that the -wonderful Gyamda had carried him down without making a mistake. On that -day we all of us well overtopped 17,000 feet. There was a little joke -about Crawford, who was not very tall, but who certainly did not deserve -his nickname of the “Two-and-a-half-footer” given him by the porters. It -was a joke among them afterwards, when told the height of the pass, that -he had just missed the 17,000 feet by 6 inches. - -It was a very long descent, but into a valley rapidly changing from bare -hillsides to grassy banks. Never was there a more welcome change, and -here we came into a real profusion of Alpine flowers. It was a full -20-mile march to our halting-place at Trateza, and as we got down where -the valley narrowed we passed the very picturesquely situated village of -Teng. Everybody was delighted with the change. Our camp was pitched near -the village on quite thick and beautiful green grass, and the hillsides -were green and covered with bushes. We were absolutely happy and -intensely relieved, and pleased with our surroundings. The ponies and -animals simply pounced on the green grass, and were even more happy than -their masters. - -The following morning we all started off in wonderful spirits, shared in -by the yaks, several of whom took it into their heads to run amuck, and -we had a first-class scene of confusion in the rather tight camp before -we could get matters straightened out. One yak especially was peculiarly -gay here, and took to the hillside after throwing his load on three or -four occasions. We had, in fact, a real hunt after him; everybody joined -in the fun, and I am afraid on one or two occasions some of the more -light-hearted of the porters kept him going on purpose. This march, -however, was even pleasanter than the one before. The part we were -travelling down grew richer and richer; the hillsides were thickly -clothed in cedar trees and in shrubs of many kinds; the valley itself, -wherever possible, was cultivated. We passed on our way two or three -small villages extremely well situated, and finally debouched into an -open valley full of fields and cultivation, where we joined the main -Arun Valley and the district of Kharta proper. Kharta is a fairly large -district, and not a village. The largest settlement is called Kharta -Shika, and it is there that the Dzongpen has his abode. The whole of -this district, also, is under the Dzongpen of Shekar Dzong, and the -Dzongpen of Shika apparently has not as full powers by any means as the -Dzongpen at Shekar Dzong. However, for all that, he appears to be quite -a little autocrat. - -It was quite delightful riding out into the main valley, and there also -we were cheered by meeting Geoffrey Bruce and John Macdonald, who had -come out some miles from where our camp had been established at the -small village of Teng. We passed, also, the old gentleman, known, I -think, in the last year’s Expedition as “the Havildar,” but whom -Geoffrey and Norton had promptly christened Father William. He was a -rather officious, but at the same time most helpful, old man, and on our -way back he asked us to come in for a meal into his very attractive -garden; but as it was only a mile or so from Teng, where our camp was -pitched, we did not think it was worth while then, knowing we should see -a good deal more of the old gentleman. He brought us plenty of what we -were yearning for—fresh green vegetables, the very greatest boon. - -We found our invalids very nearly recovered; Norton’s feet, however, -were tender, and Geoffrey’s toes still in a distinctly unpleasant -condition. It was wonderful, nevertheless, how well both were able to -get about with the help of plenty of socks. Our camp was pitched in -fields at a height of about 10,800 feet, and below us, at about the -distance of 3 miles, we could see the entrance to the great Arun Gorge -where it cuts through the Himalaya. On the opposite side of the Arun the -two mountains, old friends of ours that we had noticed on our way up, -looked down on the camp. On the whole of my way down I was struck with -the resemblance between these valleys and parts of Lahoul and Kailang. -They were less rich, however, and the forests of pencil cedar not so -fine, but still the whole character of the country and of the hillsides -was very much the same. - -[Illustration: - - TIBETAN DANCING MAN. -] - -[Illustration: - - TIBETAN DANCING WOMAN. -] - -Above the camp at Teng was a very well situated monastery, which Noel -afterwards photographed. Soon after our arrival during the afternoon, -the Dzongpen from Kharta Shika arrived to meet us. He was reported at -first to be very suspicious of the party, and such, indeed, appeared to -be the case. However, after a long conversation, and having presented -him with pictures of the Dalai Lama and of the Tashilumpo Lama, as well -as with the ubiquitous Homburg hat, he became much more confidential, -and we finished up very good friends. He also told us that on the -following day he would bring down some Tibetan dancers and acrobats to -give us a performance. - -The rapidity with which the whole party seemed to recover at Kharta was -perfectly wonderful. Everybody was in first-class health and spirits, -especially all our porters, and that night their high spirits were not -only due to the atmospheric conditions, but were taken into them in a -manner they thoroughly approved of and of which they had been deprived -for some time. However, after all their very hard work and the wonderful -way in which they had played up, it is not altogether to be wondered at -if they did occasionally “go on the spree” on their way back. - -So attractive was the whole country, and so strong was the call of the -Kama Valley, that we were all very soon anxious to get a move on again. -Tejbir was still not quite recovered, and would be all the better for -further rest, so he was detailed with one of the other Gurkhas, -Sarabjit, to stay behind and take charge of our camp and spare -equipment. The rest of us all set to work and planned an advance into -the Kama Valley, and, we hoped also, an exploration of it, both towards -the snows up and to the Popti La, which is the main road into the valley -of the Arun, and, if possible, up the great Arun Gorge itself. But this -year’s monsoon never gave us a chance of carrying out more than a small -portion of that programme. We were now living in an entirely different -climate. We had many showers of rain, which were hailed with delight by -the people of the country, as their crops were now fairly well advanced. -The crops at Kharta consist chiefly of peas and barley, as usual, but -there is a certain amount of other grain and vegetables to be obtained -from the gardens. - -Having arranged the transport, we started our caravan off to Kharta -Shika. Norton had issued a large-hearted invitation for us to lunch with -him at the mouth of the Arun Gorge. Previously Norton and Geoffrey had -explored, while they were waiting, the country round as far as they -could go on horseback, and Norton had discovered at the mouth of a gorge -an alp like those on the Kashmir Mountains, surrounded with a forest -which he described as equal to a Southern Himalayan forest, and we -positively must go and see it, and climb up the hillsides and look down -into the gorge itself. - -We all accepted his invitation with the greatest alacrity. On the -afternoon of the day before starting, the Dzongpen, as he had promised, -produced us his acrobats and dancers, and we had a very hilarious -afternoon. They were not particularly good either as actors or as -acrobats, but they danced with prodigious vigour, and it was altogether -great fun. Before all the dances and the little plays they covered their -faces with masks of an extremely primitive kind. They failed at most of -their tricks once or twice before accomplishment, and these failures -were invariably greeted both by the spectators and by the actors with -shrieks of laughter. - -On the following day (June 19) we all set off, the luggage proceeding -direct to Kharta Shika under the charge of the interpreter and the -Gurkhas, while we switched off to Norton’s alp. It really was -delightful, and though the forest was rather a dwarfed forest, it -contained several kinds of fir trees, birch, and rhododendron scrub, -and, after Tibet, was in every way quite charming. We climbed up the -hillsides and suddenly came round the corner on to great cliffs diving -straight down into the Arun Valley, and we could see further down how -enormously the scale of the mountains increased. It was a most -attractive gorge, but on our side it appeared to be almost impossible to -have got along, so steep were the hillsides. On the far bank, that is, -the true left bank, the East bank, there was a well-marked track, and it -appears that lower down it crosses to the right bank and then continues -on the right bank to the junction with the Kama Chu. Later on Noel and -Morris were able to explore and photograph the greater part of the -gorge. We all sat on the top of the cliffs and indulged in the very -pleasant amusement of rolling great rocks into the river a thousand feet -below us—always a fascinating pursuit, especially when one is quite -certain that there is no one in the neighbourhood. The lunch did not -turn up for some time, when an exploring party discovered that our -porters, who had been detailed to carry it, had dropped in at a village -and visited the Barley Mow, and could hardly get along at all in -consequence; finally, however, the lunch was rescued and an extremely -pleasant time passed. It was absolutely epicurean: Gruyère cheese, -sardines, truffled yaks, and, finally, almost our last three bottles of -champagne. It was intended to be an epicurean feast—and it was so. - -By the evening we arrived in Shika, and found our camp pitched in -beautiful grassy fields high above the village of Shika. The Dzongpen -was very anxious to entertain the whole party, but we were rather lazy -and did not want to go down to his village, which was some way off, but -promised him that we would pay him a visit on our return from Kama. The -Dzongpen, however, imported his cooks and full outfit and gave us a -dinner in our own tent, himself sitting down with us and joining in. He -was a plump and very well dressed little man, and by now had completely -recovered his confidence in us. He was, however, very anxious that we -should do no shooting, and this anxiety of his was no doubt very largely -occasioned by the fact that he had only arrived from Lhasa about a -fortnight before our arrival. We were to reach in two marches -Sakiathang, in the Kama Valley, where Colonel Howard-Bury and his party -had encamped the year before. Our first march led us over the Samchang -La to a camp called Chokarbō. It was a steep and rough walk over the -pass, but knowing the wonderful capacity of the Tibetan pony, several of -the party took ponies with them. It was necessary both for Geoffrey and -for Norton to rest their feet as much as possible until completely -cured, and so on arrival at Chokarbō they took their ponies on over our -next pass, the Chog La, which is no less than 16,280 feet, and down into -the Kama Chu. This is a very rough road indeed. - -We had here reached the most perfect land of flowers, and in the low -land which lies between the Samchang La and our camp at Chokarbō we -found every description of Alpine flora, reinforced by rhododendrons—the -very last of the rhododendrons. We also found several kinds of iris. - -The road leading up to the Samchang La was extremely steep and rough, -but the path was well marked, and it was evident there was a -considerable amount of traffic leading into the Kama Chu. The local -people stoutly denied that yaks could cross, but later on we actually -found yaks carrying loads over this road. I can quite understand their -reason for not wishing to send their yaks, as the road from one end to -the other is very bad for animals. At Chokarbō all the riding ponies -were dispensed with, with the exception of Geoffrey’s and Norton’s; -these two ponies they particularly wished to look after, as they had -bought them, knowing that they must assure mounts, probably to the end -of the journey. They had certainly picked up the most useful little -couple. All the same, they had to walk most of the way, as it was quite -out of the question for anyone to have ridden at all, except over short -pieces of open ground, and it was perfectly wonderful the way in which -these two ponies got over the most shocking collection of rocks, big and -little, and how they negotiated the extremely slippery and rocky path -which led down from the Chog La. The ascent to the Chog La was easy, and -the latter half of it still under winter snow, as also was the first -thousand feet of the descent. The mountains were interesting on each -side, so much so that Somervell and Crawford went off for a little climb -on the way. The descent was delightful, although the road was, as I have -said, very stony indeed. One passes through every description of Eastern -Himalayan forest and wonderful banks of rhododendrons of many kinds. We -were, unfortunately, much too late for their full bloom, but a month -earlier this descent must be perfectly gorgeous, the whole hillsides -being covered with flowering rhododendrons. - -[Illustration: - - OLD TIBETAN WOMAN AND CHILD. -] - -The descent to Sakiathang is at least 5,000 feet, and may be a little -more. Thang means “a flat bench,” and such was Sakiathang, set in -gorgeous forest, and deep in grass and flowers. But the weather was -breaking fast, and by evening the clouds had descended and wiped out the -whole of the valley. Before it was quite obliterated we got glimpses of -what it must be like in fine weather. - -In the early morning of the following day (Thursday, June 22), when I -woke up and looked out of my tent, the mouth of which looked straight up -the valley between the big mountains, the clouds had lifted somewhat, -and the whole end of the valley was filled with the gorgeous Chomolönzo -peak, and for an hour or so I was able to watch it with the clouds -drifting round its flanks, and then, just as the sun lit up the valley -for a moment, the great monsoon clouds coming up from the valley of the -Arun, driven by the wind up the Kama Chu, completely wiped it out again. -It was a glorious glimpse, and the only one we obtained during our stay -of more than a week in Sakiathang. - -We found encamped in the neighbouring woods Nepalese shepherds, with -their flocks of sheep, and saw for the first time the very fine type of -sheep which these men own—a far bigger and better breed of sheep than -exists in Tibet, and also carrying a very much finer coat of wool. They -were rather strange to look at at first, as the whole fore-part of their -body was black and the hind-part white. We also found that the Nepalese -shepherds thoroughly understood the value of their own sheep. They keep -them all to make butter from their milk, which they collect and sell in -the bazaars in Nepal. All these shepherds were Gurkhas belonging either -to the Gurung tribe or Kirantis, and, curiously enough, one of them was -related to my servant Kehar Sing, he having gone through the “mit” -ceremony with his relations, and that is quite sufficient for him to be -also a “mit.” This “mit” ceremony is rather difficult to explain. It is -not exactly blood-brotherhood, it is more of the nature of religious -brotherhood; but it is quite binding, as much so as an ordinary -relationship. This eased the situation for us pretty considerably in the -matter of obtaining milk and butter. As I have before mentioned, I do -not myself eat butter in an uncooked state, but the remainder of the -party reported that this sheep’s butter was of very fine quality, and it -was certainly very clean. These shepherd establishments are known as -gôts. Naturally forgetting that certain terms are unfamiliar, I told -Wakefield that I had bought two sheep from the gôts. He seemed more -confused than usual by the strangeness of the country. - -As we were rather short of provisions, we despatched Noel’s servant and -our excellent Chongay Tindel to obtain supplies for us; the first down -to the junction with the Arun, and the second over the Popti into -Damtang, a large Nepalese settlement. - -The remainder of the party stayed behind, hoping for better weather in -order to explore the upper valley of the snows, and up to the Popti to -get a view of the country into Nepal, if possible. It was no use -attempting to move unless the weather cleared to a certain extent. -Meanwhile we were living in a smother of cloud, mist, and rain. But how -delightful it was to have an ample supply of firewood and to be able to -build, for the first time since we had entered Tibet, a reckless -camp-fire round which we could all sit! It is a real hardship in Tibet -never to have a good roaring fire, and it is a little damping to one’s -spirits having always to go to bed in order to get warm. Whenever it -cleared, we went for short walks through the neighbouring forests and -into the neighbouring valleys, and saw quite enough to fill us with a -desire for much more exploration. The forest of the Kama is unbelievably -rich; the undergrowth, especially the hill bamboo, of a very vivid -green, and the cedar and fir appear very dark, almost black, against it. -But the forest also contains every other kind of tree and shrub proper -to the Eastern Himalaya, and the river-banks were, in places, overhung -with the most glorious Himalayan larch, identical with the European -larch in appearance, but with possibly a greater spread of branch. - -The weather got worse and worse, and our food supplies lower and lower. -There were no signs of the return either of Noel’s servant or of the -Chongay from Nepal, and so, with the greatest reluctance, we gave up -further exploration as a body. We were reduced to only half a day’s -grain-food for our following, and not only that, but the Tibetan porters -whom we were expecting to help us back, and who had been ordered, showed -no signs of arriving. Having searched the country round, we managed to -rope in a few local people, mostly Tibetans, who had come over from -Kharta for wood. There is considerable traffic from the Tibetan side, as -in this well-wooded country they cut most of the timber required for -their houses and carry it over on their own backs, or else on the backs -of unfortunate yaks, when they can bring themselves to risk their yaks’ -legs over this awful road. We carried as much luggage as we possibly -could with us, not knowing how many men we should be able to obtain to -send for the remainder. We had not enough men with us to carry the whole -camp, and so two Gurkhas were left here in charge of what remained. They -were also to meet Chongay and bring him back with them, and it was -considered an absolute certainty that he would be in time to save them -from a shortage of rations; also, they would be able to get enough to -keep themselves alive from the Gurkha gôts, although these gôts -themselves are on a very short ration of grain, living largely on -sheep’s milk. - -Our own porters and a few local people, with the help of a little chaff -to excite them, vied with each other in the size of the loads they could -carry, and they certainly gave us a first-class exhibition of -load-carrying. One girl, about eighteen years of age, actually carried a -160-lb. tent by herself from Sakiathang to Chokarbō, over the top of the -Chog La. Moreover, this tent had been wet for the last ten days, and -although we did our best to dry all our camp as much as possible before -starting, it must have been at least 20 to 30 lb. heavier than it ought -to have been. I am quite certain that not a single man or woman carried -less than 100 lb. that day over the pass, and this they did apparently -without undue fatigue, arriving quite cheerful at Chokarbō. We started -in fairly fine weather—a break, we thought; but before we had gone -half-way up the hill the clouds descended on us, and it was raining hard -when we got to our camp. The day before we left we came to the -conclusion that it would be quite possible for a very small party to get -down to the junction of the Kama Chu over the Arun, and Noel himself was -intensely anxious to photograph the Kama Chu and the gorges of the Arun -itself. He had also a plan, if possible, to get up the gorge and to -cross up over the high cliffs and hillsides, which would bring him down -almost to the alp where we had our picnic with Norton. This was a -magnificent conception, but, considering the weather, we thought that he -would have a very rough time of it. He chose Morris as his assistant; he -took off his own particular porters, reinforced by some Tibetans, and -left on the 27th, we leaving on the 28th. - -While we had been over there, Geoffrey’s feet had completely recovered, -and he was able to walk now as of old. Norton could walk uphill, but his -feet pained him when descending; his ear had by this time completely -recovered. - -On the 29th, Geoffrey and I, leaving the remainder of the party, went -down to see the Dzongpen of Kharta, with a view to making arrangements -for our final return. I had, previous to this, written to the Maharajah -of Nepal with a scheme by which Mallory should be allowed to cross the -upper end of the Wallung and Yallung valleys and to cross into British -territory by the Khang La, returning to Darjeeling by the ordinary route -along the Singalela Ridge. The Maharajah gave his consent to this -expedition, but unfortunately it had to be modified, owing to -difficulties of transport and to the very bad weather; but as Mallory -was rather pressed for time, it was arranged that he, Somervell, and -Crawford, should return direct to Tinki, crossing the Arun by the rope -bridge which was utilised in 1921 for the return of the party, and from -thence descending into Sikkim and travelling viâ Lachen and Gangtok back -to Darjeeling. The remainder of the party, with the heavy luggage, would -have to return viâ Shekar and the way we came in order to square up our -various accounts with the different Dzongpens and with the authorities, -postal and other, in Phari Dzong and the Chumbi Valley. All this -required a certain amount of arrangements. Before going into Kama, we -had given the Dzongpen an outline of our requirements, but everything in -Tibet, as elsewhere, requires a considerable supervision, and so -Geoffrey and I went down before the rest of the party to complete our -arrangements. On our way down we met a large contingent of Tibetan -porters coming over to move our camp. This eased matters off very -considerably. They were sent off into the Kama to bring the remainder of -the camp, and on their return to move the full camp down to Teng. -Meanwhile we descended and had a long and very interesting interview -with the Dzongpen, who by this time had quite lost all suspicion of us. -He entertained us splendidly, and presented us each with a jade cup -before leaving. - -On July 1 we were all assembled in Teng, and packing up and dividing our -luggage preparatory to the return of the party by the different routes. -On July 3 Mallory’s party set off, and we did not see him nor the rest -of the party again until our arrival in Darjeeling, more than a month -later. We were now joined by Noel and Morris, back from their -adventurous journey up the Arun. They gave me a report of their travels. -I think it would be worth while once more to point out what the course -of the Arun is. The Arun is one of the principal tributaries of the Kosi -River (that is evident from the map), and has a very long journey -through Tibet, where it is known as the Bhong Chu. - -It rises near and drains the plains of Tingri and Khamba, and then -turning due South, forces its way through the main chain of the Himalaya -directly between the mountain passes of the Everest group on the one -side, and of the Kanchengjanga group on the other. Between our camp at -Kharta and the village of Kyamathang, which is on the actual Nepal -frontier, a distance of some 20 miles, the river drops a vertical height -of 4,000 feet; and therefore we were particularly interested in the -exploration of this wonderful gorge, and we wished to find out, if we -could, whether this tremendous vertical drop consisted of a series of -great rapids and waterfalls or a steady fall in the bed of the river. It -was also clear, from first glimpses that we had had of the Arun Gorge, -that lower down they must be of the greatest possible grandeur and -interest. I have before described how we looked down from our picnic -into the Arun and hoped we should be able to explore it. - -When we despatched Noel and Morris it was in terribly bad weather, the -whole of the Lower Kama being a smother of mist and the jungle dripping -with moisture. We had most of us been down as far as a place called -Chotromo, where the river is crossed by the road which leads up to the -Popti La, and this is the common road down into Nepal. From there the -road is far less well known, and is not so well marked. - -I will now give Noel’s description of his journey. - -[Illustration: - - FORDING THE BHONG CHU. -] - -“On the evening of the 27th June, at the end of our first day’s march, -we pitched our camp on a little pleasant grassy shelf situated in a -small clearing in the forest near empty shepherd huts, which comprise -the camp at Chotromo. The hot, damp atmosphere of the Ka(r)ma here at -9,000 feet harbours a world of insect life. No sooner had the sun set -that evening than swarms of tiny midges emerged. They annoyed us for -most of the night, except when, in moments of exasperation, we got out -of bed and drove them away by lighting a small fire of juniper-wood at -the mouth of our tent. From Chotromo a little shepherd track leads down -the left bank of the river to Kyamathang. In actual distance Kyamathang -is not far, but the road is scarcely level for more than a few yards. It -zigzags precipitously a thousand feet up and down in order to avoid the -ravines through which the river rushes, thus trebling the marching -distance. The forest here becomes more tropical; bamboos and ferns are -thick in the undergrowth, the trees increase enormously in size, and -leeches make their appearance. The path where it descends to the river -passes through bog and marsh, where the Nepalese shepherds, who mostly -use this road, in order to reach the upper grazing grounds, have cut and -laid tree-trunks along the path. The forest here darkens owing to the -height of the trees, junipers being particularly noticeable; most of the -trees being festooned with thick grey lichen. Here and there on level -spots beside the river-bank one marches from the forest into delightful -glades carpeted with moss and thick with banks of purple irises in full -bloom. - -“Ascending and descending precipitously the hillsides, and covering all -the time horizontal distance at a despairing rate, we came at last, -tired out, to the bridge which leads across the Kyamathang, and there -found that another climb of some 1,500 feet remained before reaching the -village, which is perched on a small plateau overlooking the junction of -the rivers. Kyamathang, though, strictly speaking, in Tibet, is a -typical Nepalese village. The neat little chalets are each surrounded by -well-kept fields of Indian corn, wheat, and barley. The fields are -bounded by stone walls, and each contains a small machan (a small raised -platform), from where a look-out is kept for bears at night. Kyamathang -and the surrounding villages are so inaccessible that the people do not -appear to come under the influence of Tibet or Nepal, leading an -independent life. The village boasts of five Gembus (headmen), all of -whom, so excited at seeing Europeans for the first time, did all they -could to help us, and insisted on accompanying us on our first march up -the gorge. - -“The road from Kyamathang, after passing the fields of Lungdo, plunges -once more into the forest. The path mounts up over cliffs, hiding the -view of the river in the gorge below, but revealing across the valley -the magnificent waterfalls of Tsanga, some thousand feet in height. - -“At our first halting-place we met a fine old Gurkha shepherd, Rai or -Karanti by tribe, a man of some seventy years of age, who many years ago -had been employed by the Survey of India. He was able to tell us much -about our route ahead. This stretch of country, although inhabited by -Tibetans, is yearly visited by Nepalese shepherds, who use the rough -track in order to reach the grazing grounds on the mountain-tops above -the gorge. He told us we should find a track of sorts along the right -bank of the river, which would eventually bring us out at Kharta again. - -“The Arun has no great waterfalls, but passes through three deep gorges, -one at Kyamathang and one near Kharta, where it enters the main chain. -There is another also between these two. For the rest it is a raging -torrent running through a narrow forested defile. - -“In order to pass these gorges, the path ascends and descends many -thousands of feet. Looking down from the ledges of the precipices, one -gets occasional glimpses of the torrent below; the cliffs above -frequently rising as much as 10,000 feet above the river-bed, and ending -in snow-capped peaks. Here and there the promontories of the cliffs -afford a grandiose panorama, which rewards the exertions of the terrific -ascents, but as these alternate ascents and descents are not single -occurrences, but the normal nature of the track, ever climbing up by -crazy ladder-paths and plunging amongst tangled undergrowth, one ceases -to revel in the scenery, and would forego those bird’s-eye views from -the cloud-level for the sake of a few yards of marching on the flat. - -“At the end of our second march, where the track appeared to come to an -end, while pitching our camp in a small clearing, swarms of bees -descended upon us, scattering our porters in all directions; they did no -harm, however. Our third march was a struggle through pathless jungle, -and, mounting over the great central gorge, on the far side of which we -dropped down to the river-bed, we found a narrow strip of sand, just -room enough to pitch our camp. This was one of the most beautiful spots -seen in the valley. Wild flowers grew here in great profusion, the most -conspicuous amongst them being some great white lilies fully 6 feet in -height. That evening the rain, which had been falling most of the day, -cleared, and the rising clouds revealed the luxuriant walls of the -valleys, which seemed to rise almost vertically above us, with black -caverns beneath, where the trees trailed and projected over the water’s -edge. - -“During the fourth march we again struck the track which is apparently -used by Tibetans who come down from the Kharta end of the valley to get -wood. This led us up the side valley, descending from the mountains -round about Chog La. We camped towards the top of the valley, and next -day crossed by a new pass, which we judged to be about 16,000 feet in -height, and then crossed the Sakia Chu, which descends from the Samchang -Pass across the Yulok La, and descended on Kharta.” - -Well, I think that is a very fine description of an intensely -interesting journey. One thing the party was quite certain of, and that -was that they never would have got through had they numbered any more. -It was very difficult to get supplies even for themselves, as the roads -were so very, very bad, and camping grounds so very, very small. They -said all their men had worked like horses, but it was so warm that they -took nearly all their clothes off and worked almost entirely naked. It -is an extraordinary thing how, when one gets far back into the Himalaya -at altitudes at 7,000, 8,000, and 9,000 feet, one is often extremely -warm. This is generally due to the fact that most of these places are -usually between mountains and in confined conditions; such altitudes on -the lower spurs of the Himalaya are by no means so warm. We all envied -Noel and Morris their trip and the gorgeous country which they had seen, -and, further than that, I in particular envied them the occasional -glimpses which they could get right down the Arun Valley into Nepal, -glimpses of country which I believe no European has yet looked on. - -As a matter of fact, I had also written to the Maharajah to find out -whether it would not be possible for me to return to Darjeeling viâ this -same Arun Valley. It was a mere _ballon d’essai_; I had no real hope -that the rules and regulations of the Nepal Durbar would be overridden -in my favour, but it is probably not more than 50 miles from Kyamathang -down the Arun Valley to Dhankuta, which is a large Nepalese town, and -only some five or six days’ travel from Darjeeling itself. What a -wonderful experience it would have been! The Maharajah was extremely -kind about it, but quite firm. - -At the same time as Noel and Morris arrived, our Chongay also came from -the Popti route, and he brought with him quite a number of chickens and -vegetables and excellent potatoes. He had been delayed at Damtang by the -weather. There was quite a change in Chongay on his arrival. We were -filled with admiration. He wore a Seaforth Highlander’s bonnet and a -Seaforth Highlander’s tunic, both of which he had obtained from some -demobilised Gurkha who had sold his effects in the Upper Arun Valley. We -joined hands and danced round him with cheers; Chongay bridled from head -to foot. - -Soon after Mallory’s party left, a note arrived from Crawford to say -that his pony and his pony-man had run away during the night, and asking -us to find out about it, as he had been paid for the full journey. This -was reported immediately to the Dzongpen. He knew exactly what to do. -Without a moment’s hesitation he seized the man’s elder brother, down -with his clothes, and gave him a first-class flogging, and nearly -flogged old Father William himself, so angry was he, as this man was one -of Father William’s underlings. Father William was humbler than ever -after this, and produced more and more green vegetables. - -On July 4 the main body set off, even now very considerable. We were to -march direct by a road up to the present date untravelled, our first -march being to Lumeh, which was also on the road used by Mallory and by -last year’s Expedition. From there we marched up the Dzakar Chu instead -of turning to our right and crossing the Arun. We had been largely in -summer in Kharta, but on our way to Lumeh we came in, for a time, to -some of the very strongest winds we had met since leaving the Rongbuk -Glacier. Crossing a little gully, I was nearly blown off my pony. Our -camp at Lumeh has been described by Colonel Howard-Bury, and is a very -charming spot. - -The following march to Dzakar Chu was quite new ground, not travelled by -any European, and was very interesting indeed, but extremely rough. It -led for part of the way through a steep and deep gorge, extraordinarily -like the gorges in the Hindu Kush in Gilgit and Chambal. The gorge, -owing to its elevation, is of less depth, but the whole colour and form -of the mountains, their bareness and barrenness, and the smell from the -wormwood scrub, brought back to me the Hindu Kush in very vivid -recollection. Those gorges, however, as so often in the West, are -terribly and oppressively hot, but here, at 12,500 to 13,000 feet above -the sea, we were in a fresh and exhilarating air. We camped at a village -called Dra, at the foot of the pass we were to cross, which is called -the Chey La. Our camp was pitched in a very pleasant grove, and here we -had, for the last time until we arrived at the Chumbi Valley, a gorgeous -and glorious camp-fire. Curiously enough, the wood was willingly given -to us by the inhabitants. - -The following morning there was a long march and a continual pull to the -top of the Chey La, about 17,000 feet, the last thousand feet being a -very rapid ascent, but from the top we were almost in sight of Shekar -and the Arun Valley. The camp at which we stopped was a very short -morning’s walk from our old camp at Pangli, and separated from it by a -low ridge. - -The next morning, after crossing the Arun at the Arun Bridge, we reached -Shekar, where we had a great reception. The Dzongpen played up, and he -had no less than 160 mules all collected and ready for us the following -morning; and not only that, but every one turned out the evening, and we -had a little race meeting of our own and a great tea with exchange of -cakes and compliments with the Dzongpen himself. Altogether we were -evidently in very good favour both with the Dzongpen and with the great -Lama of Shekar. Noel and others paid a very interesting visit to the -great Lama, and were shown by him his collections of curios of all -kinds. They thought at first that the old gentleman prized and guarded -these as Gömpa property, but they were rather surprised to discover that -he was perfectly ready to sell at a price—and that his own. He was by -far the shrewdest trader that we had come across in Tibet. Most of the -things that he was ready to part with, however, were beyond the pockets -of our party. - -John Macdonald, who has a very good eye for a pony, took out a likely -mount in the horse-races and himself won no less than three races that -day. He bargained for it, as he was looking forward to the Darjeeling -pony-races in the autumn, and before we left Macdonald, to his great -joy, had concluded a very respectable bargain. - -[Illustration: - - PANORAMA AT SHEKAR DZONG. -] - -The following morning we got off not quite as well as we should. We had -difficulty in loading and some difficulties on the march. Shekar had -proved altogether too much for the porters and the following morning -they were not of much use; in fact, it was with the greatest difficulty -that many of them were produced at the next camp. The place was called -Kyishong. It had not been a very promising little camp, so we thought of -stopping down by the river on a very pleasant plot of grass, but on -arrival there we found a dead Tibetan in a basket moored to the bank in -the water about a hundred yards above our camp, so that was no place for -us. Instead of marching back exactly the same way we had come, viâ our -camp at Gyangka-Nangpa, we determined to follow up a smaller branch of -the Arun which would bring us finally down on to Tinki itself. By so -doing we avoided wading the Yaru in two places, and also the rather high -and steep Tinki Pass. On our way across the plains of Teng, before one -arrives at the great sand dunes of Shiling, we passed a Sokpo, a true -Mongolian, whose home was in Northern Mongolia, near Urga, a religious -devotee. He was travelling from Lhasa to Nepal, that is, to Khatmandu, -on a pilgrimage, by the time-honoured method of measuring his length on -the ground for every advance. He was a young man and apparently well -fed, trusting to the kindness of the villages through which he passed -for his food. He told us that he had been continually travelling and -that it had taken him one year to reach the place where we found him -from Lhasa, and that he hoped to get to Khatmandu in another year, if he -was lucky and able to cross the mountains. We encouraged him the best -way we could and left him to his work. - -Our halt that night was in a very pleasant camp surrounded by low cliffs -at a place called Jykhiop. Our march up this valley was a great contrast -to our march into Tibet. A warm sun and a pleasant cool breeze blowing; -the clouds drifted across us and we had some rain, which only added to -our comfort. We camped one night at a place called Chiu, where we all -bathed, and bathed the ponies into the bargain. - -Our last march before reaching Tinki was over an interesting pass, which -suffers under the terrible name of the Pharmogoddra La, down to a -pleasant little camping ground with a very dirty village near it. Here -we caught an enormous number of fish, the inhabitants proving quite -ready to help us do so. Every one fed freely on fresh fish that night. - -An easy pleasant pass the following morning led us down in 2½ hours to -Tinki. Here we met the Dzongpen of Tinki for the first time. He was an -extremely pleasant individual, and the most friendly and intelligent -official we met in Tibet. He helped us in every way, and had previously -helped Strutt’s party on their journey through. We heard excellent -reports also of him afterwards from the advance parties. When we had -gone through in the spring this Dzongpen had been away collecting his -dues for the Tibetan Government. Tinki was a very different place, very -green, and altogether very lovely. Before travelling in Tibet we had -heard so much of the wonderful colour of Tibetan scenery. It was only on -our return journey when there was a considerable amount of moisture in -the air, when clouds rolled up from the South, that one obtained a real -notion of what Tibet could be like when at its best, and Tinki, which -had been an absolute sandy waste when we marched up, was now covered -with beautiful green grass and flowers. Nor was the air of that horrible -and rather irritating dryness, but was almost balmy, considering the -height of the country. - -Two days later we reached Khamba Dzong. The Dzongpen was absent, but his -two head men helped us in his place. We had pouring rain the whole of -the following night. There must have been from 1½ to 2 inches of rain, a -most surprising experience in Tibet and one for which we were hardly -prepared. The men had been breaking out a little again, and one -sportsman had broken out considerably more than anybody else. For -purposes of letting the porters down easily we never considered a man -was inebriated as long as he could lie on the ground without holding on, -but this man for three days in succession had been hopeless, giving no -reaction whatever to the smartest smacks with our sticks, and finally -having to be brought into camp and giving a great deal of trouble. So we -determined on an exemplary punishment. The other men who had broken out -badly had all been given loads to carry for a march, but the next day -this man was condemned to carry an enormous load from Khamba Dzong to -Phari. Considering what his condition had been we were absolutely -astounded when the following day he carried the whole of well over 100 -lb. for a 20-mile march to Tătsăng, over a pass of 17,000 feet, grinning -and smiling the whole way as if it was the finest joke he had heard of. -Everybody “pulled his leg” on the way, but nothing could possibly -interfere with his good temper. He was condemned to carry this load -right into Phari Dzong, crossing the three high ridges of the Donka La, -and never for a moment did he lose his temper or bear any ill-will. This -is characteristic of the people: as long as your treatment of them is -understood by them to be just they bear no ill-will whatever, nor does -it interfere in any way with one’s friendly relations; but still, for -all that, it seems to me that they are unkillable. After his behaviour -and the condition he was in for so long, to do such terrific hard labour -as we condemned him to do without the smallest sign of fatigue was -pretty remarkable. But, after all, my own particular Angturke had only -complained of being a little dazed after falling 60 feet on to his head -at the time of the accident. - -We camped at Tătsăng, and here we parted with Noel, who carried off his -own people and left us for Gyantse; he was very much afraid of bringing -his cinema films down into the warmth and damp of Sikkim until they were -properly developed, but not only this: it was now the season of the -great meetings and dances of Gyantse, and he hoped to get first-rate -studies of Tibetan life generally. The climate and accommodation also at -Gyantse would just suit him, and he would be able there to put in a full -month’s work completing his films and adding immensely to his collection -of pictures of Tibetan life. He accompanied us for 5 miles, almost up to -the camp we had occupied on our arrival in the spring, and we left him -with great regret. - -[Illustration: - - IN KAMPA DZONG. -] - -We had a long march that day from Tătsăng, and again crossing the ridges -of the Donka La a very cold wind and sleet and rain overtook us. It was -the last shot at us the typical Tibetan weather had, and considering the -time of year it did its very best for us, but we camped that night under -the Donka La at a great height, not far from 17,000 feet. While we were -waiting for our luggage we took refuge in a Tibetan encampment. The -Tibetans were out with their herds of yaks, grazing them over the -hillsides. We were rather amused to find that they had guns in their -encampment, which they evidently used for sporting purposes, and we -thought regretfully of the limitations which had been put on our -expedition. - -Next morning we had a delightful march crossing the last and highest -ridge of the Donka La and camped half-way to Phari, finally reaching -Phari Dzong after a very pleasant morning’s ride over delightful green -turf and passing immense flocks of sheep grazing on the hillsides. - -Here, on July 20, we found a welcome post and spent the day in great -comfort in the Phari Dzong bungalow. Two days later we reached Chumbi -and met the Macdonalds again, and were, as usual, sumptuously -entertained by them. Here our transport had to be reorganized to take -our still rather large convoy down to India. Geoffrey and I climbed the -neighbouring hills and really revelled in the whole journey down, which -had been very reminiscent of the Western Himalaya in summer. Chumbi is -wonderful; even in the rains the climate is delightful. It cannot have -more than one-third of the rainfall which falls only 20 miles away on -the other side of the Jelep: in fact, when two days later we crossed the -Jelep, we were immediately involved again in the mists and rains and -sleets, and were again in a completely and absolutely different type of -country. - -We arrived at Gnatong on July 27 in pouring rain, but next morning it -had cleared, and on the way down as we started the clouds showed signs -of really lifting. On arrival at the ridge over which the road crosses -before beginning the long descent to Rongli Chu, about 400 feet above -Gnatong, we were lucky enough to come in for one of those sudden breaks -which occasionally occur during the monsoon, and if one is at the moment -in a position to profit by them one obtains one of the most glorious -sights to be found in this world. Such was our luck this morning. -Standing on the ridge we were able to see the plains of India stretched -out beneath us to the South, the plains of Kuch Behar with the Mahanadi -River running through them quite clear, while on our right Kanchengjanga -rose through the clouds—a perfectly marvellous vision of ice and snow, -looking immeasurably high. The clouds were drifting and continually -changing across the hillsides and the deep valleys. The extremely deep -and, in places, sombre colour, the astonishingly brilliant colour where -the sun lit up the mountains, and the prodigious heights, made a -mountain vision which must be entirely unsurpassed in any other portion -of the globe. It was a moment to live for; but the moment was all too -short. In half an hour the vision of the plains and the mountains was -completely blotted out. - -At Lungtung we visited the little tea-shop where we had all collected, -as we had promised the patroness on our way up. There she was again, -full of smiles, with her family round her, and we all stayed there and -drank hot tea, which we thoroughly enjoyed after the cold and driving -mist, and the flow of chaff I think even surpassed that of our first -visit. So exhilarated were we that Geoffrey and I ran at top speed down -to Sedongchen, which is only 6,000 feet, tearing down the hillsides, and -by so doing, although we occasionally took short cuts over grassy banks -and through forest where it was not too thick, we arrived at Sedongchen, -having entirely baffled the leeches which swarm in this part of the -forest. Not so, however, Wakefield; he also had been exhilarated and had -taken a short cut down, but he had been too trusting, and he arrived -with his legs simply crawling with leeches. - -The rest of our journey through Sikkim requires no particular comment, -except that the weather behaved itself in a wonderful way, and we -escaped any real heavy duckings. The heat, although considerable in the -lower valleys and moist, was not at all oppressive. So much so that we -were able to travel at a great pace down to Rongli bridge, which is only -700 feet above the sea. - -We arrived in Darjeeling on August 2, every one by now in thoroughly -good health. Here we were to await the arrival of Crawford and -Somervell, who were making tremendous attempts, considering that it was -the height of the monsoon, to see something of the South face of -Kanchen, and even, if possible, to do a little climbing—a rather -ambitious programme under the circumstances. Five or six days later they -arrived, quite pleased with themselves and having had a very strenuous -time, but naturally having seen a minimum of the country they travelled -over. At Darjeeling the party rapidly broke up, although the Staff of -the Expedition had about a fortnight’s work clearing up business -matters, which included the proper provision for the families of the -unfortunate porters who had been lost in the avalanche. - -[Illustration: - - LINGGA AND THE LHONAK MOUNTAINS. -] - -Thus ended the first attempt to climb Mount Everest. I think on the -whole we may be quite satisfied with the results. It would have been -almost unthinkable if a great mountain like Everest—the highest in the -world, almost the greatest in scale as well—had yielded to the very -first assault. After all, it took a very long time, many years in fact, -to climb the easier of the great mountains of the Alps. It took many -years to find the way, even, up the North face of the Matterhorn, a -problem which would now only be considered one of the second class. How, -then, could we expect on the very first occasion to solve all the -different problems which are included in an assault on Everest? It is -not merely a case of mountaineering, or of mountaineering skill, nor -even of having a most highly-trained party; there are many other -problems which we also have to consider. Our methods had almost to be -those of an Arctic expedition; at the same time our clothing and outfit -in many ways had to be suitable for mountain climbing. Our climbing -season was extraordinarily short, far shorter than it would have been in -any mountains in the West. - -Not only that, but all the warnings of the scientists tended to show -that no very great height could probably be reached without oxygen, and -that even with an oxygen apparatus there were a great many dangers to be -faced. Among other things we were told that having once put on the -oxygen apparatus, and having once for any continuous period worked on an -artificial supply of oxygen, the sudden cessation of that supply would -certainly cause unconsciousness, and probably would cause death. Luckily -for us this was proved not to be in accordance with actual practical -experience, as the height reached by our climbing party which had not -used oxygen was more than 2,000 feet higher than any point yet reached. -For the Duke of Abruzzi, in his great attempt on the Bride Peak on the -Baltoro Glacier in Baltistan, did not quite reach 24,600 feet. While -Mallory, Somervell, and Norton reached 26,985 feet. - -In the whole range of the mountains of the world there are only four -peaks that top this great height, namely, Mount Everest itself, K^2 in -the Karakorum in Baltistan; Broad Peak on the Baltoro Glacier, and -Makalu in the Everest group. Therefore this climb stands actually as the -fifth of the great altitudes of the world. It is a perfectly prodigious -performance, and taken simply as a _tour de force_ stands in the front -rank in no matter what department of sport or human endeavour. The men -who took part in this climb have every reason to be proud of themselves. - -As I have pointed out, Finch and Geoffrey Bruce, using oxygen, took a -route traversing the face of the mountain to the West, and before they -were completely played out and conditions were such that they had to -return, reached a height of 27,235 feet. If they had directly mounted up -the ridge they would undoubtedly have reached the point on the main -Everest crest which is marked at 27,390 and have progressed along it to -a greater altitude. There is no doubt in my mind whatever of this: not -only would their route have been far more direct, but the actual ground -over which they would have to climb would have been easier. It is quite -certain that with the same exertions on the same day they could have -reached a higher point than they did. That does not, however, in the -least detract from their performance. Their experiences, as has been -pointed out by Finch, ease the oxygen question immensely. It was shown -that it was quite possible to remove the oxygen apparatus altogether, -having used it fully and having reached a height of 25,500 feet, nor was -the accident to Geoffrey’s apparatus attended with any of the terrible -consequences which we were led to expect. These conclusions are all very -satisfactory from the point of view of our final success in climbing -Everest. There is no doubt that the height will be attained provided the -very best men, the best apparatus, and an outfit of porters equally as -good as our own, attempt it. And there are plenty of men to draw from -for porters. We could probably obtain without difficulty a team as good, -or better. Of that I am quite certain. - -It was pretty evident that one of the secrets of living with immunity -high up is that the actual clothes on the men’s backs should be as light -as possible and as windproof as possible. Proper protection should be -taken against the wind for the head also, and the greatest care must be -taken and the necessity for care be understood by everybody in the -protection of their hands and feet. It is quite possible that with a -little more care we might have escaped this year without any serious -consequences from that point of view. - -These remarks apply equally to the outfit for the porters. Men who -worked with so little experience, and took camps for us to a height of -25,500 feet, would, if correctly outfitted, take the camp 500 to 1,000 -feet higher: of that I am quite convinced. An improved and lighter -oxygen apparatus is under construction; when this has been completed I -have every reason to believe that an oxygen depôt could be well -established at 26,000 feet, thus allowing a full time for the attempt on -the greater heights. This year there was always at the back of the -oxygen-carriers’ minds a slight doubt that their oxygen might give out -and that the consequences to them would be most unpleasant. - -Another problem that must always be borne in mind when one’s object is -the assault of a great mountain in the Himalaya, is to bring one’s whole -party there in first-class health and training. This sounds an -unnecessary remark to have to make, but as a matter of fact the task is -not as easy as it appears. The great danger lies in fatiguing and -exhausting one’s party before the real test comes. This year there was -great danger of our working the porters out, and this question gave me a -good deal of anxiety. But they were all absolute gluttons for work, and -I never would have believed that men could have carried out such -tremendous hard labour in establishing our high camps and apparently -continuing fit and well, showing no signs of staleness and quite ready -to continue up the mountain. - -Before we left Darjeeling I forwarded to the Dalai Lama, on behalf of -the Mount Everest Committee, a letter of thanks for all the assistance -which he had given to our Expedition, and sent with it, for him and for -the Tashilumpo Lama also, a silk banner on which was printed a coloured -picture of the Potālā, the great palace of the Dalai Lamas in Lhasa. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE FIRST ATTEMPT - - By - - GEORGE LEIGH-MALLORY - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - THE PROBLEM - - I - - -It is very natural that mountaineers, particularly if they are members -of the Alpine Club, should wish success to the Everest Expedition; for -in a sense it is their own adventure. And yet their sympathies must -often wobble. It is not always an undiluted pleasure to hear of new -ascents in the Alps, or even in Great Britain; for half the charm of -climbing mountains is born in visions preceding this experience—visions -of what is mysterious, remote, inaccessible. - -By experience we learn that we may pass to another world and come back; -we rediscover the accessibility of summits appearing impregnable; and so -long as we cannot without a tremor imagine ourselves upon a mountain’s -side, that mountain holds its mystery for us. But when we often hear -about mountaineering expeditions on one or another of the most famous -peaks in the world, are told of conquests among the most remote and -difficult ranges or others continually repeated in well-known centres, -we come to know too well how accessible mountains are to skilful and -even to unskilful climbers. The imagination falters, and it may happen -that we find ourselves one day thinking of the most surprising mountain -of all with no more reverence than the practised golfer has for an -artificial bunker. It was so, I was once informed by a friend, that he -caught himself thinking of the Matterhorn, and he wondered whether he -shouldn’t give up climbing mountains until he had recovered his -reverence for them. A shorter way, I thought, was to wait until the -weather broke and then climb the Matterhorn every day till it should be -calm and fine again, and when he pondered this suggestion he had no need -to test its power, for he very soon began to think again of the -Matterhorn as he ought to think. But from the anguish of discovering his -heresy he cherished a lesson and afterwards would never consent to read -or hear accounts of mountaineering, nor even to speak of his own -exploits. This was a commendable attitude in him; and I can feel no -doubt, thinking of his case, that however valuable a function it may -have been of the Alpine Club in its infancy to propagate not only the -gospel, but the knowledge of mountains, the time has come when it should -be the principal aim of any such body not only to suppress the -propagation of a gospel already too popular, but also to shelter its -members against that superabundance of knowledge which must needs result -from accumulating records. Hereafter, of contemporary exploits the less -we know the better; our heritage of discovery among mountains is rich -enough; too little remains to be discovered. The story of a new ascent -should now be regarded as a corrupting communication calculated to -promote the glory of Man, or perhaps only of individual men, at the -expense of the mountains themselves. - -It may well be asked how, holding such opinions, I can set myself to the -task of describing an attempt to reach the highest summit of all. Surely -Chomolungmo should remain inviolate, or if attempted, the deed should -not be named. With this point of view I have every sympathy, and lest it -should be thought that in order to justify myself I must bring in a -different order of reasons from some other plane, and involve myself in -a digression even longer than the present, I will say nothing about -justification for this story beyond remarking that it glorifies Mount -Everest, since this mountain has not yet been climbed. And when I say -that sympathy in a mountaineer may wobble, the mountaineer I more -particularly mean is the present writer. It is true that I did what I -could to reach the summit, but now as I look back and see all those -wonderful preparations, the great array of boxes collected at Phari -Dzong and filling up the courtyard of the bungalow, the train of animals -and coolies carrying our baggage across Tibet, the thirteen selected -Europeans so snugly wrapt in their woollen waistcoats and Jaeger pants, -their armour of windproof materials, their splendid overcoats, the -furred finneskoes or felt-sided boots or fleece-lined moccasins devised -to keep warm their feet, and the sixty strong porters with them -delighting in underwear from England and leathern jerkins and puttees -from Kashmir; and then, unforgettable scene, the scatter of our stores -at the Base Camp, the innumerable neatly-made wooden boxes concealing -the rows and rows of tins—of Harris’s sausages, Hunter’s hams, Heinz’s -spaghetti, herrings soi-disant fresh, sardines, sliced bacon, peas, -beans, and a whole forgotten host besides, sauce-bottles for the Mess -tables, and the rare bottles more precious than these, the gay tins of -sweet biscuits, Ginger Nuts and Rich Mixed, and all the carefully chosen -delicacies; and besides all these for our sustenance or pleasure, the -fuel supply, uncovered in the centre of the camp, green and blue -two-gallon-cans of paraffin and petrol, and an impressive heap of -yak-dung; and the climbing equipment—the gay little tents with crimson -flies or yellow, pitched here only to be seen and admired, the bundles -of soft sleeping-bags, soft as eiderdown quilt can be, the ferocious -crampons and other devices, steel-pointed and terrible, for boots’ -armament, the business-like coils of rope, the little army of steel -cylinders containing oxygen under high pressure, and, not least, the -warlike sets of apparatus for using the life-giving gas; and lastly, -when I call to mind the whole begoggled crowd moving with slow -determination over the snow and up the mountain slopes and with such -remarkable persistence bearing up the formidable loads, when after the -lapse of months I envisage the whole prodigious evidences of this vast -intention, how can I help rejoicing in the yet undimmed splendour, the -undiminished glory, the unconquered supremacy of Mount Everest? - -[Illustration: - - BASE CAMP AND MOUNT EVEREST IN EVENING LIGHT. -] - -It is conceivable that this great mountain, though still unsubdued, may -nevertheless have suffered some loss of reputation. It is the business -of a mountain to be ferocious first, charming and smiling afterwards if -it will. But it has been said already of this mountain that the way to -the summit is not very terrible, it will present no technical -difficulties of climbing. Has it not then, after all, a character -unsuitably mild? Is it not a great cow among mountains? It cannot be -denied that the projected route to the summit presents no slopes of -terrible steepness. But we may easily underrate the difficulties even -here. Though some of us have gazed earnestly at the final ridge and -discussed at length the possibility of turning or of climbing direct -certain prominent obstacles, no one has certainly determined that he may -proceed there without being obliged to climb difficult places; and the -snow slope which guards the very citadel will prove, one cannot doubt, -as steep as one would wish to find the final slope of any great -mountain. Again, the way to the North Col, that snow-saddle by which -alone we may gain access to the North Ridge, has not always been simple; -we know little enough still about its changing conditions, but evidently -on too many days the snow will be dangerous there, and perhaps on many -others the presence of bare ice may involve more labour than was -required of us this year. But granted this one breach in the defence of -Mount Everest, shall we only for that think of it as a mild mountain? -How many mountains can be named in the Alps of which so small a part -presents the hope of finding a way to the summit? Nowhere on the whole -immense face of ice and rocks from the North-east ridge to Lhotse and -the South-east ridge is the smallest chance for the mountaineer, and, -leaving out all count of size, Mont Blanc even above the Brenva Glacier -has no face so formidable as this; of the Southern side, which we know -only from a few photographs and sketches, one thing is certain—that -whoever reaches it will find there a terrific precipice of bare rock -probably unequalled for steepness by any great mountain face in the Alps -and immeasurably greater; the single glimpse obtained last year of the -Western glacier and the slopes above it revealed one of the most awful -and utterly forbidding scenes ever observed by men; how much more -encouraging, and yet how utterly hopeless, is the familiar view from the -Rongbuk Valley! Mount Everest, therefore, apart from its pre-eminence in -bulk and height, is great and beautiful, marvellously built, majestic, -terrible, a mountain made for reverence; and beneath its shining sides -one must stand in awe and wonder. - - - II - -When we think of a party of climbers struggling along the final ridge of -Mount Everest, we are perhaps inclined to reject an obvious comparison -of their endeavour with that of athletes in a long distance race. The -climbers are not of course competing to reach the goal one before -another; the aim is for all to reach it. But the climbers’ performance, -like the runners’, will depend on two factors, endurance and pace; and -the two have to be considered together. A climber must not only keep on -moving upwards if he is to succeed, he must move at a certain minimum -pace: a pace that will allow him, having started from a given point, to -reach the top and come down in a given time. Further, at a great height -it is true for the climber even more than for the runner on a track in -England that to acquire pace is the chief difficulty, and still more -true that it is the pace which kills. Consequently it is pace more than -anything else which becomes the test of fitness on Mount Everest. - -Every man has his own standard, determined as a result of his -experience. He knows perhaps that in the Alps with favourable conditions -he is capable of ascending 1,500 feet an hour without unduly exerting -himself and without fatigue; if he were to bring into action the whole -of his reserves he might be able to double this figure. He will -assuredly find when he comes up into Tibet and lives at a mean height of -15,000 feet that he is capable of very much less. And then he begins to -call in question his power, to measure himself against his European -standard. Every member of both Everest Expeditions was more or less of a -valetudinarian. He had his eye on his physical fitness. He wondered each -day, Am I getting fitter? Am I as fit as I should expect to be in the -Alps? And the ultimate test was pace uphill. - -The simpler phenomena of acclimatisation have frequently been referred -to in connection with Mount Everest. But still it may be asked why -improvement should be expected during a sojourn at 15,000 feet. It is -expected because as a matter of experience it happens: though why the -red corpuscles in the blood whose function is to absorb and give up -oxygen should multiply in the ratio of 8:5, I leave it to physiologists -to explain. Whatever explanation they may give I shall not cease to -regard this amazing change as the best of miracles. And this change in -the hæmoglobin content of the blood evidently proceeds a long way above -15,000 feet. Nevertheless the advantage thereby obtained by no means -altogether compensates at very high altitudes the effects of reduced -atmospheric pressure. It enables a man to live in very thin air (11½ -inches barometric pressure, at 27,000 feet), but not to exert himself -with anything like his normal power at sea-level. His pace suffers. If -at 23,000 feet he were able to exercise no less power than at 10,000 -feet after a few well-spent days in the Alps, he would probably be able -to ascend the remaining 6,000 feet to the summit in a single day. But if -you cut off the supply of fuel you cannot expect your engine to maintain -its pace of working; the power exercised by the climber in the more -rarefied atmosphere at these high altitudes must be less; a rise of -6,000 feet in a day will be beyond his capacity. Therefore he must have -camps higher on the mountain, and ultimately he must have one so high -that in nine or ten hours even his snail’s pace will bring him to the -summit. - -We must remember too that not only will his pace have suffered, his mind -will be in a deplorable state. The experiments conducted in pressure -chambers have a bearing on this point. I treasure the story of Prof. -Haldane who, while in such a chamber, wanted to observe the colour of -his lips and for some minutes gazed into his mirror before discovering -that he held the back towards his face. Mountaineers have often observed -a lack of clarity in their mental state at high altitudes; it is -difficult for the stupid mind to observe how stupid it is, but it is by -no means improbable that the climbers of Mount Everest will try to drink -their food or proceed crabwise, or do some quite ridiculous thing. And -not only is it difficult to think straight in thin air, it is difficult -to retain the desire to do anything at all. Perhaps of all that tells -against him the mere weakness of a man’s will when he is starved of -oxygen is beyond everything likely to prevent his success. - -Since the problem of climbing Mount Everest presented itself -physiologically, it was only natural in us on the Expedition continually -to be watching acclimatisation. We watched it in connection with the -whole idea of being trained for the event. Probably each of us had a -different notion as to how he should be trained, and some thought more -about training than others. On this point I must confess a weakness when -I foresee an event in which my physical strength and condition are to -count for so much; I am one of those who think more about training. I -consider how I may add a cubit to my stature and all the time I am half -aware that I might spare myself the trouble of such futile meditations. -Experience seems only to show that, provided I habitually eat well and -sleep well and take a moderate amount of exercise, I can do nothing to -improve my endurance on a mountain. Probably some men may do more to -this end. The week we spent in Darjeeling sufficed for all of us to -brace ourselves after the enervating effects of our journey from -England. Norton, who had come out rather earlier and prepared himself in -the most strenuous fashion for the immense exertions of the Khadir Cup, -was already finely trained—too well, I thought, for so lean a man. He -and Geoffrey Bruce, my companion in the first party, together with -General Bruce, Longstaff, and Noel, elected to walk a great deal in -Sikkim, and so I believe did Somervell, Wakefield, and Morshead in the -second party. The General, very frankly expressing the probable -advantage to his figure of profuse perspiration in those warm valleys, -also walked a great deal. For an exactly contrary reason—I hate the -inconvenience that must arise on the march from wet clothes—I walked -less than any of these; probably Longstaff and I rode more than the rest -up to Phari Dzong. But when I heard how wonderfully fit were the two -most energetic walkers of our party, and learned from Geoffrey Bruce of -Norton’s amazing pace uphill, I could not refrain from testing my own -condition on the first occasion that we approached a comparatively high -altitude: coming up to Gnatong, where the bungalow is situated above -12,000 feet, I walked for all I was worth, and was well satisfied. Next -day I felt far from well with indigestion and headache. General Bruce -and Longstaff were also unwell, and it was a cheerless afternoon and -evening in the two little rooms at Kupup, with hailstorms outside and -too little light within. Norton and Bruce elected to sleep on the -verandah, and these two, with me, if I were fit enough, intended -starting early next morning so as to climb a small mountain, diverging -thus from our path over the Jelep La (14,500 feet) for the sake of the -view. We set off not much later than we had intended; but it was now -Norton’s turn to be unwell, and he was properly mountain-sick 1,000 feet -below the pass. However, we were not inclined to pay much attention to -these little troubles; with a day’s rest at a lower elevation (9,000 -feet), and the pleasures of feasting with the Macdonalds in Yatung, we -were quickly restored. - -The continuous process of acclimatisation was due to begin at Phari -Dzong. There we should stay three days above 14,000 feet, and after that -our marches would keep us between that level and 17,000 feet, so that a -man would surely find out how he was affected by living at high -altitudes. At Phari the whole party seemed remarkably fit, and any -amount of energy was available for sorting out and checking our vast -mass of stores. But the conditions of travel on these high plains became -evident so soon as we were on the march again. Those who gaily started -to walk, not troubling to provide themselves with a pony, found after a -time that they were glad enough to ride; but then it became so bitterly -cold that riding was more disagreeable than walking, and most of us, as -we pushed along in the teeth of a blizzard, preferred to walk, and were -surprisingly fatigued. Two of the party were ill when we reached camp, -but more perhaps from chill than mountain-sickness. On the following day -a system of sharing ponies to allow alternate walking and riding was -more carefully organised. Even so, most of us must have walked -two-thirds of that long rough march (about 25 miles), and while crossing -the “Concertina pass,” as we called it, a name which explains itself, we -had ample opportunities of testing our powers of walking uphill between -16,000 and 17,000 feet; it was evident that we were already becoming -acclimatised and able to enjoy those mild competitions in which a man -will test his powers against another as they breast a hill together. -This was encouraging enough; but how far we were from “going” as we -would go at 10,000 feet lower could easily be observed from our puffing -and blowing and the very moderate pace achieved by great efforts. - -It was a week later before we had another opportunity of testing our -acclimatisation as we came up to the Tinki La, a rise of nearly 3,000 -feet up to 17,000 feet. I suppose there may have been some slight -improvement in this week; for my part, I was fairly fit, and after -riding over the comparatively flat approach, walked up about 2,000 feet -without a halt and experienced no sort of fatigue. But the party as a -whole was disappointing, and several members were distinctly affected by -the height. Perhaps this pass was one of those places where some local -circumstance emphasises the altitude, for the ponies stopped and puffed -in a way we had never seen before; but I fancy the reason of their -condition was to be found in the steepness of the ascent. - -The day after crossing the Tinki La, we had a short march to Gyangkar -Nangpa, and, coming across the flat basin, had full in view before us -Sangkar Ri, a prominent rock peak, the most northerly of a remarkable -range above the left bank of the Arun River. The desire to vary the -routine of the daily march by climbing a mountain had already stirred a -number of suggestions among us, and now the opportunity seemed to offer -itself; we were further incited by the prospect of a splendid view of -Mount Everest if we could reach this summit, which lay not so very far -out of our way. No doubt unconscious motives, too, promoted our attempt -on Sangkar Ri. The pleasures of mountaineering must always be restricted -for those who grapple with the highest mountains, if not denied _in -toto_; but the ascent of a little rock peak of 20,000 feet might help to -keep alive in us some appreciation of mountaineering as an enjoyable -pursuit. And then we wanted confidence in ourselves. At present we could -only feel how unequal we were to the prodigious task in front of us; so -were we urged to try conclusions with Sangkar Ri, to put ourselves to -the test. - -The project demanded a high camp, at 17,000 feet, nearly 4,000 feet -above Gyangkar Nangpa. Seeing that it would clearly be undesirable to -employ more than a very small number of porters to carry up tents and -sleeping-bags for the night, Somervell and I at first made a plan for -ourselves alone; but when it was found that two others wanted to come -with us, this plan was amplified to include them, and it was arranged -that the four of us should sleep at close quarters in a Whymper tent. -The porters who carried for us in the evening would take down their -burdens in the early morning, in time to get them loaded on to the -animals at Gyangkar without delaying the main body. The establishment of -our camp did not proceed without some little difficulty; one of the -porters gave out and had to be relieved of his load, and it was not -until we had contoured a hillside for an hour in the dark that we found -a suitable place. So soon as we had lain down in our tent, a bitter wind -sprang up and blew in at the door; the night was one of the coldest I -remember. - -We had ascended not more than 1,000 feet next morning when one of the -party decided that he was too ill to go on; he exhibited the usual -symptoms of mountain-sickness. While the other two suffered the -disappointment of turning back, Somervell and I pushed on towards a snow -col on the North ridge of the mountain. As it was desirable to reach -this point without delay in order to see the view while it was yet -unclouded, and to take photographs, I continued at my own pace, and -eventually found myself looking down on Somervell some distance below me -as he struggled up with frequent halts. I very soon made up my mind that -we should get no higher than this. But after a brief halt and some -refreshment when he had rejoined me, Somervell announced that he was -prepared to go on. We began to make our way along a rock ridge, which -became ever steeper as we mounted. Our progress was slow indeed, and I -kept thinking, as I found myself more and more fatigued, “Surely we must -give up now; a man in his state can’t go on climbing such rocks as -these.” But whenever I asked how he was feeling, he would answer that he -was getting along well enough; and as we gradually won our way up, and I -kept my eye on my watch, I began to see that we had really a chance of -reaching the summit. The rocks were by no means easy, and it is commonly -said that the effort of climbing difficult rocks is just what will prove -most exhausting, if it can be undertaken at all, to men affected by -altitude. The struggle to overcome a steep obstacle must always -interfere with regular breathing. Nevertheless, I am inclined to think -that the advantage in sheer exhilaration of climbing difficult rocks -compensates the greater trouble in breathing, and that so long as I am -still in a state to climb them, I prefer even difficult rocks to snow. -The actual exertion put forth in mounting even the steepest cliff is -often overrated. If there are moments of intense struggle, these are -rare, and though the demand on nervous concentration is great, the -climber proceeds for the most part with balanced movements, requiring, -indeed, the sureness of trained muscles, but no tremendous output of -strength. With such balanced movement the two of us were able to go -slowly upwards, without a rapidly increasing exhaustion, to the foot of -a formidable gendarme. We had hopes in the first instance that he might -be compelled to yield to a frontal attack. But, 30 feet up, we found our -way barred by a slab, which was at once so smooth and so exposed that, -though we felt it might conceivably be climbed, we decided it was not -for us to climb it at the present moment; our allowance of rope was -insufficient for operations which might require an “abseil”[5] on the -descent. We therefore turned to the West side of our ridge. Here, of -course, we were out of the sun, and the rocks were so cold that they -felt sticky to the skin and blistered our finger-tips. However, we -managed to execute a sensational traverse, and afterwards climbed a -steep wall, which brought us out above the slab from which we had turned -back. It was here that we experienced both the difficulty and the danger -of rock-climbing at high altitudes. It was necessary, in a terribly -exposed position, to pull oneself over an edge of rock on to a little -platform. A big effort was required: but the reserve of strength had -been exhausted. Having committed myself to this taxing struggling, the -grim thought arose in my mind that at the critical moment I might be -found wanting and my body refuse to respond when the greatest effort was -required of it. A great effort was required before I arrived panting on -the airy stance. - -Footnote 5: - - A method of coming down on a double rope. - -After these exciting moments, we reached the top of the gendarme without -much trouble. But he had cost us too much time. We had to start from -Gyangkar this same day in pursuit of General Bruce, and ought to cross -the quicksands of the Shiling Plain before dark. We had already -overstepped the time allowed for the ascent according to our intention. -The summit now appeared perhaps 500 feet above us, and the intervening -rocks were evidently going to provide some stiff passages. It was -necessary, therefore, to turn back here and waste no time on the -descent. The descent proved longer than we had expected; we chose a long -traverse over steep snow to avoid the gendarme, and neither of us was in -a condition to cut steps quickly. We observed, in fact, what I had -observed last year with Bullock, that one may go down a considerable -distance at a high altitude, and instead of recovering very quickly, as -may happen in the Alps, one only becomes progressively more fatigued. It -was 4.30 p.m. when we reached Gyankar and found ourselves happily -recovered from our exertions. Sangkar Ri was still unclimbed. But we -looked back on our expedition with some satisfaction. We had been little -short of 20,000 feet when we turned back, and I had been greatly -impressed by Somervell’s endurance. For though very much fatigued before -reaching the col at the foot of our ridge, and further enervated by an -attack of dysentery which had begun on the previous day, his condition -seemed rather to improve than to deteriorate above that point. For my -part, I had come near enough to exhaustion, considering the difficulties -of the climb, and had suffered from a severe headache, but certainly -felt no worse than I expected at this stage of our training. - -I entered upon this tale with the object of illustrating the course of -acclimatisation among us; but the return to Gyangkar was not for us the -end of the story. It was now clear that we could not hope to cross the -quicksands before night. However, we might hope to reach the ford by -which we must cross the river Yaru with still enough light to recognise -the spot, and thereafter we could rest in a sheltered place I knew of -until the late rising moon should show us the tracks of the main body. -We set off accordingly in high haste on the ponies we found waiting for -us. Our instruction had been that these animals should be specially -selected for their fleetness of foot—for Tibetan ponies can, some of -them, travel at a fair speed, while others no amount of flogging will -urge beyond 3 miles an hour. The beast I rode very quickly showed that -he was one of these last. I had entrusted my ice-axe to a porter who -accompanied us, and now told him to ride behind me and use it if -necessary. For 5 miles he used it with a dexterity and energy beyond -praise. Then I abandoned the pony, and, walking ahead of the party, -easily outstripped the rest encumbered with this beast. Night fell when -we were still 2 miles short of the ford. But as Somervell and I -approached the spot and wondered exactly where it might be, we perceived -lights a little way ahead on the further bank of the river, presumably -those of a Tibetan camp, and soon a figure appeared on that side. We -were hailed in Tibetan; our sirdar, coming up, spoke Tibetan in reply; -the figure waded across to us; and it was explained to me that this good -Samaritan was prepared to carry me over on his back. I readily agreed to -so generous a proposition. He was not an easy steed, but I was able to -hang on to him for a hundred yards or so until he deposited me on the -other bank, a light enough burden, apparently, to be picked up and set -down like a child. And 400 yards further we reached the lights. It was -no stranger camp; the tents were ours, and the General and the rest were -sitting in the Mess while dinner was keeping hot in the kitchen against -our return. - -Ten days later we reached our Base Camp at the foot of the Rongbuk -Glacier (16,800 feet) and contemplated the prospect of rising another -12,000 feet and more to the summit of Mount Everest. At all events the -whole party had reached this point remarkably fit, and no one now showed -signs of distress from staying at this elevation. Remembering how -Bullock and I had felt after our first exertions up here last year, I -hoped to spend a few days at the Base Camp before doing very much, and -as General Bruce’s plans worked out nothing was required of me at -present. But much was asked of the reconnaissance party which started -out on May 4. - -It has been recorded in earlier chapters how in three days from the Base -Camp they reached a height of 21,500 feet on the East Rongbuk Glacier. -The cold was great and their hardships were unrelieved by the greater -comfort of established camps enjoyed by those who followed the pioneers. -From their accounts they were evidently affected a good deal by altitude -before turning back with their work accomplished, and in spite of the -cold they experienced the familiar phenomenon of lassitude so painfully -and particularly noticeable on the glaciers when the sun makes itself -felt. But on the whole they had been less affected by the want of air -than was to be expected. They had this advantage—that they proceeded -gradually; the distance to travel was long, but the ascent was never -steep, and they found the upper glacier very lightly covered with snow; -and it is heavy going and a steep ascent that most readily induce the -more distressing symptoms of mountain-sickness. However, from the point -of view of acclimatisation it was highly satisfactory that this party -should have proceeded with so little delay to reach 21,000 feet. - -[Illustration: - - SERAC, EAST RONGBUK GLACIER. -] - -Meanwhile Somervell and I, chafing somewhat at our inactivity and with -the idea that a long day on the mountains would do us good at this -stage, on May 6 climbed a small peak above the left bank of the Rongbuk -Glacier. It was a day of small misfortunes for me. As we were walking on -the stony slopes in the early morning my triconni nails of hard steel -slipped on a granite slab and I contrived to leave there an incredible -amount of skin from the back of my right hand. And higher, as we worked -along a broken ridge, a large boulder poised in unstable equilibrium -slipped as I brushed it with my knee and fell on the big-toe joint so as -to pinion my right foot. It was an awkward moment, for the place was -steep; I just had strength to heave it over and down the mountain-side, -and luckily no bones were broken. But walking was very painful -afterwards, and perhaps this accident had something to do with the -fatigue I felt as we neared the summit. On the lower slopes I had been -going well enough and seemed fitter than Somervell; at 21,000 feet he -was apparently no more fatigued than at 18,000 or 19,000 feet, while I -could scarcely drag one leg after the other. And when we came back to -camp I was surprisingly glad to take a little whisky in my tea. - - - III - -I have said too much already about the early stage of acclimatisation: -my excuse must be that much will depend upon this factor. The issue will -depend no less on organisation and transport; and though this subject is -General Bruce’s province, at all events so far as Camp III, I have a few -words to add to what he has written. - -In the calculation of what will be required at various stages in order -to reach the summit of Mount Everest it is necessary to begin at the -highest; and the climber imagines in the first place where he would like -to have his camps. He may imagine that on the final day he might rise -2,000 feet to the summit; if he is to give himself the best chance of -success he will not wish to start much lower than 27,000 feet, and in -any case he cannot camp much higher, for he is very unlikely to find a -place on the ridge above the North-east shoulder (27,400 feet) or on the -steep rocks within 200 feet of it. We may therefore fix 27,000 feet -approximately as the desirable height for the last camp. And we have -another camping ground fixed for us by circumstances, approximately at -23,000 feet, the broad shelf lying in the shelter of the ice-cliffs on -the North Col—there is no convenient place for a comparatively large -camp for a considerable distance either above or below it. But to carry -up a camp 4,000 feet at these altitudes would be to ask altogether too -much of the porters. We must therefore establish an intermediary camp -between these two, say at 25,000 feet if a place can be found. - -Now what will be required at these three camps? We must ask first with -what number of climbers the assault is to be made. A party of two -appears insufficient, for if one man should become exhausted the other -will probably want help in bringing him down. This difficulty is met by -having three climbers. But since an exhausted man cannot be left alone, -certainly not without the shelter of a tent, nor should one man go on -alone, a party of three must turn back so soon as one man is unable to -go further. Four men would give a better chance of success in this case, -for then two might go on and still leave one to look after the sick man. -Granted, then, that the best hope is for four men to start from a camp -at 27,000 feet, we have firstly to provide them with tents. Two tents -are better than one, for it may be difficult to find a place for four -men to lie side by side, and the greater weight of two smaller tents -above one larger is inconsiderable; and they must have sleeping-bags, -provisions for two days, fuel, and cooking-pots. All these necessities -have been previously carried up to the camp below at 25,000 feet; but -other things besides are required there. We may assume that this camp is -to be used as a stage on the way up only and not on the way down. Even -so, six porters at least will have to sleep there before carrying up the -highest camp, and their requirements will be the same as we have laid -down for the four climbers; we must add another day’s provisions and -fuel for the climbers themselves. - -It will be understood from this method of calculation how we arrive at -the number of loads which must be carried up to any given camp; it is -observable that at each stage downwards the number increases in a -proportion considerably greater than 2:1. Fortunately we are not obliged -to proceed strictly on these lines; to the lower camps we need not carry -up the whole of our stores on one day, and consequently we need not -increase in this alarming ratio the number of our porters. But in any -case when we get down to the North Col we must clearly have a large bulk -of stores; and the fewer porters we employ between one stage and -another, economizing on tents and sleeping-bags, the more time we shall -require. - -It was clear from the start that time was likely to be a formidable -enemy. General Bruce’s problem was not only to move our vast quantity of -stores across an almost barren country, but to move them in a given -time. It was fortunate for this reason that the number of porters who -came with us was not increased, for every man must add something to our -burdens. No one who knows that arid country could fail to be surprised -that we reached our Base Camp below the Rongbuk Glacier so early as the -1st of May. But now the number of Nepalese porters—only forty were -available for carrying—was too small for all our needs. If they alone -were to shoulder all our loads when should we reach the North Col? Some -sort of depôt must be established below it at 21,000 feet for the supply -of all higher camps on the mountain before we could proceed; and the -reconnaissance party determined that two staging camps would be required -between the Base Camp and this depôt. The existence and the solution of -so large a problem of transport have so important a bearing on our later -plans that I must refer to it again in this place. General Bruce has -told how he impressed Tibetans into his service, and by using them up to -Camp II was able to liberate our own porters much earlier than might -have been expected for work further on. But the system of employing -Tibetans did not work without a hitch. It was because the first labour -battalion absconded that General Bruce gave orders for only two of us to -go forward and use the first opportunities for pushing on from Camp III. -With the prospect of an early monsoon and a shortage of transport it was -desirable that, so soon as any porters were available for work above -Camp III, this work should be pushed on without delay, and if necessary -an assault should be made with the minimum of stores required by a party -of two climbers. Without a further supply of transport there was no -question of using the oxygen, for we should have more than enough to -carry up without it. - -On May 10 Somervell and I started from the Base Camp for Camp I. The way -already customary among the porters led us at first over the flat waste -of stones, intersected occasionally by dry stream-beds, which lies below -the black, humpy snout of the Rongbuk Glacier; we then followed the deep -trough below the glacier’s right (west) bank, an obvious line, but rough -with great boulders. It is not before reaching the head of this trough, -where one must turn up towards the East Rongbuk Glacier, that a problem -arises as to how best to proceed; here we found that an adequate path -had already been stamped on the loose moraine, and after ascending -steeply we contoured the hillside at an easy gradient—a little -forethought and energy had devised so good a way that we could walk -comfortably from one camp to the other in two hours and a half. Moreover -we were highly pleased by Camp I. The draught perpetually blowing down -the main glacier was scarcely noticed in this side-valley; the afternoon -sun was shining to cheer the stony scene, and away to the West some -noble peaks were well placed for our delight. But beyond æsthetic -satisfaction we were soon aware of a civilized habitation. We had been -in camp only a few minutes when a cook brought us tea and sweet biscuits -and demanded to know what we would like for dinner; we ordered a good -dinner and proceeded to examine our apartments. Geoffrey Bruce, we knew, -had been busy here with certain constructional works to obviate the -difficulty of carrying up heavy tents which were required in any case at -the Base Camp. We found a little house reserved for Europeans, one of -four solidly built with stones and roofed, with the outer flies of -Whymper tents. I never measured up this chamber; I suppose the floor -must have been 8 feet × 10 feet and the roof 4 feet high. It is true the -tent-poles bridging across from side to side in support of the roof were -in dangerously unstable equilibrium, and there were windy moments when -valetudinously minded persons might have pronounced it a draughty room. -But we were far from hypercritical on this first night, particularly as -no wind blew, and a wonderful and pleasant change it was, after living -in tents, to sit, eat, and sleep in a house once more. - -The greater part of our alpine stores, with which I was especially -concerned, had already reached Camp I, and there I found the various -bundles of tents, ropes, sleeping-bags, crampons, paraffin, petrol, -primus stoves, cooking-sets, etc., which I had carefully labelled for -their respective destinations. The great majority were labelled for -III—no higher destination had yet been assigned, and I speculated, not -altogether optimistically, as to the probable rates of their arrival. As -the general order of transport was interrupted for the present, we had -to decide what we should take on with us both of food and alpine stores. -Somervell, who by now was an expert in the numbers and contents of -food-boxes, vigorously selected all that we preferred, and we went to -bed with very good hopes for the future, at least in one respect. In -consequence of these puzzling problems it took us some little time in -the morning to make up our loads; it was past ten o’clock when we -started on our way to Camp II. - -[Illustration: - - VIEW FROM ICE CAVERN. -] - -I was surprised, after we had proceeded some distance along the stones -on the left bank of the East Rongbuk Glacier, to observe a conspicuous -cairn, evidently intended to mark our way over the glacier itself. But -the glacier in this lower end is so completely covered with stones that -in choosing the easiest way one is only concerned to find the flattest -surfaces, and as we mildly followed where the route had been laid out by -Colonel Strutt and his party we found the glacier far less broken than -was to be expected. Ultimately we walked along a conspicuous medial -moraine, avoiding by that means some complicated ice, and descended it -abruptly, to find ourselves on the flat space where Camp II was -situated. - -By this time we had seen a good deal of the East Rongbuk Glacier. As we -came up the moraine near its left bank we looked northwards on a -remarkable scene. From the stony surface of the glacier fantastic -pinnacles arose, a strange, gigantic company, gleaming white as they -stood in some sort of order, divided by the definite lines of the -moraines. Beyond and above them was a vast mountain of reddish rock -known to us only by the triangulated height of its sharp summit, marked -in Wheeler’s map as 23,180. The pinnacles became more thickly crowded -together as we mounted, until, as we followed the bend southwards, -individuals were lost in the crowd and finally the crowd was merged in -the great tumbled sea of the glacier, now no longer dark with stones, -but exhibiting everywhere the bright surfaces of its steep and angry -waves. At Camp II we were surrounded on three sides by this amazing -world of ice. We lay in the shelter of a vertical cliff not less than 60 -feet high, sombrely cold in the evening shadow, dazzlingly white in the -morning sun, and perfectly set off by the frozen pool at its foot. -Nothing, of course, was to be seen of Mount Everest; the whole bulk of -the North Peak stood in front of it. But by mounting a few steps up some -stony slopes above us we could see to the south-east, over the surface -of the ice, the slopes coming down from the Lhapka La, from which high -pass we had looked down the East Rongbuk Glacier in September, 1921, and -observed the special whiteness of the broken stream, at our own level -now, and puzzled over its curious course. We had yet another sight to -cheer us as we lay in our tents. On the range between us and the main -Rongbuk Glacier stood, in the one direction of uninterrupted vision, a -peak of slender beauty, and as the moon rose its crests were silver -cords. - -Next morning, May 12, according to Colonel Strutt’s directions, we -worked our way along the true left edge of the glacier and the stones of -its left bank. The problem here is to avoid that tumbled sea of ice -where no moraine can be continuously followed. Probably it would be -possible to get through this ice almost anywhere, for it is not an -ice-fall, the gradient is not steep, the pinnacles are not seracs, and -there are few crevasses: but much time and labour would be wasted in -attempting such a course. Further up the surface becomes more even, and -the reconnaissance party had reached this better surface by only a short -and simple crossing of the rougher ice. We easily found the place, -marked by a conspicuous cairn, where they had turned away from the bank. -Their tracks on the glacier, though snow was lying in the hollows, were -not easy to follow, and we quickly lost them; but presently we found -another cairn built upon a single large stone, and here proceeded with -confidence to cross a deep and wide trough of which we had been warned; -and once this obstacle was overcome we knew no difficulty could impede -our progress to Camp III. The laden porters, however, did not get along -very easily. Their nails, for the most part, were worn smooth, and they -found the ice too slippery. As I had never seen in the Alps a -glacier-surface like this one I was greatly surprised by the nature of -the bare ice. In a sense it was often extremely rough, with holes and -minute watercourses having vertical sides 6 inches to 13 inches high; -but the upper surfaces of the little knobs and plateaus intervening were -extraordinarily hard and smooth and the colour was very much bluer than -the usual granular surface of a dry glacier. It was also surprising to -find at most a thin coating of fine snow as high as 20,500 feet; for in -1921 we had found, even before the first heavy snowfall, plenty of snow -on the glaciers above 19,000 feet. For my part, with new nails in my -boots, I was not troubled by the slippery surfaces. But we decided to -supply the porters with crampons, which they subsequently found very -useful on this stage of the journey. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER V - - THE HIGHEST CAMP - - IV - - -The situation of Camp III when we reached it early in the afternoon was -not calculated to encourage me, though I suppose it might be found -congenial by hardier men. We had turned the corner of the North Peak so -that the steep slopes of its Eastern arm rose above us to North and -West. Our tents were to be pitched on the stones that have rolled down -these slopes on to the glacier, and just out of range of a stone fall -from the rocks immediately above us. A shallow trough divided us from -the main plateau of the glacier, and up this trough the wind was -blowing; since the higher current was hurrying the clouds from the -normal direction, North-west, we might presume that this local variation -was habitual. But wind we could hardly expect to escape from one -direction or another. A more important consideration, perhaps, for a -mountain camp is the duration of sunshine. Here we should have the sun -early, for to the East we looked across a wide snowy basin to the -comparatively low mountains round about the Lhakpa La; but we should -lose it early too, and we observed with dismay on this first afternoon -that our camp was in shadow at 3.15 p.m. The water supply was -conveniently near, running in a trough, and we might expect it to be -unfrozen for several hours each day. - -[Illustration: - - SERACS, EAST RONGBUK GLACIER, ABOVE CAMP II. -] - -Whatever we might think of this place it was undoubtedly the best -available. Very little energy remained among the party, most of whom had -now reached 21,000 feet for the first time in their lives. However, a -number soon set to work levelling the ground which we chose for two -tents. It was necessary to do this work thoroughly, for, unlike the -smooth, flat stones at Camp I, these, like those at Camp II, of which we -had obtained sufficient experience during the previous night, were -extremely sharp and uncomfortable to lie on. After it was done we sent -down the main body of the porters, keeping only one man for cook and -each the man specially attached to him as servant by Geoffrey Bruce’s -command long ago in Darjeeling. With these we proceeded to order our -camp. The tents were pitched, some sort of a cookhouse was constructed -from the wealth of building material, and we also began to put up walls -behind which we could lie in shelter to eat our meals. Perhaps the most -important matter was the instruction of Pou, our cook, in the correct -use of the Primus stove; with the purpose of giving him confidence a -fine fountain of blazing paraffin was arranged and at once extinguished -by opening the safety valve; for the conservation of our fuel supply we -carefully showed him how the absolute alcohol must be used to warm the -burner while paraffin and petrol were to be mixed for combustion. -Fortunately his intelligence rose above those disagreeable agitations -which attend the roaring or the failure to roar of Primus stoves, so -that after these first explanations we had never again to begrime our -hands with paraffin and soot. - -In our tent this evening of May 12, Somervell and I discussed what we -should do. There was something to be said for taking a day’s rest at -this altitude before attempting to rise another 2,000 feet. Neither of -us felt at his best. After our first activities in camp I had made -myself comfortable with my legs in a sleeping-bag, Somervell with his -accustomed energy had been exploring at some distance—he had walked as -far as the broad pass on the far side of our snowy basin, the Rápiu La, -at the foot of Everest’s North-east ridge, and had already begun a -sketch of the wonderful view obtained from that point of Makalu. When he -returned to camp about 5.30 p.m. he was suffering from a headache and -made a poor supper. Moreover, we were full of doubts about the way up to -the North Col. After finding so much ice on the glacier we must expect -to find ice on those East-facing slopes below the Col. It was not -unlikely that we should be compelled to cut steps the whole way up, and -several days would be required for so arduous a task. We decided -therefore to lose no time in establishing a track to the North Col. - -It was our intention on the following morning, May 13, to take with us -two available porters, leaving only our cook in camp, and so make a -small beginning towards the supply of our next camp. But Somervell’s man -was sick and could not come with us. We set out in good time with only -my porter, Dasno, and carried with us, besides one small tent, a large -coil of spare rope and some wooden pegs about 18 inches long. As we made -our way up the gently sloping snow it was easy to distinguish the line -followed to the North Col after the monsoon last year—a long slope at a -fairly easy angle bearing away to the right, or North, a traverse to the -left, and a steep slope leading up to the shelf under the ice-cliff on -the skyline. With the sun behind us we saw the first long slope, nearly -1,000 feet, glittering in a way that snow will never glitter; there we -should find only blue ice, bare and hard. Further to the North was no -better, and as we looked at the steep final slope it became plain enough -that there and nowhere else was the necessary key to the whole ascent; -for to the South of an imaginary vertical line drawn below it was a -hopeless series of impassable cliffs. The more we thought about it the -more convinced we became that an alternative way must be found up to -this final slope. We had not merely to reach the North Col once: -whatever way we chose must be used for all the comings and goings to and -from a camp up there. Unless the connection between Camps III and IV -were free from serious obstacles, the whole problem of transport would -increase enormously in difficulty; every party of porters must be -escorted by climbers both up and down, and even so the dangers on a big -ice slope after a fall of snow would hardly be avoided. - -Endeavouring to trace out a satisfactory route from the shelf of the -North Col downwards, we soon determined that we should make use of a -sloping corridor lying some distance to the left of the icy line used -last year and apparently well covered with snow. For 300 or 400 feet -above the flat snowfield it appeared to be cut off by very steep ice -slopes; nevertheless the best hope was to attempt an approach more or -less direct to the foot of this corridor; and first we must reconnoitre -the steepest of these obstacles, which promised the most convenient -access to the desired point could we climb it. Here fortune favoured our -enterprise. We found the surface slightly cleft by a fissure slanting at -first to the right and then directly upwards. In the disintegrated -substance of its edges it was hardly necessary to cut steps, and we -mounted 250 feet of what threatened to be formidable ice with no great -expenditure of time and energy. Two lengths of rope were now fixed for -the security of future parties, the one hanging directly downwards from -a single wooden peg driven in almost to the head, and another on a -series of pegs for the passage of a leftward traverse which brought us -to the edge of a large crevasse. We were now able to let ourselves down -into the snow which choked this crevasse a little distance below its -edges, and by means of some large steps hewn in the walls and another -length of rope a satisfactory crossing was established. Above this -crevasse we mounted easy snow to the corridor. - -So far as the shelf which was our objective we now met no serious -difficulty. The gentle angle steepened for a short space where we were -obliged to cut a score of steps in hard ice; we fixed another length of -rope, and again the final slope was steep, but not so as to trouble us. -However, the condition of the snow was not perfect; we were surprised, -on a face where so much ice appeared, to find any snow that was not -perfectly hard; and yet we were usually breaking a heavy crust and -stamping down the steps in snow deep enough to cover our ankles. It was -a question rather of strength than of skill. An East-facing slope in the -heat and glare of the morning sun favours the enemy mountain-sickness, -and though no one of us three was sick our lassitude increased -continually as we mounted and it required as much energy as we could -muster to keep on stamping slowly upwards. - -We lay down at length on the shelf, not yet shaded by the ice-cliff -above it, in a state of considerable exhaustion. Here presumably was the -end of a day’s work satisfactory in the most important respect, for we -felt that the way we had found was good enough, and with the fixed ropes -was suitable for use under almost any conditions. It occurred to us -after a little interval and some light refreshment that one thing yet -remained to be done. The lowest point of the North Col, from which the -North ridge of Everest springs a little way to the South of our shelf, -is perhaps ten minutes’ walk. We ought to go just so far as that in -order to make quite sure of the way onward. - -In the direction of the North-east shoulder, now slightly East of South -from us, the shelf slopes gradually upwards, a ramp as it were alongside -the battlements almost attaining the level of the crest itself. In the -whirl of snow and wind on that bitter day of September 1921, Bullock, -Wheeler, and I had found it necessary, in order actually to gain this -level, to take a few steps to the right round the head of a large -crevasse slanting across our line to the North Col. Somervell and I soon -found ourselves confronted by this same crevasse, and prepared to evade -it by the same manœuvre. But during those intervening months the crack -had extended itself some distance to the right and prevented the -possibility of getting round at that end. It was also much too wide to -be leapt. The best chance was in the other direction. Here we were able -to work our way down, before the steep slopes plunge over towards the -head of the East Rongbuk Glacier, to a snow bridge within the crevasse -giving access to a fissure in its opposite wall. We carefully examined -the prospects of an ascent at this point. Our idea was to go up in the -acute angle between two vertical walls of ice. A ladder of footsteps and -finger-holds would have to be constructed in the ice, and even so the -issue would be doubtful. When we set against the severe labour our -present state of weakness and considered the consequences of a step into -the gulf of the crevasse while steps were being cut—how poor a chance -only one man could have of pulling out his companion—it was clear that a -performance of this kind must wait for a stronger party. In any case, we -reckoned, this was not a way which could safely be used by laden -porters. If it must be used we should apply to General Bruce for a -15-foot ladder, more permanent than any we could make in the ice, and no -doubt the mechanical ingenuity so much in evidence at the Base Camp -would devise a ladder both portable and strong. Even this thought failed -to inspire us with perfect confidence, and it seemed rather a long way -to have come from England to Mount Everest, to be stopped by an obstacle -like this. - -[Illustration: - - PARTY ASCENDING THE CHANG LA. -] - -But was there no possible alternative? On this side of the crest we had -nothing more to hope; but on the far side, could we reach it, there -might exist some other shelf crowning the West-facing slopes of the Col, -and connecting with the lowest point. We retraced our steps, going now -in the opposite direction with the battlement on our left. Beyond there -was a snow slope ascending towards the formidable ridge of the North -Peak. The crevasse guarding it was filled with snow and presented no -difficulty, and though the slope was steep we were able to make a -staircase up the edge of it and presently found ourselves on the broken -ground of the Northern end of the crest. As we turned back toward -Everest a huge crevasse was in our way. A narrow bridge of ice took us -across it and we found we were just able to leap another crevasse a few -yards further. - -We had now an uninterrupted view of all that lies to the West. Below us -was the head of the main Rongbuk Glacier. On the skyline to the left was -the prodigious North-west ridge of Everest, flanked with snow, hiding -the crest of the West Peak. Past the foot of the North-west ridge we -looked down the immense glacier flowing South-westwards into Nepal and -saw without distinguishing them the distant ranges beyond. Near at hand -a sharp edge of rocks, the buttress of Changtse falling abruptly to the -Rongbuk Glacier, blocked out vision of the two greatest mountains -North-west of Everest, Gyachung Kang (25,990) and Cho Uyo (26,367). But -we could feel no regret for this loss, so enchanted were we by the -spectacle of Pumori; though its summit (23,190) was little higher than -our own level, it was, as it always is, a singularly impressive sight. -The snow-cap of Pumori is supported by splendid architecture; the -pyramidal bulk of the mountain, the steep fall of the ridges and faces -to South and West, and the precipices of rock and ice towards East and -North, are set off by a whole chain of mountains extending -West-north-west along a frail, fantastic ridge unrivalled anywhere in -this district for the elegant beauty of its cornices and towers. No more -striking change of scenery could be imagined than this from all we saw -to the East—the gentle snowy basin; the unemphatic lines of the slopes -below and on either side of the Lhakpa La, dominated as they are by the -dullest of mountains, Khartaphu; the even fall of rocks and snow from -the East ridge of Changtse and from the North-east ridge of Everest. -Pumori itself stood only as a symbol of this new wonderful world before -our eyes as we stayed to look westwards, a world exciting, strange, -unearthly, fantastic as the sky-scrapers in New York City, and at the -same time possessing the dignity of what is enduring and immense, for no -end was visible or even conceivable to this kingdom of adventure. - -However, even Somervell’s passion for using coloured chalks did not -encourage him to stay long inactive in a place designed to be a funnel -for the West wind of Tibet at an elevation of about 23,000 feet. We sped -again over snow-covered monticules thrust up from the chaos of riven -ice, and at last looked down from one more prominent little summit to -the very nape of the Chang La. We saw our conjectured shelf in real -existence and a fair way before us. In a moment all our doubts were -eased. We knew that the foot of the North Ridge, by which alone we could -approach the summit of Mount Everest, was not beyond our reach. - -Dasno meanwhile was stretched in the snow on the sheltered shelf, which -clearly must serve us sooner or later for Camp IV. As we looked down -upon him from the battlements, we noticed that their shadow already -covered the greater part of the shelf. It was four o’clock. We must -delay no longer. The tent which Dasno had carried up was left to be the -symbol of our future intentions, and we hastened down. Since 7 a.m. -Somervell and I had been spending our strength with only one -considerable halt, and latterly at a rapid rate. For some hours now we -had felt the dull height-headache which results from exertion with too -little oxygen, a symptom, I am told, not unlike the effect of poisoning -by carbon monoxide. The unpleasing symptom became so increasingly -disagreeable as we came down that I was very glad to reach our tent -again. As it was only fair that Somervell should share all my -sufferings, it now seemed inconsiderate of him to explain that he had a -good appetite. For my part, I took a little soup and could face no food; -defeated for the first and last time in either expedition before the -sight of supper. I humbly swallowed a dose of aspirin, lay my head on -the pillow and went to sleep. - - - V - -For three days now we made no expedition of any consequence. The -question arises, then, what did we? I have been searching the meagre -entries in my journal for an answer, with no satisfactory result. The -doctrine that men should be held accountable for their days, or even -their hours, is one to which the very young often subscribe as a matter -of course, seeing in front of them such a long way to go and so little -time: the futility of exact accounts in this sort is apparent among -mountains; the span of human life appears so short as hardly to be -capable of the usual subdivisions, and a much longer period than a day -may be neglected as easily as a halfpenny in current expenditure; and -while some hours and days are spent in doing, others pass in simply -being or being evolved, a process in the mind not to be measured in -terms of time. Nevertheless, it is often interesting to draft a -balance-sheet covering a period of twenty-four hours or seven days if -only to see how much must truthfully be set down as “unaccounted.” - -In the present instance my first inclination is to write off in this -bold fashion a full half of the time we spent in Camp III. But I will -try to serve my accounts better cooked. The largest item in a balance of -hours, even the least frank, will always be sleep. Here I prefer to make -the entry under the heading Bed. This will enable me to write off at -once a minimum of fourteen or a maximum of sixteen hours, leaving me -only eight to ten hours to account for. It is also a simplification, -because I am able by this means to avoid a doubtful and perhaps an ugly -heading, Dozing. No one will ask me to describe exactly what goes on in -bed. At Camp III it will be understood that supper is always included, -but not breakfast, for as the breakfasting hour is the most agreeable in -the day, it must be spent out-of-doors in the warm sun. Supper, unlike -most activities, takes less time than in civilised life. Wasted minutes -allow the food to cool and the grease to congeal. The porter serving us -would not want to be standing about longer than necessary, and the whole -performance was expeditious. Perhaps the fashion of eating among -mountaineers is also more wolfish than among civilised men. The -remaining 13½ or 14½ hours were not all spent in sleep. Probably on the -night of May 13–14 I slept at least ten hours after the exertions of our -ascent to the North Col. But though one sleeps well and is refreshed by -sleep in a tent at an altitude to which one is sufficiently -acclimatised, the outside world is not so very far away. However well -accustomed to such scenes, one does not easily lose a certain excitement -from the mere presence beyond the open tent-door of the silent power of -frost suspending even the life of the mountains, and of the black ridges -cutting the space of stars. The slow-spinning web of unconscious thought -is nearer consciousness. One wakes in the early morning with the mind -more definitely gathered about a subject, looks out to find the stars -still bright, or dim in the first flush of dawn, and because the -subject, whatever it be, and however nearly connected with the one -absorbing problem, commands less concentrated attention—for the unwilled -effort of the mind is more dispersed—one may often fall asleep once more -and stay in a light intermittent slumber until the bright sun is up and -the tent begins to be warm again. No sleeper, so far as I know on this -second expedition, could compete either for quantity or quality with the -sleep of Guy Bullock on the first; but all, perhaps with different -habits from either his or mine, but at all events all who spent several -nights at this camp or higher, slept well and were refreshed by sleep, -and I hope they were no less grateful than I for those blessed nights. - -[Illustration: - - PEAK, 23,180 FEET (KELLAS’ DARK ROCK PEAK) FROM THE RONGBUK GLACIER - ABOVE CAMP II. -] - -I often remarked during the Expedition how large a part of a day had -been spent by some of us in conversation. Down at the Base Camp we would -often sit on, those of us who were not expert photographers, or -painters, or naturalists, sit indefinitely not only after dinner, but -after each succeeding meal, talking the hours away. When a man has -learned to deal firmly with an imperious conscience, he will be neither -surprised nor ashamed in such circumstances to enter in his diary, “so -many hours talking and listening.” It is true that conscience has the -right to demand, in the case of such an entry, that the subjects talked -of should also be named. But our company was able to draw upon so wide a -range of experience that a fair proportion of our subjects were worth -talking of. Perhaps in the higher camps there was a tendency to talk, -though from less active brains, for the sake of obliterating the sense -of discomfort. However, I believe that most men, once they have faced -the change from armchairs and spring mattresses, and solid walls and hot -baths, and drawers for their clothes and shelves for their books, do not -experience discomfort in camp life except in the matter of feeding. -However good your food and however well cooked, sooner or later in this -sort of life meals appear messy. The most unsatisfactory circumstance of -our meals at the Base Camp was the tables. In a country where wood is so -difficult to obtain you cannot construct solid tables, still less can -you afford to carry them. Our ingenious “X” tables had thin iron legs -and canvas tops. On the rough ground they were altogether too light, too -easily disturbed, and for this reason too many of our victuals erred on -to these tables; their surfaces appeared under our eyes with constantly -accumulating stains, but half rubbed out by a greasy rag. Efforts truly -were made to control the nightly flow, proceeding from X and Y in their -cups—had they been cups of beer or whisky, we might have minded little -enough, but the sticky soiling mess was soup or cocoa; offenders were -freely cursed; tables were scrubbed; table-cloths were produced. In the -long run, no efforts availed. If the curry were tasty and the plate -clean, who would complain of a dirty table-cloth at the impurification -of which he had himself assisted? But I have little doubt that this -circumstance, more than any gradual drift of the mountaineer back -towards the Stone Age, was to be held accountable for the visible -deterioration of our table manners. With no implication of insult to -General Bruce and Dr. Longstaff, I record my belief that our manners at -Camp III were better than those at the Base Camp. It may suggest a lower -degree of civilisation that men should be seated on the ground at boxes -for eating rather than on boxes at a table. On the contrary, the nice -adjustment of a full plate upon one’s lap, or the finer art of conveying -and forking in the mouthfuls which start so much further from the face, -requires a delicacy, if it is to be accomplished at all, which -continually restrains the grosser impulses. And, though it might be -supposed that as we went higher up the mountain we should come to -feeding entirely _sans façon_, it was my experience that the greater -difficulties at the higher altitudes in satisfying the appetite -continually promoted more civilised habits of feeding. To outward -appearance, perhaps, the sight of four men each with a spoon eating out -of a common saucepan of spaghetti would not be altogether reassuring. -But one must not leave out of the reckoning the gourmet’s peculiar -enjoyment in the steamy aroma from things cooked and eaten before any -wanton hand has served them on a dish, still less the finer politeness -required by several persons sharing the same pots in this manner. - -On the whole, therefore, we suffered, either morally, æsthetically, or -physically, little enough in the matter of meals; still less from any -other cause. The bitter wind, it is true, was constantly disagreeable. -But such wind deadens even the senses that dislike it, and the wind of -Tibet was admirable both as an excuse for and necessary contrast with -luxurious practices. Just as one most enjoys a fire when half aware of -unpleasant things outside, or is most disgusted by a stuffy room after -breathing the soft air of a South-west wind, so in Tibet one may delight -merely in being warm anywhere. Neatly to avoid the disagreeable is in -itself a keen pleasure and heightens the desire for active life. It was -only rarely, very rarely, that one suffered of necessity, and generally, -if a man were cold, he was himself to blame; either he had failed to put -on clothes enough for the occasion, or had failed, having put them on, -to stimulate circulation. In a sleeping-bag such as we had this year, -with soft flannel lining the quilted eiderdown, one need not be chilled -even by the coldest night; and to lie in a tent no bigger than will just -hold two persons, with 20° of frost inside and 40° without, snugly -defying cold and wind, to experience at once in this situation the keen -bite of the air and the warm glow in one’s extremities, gives a -delicious sensation of well-being and true comfort never to be so -acutely provoked even in the armchair at an English fireside. - -But to return to the subject from which I have naughtily digressed, time -passed swiftly enough for Somervell and me at Camp III. We did not keep -the ball rolling so rapidly and continuously to and fro as it was wont -to roll in the united Mess; but we found plenty to say to one another, -more particularly after supper, in the tent. We entered upon a serious -discussion of our future prospects on Mount Everest, and were both -feeling so brave and hardy after a day’s rest that we decided, if -necessary, to meet the transport difficulty half-way and do without a -tent in any camp we should establish above the North Col, and so reduce -the burden to be carried up to Camp IV to three rather light or two -rather heavy loads. Our conversation was further stimulated by two -little volumes which I had brought up with me, the one Robert Bridges’ -anthology, _The Spirit of Man_, and the other one-seventh of the -complete works of William Shakespeare, including _Hamlet_ and _King -Lear_. It was interesting to test the choice made in answer to the old -question, “What book would you take to a desert island?” though in this -case it was a desert glacier, and the situation demanded rather lighter -literature than prolonged edification might require on the island. The -trouble about lighter literature is that it weighs heavier because more -has to be provided. Neither of my books would be to every one’s taste in -a camp at 21,000 feet; but _The Spirit of Man_ read aloud now by one of -us and now by the other, suggested matters undreamt of in the philosophy -of Mount Everest, and enabled us to spend one evening very agreeably. On -another occasion I had the good fortune to open my Shakespeare at the -very place where Hamlet addresses the ghost. “Angels and Ministers of -Grace defend us,” I began, and the theme was so congenial that we -stumbled on enthusiastically reading the parts in turn through half the -play. - -Besides reading and talking, we found a number of things to do. The -ordering of even so small a camp as this may occupy a good deal of -attention. Stores will have to be checked and arranged in some way so as -to be easily found when wanted. One article or another is sure to be -missing, too often to be retrieved when it lies on the stones only after -prolonged search, and even to find a strayed stocking groped for on -hands and knees in the congested tent may take a considerable time. -Again, the difficult and important problem of meals will have to be -considered in connection with the use of available food supplies. We -have one ox tongue. Shall we open it to-day, or ought we to keep it to -take up with us? And so on. But with a number of details to be arranged, -I was impressed not so much by the amount of energy and attention which -they demanded as by the time taken to do any little thing—and most of -all to write. Undoubtedly one is slower in every activity, and in none -so remarkably slower as in writing. The greater part of a morning might -easily be consumed in writing one letter of perhaps half a dozen pages. - -In referring to my own slowness, particularly mental slowness, I must -hasten to exclude my companion. His most important activity when we were -not on the mountain was sketching. His vast supply of energy, the number -of sketches he produced, and oil-paintings besides, was only less -remarkable than the rapidity with which he worked. On May 14 he again -walked over the uncrevassed snowfield by himself to the Rapiu La. Later -on I joined him, and, so far as I could judge, his talent and energy -were no less at 21,000 feet than on the wind-swept plains of Tibet. - - - VI - -On May 16 Somervell and I spent the morning in camp with some hopes of -welcoming sooner or later the arrival of stores, and sure enough about -midday the first detachment of a large convoy reached our camp. With the -porters, somewhat to our surprise, were Strutt, Morshead, and Norton. -The whole party seemed rather tired, though not more than was to be -expected, and when a little later Crawford, the responsible transport -officer, came in, he told us he had been mountain-sick. We were -delighted to learn that General Bruce was now much happier about -transport—hence these reinforcements; twenty-two Tibetan coolies were -now working up to Camp I, more were expected, and the prospects were -definitely brighter. A start had even been made, in spite of Finch’s -continued sickness, with moving up the oxygen cylinders. We at once -proceeded to discuss with Crawford how many porters could remain with us -at Camp III. Taking into consideration the oxygen loads, he suggested a -number below the hopes I had begun to entertain. It was agreed that -eight could be spared without interfering with the work lower down. We -had two before, so we should now have ten in all. - -It was clear that all must carry up loads to Camp IV with the least -delay in reason. But in view of the tremendous efforts that would be -required of these men at a later stage, it was a necessary act of -precautionary wisdom to grant the porters a day’s rest on the 16th; and -in any case an extra day was advisable for the acclimatisation of us all -before sleeping at 23,000 feet. Meanwhile we should be able to formulate -exact plans for climbing the mountain. It had hitherto been assumed that -the first attempt should be made only by Somervell and me, and General -Bruce had not cancelled our orders; but he had now delegated his -authority to Strutt, as second-in-command, to decide on the spot what -had best be done. The first point, therefore, to be settled was the -number of climbers composing the party of attack. Strutt himself took -the modest rôle of assuming that he would not be equal to a considerable -advance above Camp IV, but saw no reason why the other four of us -(Crawford returned on the 15th to a lower camp) should be too many for -one party provided our organisation sufficed. Norton and Morshead were -evidently most anxious to come on, and for my part I had always held, -and still held, the view that four climbers were a sounder party than -two for this sort of mountaineering, and would have a better chance of -success. It remained to determine what could be done for a party of four -by the available porters. To carry the whole of what we should need up -to Camp IV in one journey was clearly impossible. But we reckoned that -twenty loads should be enough to provide for ourselves and for nine -porters, who would have to sleep there and carry up another camp. The -delay in making two journeys to the North Col was not too great; the one -sacrifice involved by this plan was a second camp above the North Col. -In my judgment, the chances of establishing such a camp, even for two -climbers, with so small a number as ten porters, without reckoning -further loss of time, would be small in any case. We were necessarily -doubtful as to how much might be expected of our porters before the -North Ridge had been explored, and before we had any evidence to show -that these men were capable of much more than other porters had -accomplished before. It was right, therefore, for the advantages of the -stronger party, to sacrifice so uncertain a prospect. Nevertheless, we -realised the terrible handicap in this limitation. - -I shall perhaps appear as affirming or repeating what is merely -commonplace if I venture to make some observations about the weather, -but I must here insist upon its importance to mountaineers; and though I -cannot remember that the subject was much discussed among us at Camp -III, it remained but a little way below the surface of consciousness. In -settled weather among mountains one has not a great deal to observe. The -changing colours at sunrise and sunset follow an expected sequence, the -white flocks of fleecy clouds form and drift upwards, or the midday haze -gathers about the peaks, leaving the climber unperturbed. He has sniffed -the keen air before dawn when he came out under the bright stars, and -his optimism is assured for the day. On Mount Everest it had been -supposed that the season preceding the monsoon would be mainly fair; but -we knew that the warm moist wind should be approaching up the Arun -Valley, pushing up towards us during the month of May, and we must -expect to feel something of its influence. Moreover, we did not know -very well how to read the signs in this country. We anxiously watched -and studied them; each of us, I suppose, while he might be engaged upon -one thing or another, or talking of matters infinitely and delightfully -remote from Mount Everest, like a pilot had his weather-eye open. And -what he saw would not all be encouraging. The drift of the upper clouds, -it is true, was fairly consistent; the white wisps of smoke, as it -seemed, were driven in our direction over the North Col, and -occasionally the clear edge of the North Ridge would be dulled with -powdery snow puffed out on the Eastern side. But looking across the -snowfield from near our camp to where the head of Makalu showed over the -Rapiu La, we saw strange things happening. On May 16, our day of rest, a -number of us paid a visit to this pass, and as we stood above the head -of the Kama Valley, the clouds boiling up from that vast and terrible -cauldron were not gleaming white, but sadly grey. A glimpse down the -valley showed under them the sombre blue light that forebodes mischief, -and Makalu, seen through a rift, looked cold and grim. The evidence of -trouble in store for us was not confined to the Kama Valley, for some -clouds away to the North also excited our suspicion, and yet, as we -looked up the edges of the North-east arête to its curving sickle and -the great towers of the North-east shoulder, here was the dividing-line -between the clear air and fair weather to the right, and the white mists -to the left streaming up above the ridge and all the evil omens. The -bitterest even of Tibetan winds poured violently over the pass at our -backs. We wondered as we turned to meet it how long a respite was to be -allowed us. - -Preparation for what we intended to attempt was not to be made without -some thought, or at all events I do not find such preparation a -perfectly simple matter. It requires exact calculation. The first thing -is to make a list—in this case a list of all we should require at Camp -IV, with the approximate weights of each article. But not every article -would be available to be carried up on the first of the two journeys to -the North Col; for instance, we must keep our sleeping-bags for use at -Camp III until we moved up ourselves. It was necessary, therefore, to -mark off certain things to be left for the second journey, and to -ascertain that not more than half of the whole was so reserved. It might -be supposed that the problem could now be solved by adding up the -weights, dividing the total by ten (the number of our porters), and -giving so many pounds, according to this arithmetical answer, to each -man for the first journey. In practice this cannot be done, and we have -to allow for the fallibility of human lists. However carefully you have -gone over in your mind and provided for every contingency, you may be -quite sure you have omitted something, probably some property of the -porters regarded by them as necessary to salvation, and at the last -moment it will turn up. The danger is that one or two men will be -seriously overloaded, and perhaps without your knowing it. To circumvent -it, allowance must be made in your calculations. On this occasion we -took good care to carry up more than half of what was shown on our list -on the first journey. Another difficulty in the mathematical solution is -the nature of the loads. They cannot be all exactly equal, because they -are composed of indivisible objects. A tent cannot be treated like a -vulgar fraction. The best plan, therefore, is to fix a maximum. We -intended our loads to be from 25 to 30 lb. They were all weighed with a -spring balance, and the upper limit was only exceeded by a pound or two -in two cases, to the best of my remembrance. - -On May 17 the fifteen of us, Strutt, Morshead, Norton, Somervell, and I, -with ten porters, set off for Camp IV. The snow was in good condition, -we had our old tracks to tread in, and the only mishap to be feared was -the possible exhaustion of one or more porters. It was necessary that -all the loads should reach their destination to-day; but the five -climbers were comparatively unladen, and constituted a reserve of power. -My recollections of going up to the North Col are all of a performance -rather wearisome and dazed, of a mind incapable of acute perceptions -faintly stirring the drowsy senses to take notice within a circle of -limited radius. The heat and glare of the morning sun as it blazed on -the windless long slopes emphasised the monotony. I was dimly aware of -this puzzling question of light-rays and the harm they might do. I was -glad I wore two felt hats, and that Strutt and Somervell had their solar -topis. Morshead and Norton had no special protection, and the porters -none at all. What did it matter? Seemingly nothing. We plodded on and -slowly upwards; each of us was content to go as slowly as anyone else -might wish to go. The porters were more silent than usual. They were -strung up to the effort required of them. No one was going to give in. -The end was certain. At length our success was duly epitomised. As he -struggled up the final slope, Strutt broke into gasping speech: “I wish -that—cinema were here. If I look anything like what I feel, I ought to -be immortalised for the British public.” We looked at his -grease-smeared, yellow-ashen face, and the reply was: “Well, what in -Heaven’s name _do_ we look like? And what do we do it for, anyway?” - -At all events, we had some reason to feel hopeful on our subsequent -day’s rest, May 18. Somervell more particularly pronounced that his -second journey to Camp IV had been much less fatiguing than the first. I -was able to say the same, though I felt that a sufficient reason was to -be found in the fact that far less labour had been required of me. It -was more remarkable, perhaps, that those who went for the first time to -23,000 feet, and especially the laden men, should have shown so much -endurance. - -On May 19 we carried up the remainder of our loads. And again we seemed -better acclimatised. The ascent to the North Col was generally felt to -be easier on this day; we had strength to spare when we reached the -shelf. With all our loads now gathered about us at Camp IV, the first -stage up from the base of the mountain was accomplished. To-morrow, we -hoped, would complete the second. The five light tents were gradually -pitched, two of them destined for the climbers a few yards apart towards -the North Peak, the remaining three to accommodate each three porters in -the same alignment; in all, a neat little row showing green against the -white. The even surface of the snow was further disturbed by the muddled -tracks, soon to be a trampled space about the tent-doors. For the safety -of sleep-walkers, or any other who might feel disposed to take a walk in -the night, these tent-doors faced inwards, toward the back of the shelf. -There the gigantic blocks of ice were darker than the snow on which -their deep shadow was thrown. Their cleft surfaces suggested cold -colours, and were green and blue as the ocean is on some winter’s day of -swelling seas—a strange impressive rampart impregnable against direct -assault, and equally well placed to be the final defence of the North -Col on this section, and at the same time to protect us amazingly, -entirely, against the unfriendly wind from the West. - -Other activities besides demanded our attention. It had been resolved -that one more rope should be fixed on the steep slope we must follow to -circumvent the ice-cliffs. Morshead and Somervell volunteered for this -good work; Norton and I were left to tend the cooking-pots. As we had -not burdened the porters with a large supply of water, we had now to -make provision both for this evening and for to-morrow morning. The -Primus stoves remained at Camp III, partly because they were heavy and -partly because, however carefully devised, their performance at a high -altitude must always be a little uncertain. They had served us well up -to 21,000 feet, and we had no need to trust them further. With our -aluminium cooking sets we could use either absolute alcohol in the -spirit-burner or “Meta,” a French sort of solidified spirit, especially -prepared in cylindrical shape and extremely efficient; you have only to -put a match to the dry white cylinders and they burn without any -trouble, and smokelessly, even at 23,000 feet, for not less than forty -minutes. The supply of “Meta” was not very large, and it was considered -rather as an emergency fuel. The alcohol was to do most of our heating -at Camp IV, and all too rapidly it seemed to burn away as we kept -filling and refilling our pots with snow. In the end six large thermos -flasks were filled with tea or water for the use of all in the morning, -and we had enough for our present needs besides. - -Morshead and Somervell had not long returned, after duly fixing the -rope, before our meal was ready. As I have already referred to our table -manners, the more delicate-minded among my readers may not relish the -spectacle of us four feasting around our cooking-pots—in which case I -caution them to omit this paragraph, for now, living up to my own -standard of faithful narrative, I must honestly and courageously face -the subject of victuals. As mankind is agreed that the pleasures of the -senses, when it is impossible they should be actually experienced, can -most nearly be tasted by exercising an artistic faculty in choosing the -dishes of imaginary repasts, so it might be supposed that the state of -affairs, when those pleasures were thousands of feet below in other -worlds, might more easily be brought to mind by reconstructing the -associated menus. But such a practice was unfortunately out of the -question, for it would have involved assigning this, that, and the other -to breakfast, lunch, and supper; and when, calling to mind what we ate, -I try to distinguish between one meal and another, I am altogether at a -loss. I can only suppose they were interchangeable. The nature of our -supplies confirms my belief that this was the case. Practically -speaking, we hardly considered by which name our meal should be called, -but only what would seem nice to eat or convenient to produce, when we -next wanted food and drink. Among the supplies I classify some as -“standard pattern”—such things as we knew were always to be had in -abundance, the “pièce,” as it were, of our whole ménage—three solid -foods, two liquid foods, and one stimulant. - -The stimulant, in the first place, as long as we remained at Camp III, -was amazingly satisfactory, both for its kind, its quality, and -especially for its abundance. We took it shamelessly before breakfast, -and at breakfast again; occasionally with or after lunch, and most -usually a little time before supper, when it was known as afternoon tea. -The longer we stayed at this camp, the deeper were our potations. So -good was the tea that I came almost to disregard the objectionable -flavour of tinned milk in it. I had always supposed that General Bruce -would keep a special herd of yaks at the Base Camp for the provision of -fresh milk; but this scheme was hardly practicable, for the only grass -at the Base Camp, grew under canvas, and no one suggested sharing his -tent with a yak. The one trouble about our stimulant was its scarcity as -we proceeded up the mountain. It diminished instead of increasing to the -climax where it was needed most. Fortunately, the lower temperatures at -which water boils as the atmospheric pressure diminishes made no -appreciable difference to the quality, and the difficulty of melting -snow enough to fill our saucepans with water was set off to some extent -by increasing the quantity of tea-leaves. - -The two liquid foods, cocoa and pea-soup, though not imbibed so -plentifully as tea, were considered no less as the natural and fitting -companions of meat on any and every occasion. At Camp III it was not -unusual to begin supper with pea-soup and end it with cocoa, but such a -custom by no means precluded their use at other times. Cocoa tended to -fall in my esteem, though it never lost a certain popularity. Pea-soup, -on the other hand, had a growing reputation, and, from being considered -an accessory, came to be regarded as a principal. However, before I -describe its dominating influence in the whole matter of diet, I must -mention the solid foods. The three of “standard pattern” were ration -biscuits, ham, and cheese. It was no misfortune to find above the Base -Camp that we had left the region of fancy breads; for while the chupatis -and scones, baked by our cooks with such surprising skill and energy, -were usually palatable, they were probably more difficult of digestion -than the biscuits, and our appetite for these hard wholemeal biscuits -increased as we went upwards, possibly to the detriment of teeth, which -became ever more brittle. Ham, of all foods, was the most generally -acceptable. The quality of our “Hunter’s hams” left nothing to be -desired, and the supply, apparently, was inexhaustible. A slice of ham, -or several slices, either cold or fried, was fit food for any and almost -every meal. The cheese supplied for our use at these higher camps, and -for expeditions on the mountains besides, were always delicious and -freely eaten. We had also a considerable variety of other tinned foods. -Harris’s sausages, sardines, herrings, sliced bacon, soups, ox tongues, -green vegetables, both peas and beans, all these I remember in general -use at Camp III. We were never short of jam and chocolate. As luxuries -we had “quails in truffles,” besides various sweet-stuffs, such as mixed -biscuits, acid drops, crystallized ginger, figs and prunes (I feel -greedy again as I name them), and, reserved more or less for use at the -highest camps, Heinz’s spaghetti. More important, perhaps, than any of -these was “Army and Navy Rations,” from the special use we made of it. I -never quite made out what these tins contained; they were designed to -be, when heated up, a rich stew of mutton or beef, or both. They were -used by us to enrich a stew which was the peculiar invention of -Morshead. He called it “hoosch.” Like a trained chef, he was well aware -that “the foundation of good cooking is the stock-pot.” But such a maxim -was decidedly depressing under our circumstances. Instead of accepting -and regretting our want of a “stock-pot,” Morshead, with the true genius -that penetrates to the inward truth, devised a substitute and improved -the motto: “The foundation of every dish must be pea-soup.” Or if these -were not his very words, it was easy to deduce that they contained the -substance of his culinary thoughts. It was a corollary of this axiom -that any and every available solid food might be used to stew with -pea-soup. The process of selection tended to emphasise the merits of -some as compared with other solids until it became almost a custom, -sadly to the limitation of Morshead’s art, to prefer to “sliced bacon,” -or even sausages, for the flotsam and jetsam of “hoosch,” Army and Navy -Rations. It was “hoosch” that we ate at Camp IV, about the hour of an -early afternoon tea on May 19. - -We had hardly finished eating and washing up—it was a point of honour to -wash up, and much may be achieved with snow—when the shadow crept over -our tents and the chill of evening was upon us. We lingered a little -after everything was set in order to look out over the still sunlit -slopes of Mount Everest between us and the Rapiu La, and over the -undulating basin of snow towards the Lhakpa La and Camp IV, and to pass -some cheerful remarks with the porters, already seeking shelter, before -turning in ourselves for the night. It had been, so far as we could -tell, a singularly windless day. Such clouds as we had observed were -seemingly innocent; and now, as darkness deepened, it was a fine night. -The flaps of our two tents were still reefed back so as to admit a free -supply of air, poor and thin in quality but still recognisable as fresh -air; Norton and I and, I believe, Morshead and Somervell also lay with -our heads towards the door, and, peering out from the mouths of our -eiderdown bags, could see the crest above us sharply defined. The signs -were favourable. We had the best omen a mountaineer can look for, the -palpitating fire, to use Mr. Santayana’s words, of many stars in a black -sky. I wonder what the others were thinking of between the intervals of -light slumber. I daresay none of us troubled to inform himself that this -was the vigil of our great adventure, but I remember how my mind kept -wandering over the various details of our preparations without anxiety, -rather like God after the Creation seeing that it was good. It was good. -And the best of it was what we expected to be doing these next two days. -As the mind swung in its dreamy circle it kept passing and repassing the -highest point, always passing through the details to their intention. -The prospects emerging from this mental movement, unwilled and -intermittent and yet continually charged with fresh momentum, were -wonderfully, surprisingly bright, already better than I had dared to -expect. Here were the four of us fit and happy, to all appearances as we -should expect to be in a snug alpine hut after a proper nightcap of -whisky punch. We had confidence in our porters, nine strong men willing -and even keen to do whatever should be asked of them; surely these men -were fit for anything. And we planned to lighten their burdens as far as -possible; only four loads, beyond the warm things which each of us would -carry for himself, were to go on to our next camp—two tents weighing -each 15 lb., two double sleeping-bags, and provisions for a day and a -half besides the minimum of feeding utensils. The loads would not exceed -20 lb. each, and we should have two men to one load, and even so a man -in reserve. To provide a considerable excess of porters had for long -been a favourite scheme of mine. I saw no other way of making sure that -all the loads would reach their destination. As it was, we should start -with the knowledge that so soon as any man at any moment felt the strain -too great he could be relieved of his load, and when he in his turn -required to be relieved the other would presumably be ready to take up -his load again. Proceeding in this way we should be free of all anxiety -lest one of the loads should be left on the mountain-side or else put on -to a climber’s back, with the chance of impairing his strength for the -final assault. _Ceteris paribus_, we were going to succeed at least in -establishing another camp. This was no mere hope wherein judgment was -sacrificed to promote the lesser courage of optimism, but a reasonable -conviction. It remained but to ask, Would the Fates be kind? - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - THE HIGHEST POINT - - -My first recollection of the morning of May 20 is of shivering outside -the porters’ tents. It is not an enviable task at 23,000 feet, this of -rousing men from the snugness of their sleeping-bags between 5 and 6 -a.m. One may listen in vain for a note of alertness in their response; -the heard notes will not echo the smallest zest for any enterprise. On -this occasion the replies made to my tender inquiries and encouragements -were so profoundly disappointing that I decided to untie the fastenings -of the tent, which were as nearly as might be hermetically sealed. In -the degree of somnolence and inertia prevailing I suspected the -abnormal. Soon I began to make out a tale of confused complaints; the -porters were not all well. The cause was not far to look for; they had -starved themselves of air during the night. The best chance of a remedy -was fresh air now and a brew of tea, which could easily be managed. - -Meanwhile Norton had been stirring, and while I retired to “dress” he -began to busy himself with preparations for our own breakfast. Tea of -course was intended for us too, and further two tins of spaghetti had -been reserved to give us the best possible start for the day. But one -small thing had been forgotten. Those precious tins had lain all night -in the snow; they should have been cuddled by human bodies, carefully -nursed in the warmth of sleeping-bags. Now their contents were frozen -stiff and beyond extraction even by an ice-axe. Even so it might be -supposed a little boiling water would put all to rights. Had a little -sufficed I should omit to tell the doleful tale. Only very gradually -were the outer surfaces thawed, permitting the scarlet blocks (tomato -sauce was an ingredient) to be transferred to another saucepan, where -they had still to be thawed to homogeneous softness and afterwards -heated to the point required for doing justice to the genius of Mr. -Heinz. As the expenditure of treasured hot water merely for thawing -spaghetti involved more melting of snow to water and boiling of water -for indispensable tea, the kitchen-maid’s task was disagreeably -protracted; and the one among us, Norton, who most continuously and -stubbornly played the man’s part of kitchen-maid, sitting upon the snow -in the chill early morning became a great deal colder than anyone should -be with a day’s mountaineering in front of him. - -Of our nine porters it was presently discovered that five were -mountain-sick in various degrees; only four were fit to come on and do a -full day’s work carrying up our camp. The whole of our reserve was -already exhausted before we had advanced a single step up the North -Ridge. But pessimism was not in the air this morning. We had won through -our various delays and difficulties, we had eaten and enjoyed our -wonderful breakfast, and after all we were able to make a start about -7.30 a.m. The reserve had already been of use; without it we should have -been obliged to remain in camp, waiting for sick porters to recover, and -counting our stores. Morshead, who by the testimony of good spirits -seemed the fittest of us all, was set to lead the party; I followed with -two porters, while Norton and Somervell shepherded the others on a -separate rope. In a short half-hour we were on the North Col itself, the -true white neck to the South of those strange blocks of ice, and looking -up the North Ridge from its foot. - -The general nature of what lay ahead of us can readily be appreciated -from this point of view. To the right, as you look up, the great -Northern slopes of Mount Everest above the main Rongbuk Glacier are -slightly concave; the North-eastern facet to the left is also concave, -but much more deeply, and especially more deeply in a section of about -1,500 feet above the North Col. Consequently the ground falls away more -suddenly on that side below the ridge. The climber may either follow the -crest itself or find a parallel way on the gently receding face to right -of it. The best way for us, we soon saw, was not to follow the crest of -snow or even the snow-slopes immediately to the right; for these were -merged after a little interval in the vast sweep of broken rocks forming -the North face of the mountain, and at the junction between snow and -rocks was an edge of stones stretching upwards for perhaps 1,500 feet at -a convenient angle. Loose stones that slip as he treads on them are an -abomination to the climber’s feet and only less fatiguing than knee-deep -sticky snow. We presently found those stones agreeably secure; enough -snow lay among them to bind and freeze all to the slope; we were able to -tread on firm, flat surfaces without the trouble of kicking our feet -into snow; no sort of ground could have taken us more easily up the -mountain. The morning, too, was calm and fine. Though it can hardly be -said that we enjoyed the exercise of going up Mount Everest, we were -certainly able to enjoy the sensation so long as our progress was -satisfactory. But the air remained perceptibly colder than we could have -wished; the sun had less than its usual power; and in the breeze which -sprang up on our side, blowing across the ridge from the right, we -recognized an enemy, “the old wind in the old anger,” the devastating -wind of Tibet. The wolf had come in lamb’s clothes. But we were not -deceived. Remembering bitter experiences down in the plains now 10,000 -feet below us, we expected little mercy here, we only hoped for a period -of respite; so long as this gentle mood should last we could proceed -happily enough until we should be obliged to fight our way up. - -We had risen about 1,200 feet when we stopped to put on the spare warm -clothes which we carried against such a contingency as this. For my -part, I added a light shetland “woolly” and a thin silk shirt to what I -was wearing before under my closely woven cotton coat. As this outer -garment, with knickers to match, was practically windproof, and a silk -shirt too is a further protection against wind, with these two extra -layers I feared no cold we were likely to meet. Morshead, if I remember -right, troubled himself no more at this time than to wrap a woollen -scarf round his neck, and he and I were ready and impatient to get off -before the rest. Norton was sitting a little way below with his rucksack -poised on his lap. In gathering up our rope so as to have it free when -we should move on I must have communicated to the other rope some small -jerk—sufficient, at all events, to upset the balance of Norton’s -rucksack. He was unprepared, made a desperate grab, and missed it. -Slowly the round, soft thing gathered momentum from its rotation, the -first little leaps down from one ledge to another grew to excited and -magnificent bounds, and the precious burden vanished from sight. For a -little interval, while we still imagined its fearful progress until it -should rest for who knows how long on the snow at the head of the -Rongbuk Glacier, no one spoke. “My rucksack gone down the kudh!” Norton -exclaimed with simple regret. I made a mental note that my warm -pyjama-legs which he had borrowed were inside it, so if I were to blame -I had a share in the loss. A number of offers in woollen garments for -the night were soon made to Norton; after which we began to explain what -each had brought for comfort’s sake, and I wondered whether my -companions’ system of selection resembled mine;—as I never can resolve -in cold blood to leave anything behind, when each article presents -itself as just the one I may particularly want, I pack them all into a -rucksack and then pull out this and that more or less at random until -the load is not greater than I can conveniently carry; even so I almost -invariably find that I have more clothing in reserve than I actually -use. - -However, we had no time to spare for discussing the dispensation of -absolute justice between the various claims of affection and utility -among a man’s equipment. We were soon plodding upwards again, and had we -been inclined to tarry the bite of the keen air would have hurried us -along. The respite granted us was short enough. The sun disappeared -behind a veil of high clouds; and before long grey tones to match the -sky replaced the varied brightness of snow and rocks, and soon now we -were struggling to keep our breath and leaning our bodies against a -heavy wind. We had not the experience to reckon exactly the dangers -associated with these conditions. We could only look to our senses for -warning, and their warning soon became obvious enough. Fingertips and -toes and ears all began to testify to the cold. By continuing on the -windward flank of the ridge just where we were most exposed we should -incur a heavy risk of frostbite and the whole party might be put out of -action. It was clear that something must be done, and without delay. The -best chance was to change our direction. Very likely we should find less -wind, as is often the case, on the crest itself, and in any case we must -reach shelter on the leeward side at the earliest possible moment. - -While Morshead stopped, at last submitting so far as to put on a -sledging suit, which is reputed to be the best possible protection, I -went ahead, abandoned the rocks, and steered a slanting course over the -snow to the left. Unlike the softer substance we had met in the region -of the North Col, the surface here was hard; on this smooth slope the -blown snow can find no lodgment, cannot stay to be gathered into drifts, -and the little that falls there is swept clean away. The angle soon -became steeper, and we must have steps to tread in. A strong kick was -required to make the smallest impression in the snow. It was just the -place where we could best be served by crampons and be helped up by -their long steel points without troubling ourselves at all about steps. -Crampons of course had been provided among our equipment, and the -question of taking them with us above Camp IV had been considered. We -had decided not to bring them: we sorely needed them now. And yet we had -been right to leave them behind; for with their straps binding tightly -round our boots we should not have had the smallest chance of preserving -our toes from frostbite. The only way was to set to work and cut steps. -The proper manner of cutting one in such a substance as this is to take -but one strong blow, tearing out enough snow to allow the foot to finish -the work as it treads in the hole. Such a practice is not beyond the -strength and skill of an amateur in the Alps. But even if he can muster -the power for this sort of blow at a great altitude, he will soon -discover the inconvenience of repeating it frequently; he will be out of -breath and panting and obliged to wait, so that no time has been gained -after all. The alternative is to apply less force; three gentle strokes, -as a rule, will be required for each step. To cut a staircase in this -humble manner was by no means impossible, as was proved again on the -descent, up to 25,000 feet. But the same rules and limitations determine -this labour as every other up here. The work can be done and the worker -will endure it provided sufficient time is allowed. It is haste that -induces exhaustion. On this occasion we were obliged to hurry; our -object was to reach shelter as soon as possible. In a wind like that on -a bare snow-slope a man must take his axe in both hands to meet the -present need; future contingencies will be left to take care of -themselves. The slope was never steep; the substance was not obdurate; -but when at length we lay on the rocks and out of the wind I computed -our staircase to be 300 feet, and at least one of us was very tired. - -I cannot say precisely how much time passed on this arduous section of -our ascent. It was now 11.30 a.m. The aneroid was showing 25,000 feet -compared with a reading of 23,000 on the North Col; the rise of 2,000 -feet had taken us in all 3½ hours. For some reason Morshead had been -delayed with two or three of the porters, and as the rest of us now sat -waiting for them we began to discuss what should be done about fixing -our camp. It had been our intention to reach 26,000 feet before pitching -the tents. But it was evident that very few places would accommodate -them. We had already seen enough to realise how steeply the rocks of -this mountain dip towards the North, with the consequence that even -where the ground is broken the ledges are likely to prove too steep for -camping. We must pass the night somewhere on this leeward side, and we -had little hopes of finding a place above us. However, at about our -present level, well marked as the point of junction between snow and -rocks, we had previously observed from Camp III some ground which -appeared less uncompromising than the rest. A broken ledge offered a -practicable line towards this same locality. - -Whether the decision we came to at this crisis of our fortunes were -right or wrong, I cannot tell, and I hardly want to know. I have no wish -to excuse our judgment. Who can tell what might have happened had we -decided otherwise? And who can judge? Then why should I be at the pains -to analyse the thoughts which influenced our decision? It is perhaps a -futile inquiry. Nevertheless it is such decisions that determine the -fate of a mountaineering enterprise, and the operative motives or -contending points of view may have an interest of their own. Among us -there was deliberation often enough, but never contention. There never -was a dissentient voice to anything we resolved to do, partly, I -suppose, because we had little choice in the matter, more because we -were that sort of party. We had a single aim in common and regarded it -from common ground. We had no leader within the full meaning of the -word, no one in authority over the rest to command as captain. We all -knew equally what was required to be done from first to last, and when -the occasion arose for doing it one of us did it. Some one, if only to -avoid delay in action, had to arrange the order in which the party or -parties should proceed. I took this responsibility without waiting to be -asked; the rest accepted my initiative, I suppose, because I used to -talk so much about what had been done on the previous Expedition. In -practice it amounted only to this, that I would say to my companions, -“A, will you go first? B, will you go second?” and we roped up in the -order indicated without palaver. Apart from this I never attempted to -inflict my own view on men who were at least as capable as I of judging -what was best. Our proceedings in any crisis of our fortunes were -informally democratic. They were so on the occasion from which I have so -grievously digressed. - -It must not be forgotten that we had just come through a trying ordeal. -Nothing is more demoralising than a severe wind, and it may be that our -_morale_ was affected. But I don’t think we were demoralised, or not in -any degree so as to affect our judgment. The impression I retain from -that remote scene where we sat perched in discussion crowding under a -bluff of rocks is of a party well pleased with their performance, -rejoicing to be sheltered from the wind, and every one of them quite -game to go higher. Perhaps the deciding influence was the weather. A -mountaineer judges of the weather conditions almost by instinct; and -apart from our experience of the wind, which had already been -sufficiently menacing, we knew, so far as such things can be known, that -the weather would get worse before it got better. But we could not -imagine what might be coming without thinking definitely about the -porters. It would be their lot, wherever our new camp was fixed, to -return this same day to Camp IV. It was no part of our design to risk -even the extremities of their limbs, let alone their lives; apart from -any consideration of ethics it would not be sensible; no one supposed -that this attempt on Mount Everest would be the last of the season, even -for ourselves, and if the porters who first completed this stage were to -suffer nothing worse than severe frostbite the moral effect of that -injury alone might be an irreparable disaster. The porters must be sent -down before the weather grew worse, and the less they were exposed to -the cold wind the better. It was 12.30 p.m. before the stragglers who -had joined us had rested sufficiently to go on. To fix a camp 1,000 feet -higher would probably require, granted reasonably good fortune in -finding a site, another three hours; and if snow began to fall or the -ridge were enveloped in mist it would be necessary to provide an escort -for the porters. Had we supposed a place might be found anywhere above -us within range on this lee-side of the ridge, we might conceivably have -accepted these hard conditions and pushed on. Deliberately to choose a -site on the ridge with such a wind blowing and in defiance of every -threat in the sky was a folly not to be contemplated, and our -suppositions as to the lee side above us (they were afterwards proved -correct) were all unfavourable to going higher. The plan of encamping -somewhere near at hand, not lower than 25,000 feet, still left plenty to -hope for this time besides building the best foundation for a second -attempt. In my opinion no other alternative was sanely practicable; and -I believe this conviction was shared by all when at length we left our -niche, having conceded so much already to the mountain. - -As the broken ledges we now followed presented no special difficulties -the party was able to explore more than one level in search of some -place sufficiently flat and sufficiently commodious. The nature of the -ground and the presence of cloud, though we were never thickly -enveloped, prevented any sort of extensive view. Many suggestions were -mooted and rejected; a considerable time elapsed and still we had found -no site that would serve. At about 2 p.m. Somervell and some porters -shouted the news that one tent could be pitched in the place where they -were. On the far side of a defined rib slanting up to the ridge we had -left they had discovered some sort of a platform. It was evident that -work would be required to extend and prepare it for the tent, and they -at once set about building a supporting wall and levelling the ground. -It remained to find a place near at hand for the other tent. We could -see no obvious shelf, but the constructional works undertaken by -Somervell seemed to contain such a promising idea that Norton and I in -separate places each started works of our own. Each of us very soon -reached the same conclusion, that nothing could be done where he was. We -moved away and tried again; but always with the same result; the ground -was everywhere too steep and too insecure. One soon tires of heaving up -big stones when no useful end is served. Eventually coming together, we -resolved to agree on the least unlikely site and make the best of it. We -chose the foot of a long sloping slab—at all events it was part of the -mountain and would not budge—and there built up the ground below it with -some fine stones we found to hand. Our tent was pitched at last with one -side of the floor lying along the foot of the sloping slab and the other -half on the platform we had made. It was not a situation that promised -for either of us a bountiful repose, for one would be obliged to lie -along the slope and the only check to his tendency to slip down would be -the body of the other. However, there it was, a little tent making a -gallant effort to hold itself proudly and well. - -Before we had concluded these operations the porters had been sent down -about 3 p.m. and kitchen had been instituted, and a meal was already -being prepared. Presumably because their single tent would have to -accommodate the four of us (ours was too far away), when we set -ourselves down to eat and be warm, Somervell and Morshead had arranged -the kitchen outside it. Somervell had appointed himself chief in this -department and it remained only for the rest of us to offer menial -service. But so great had been his energy and perseverance, sheltering -the flame from the cold draught and by every device encouraging the snow -to melt, that almost all such offers were rejected. Like a famous -pretender, I would have gladly been a scullion, but I was allowed only -to open one or two tins and fill up a pot with snow. I have no -recollection of what we ate; I remember only a hot and stimulating -drink, Brand’s essence or bovril or something of the sort. We did not -linger long over this meal. We wanted to go to bed still warm. Norton -and I soon left the others in possession of their tent and began to make -our dispositions for the night. - -To the civilised man who gets into bed after the customary routine, -tucks himself in, lays his head on the pillow, and presently goes to -sleep with no further worry, the dispositions in a climber’s tent may -seem to be strangely intricate. In the first place, he has to arrange -about his boots. He looks forward to the time when he will have to start -next morning, if possible with warm feet and in boots not altogether -frozen stiff. He may choose to go to bed in his boots, not altogether -approving the practice, and resolving that the habit shall not be -allowed to grow upon him. If his feet are already warm when he turns in, -it may be that he can do no better; his feet will probably keep warm in -the sleeping-bag if he wears his bed-socks over his boots, and he will -not have to endure the pains of pulling on and wearing frozen boots in -the morning. At this camp I adopted a different plan—to wear moccasins -instead of boots during the night and keep them on until the last moment -before starting. But if one takes his boots off, where is he to keep -them warm? Climbing boots are not good to cuddle, and in any case there -will be no room for them with two now inside a double sleeping-bag. My -boots were happily accommodated in a rucksack and I put them under my -head for a pillow. It is not often that one uses the head for warming -things, and no one would suspect one of a hot head; nevertheless my -boots were kept warm enough and were scarcely frozen in the morning. - -It was all-important besides to make ourselves really comfortable, if we -were to get to sleep, by making experiments in the disposition of limbs, -adjusting the floor if possible and arranging one’s pillow at exactly -the right level—which may be difficult, as the pillow should be high if -one is to breathe easily at a great altitude. I had already found out -exactly how to be comfortable before Norton was ready to share the -accommodation. I remarked that in our double sleeping-bag I found ample -room for myself but not much to spare. Norton’s entrance was a grievous -disturbance. It was doubtful for some time whether he would be able to -enter; considering how long and slim he is, it is astonishing how much -room he requires. We were so tightly pressed together that if either was -to move a corresponding manœuvre was required of the other. I soon -discovered, as the chief item of interest in the place where I lay, a -certain boulder obstinately immovable and excruciatingly sharp which -came up between my shoulder-blades. How under these circumstances we -achieved sleep, and I believe that both of us were sometimes unconscious -in a sort of light, intermittent slumber, I cannot attempt to explain. -Perhaps the fact that one was often breathless from the exhaustion of -discomfort, and was obliged to breathe deeply, helped one to sleep, as -deep breathing often will. Perhaps the necessity of lying still because -it was so difficult to move was good for us in the end. Norton’s case -was worse than mine. One of his ears had been severely frostbitten on -the way up; only one side was available to lie on; and yet the blessed -sleep we sometimes sigh for in easy beds at home visited him too. - -The party had suffered more than at first we realized from exposure in -the wind on the way up. The damage to Norton’s ear was not all. I -noticed when my hands got warm in bed that three finger-tips appeared to -be badly bruised; the symptom could only point to one conclusion, and I -soon made out how they had come to be frostbitten. At the time when the -step-cutting began I had been wearing a pair of lined leather gloves, -motor-drivers’ gloves well suited to the occasion, and my hands had been -so warm that I thought it safe to change the glove on my right hand for -a woollen one with which it was easier to grasp the axe. But wool is not -a good protection against wind, and in grasping the axe I must have -partially stopped the circulation in these finger-tips. The injury, -though not serious, was inconvenient. And Morshead had felt the cold far -more than I. It is still uncertain whether he had yet been frostbitten -in toes and fingers, but though he made no complaint about them until -much later I have little doubt they were already touched, if not -severely frozen. At all events, he had been badly chilled on the way up; -he was obliged to lie down when we reached our camp and was evidently -unwell. - -When all is said about our troubles and difficulties, the night, in -spite of everything, was endurable. For distraction to pass the -sleepless intervals engaging thoughts were not far to seek; we had still -our plans for to-morrow; the climax was to come; and, might we not get -so high by such a time? Then, might not the remaining hours be almost, -even quite enough? Besides, we had accomplished something, and though -the moments following achievement are occupied more often in looking -forward than in looking back, we perhaps deliberately encouraged in -ourselves a certain complacency on the present occasion; we were able to -feel some little satisfaction in the mere existence of this camp, the -two small tents perched there on the vast mountain-side of snow-bound -rocks and actually higher, at 25,000 feet, than any climbing party had -been before. “Hang it all!” we cooed, “it’s not so bad.” - -The worst of it in dimly conscious moments was still the weather. The -wind had dropped in the evening, as it often does, and nothing was to be -deduced from that; but the hovering clouds had not cleared off and the -night was too warm. I’m not meaning that we complained of the warmth; -but for fine weather we must have a cold night, and it was no colder -here than we had often known it at Camp III.[6] Occasionally stars were -visible during the night; but they shone with a feeble, watery light, -and in the early morning we were listening to the musical patter of -fine, granular snow on the roofs of our tents. A thick mist had come up -all about us, and the stones outside were white with a growing pall of -fresh snow. We were greatly surprised under these conditions when, at -about 6.30 a.m., a perceptible break appeared in the clouds to the East -of us, the “weather quarter,” and this good sign developed so hopefully -that we were soon encouraged to expect a fair day. It was even more -surprising perhaps that some one among us very quickly discovered his -conscience: “I suppose,” he said with a stifled yawn, in a tone that -reminded one of Mr. Saltena rolling over in his costly bed, “it’s about -time we were getting up.” No one dissented—how could one dissent? “I -suppose we ought to be getting up,” we grunted in turn, and slowly we -began to draw ourselves out from the tight warmth of those friendly -bags. - -Footnote 6: - - The thermometer confirmed our senses and showed a minimum reading for - the night of 7° F. - -I do not propose to emphasise the various agonies of an early-morning -start or to catalogue all that may be found for fumbling fingers to do; -but one incident is worth recording. A second rucksack escaped us, -slipping from the ledge where it was perched, and went bounding down the -mountain. Its value, even Norton will agree, was greater than that of -the first; it contained our provisions; our breakfast was inside it. -From the moment of its elusion I gave it up for lost. What could stop -its fatal career? What did stop it unless it were a miracle? Somehow or -another it was hung up on a ledge 100 feet below. Morshead volunteered -to go and get it. By slow degrees he dragged up the heavy load, and our -precious stores were recovered intact. - -At 8 a.m. we were ready to start and roped up, Norton first, followed by -myself, Morshead and Somervell. This bald statement of fact may suggest -a misleading picture; the reader may imagine the four of us like runners -at the start of a race, greyhounds straining at the leash, with nerves -on the stretch and muscles aching for the moment when they can be -suddenly tight in strong endeavour. It was not like that. I suppose we -had all the same feelings in various degrees, and even our slight -exertions about the camp had shown us something of our physical state. -In spite of the occasional sleep of exhaustion it had been a long, -restless night, scarcely less wearisome than the preceding day; we were -tired no less than when we went to bed, and stiff from lying in cramped -attitudes. I was clear about my own case. Struggling across with an -awkward load from one tent to the other, I had been forced to put the -question, Is it possible for me to go on? Judging from physical -evidence, No; I hadn’t the power to lift my weight repeatedly step after -step. And yet from experience I knew that I should go on for a time at -all events; something would set the machinery going and somehow I should -be able to keep it at work. And when the moment of starting came I felt -some little stir of excitement. If we were not going to experience “the -wild joy of living, the leaping from rock up to rock,” on the other hand -this was not to be a sort of funeral procession. A certain keenness of -anticipation is associated merely with tying on the rope. We tied it on -now partly for convenience, so that no one would be obliged to carry it -on his back, but no less for its moral effect: a roped party is more -closely united; the separate wills of individuals are joined into a -stronger common will. Our roping-up was the last act of preparation. We -had “got ourselves ready,” lacing up our boots so as to be just tight -enough but not too tight, disposing puttees so that they would not slip -down, attending to one small thing or another about our clothing for -warmth and comfort’s sake, possibly even tightening a buckle or doing up -a button simply for neatness, and not forgetting to arrange the few -things we wanted to take with us, some in rucksacks, some nearer to hand -in pockets. Two of us, Norton and I, as Somervell’s photograph proves, -appeared positively dainty; the word seems hardly applicable to -Somervell himself: but at all events we were all ready; we felt ready; -and when all these details of preparation culminated in tying on the -rope we felt something more, derived from the many occasions in the past -when readiness in mind and body contained the keen anticipation of -strenuous delights. - -How quickly the physical facts of our case asserted their importance! We -had only moved upwards a few steps when Morshead stopped. “I think I -won’t come with you any farther,” he said. “I know I should only keep -you back.” Considering his condition on the previous day I had not -supposed Morshead would get very much higher; but this morning he had so -made light of his troubles, and worn so cheerful a countenance, that we -heard his statement now with surprise and anxiety. We understood very -well the spirit of the remark; if Morshead said that, there could be no -longer a question of his coming on, but we wondered whether one of us -should not stay behind with him. However, he declared that he was not -seriously unwell and was perfectly capable of looking after himself. -Somervell’s judgment as a doctor confirmed him, and it was decided he -should remain in camp while we three went on without him. - -[Illustration: - - MALLORY AND NORTON APPROACHING THEIR HIGHEST POINT, 26,985 FT. -] - -Our first object was to regain the crest of the North ridge, not by -retracing our steps to the point where we had left it yesterday, but -slanting up to meet it perhaps 800 feet above us. Ascent is possible -almost everywhere on these broken slopes; a steeper pitch can usually be -avoided, and the more difficult feats of climbing need not be performed. -In fact, the whole problem for the mountaineer is quite unlike that -presented by the ridge of any great mountain in the Alps, which, if it -is not definitely a snow ridge like that from the Dômedu Gouter to the -summit of Mont Blanc, will almost invariably present a sharper edge and -a more broken crest. On the North ridge of Everest one has the -sensations rather of climbing the face than the ridge of a mountain; and -it is best thought of as a face-climb, for one is actually on the North -face, though at the edge of it. I can think of no exact parallel in the -Alps—the nearest perhaps would be the easier parts on the Hornli ridge -of the Matterhorn, if we were to imagine the stones to be fewer, larger -and more secure. Somervell’s photographs will convey more to the trained -eye of a mountaineer than any words of mine, and it will readily be -understood that there was no question for us of gymnastic struggles and -strong arm-pulls, wedging ourselves in cracks and hanging on our -finger-tips. We should soon have been turned back by difficulties of -that sort. We could allow ourselves nothing in the nature of a violent -struggle. We must avoid any hasty movement. It would have exhausted us -at once to proceed by rushing up a few steps at a time. We wanted to hit -off just that mean pace which we could keep up without rapidly losing -our strength, to proceed evenly with balanced movements, saving effort, -to keep our form, as oarsmen say, at the end of the race, remembering to -step neatly and transfer the weight from one leg to the other by -swinging the body rhythmically upwards. With the occasional help of the -hands we were able to keep going for spells of twenty or thirty minutes -before halting for three or four or five minutes to gather potential -energy for pushing on again. Our whole power seemed to depend on the -lungs. The air, such as it was, was inhaled through the mouth and -expired again to some sort of tune in the unconscious mind, and the -lungs beat time, as it were, for the feet. An effort of will was -required not so much to induce any movement of the limbs as to set the -lungs to work and keep them working. So long as they were working evenly -and well the limbs would do their duty automatically, it seemed, as -though actuated by a hidden spring. I remember one rather longer halt. -In spite of all my care I found that one of my feet was painfully cold, -and fearing frostbite I took off my boot. Norton rubbed my foot warm. I -had been wearing four thick socks, and now put back on this foot only -three. As it remained warm for the rest of the day I have no doubt that -the boot was previously too tight. Once again I learned the futility of -stopping the circulation by wearing one layer of wool too many. - -It was our intention naturally in setting out this day to reach the -summit of Mount Everest. Provided we were not stopped by a -mountaineering difficulty, and that was unlikely, the fate of our -Expedition would depend on the two factors, time and speed. Of course, -we might become too exhausted to go farther before reaching our goal; -but the consideration of speed really covers that case, for provided one -were capable of moving his limbs at all he would presumably be able to -crawl a few steps only so slowly that there would be no point in doing -so. From the outset we were short of time; we should have started two -hours earlier; the weather prevented us. The fresh snow was an -encumbrance, lying everywhere on the ledges from 4 inches to 8 inches -deep; it must have made a difference, though not a large one. In any -case, when we measured our rate of progress it was not satisfactory, at -most 400 feet an hour, not counting halts, and diminishing a little as -we went up. It became clear that if we could go no farther—and we -couldn’t without exhausting ourselves at once—we should still at the -best be struggling upwards after night had fallen again. We were -prepared to leave it to braver men to climb Mount Everest by night. - -By agreeing to this arithmetical computation we tacitly accepted defeat. -And if we were not to reach the summit, what remained for us to do? None -of us, I believe, cared much about any lower objective. We were not -greatly interested then in the exact number of feet by which we should -beat a record. It must be remembered that the mind is not easily -interested under such conditions. The intelligence is gradually numbed -as the supply of oxygen diminishes and the body comes nearer to -exhaustion. Looking back on my own mental processes as we approached -27,000 feet, I can find no traces of insanity, nothing completely -illogical; within a small compass I was able to reason, no doubt very -slowly. But my reasoning was concerned only with one idea; beyond its -range I can recall no thought. The view, for instance—and as a rule I’m -keen enough about the view—did not interest me; I was not “taking -notice.” Wonderful as such an experience would be, I had not even the -desire to look over the North-east ridge; I would have gladly got to the -North-east shoulder as being the sort of place one ought to reach, but I -had no strong desire to get there, and none at all for the wonder of -being there. I dare say the others were more mentally alive than I; but -when it came to deciding what we should do, we had no lively discussion. -It seemed to me that we should get back to Morshead in time to take him -down this same day to Camp IV. There was some sense in this idea, and -many mountaineers may think we were right to make it a first -consideration. But the alternative of sleeping a second night at our -highest camp and returning next day to Camp III was never mentioned. It -may have been that we shrank unconsciously from another night in such -discomfort; whether the thought was avoided in this way, or simply was -not born, our minds were not behaving as we would wish them to behave. -The idea of reaching Camp IV with Morshead before dark, once it had been -accepted, controlled us altogether. It was easy to calculate from our -upward speed, supposing that we could treble this on the descent, at -what time we ought to turn; we agreed to start down at 2.30 p.m., but we -would maintain our rate of progress as best we could until that time -approached. - -At 2.15 we completed the ascent of a steeper pitch and found ourselves -on the edge of an easier terrain, where the mountain slopes back towards -the North-east shoulder. It was an obvious place for a halt: we were in -need of food; and we lay against the rocks to spend the remaining -fifteen minutes before we should turn for the descent according to our -bond. None of us was altogether “cooked”; we were not brought to a -standstill because our limbs would carry us no farther. I should be very -sorry to reach such a condition at this altitude; for one would not -recover easily; and a man who cannot take care of himself on the descent -will probably be the cause of disaster to his companions, who will have -little enough strength remaining to help themselves and him. It is -impossible to say how much farther we might have gone. In the light of -subsequent events it would seem that the margin of strength to deal with -an emergency was already small enough. I have little doubt that we could -have struggled up perhaps in two hours more to the North-east shoulder, -now little more than 400 feet above us. Whether we should then have been -fit to conduct our descent in safety is another matter. - -While we ate such food as we had with us, chiefly sugar in one form or -another, chocolate, mintcake, or acid-drops, and best of all raisins and -prunes, we now had leisure to look about us. The summit of Everest, or -what appeared to be the summit (I doubt if we saw the ultimate tip), -lying back along the North-east ridge, was not impressive, and we were -too near up under this ridge to add anything to former observations as -to the nature of its obstacles. The view was necessarily restricted when -Everest itself hid so much country. But it was a pleasure to look -westwards across the broad North face and down it towards the Rongbuk -Glacier; it was satisfactory to notice that the North Peak which, though -perceptibly below us, had still held, so to speak, a place in our circle -when we started in the morning, this same Changtse had now become a -contemptible fellow beneath our notice. We saw his black plebeian head -rising from the mists, mists that filled all the valleys, so that there -was nothing in all the world as we looked from North-east to North-west -but the great twins Gyachung Kang and Chö Uyo; and even these, though -they regarded us still from a station of equality, were actually -inferior. The lesser of them is 26,000 feet, and we could clearly afford -to despise him; the greater Chö Uyo we had to regard respectfully before -we could be sure; his triangulated height is 26,870, whereas our aneroid -was reading only 26,800; it seemed that we were looking over his head, -but such appearances are deceptive, and we were glad to have the -confirmation of the theodolite later proving that we had reached 26,985 -feet—higher than Chö Uyo by 100 feet and more. - -The beneficent superiority with which we now regarded the whole world -except Mount Everest no doubt helped us to swallow our luncheon—or was -it dinner?—a difficult matter, for our tongues were hanging out after so -much exercise of breathing. We had no chance of finding a trickle here -as one often may in the blessed Alps; and medical opinion, which knew -all about what was good for us, frowned upon the notion of alcoholic -stimulant for a climber in distress at a high altitude. And so, very -naturally, when one of us (Be of good cheer, my friend, I won’t give you -away!) produced from his pocket a flask of Brandy—each of us took a -little nip. I am glad to relate that the result was excellent; it is -logically certain therefore that the Brandy contained no alcohol. The -non-alcoholic Brandy, then, no doubt by reason of what it lacked, had an -important spiritual effect; it gave us just the mental fillip which we -required to pull ourselves together for the descent. - -[Illustration: - - SUMMIT OF MOUNT EVEREST FROM THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE FIRST CLIMB, - 26,983 FEET, 21ST MAY, 1922. -] - -Happily inspired by our “medical comfort,” I announced that I would take -the lead. Norton and I changed places on the rope. I optimistically -supposed that I should find an easier way down by a continuous -snow-slope to the West of the ridge. Somervell, also moved by -inspiration, suggested that he should remain behind to make a sketch and -hurry down our tracks to catch us up later. He says that I found it -difficult to understand that he would only require a few minutes, and -that I replied irritably. I can hardly believe that my tone just then -was anything but suave, but I have no doubt I was glad to have him with -us to be our sheet-anchor, and particularly so a little later, for we -were in difficulties almost at once. We found more snow on this new -line, as I had supposed; but it was not to our liking; it lay not on a -continuous slope, but covering a series of slabs and only too ready to -slide off. We were obliged to work back to the ridge itself and follow -it down in our morning’s tracks. - -At 4 p.m. we reached our camp, where Morshead was waiting. He was -feeling perfectly well, he reported, and ready to come down with us to -Camp IV. After collecting a few of our possessions which we did not wish -to abandon to the uncertain future, we roped up once more to continue -our descent. So far our pace going down had been highly satisfactory. In -the Alps one usually expects to descend on easy ground twice as fast as -one would go up. But we had divided our time of ascent by 4, and in an -hour and a half had come down 2,000 feet. Under normal conditions at -lower altitudes even this pace would be considered slow; it would not be -an exceptionally fast pace for going up these slopes; and yet the image -that stays in my memory is of a party coming down quite fast. It is -evident that the whole standard of speed is altered. On the ascent, too, -I had the sensation of moving about twice as fast as we actually were. I -imagine that the whole of life was scaled down, as it were, that we were -living both physically and mentally at half, or less than half, the -normal rate. However that may be, we had now to descend only 2,000 feet -to Camp IV, and with more than three hours’ daylight left we supposed we -should have no difficulty in reaching our tents before dark. - -Meditating after the event about the whole of our performance this day, -I have often wondered how we should have appeared at various stages to -an unfatigued and competent observer. No doubt he would have noted with -some misgiving the gradually diminishing pace of the party as it crawled -upwards; but he would have been satisfied, I think, that each man had -control of his limbs and a sure balance, and as we were moving along -together over ground where the rope will very easily be caught under the -points of projecting rocks and thereby cause inconvenience and delay -while it is unhitched, this observer, watching the rope, would have -noticed that in fact it almost never was caught up. The party at all -events were “keeping their form” to the extent of managing the rope as -it ought to be managed. For a moment when they were in difficulties -after turning back, he might have thought them rather shaky; but even -here they were able to pull themselves together and proceed with proper -attention and care. Whether he would have noticed any difference when -they started off again I cannot say. A certain impetus of concentration, -a gathering of mental and physical energy, a reserve called up from who -knows where when they turned to face the descent, had perhaps spent its -force; and though the party was a stage nearer to the end of the -journey, it was also a stage nearer to exhaustion and to that state -where carelessness so readily slips in unperceived. It may be supposed -we were a degree less alert, all the more because we foresaw no -difficulty; we had not exercised the imagination to figure difficulties -on the descent, and we now came upon them unexpectedly. - -The fresh snow fallen during the night had so altered appearances that -we could not be certain, as we traversed back towards the ridge again, -that we were exactly following the line by which we had approached our -camp the day before. My impression is that we went too low and missed -it. We were soon working along broken ground above a broad snow slope. -Fresh snow had to be cleared away alike from protruding rocks where we -wished to put our feet and from the old snow where we must cut steps. It -was not a difficult place and yet not easy, as the slope below us was -dangerous and yet not very steep, not steep enough to be really alarming -or specially to warn the climber that a slip may be fatal. It was an -occasion when the need for care and attention was greater than obviously -appeared, just the sort to catch a tired party off their guard. Perhaps -the steps were cut too hastily, or in one way and another were taking -small risks that we would not usually take. The whole party would not -necessarily have been in grave danger because one man lost his footing. -But we were unprepared. When the third man slipped the last man was -moving, and was at once pulled off his balance. The second in the party, -though he must have checked these two, could not hold them. In a moment -the three of them were slipping down and gathering speed on a slope -where nothing would stop them until they reached the plateau of the East -Rongbuk Glacier, 3,500 feet below. The leader for some reason had become -anxious about the party a minute or two earlier, and though he too was -moving when the slip occurred and could see nothing of what went on -behind him, he was on the alert; warned now by unusual sounds that -something was wrong, he at once struck the pick of his axe into the -snow, and hitched the rope round the head of it. Standing securely his -position was good, and while holding the rope in his right hand beyond -the hitch, he was able to press with the other on the shaft of the axe, -his whole weight leaning towards the slope so as to hold the pick of the -axe into the snow. Even so it would be almost impossible to check the -combined momentum of three men at once. In ninety-nine cases out of a -hundred either the belay will give or the rope will break. In the still -moment of suspense before the matter must be put to the test nothing -further could be done to prevent a disaster one way or the other. The -rope suddenly tightened and tugged at the axe-head. It gave a little as -it gripped the metal like a hawser on a bollard. The pick did not budge. -Then the rope came taut between the moving figures, and the rope showed -what it was worth. From one of the bodies which had slid and now was -stopped proceeded an utterance, not in the best taste, reproaching his -fate, because he must now start going up hill again when he should have -been descending. The danger had passed. The weight of three men had not -come upon the rope with a single jerk. The two lengths between the three -as they slipped down were presumably not stretched tight, and the second -man had been checked directly below the leader before the other two. -Probably he also did something to check those below him, for he was -partly held up by projecting rocks and almost at once recovered his -footing. We were soon secure again on the mountain-side, and—not the -least surprising fact—no one had been hurt. - -I suppose we must all have felt rather shaken by an incident which came -so near to being a catastrophe. But a party will not necessarily be less -competent or climb worse on that account. At all events we had received -a warning and now proceeded with the utmost caution, moving one at a -time over the snow-covered ledges. It was slow work. This little -distance which with fair conditions could easily be traversed in a -quarter of an hour must have taken us about five times as long. However, -when we reached the ridge and again looked down the snow where we had -come up the day before, though it was clear enough we must waste no -time, we did not feel greatly pressed. Our old tracks were, of course, -covered, and we looked about for a way to avoid this slope; but it -seemed better to go down by the way we knew, and we were soon busy -chipping steps. It was a grim necessity at this hour of the day. I felt -one might almost have slipped down checking himself with the axe. We -were distinctly tempted. But after all, we were not playing with this -mountain; it might be playing with us. There was a clear risk, and we -were not compelled to accept it. We must keep on slowly cutting our -steps. The long toil was shared among us until the slope eased off and -we had nothing more to fear. We looked down to the North Col below us. -No difficulty could stop our descent. We had still an hour of daylight. -After all, with ordinary good fortune, we should be back in our tents -before dark. - -I had been aware for some time that Morshead, though he was going -steadily and well, was more tired than the rest of us. His long halt at -our high camp can have done him little good. He had not recovered. His -strength had just served to keep him up where it was urgently necessary -that he should preserve his balance; but it was now exhausted; he had -quite come to the end of his resources, and at best he could move -downwards a few steps at a time. It was difficult to see what could be -done for him. There were places where we might sit down and rest, and we -should be obliged not only to stop often for two or three minutes, but -also to stay occasionally for perhaps ten minutes or a quarter of an -hour. Anything like a longer halt must be avoided if possible, as the -air was already cold, and an exhausted man would be particularly -sensitive. Probably a longer rest would not have helped him, and we -proceeded as best we could, so as to avoid delay as much as possible. -One of us, and it was usually Norton, gave Morshead the support of his -shoulder and an arm round his waist, while I went first, to pick out -exactly the most convenient line, and Somervell was our rearguard in any -steeper place. So we crawled down the mountain-side in the gathering -darkness, until as I looked back from a few yards ahead my companions -were distinguishable only as vague forms silhouetted against the snow. -There were long hours before us yet, and they would be hours of -darkness. Occasionally the flicker of lightning from distant clouds away -to the West reminded us that the present calm might sometime be -disturbed. Perhaps below on the col, or it might be sooner, the old -unfriendly wind would meet us once again. For the present it was -fortunate that the way was easy; the great thing was to keep on the -snow, and we found that the edge of rocks by which we had come up, and -where it was now so much more difficult to get along, could be avoided -almost everywhere. With the same edge of stones to guide us, we could -not miss our way, and were still stumbling on in the dark without a -lantern when we reached the North Col. But we had a lantern with us, and -a candle too, in Somervell’s rucksack, and we should now require a -light. I was reminded once again of the most merciful circumstance, for -the air was still so calm that even with matches of a Japanese brand, -continually execrated among us, we had no difficulty in lighting our -candle. - -Two hundred yards, or little more in a direct line, now separated us -from our tents, with the promise of safety, repose, and warmth in our -soft eiderdown bags. Looking back, I never can make out how we came to -spend so long in reaching them. We had but to go along the broken saddle -of snow and ice where our tracks lay, and then drop down to our camp on -the shelf. But the tracks were concealed, and not to be found; crevasses -lay under the snow waiting for us. With nothing to guide us, we must -proceed cautiously, and once among the confusing shapes of white walls -and terraces and monticules and corridors, it was the easiest thing in -the world to lose our way. Somervell, who had covered the ground once -each way more often than any of us, held the helm, so to speak, against -a sea of conflicting opinions. Even he, now our leader, was not always -right, and we had more than once to come back along our tracks and take -a cast in another direction. To avoid the possible trouble or disaster -of having two men at once in a crevasse, we were obliged to keep our -intervals on the ropes, so that Morshead had now to take care of -himself. Perhaps the lower altitude had already begun to tell, for he -was stronger now, and came along much better than was to be expected. At -length we reached a recognisable landmark, a cliff of ice about 15 feet -high, where we had jumped down over a crevasse on our first visit here -in order to avoid a disagreeable long step over another crevasse on an -alternative route. I was very glad we had come this way rather than the -other, for though, looking down at the dimly lit space of snow which was -to receive us, I boggled a little at the idea of this leap, the -landing-place was sure to be soft, and it would be easy not to miss it. - -[Illustration: - - THE FIRST CLIMBING PARTY. -] - -I think each of us was just a little relieved when he found himself -safely down, and I dimly remember congratulating, not Morshead, but -Longstaff. I had already transposed the names several times, and he now -protested; but it made no difference, as I could remember no other. -“Longstaff” became an _idée fixe_, and though the entity of Morshead -remained unconfused—I did not, for instance, give him Longstaff’s -beard—he was fixedly Longstaff until the following morning. - -The agreeable change of finding ourselves together in that curious coign -was hardly disturbed by Somervell’s remark, “We’re very near the end of -our candle.” We felt we were all very near the end of our journey, for -we had dimly made out from the higher level we had just quitted the neat -rank of our tents still standing on the shelf below and ready to welcome -us. We had only to find the rope which had been fixed on the steep slope -below us and we should be at the end of our troubles. But the rope was -deeply buried, and we searched in vain, dragging the snow with our picks -along the edge of the fall. We were still searching when the last of our -candle burnt out. In the end we must do without the rope, and began the -abrupt descent tentatively, dubiously, uncertain that we had hit off -just the right place. The situation was decidedly disagreeable. Suddenly -someone among us hitched up the rope from under the snow. It may be -imagined we were not slow to grasp it. The blessed security of feeling -the frozen but helpful thing firmly in our hands! We positively made -some sort of a noise; unrecognisable, perhaps, it would have been to -sober daylight beings who know how to produce the proper effect, but if -a dim bat of the night were asked what this noise resembled, he might -have indicated that distantly, but without mistake it was like a cheer. -A few minutes more and then—then, at 11.30 p.m., and there on the good -flat snow as we fumbled at the tent-doors, then and there at last we -began to say, “Thank God.” - -Had we known what was yet in store for us, or rather what was not in -store, we might have waited a little longer for so emphatic an -exclamation. We were in need of food, and no solid food could be eaten -until something had been done towards satisfying our thirst. It was not -that one felt, at least I did not feel, a desire to drink; but the long -effort of the lungs during the day in a rarefied atmosphere where -evaporation is so rapid had deprived the body of moisture to such an -extent that it was impossible to swallow, for instance, a ration -biscuit. We must first melt snow and have water. But where were the -cooking-pots? We searched the tents without finding a trace of them. -Presumably the porters whom we had expected to find here had taken them -down to Camp III in error. As we sat slowly unlacing our boots within -the tents, it was impossible to believe in this last misfortune. We -waited for a brainwave; but no way could be devised of melting the snow -without a vessel. Still supperless, we wriggled into our sleeping-bags. -And then something happened in Norton’s head. In his visions of all that -was succulent and juicy and fit to be swallowed with ease and pleasure -there had suddenly appeared an ice-cream. It was this that he now -proposed to us; we had the means at hand to make ice-creams, he said. A -tin of strawberry jam was opened; frozen Ideal Milk was hacked out of -another; these two ingredients were mixed with snow, and it only -remained to eat the compound. To my companions this seemed an easy -matter; their appetite for strawberry cream ice was hardly nice to -watch. I too managed to swallow down a little before the deadly -sickliness of the stuff disgusted me. My gratitude to Norton was -afterwards cooled by disagreeable sensations. In the last drowsy moments -before complete forgetfulness I was convulsed by shudderings which I was -powerless to control; the muscles of my back seemed to be contracted -with cramp; and, short of breath, I was repeatedly obliged to raise -myself on my elbows and start again that solemn exercise of -deep-breathing as though the habit had become indispensable. - -The last stage of our descent to Camp III had still to be accomplished -on the following morning of May 22. I imagine that a fresh man with old -tracks to help him might cover the distance from Camp IV in about an -hour and a quarter. But no sign was left of our old tracks, and the snow -was deeper here than higher up. Only in the harder substance below the -fresh surface could new steps be cut wherever the slope was steep; and -as we began to understand that the way would be long and toilsome, -another thought occurred to us—our sleeping-bags at Camp IV would now be -required at Camp III, and porters must be sent to fetch them. Our -tracks, therefore, must be made safe for them. Half our labour was in -hewing so fine a staircase that the porters would be able to go up and -down unescorted without danger. The wearisome descent, which began at 6 -a.m., continued far into the morning; the sun pierced the vapoury mists -and the heat was immoderate now as the cold had been higher up. The -fatigued party regarded the conventions until the first man reached the -snow at the foot of the final ice-slope. There, so far as I could -understand, the van became possessed of the idea that it would be more -companionable for all to finish together. I found myself deliberately -pulled from my steps and slid about 80 feet down the ice until the pick -of my axe pulled me up at the foot of the slope. I could have borne the -ignominy of my involuntary glissade had I not found Finch at the foot of -the slope taking advantage of my situation with a kodak. - -[Illustration: - - FROSTBITTEN CLIMBER BEING HELPED DOWN TO CAMP II. -] - -The presence of Finch was easily explained. Reinforcements had arrived -at Camp III in our absence, and the transport had worked with such -wonderful speed that the oxygen cylinders were already in action. Finch, -whom we had last heard of in bed with dysentery at the Base Camp, had -shown such energy that he was now testing the oxygen apparatus with -Wakefield and Geoffrey Bruce. They were bound for the North Col with a -party of porters, so the return of our sleeping-bags was easily -arranged. The lesser injustices of fate are hard to forgive, and we -regretted labour that might have been left to others. However, Wakefield -now took us in charge, and at noon we were at Camp III once more. Strutt -and Morris had come out to meet us. Noel had stayed in camp, and, like a -tormentor waiting for his disarmed victim, there we found the “movie” -camera and him winding the handle. - -However, our welcome in camp is a pleasing memory. The supply of tea was -inexhaustible. Somervell confesses to having drunk seventeen mugfuls; he -can hardly have been so moderate. Morshead probably needed to drink more -than any of us; he ascribed his exhaustion on the mountain to want of -liquid, and medical opinion was inclined to agree with the suggestion. -However that may be, the night’s rest at a lower elevation had largely -restored his strength, and Morshead arrived at Camp III no more fatigued -to all appearances than the rest of us. But he bore the marks of his -painful ordeal. His condition had made him a prey to the cold, and we -only began to realise how badly he had been frostbitten as we sat in -camp while Wakefield bound up the black swollen fingers. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE ATTEMPT WITH OXYGEN - - By - CAPTAIN GEORGE FINCH - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - THE SECOND ATTEMPT - - -With the departure of the last of our companions on March 27, Crawford -and I found ourselves left behind in Darjeeling impatiently awaiting the -arrival of the oxygen equipment from Calcutta. A week elapsed before we -were able to set out for Kalimpong, where we picked up the oxygen stores -on April 4. On the evening of our second march out from Kalimpong, -suspicious rattlings were heard in the cases containing the oxygen -cylinders. On investigation, it transpired that they had been packed -metal to metal, and the continual chafing caused by the rough mule -transport had already resulted in considerable wear in the steel. This -dangerous state of affairs, which, if not speedily remedied, would -undoubtedly soon have led to the bursting of some of the cylinders, with -consequent demoralisation of our transport, let alone possible -casualties, called for immediate attention; so throughout the night of -April 5–6, Crawford and I, aided by our porters, worked steadily at -grommeting the cylinders with string and repacking them in such a manner -as would render impossible any recurrence of the trouble. - -On April 8, in a snowstorm, we crossed the Jelep La; thence, proceeding -viâ the Chumbi Valley and Phari, we ultimately rejoined the main body of -the Expedition in Kampa Dzong on the 13th. The rest of our journey -across Tibet to the Base Camp has already been described elsewhere, but -perhaps I may be permitted to give a few of my own impressions of the -country and its inhabitants. - -In recollection, the strange land of Tibet stretches itself out before -me in an endless succession of vast, dreary plains, broken by chains of -mountains that, in relation to the height of their surroundings, sink -into the insignificance of hills. Arid and stony desert wastes, almost -totally unblessed by the living green of vegetation; interminable tracts -of sand that shift unceasingly under the restless feet of an -ever-hurrying, pitilessly cruel wind; bleak, barren, and unbeautiful of -form, but fair and of indescribable appeal in the raiment of soft -glowing rainbow hues with which distance, as in compensation, clothes -all wide open spaces. Sunsets provided many a wondrous picture, while -towards the South a glistening array of white-capped excrescences marked -the main chain of the Himalaya. The honour of being the most poignant of -my memories of Tibet, however, remains with the wind. It blew -unceasingly, and its icy blasts invariably met one straight in the face. -The pre-monsoon wind is westerly; the post-monsoon wind blows from the -East. Our journey towards the Base Camp led us towards the West; -homeward bound, during the monsoon, we travelled East. Both going and -returning, therefore, we marched in the teeth of a wind, that gnawed -even at our weather-beaten, hardened skins, and was the most generous -contributor in the quota of discomforts that Tibet meted out to us. - -And what of the dwellers in these inhospitable plains? Like all -humankind, the Tibetans have their bad as well as their good points. The -former are easily told. If one wishes to converse with a Tibetan, it is -always advisable to stand on his windward side. A noble Tibetan once -boasted that during his lifetime he had had two baths—one on the -occasion of his birth, the other on the day of his marriage. Those of us -honoured by his presence found the statement difficult to believe. Apart -from this rather penetrating drawback, the Tibetans are a most likeable -people; cheery, contented, good-natured, and hard-working; slow to give -a promise, but punctilious to a degree in carrying it out; truthful and -scrupulously honest. As testimony of this last-mentioned trait, be it -said that during the whole of our long wanderings through Tibet, when it -was quite impossible to keep a strong guard over our many stores, we -never lost so much as a single ration biscuit through theft. Old age is -seldom met with; it is exceptional to see a Tibetan whose years number -more than fifty-five or sixty. Presumably living in so severe a climate, -at an altitude of 14,000 feet or more above sea-level, proves too great -a strain upon the human heart. The priests, or “Lamas,” as they are -called in Tibet, constitute the governing class. They represent the -educated section of the community; the monasteries are the seats of -learning, and, as such, are well-nigh all-powerful. I regret to state -that I did not like the priests as much as the laity. The reason is not -far to seek. If you wish to hold converse with a Lama, it is advisable -not only to stand on his windward side, but also to take care that the -wind is exceptionally strong. The Lamas do not marry. As two-fifths of -the able-bodied population of Tibet lead a monastic life, it will be -readily understood that the odour of sanctity is all-pervading. In other -respects the monks proved as attractive as their simpler countrymen. -Inquisitive with the direct and pardonable inquisitiveness of children, -they are nevertheless men of a distinctly high order of intelligence. -Kindly, courteous, and appreciative of little attentions, they were -always ready to lend assistance and to give information concerning their -religion and the manners and customs of their country. - -These few of the more lasting of my impressions would be incomplete -without mention of Tibetan music. On the assumption that whatever is, is -beautiful, Tibetan music is beautiful—to the Tibetan. To the Western ear -it is elementary in the extreme, and, in point of view of sheer ugliness -of sound, competes with the jarring, clashing squeaks, bangs, and hoots -of the jazz-bands that were so fashionable at home at the time of our -departure for India. - -On May 2, the day after our arrival at the Base Camp, Strutt, Norton, -and I were sent off by the General to reconnoitre for a suitable first -camping site near the exit of the East Rongbuk Valley. Gaining the -latter by the so-called terrace route which leads over the tremendous -moraines on the right bank of the main Rongbuk Glacier, we had no -difficulty in finding on the right bank of the East Rongbuk Stream, but -a few hundred yards West of the end of the East Rongbuk Glacier, a -favourable position for Camp No. I. We returned that afternoon, -descending down the snowed-over and frozen-up stream to the main Rongbuk -Glacier, making our way thence to the Base Camp through the trough -leading down between the glacier and the moraines. With this little -excursion my climbing activities ceased for the time being. Soon -afterwards I was beset by a troublesome stomach complaint, which had -already claimed as victims the majority of the other members of the -Expedition, and it was not until May 16 that I was sufficiently restored -from the wearing effects of my illness to resume climbing. In spite of -this, my time at the Base Camp was fully occupied. Frequent oxygen -drills were held, and all the oxygen stores overhauled and tested. -Various members of the Expedition were instructed in the use of Primus -stoves. There were many small repairs of different natures to be done, -and in my leisure moments I was kept busy with matters photographic. In -addition, Mount Everest and the weather conditions prevalent thereon -became objects of the keenest study and interest. The remark, “I suppose -Mont Blanc would be absolutely dwarfed into insignificance by Mount -Everest,” has frequently been made to me in one form or another, and, to -my questioners’ amazement, my answer has always been a decided “No.” As -a matter of fact, Mont Blanc, as seen from the Brévant or the Flégère, -excels in every way any view I have ever enjoyed of Mount Everest. It is -true that I have seen the latter only from a tableland which is itself -from 14,000 to 16,000 feet above sea-level, and that I know nothing of -the wonderful sight that Mount Everest probably presents to the observer -from the Southern (Nepalese) side. The grandeur of a mountain depends -very largely upon the extent to which it is glaciated. Mont Blanc is -nearly 16,000 feet high, and its glaciers descend to within 4,000 feet -of sea-level—a vertical zone of 12,000 feet of perpetual ice and snow. -Those glaciers of Mount Everest which flow North, and thus the only ones -with which we are concerned, descend to a point about 16,500 feet above -sea-level—a vertical zone of 12,500 feet of perpetual ice and snow. Thus -it is evident that, from the point of view of vertical extent of -glaciation, there is little difference between the monarch of the Alps -and the Northern side of the highest summit in the world. From the point -of view of beauty there can be no comparison. Seen from one quarter, -Mont Blanc rises in a series of snowy domes piled one against the other -in ever-increasing altitude to a massive yet beautifully proportioned -and well-balanced whole. From another side we see great converging -granite columns, breathing the essence of noble purpose, proudly -supporting and lifting aloft to the sun the gleaming, snowy-capped -splendour of the summit dome. Another view-point, though revealing -perhaps a less beautiful Mont Blanc, lacking much of the graceful -symmetry and strong, purposeful design of the other views, is redeemed -by the fact that the observer is forced in so close to the mountain that -the rattling din of stonefalls and the loud crash of the ice-avalanche -are always in his ears. Mont Blanc asserts her authority with no -uncertain voice. In the Mount Everest as we of this Expedition know it, -revealed in the full glare of the tropical sun, all this is lacking. -Symmetry and beauty cannot truthfully be read out of the ponderous, -ungainly, ill-proportioned lump which carries, as if by chance, on its -Western extremity a little carelessly truncated cone to serve as a -summit. Avalanches are neither seen nor heard. Falling stones there are -without doubt, but one is too far off to hear them. Yet Everest had her -moments. Diffused with the borrowed glory of sunrise or sunset, and clad -in a mantle of fresh snow, the harsh clumsiness of her form would be -somewhat softened and concealed; bathed in the yellow-blue light of -dawn, as yet unkissed by the sun, but whipped into wakefulness by a -driving westerly wind that tore from head and shoulders the snowy veil -which she had donned during the night, rending it into long, spun-out -living streamers, no beholder could gainsay her beauty. - -[Illustration: - - MOUNT EVEREST FROM BASE CAMP. -] - -Weather conditions naturally proved of the greatest interest. On -consulting my diary, I find that during the period from May 1 to June 5, -there were two days when the weather was fine and settled, and that -these two days succeeded snowstorms which had thickly powdered the -mountain with fresh snow. On both days the sky was cloudless, or nearly -so, and, judging from the absence of driven snow-dust about the summit, -Mount Everest appeared to be undisturbed by wind. Apart from these two -occasions, however, the weather was never absolutely fine. Cloudless -skies there were, but the great streamers of snow smoking away from the -highest ridges of the mountain testified to the existence of the fierce -and bitter wind against which a mountaineer would have to fight his way. -On four occasions there were periods of snowstorms lasting from but a -single night to three days and three nights. - -On May 10, Mallory and Somervell set out for Camp III, to make ready for -a first attempt to climb Mount Everest. I had practically recovered from -my stomach trouble, and expected to be able to leave the Base in the -course of a day or two, in order to follow up the first attempt with a -second attack, in which oxygen was to be used. Norton was to be my -companion. Unfortunately, however, I suffered a relapse, and Strutt, -Norton, and Morshead left to join Mallory and Somervell, whereas I had -to resign myself to several more days at the Base. At length, on May 15, -I was ready and eager to think about doing something. My climbing -companions were Geoffrey Bruce and Lance-Corporal Tejbir, the most -promising of the Ghurkas. Wakefield was to accompany us as far as Camp -III, in order to give us a clean bill of health from there onwards. -Leaving the Base on the 16th, we proceeded to Camp I, where the -following day was spent attending to our oxygen apparatus and transport -arrangements. Soon after midday on the 18th, we arrived at Camp II, -where the greater part of the afternoon was devoted to giving Geoffrey -Bruce, Tejbir, and several of the porters, a lesson in the elements of -mountaineering and of ice-craft. On the 19th we reached Camp III, where -we learned from Colonel Strutt that Mallory, Norton, Somervell, and -Morshead had gone up to the North Col in the morning. Geoffrey Bruce and -I immediately set about overhauling our equipment, in particular our -oxygen stores, and as we worked we could see the first party making -their way through the séracs, and climbing the ice-cliffs of the lofty -depression of the North Col. - -The cylinders containing our oxygen were found to be in good condition; -but the apparatus—through no fault of the makers, who had, indeed, done -their work admirably—leaked very badly, and to get them into -satisfactory working order, four days of hard toil with soldering-iron, -hacksaw, pliers, and all the other paraphernalia of a fitter’s shop were -necessary. Our workshop was in the open. The temperature played up and -down round about 0° F., but inclined more to the negative side of that -irrational scale. The masks from which the oxygen was to be breathed -proved useless, but by tackling the problem with a little thought and -much cheerfulness a satisfactory substitute was eventually evolved, -making it possible to use the oxygen apparatus in an efficient manner. -Without this new mask no real use could have been made of our oxygen -supplies; oxygen would have been misjudged as being useless, and the -solution of the problem of climbing Mount Everest would have been as -distant as ever. - -Preparatory to embarking on the climb itself, we went for several trial -walks—one over to the Rapiu La, a pass 21,000 feet high, at the foot of -the North-east ridge of Everest, from which we hoped to obtain views of -the country to the south. But only part of the North-east ridge showed -hazily through drifting mists. Towards the north and looking down the -East Rongbuk Glacier, views were clearer, though partially obscured by -rolling banks of cloud. Colonel Strutt and Dr. Wakefield, unoxygenated, -accompanied us on this little expedition, and oxygen at once proved its -value, so easily did Bruce and I outpace them. On May 22, acting on -instructions from Colonel Strutt, Geoffrey Bruce, Wakefield, Tejbir, and -I, with a number of porters, set out for the North Col to meet and -afford any required assistance to the members of the first climbing -party who were on their way down from the mountain. It was also our -intention to bring stores up into the North Col as well as give the -oxygen apparatus a final severe try-out prior to embarking upon an -attack upon Mount Everest itself. We met the first climbing party just -above the foot of the final steep slopes leading up to the North Col. -They were more or less in the last stage of exhaustion, as, indeed, men -who have done their best on such a mountain should be. After supplying -them with what liquid nourishment was available, and leaving Wakefield -and two porters to see them back to Camp III, we carried on up to the -North Col. In the afternoon we returned to Camp III. There had been a -considerable amount of step-cutting, for fresh snow had fallen, -compelling us to deviate from the usual route; but even so, oxygen had -made a brief Alpine ascent of what is otherwise a strenuous day’s work. -We took three hours up and fifty minutes down, with thirty-six -photographs taken _en route_. - -[Illustration: - - EAST RONGBUK GLACIER NEAR CAMP II. -] - -On May 24, Captain Noel, Tejbir, Geoffrey Bruce, and I, all using -oxygen, went up to the North Col (23,000 feet). Bent on a determined -attack, we camped there for the night. Morning broke fine and clear -though somewhat windy, and at eight o’clock we sent off up the long -snow-slopes leading towards the North-east shoulder of Mount Everest, -twelve porters carrying oxygen cylinders, provisions for one day, and -camping gear. An hour and a half later, Bruce, Tejbir, and I followed, -and, in spite of the fact that each bore a load of over 30 lb., which -was much more than the average weight carried by the porters, we -overtook them at a height of about 24,500 feet. They greeted our arrival -with their usual cheery, broad grins. But no longer did they regard -oxygen as a foolish man’s whim; one and all appreciated the advantages -of what they naïvely chose to call “English air.” Leaving them to -follow, we went on, hoping to pitch our camp somewhere above 26,000 -feet. But shortly after one o’clock the wind freshened up rather -offensively, and it began to snow. Our altitude was 25,500 feet, some -500 feet below where we had hoped to camp, but we looked round -immediately for a suitable camping site, as the porters had to return to -the North Col that day, and persistence in proceeding further would have -run them unjustifiably into danger. This I would under no circumstances -do, for I felt responsible for these cheerful, smiling, willing men, who -looked up to their leader and placed in him the complete trust of little -children. As it was, the margin of safety secured by pitching camp where -we did instead of at a higher elevation was none too wide; for before -the last porter had departed downwards the weather had become very -threatening. A cheerful spot in which to find space to pitch a tent it -was not; but though I climbed a couple of hundred feet or so further up -the ridge, nothing more suitable was to be found. Remembering that a -wind is felt more severely on the windward side of a ridge than on the -crest, a possible position to the West of the ridge was negatived in -favour of one on the very backbone. The leeside was bare of any possible -camping place within reasonable distance. Our porters arrived at 2 p.m., -and at once all began to level off the little platform where the tent -was soon pitched, on the very edge of the tremendous precipices falling -away to the East Rongbuk and Main Rongbuk Glaciers, over 4,000 feet -below. Within twenty minutes the porters were scurrying back down the -broken, rocky ridge towards the snow-slopes leading to the North Col, -singing, as they went, snatches of their native hillside ditties. What -splendid men! Having seen the last man safely off, I looked to the -security of the guy-ropes holding down the tent, and then joined Bruce -and Tejbir inside. It was snowing hard. Tiny, minute spicules driven by -the wind penetrated everywhere. It was bitterly cold, so we crawled into -our sleeping-bags, and, gathering round us all available clothing, -huddled up together as snugly as was possible. - -With the help of solidified spirit we melted snow and cooked a warm -meal, which imparted some small measure of comfort to our chilled -bodies. A really hot drink was not procurable, for the simple reason -that at such an altitude water boils at so low a temperature that one -can immerse the hand in it without fear of being scalded. Over a -_post-prandium_ cigarette, Bruce and I discussed our prospects of -success. Knowing that no man can put forward his best effort unless his -confidence is an established fact, the trend of my contribution to the -conversation was chiefly, “Of course, we shall get to the top.” After -sunset, the storm rose to a gale, a term I use deliberately. Terrific -gusts tore at our tent with such ferocity that the ground-sheet with its -human burden was frequently lifted up off the ground. On these occasions -our combined efforts were needed to keep the tent down and prevent its -being blown away. Although we had blocked up the few very small openings -in the tent to the best of our powers, long before midnight we were all -thickly covered in a fine frozen spindrift that somehow or other was -blown in upon us, insinuating its way into sleeping-bags and clothing, -there to cause acute discomfort. Sleep was out of the question. We dared -not relax our vigilance, for ever and again all our strength was needed -to hold the tent down and to keep the flaps of the door, stripped of -their fastenings by a gust that had caught us unawares, from being torn -open. We fought for our lives, realising that once the wind got our -little shelter into its ruthless grip, it must inevitably be hurled, -with us inside it, down on to the East Rongbuk Glacier, thousands of -feet below. - -And what of my companions in the tent? To me, who had certainly passed -his novitiate in the hardships of mountaineering, the situation was more -than alarming. About Tejbir I had no concern; he placed complete -confidence in his sahibs, and the ready grin never left his face. But it -was Bruce’s first experience of mountaineering, and how the ordeal would -affect him I did not know. I might have spared myself all anxiety. -Throughout the whole adventure he bore himself in a manner that would -have done credit to the finest of veteran mountaineers, and returned my -confidence with a cheerfulness that rang too true to be counterfeit. By -one o’clock on the morning of the 26th the gale reached its maximum. The -wild flapping of the canvas made a noise like that of machine-gun fire. -So deafening was it that we could scarcely hear each other speak. Later, -there came interludes of comparative lull, succeeded by bursts of storm -more furious than ever. During such lulls we took it in turn to go -outside to tighten up slackened guy-ropes, and also succeeded in tying -down the tent more firmly with our Alpine rope. It was impossible to -work in the open for more than three or four minutes at a stretch, so -profound was the exhaustion induced by this brief exposure to the fierce -cold wind. But with the Alpine rope taking some of the strain, we -enjoyed a sense of security which, though probably only illusory, -allowed us all a few sorely needed moments of rest. - -Dawn broke bleak and chill; the snow had ceased to fall, but the wind -continued with unabated violence. Once more we had to take it in turns -to venture without and tighten up the guy-ropes, and to try to build on -the windward side of the tent a small wall of stones as an additional -protection. The extreme exhaustion and the chill produced in the body as -a result of each of these little excursions were sufficient to indicate -that, until the gale had spent itself, there could be no hope of either -advance or retreat. As the weary morning hours dragged on, we believed -we could detect a slackening off in the storm. And I was thankful, for I -was beginning quietly to wonder how much longer human beings could stand -the strain. We prepared another meal. The dancing flames of the spirit -stove caused me anxiety bordering on anguish lest the tent, a frail -shelter between life and death, should catch fire. At noon the storm -once more regained its strength and rose to unsurpassed fury. A great -hole was cut by a stone in one side of the tent, and our situation thus -unexpectedly became more desperate than ever. - -But we carried on, making the best of our predicament until, at one -o’clock, the wind dropped suddenly from a blustering gale to nothing -more than a stiff breeze. Now was the opportunity for retreat to the -safety of the North Col camp. But I wanted to hang on and try our climb -on the following day. Very cautiously and tentatively I broached my wish -to Bruce, fearful lest the trying experience of the last twenty-four -hours had undermined his keenness for further adventure. Once again -might I have spared myself all anxiety. He jumped at the idea, and when -our new plans were communicated to Tejbir, the only effect upon him was -to broaden his already expansive grin. - -It was a merry little party that gathered round to a scanty evening meal -cooked with the last of our fuel. The meal was meagre for the simple -reason that we had catered for only one day’s short rations, and we were -now very much on starvation diet. We had hardly settled down for another -night when, about 6 p.m., voices were heard outside. Our unexpected -visitors were porters who, anxious as to our safety, had left the North -Col that afternoon when the storm subsided. With them they brought -thermos flasks of hot beef-tea and tea provided by the thoughtful Noel. -Having accepted these most gratefully, we sent the porters back without -loss of time. - -[Illustration: - - OXYGEN APPARATUS. -] - -[Illustration: - - CAPTAIN NOEL KINEMATOGRAPHING THE ASCENT OF MOUNT EVEREST FROM THE - CHANG LA. -] - -That night began critically. We were exhausted by our previous -experiences and through lack of sufficient food. Tejbir’s grin had lost -some of its expanse. On the face of Geoffrey Bruce, courageously -cheerful as ever, was a strained, drawn expression that I did not like. -Provoked, perhaps, by my labours outside the tent, a dead, numbing cold -was creeping up my limbs—a thing I had only once before felt and to the -seriousness of which I was fully alive. Something had to be done. Like -an inspiration came the thought of trying the effect of oxygen. We -hauled an apparatus and cylinders into the tent, and, giving it the air -of a joke, we took doses all round. Tejbir took his medicine -reluctantly, but with relief I saw his face brighten up. The effect on -Bruce was visible in his rapid change of expression. A few minutes after -the first deep breath, I felt the tingling sensation of returning life -and warmth to my limbs. We connected up the apparatus in such a way that -we could breathe a small quantity of oxygen throughout the night. The -result was marvellous. We slept well and warmly. Whenever the tube -delivering the gas fell out of Bruce’s mouth as he slept, I could see -him stir uneasily in the uric, greenish light of the moon as it filtered -through the canvas. Then half unconsciously replacing the tube, he would -fall once more into a peaceful slumber. There is little doubt that it -was the use of oxygen which saved our lives during this second night in -our high camp. - -Before daybreak we were up, and proceeded to make ready for our climb. -Putting on our boots was a struggle. Mine I had taken to bed with me, -and a quarter of an hour’s striving and tugging sufficed to get them on. -But Bruce’s and Tejbir’s were frozen solid, and it took them more than -an hour to mould them into shape by holding them over lighted candles. -Shortly after six we assembled outside. Some little delay was incurred -in arranging the rope and our loads, but at length at 6.30 a.m., soon -after the first rays of the sun struck the tent, we shouldered our -bundles and set off. What with cameras, thermos bottles, and oxygen -apparatus, Bruce and I each carried well over 40 lb.; Tejbir with two -extra cylinders of oxygen shouldered a burden of about 50 lb. - -Our scheme of attack was to take Tejbir with us as far as the North-east -shoulder, there to relieve him of his load and send him back. The -weather was clear. The only clouds seemed so far off as to presage no -evil, and the breeze, though intensely cold, was bearable. But it soon -freshened up, and before we had gone more than a few hundred feet the -cold began to have its effect on Tejbir’s sturdy constitution, and he -showed signs of wavering. Bruce’s eloquent flow of Gurumuki, however, -managed to boost him up to an altitude of 26,000 feet. There he -collapsed entirely, sinking face downwards on to the rocks and crushing -beneath him the delicate instruments of his oxygen apparatus. I stormed -at him for thus maltreating it, while Bruce exhorted him for the honour -of his regiment to struggle on; but it was all in vain. Tejbir had done -his best; and he has every right to be proud of the fact that he has -climbed to a far greater height than any other native. We pulled him off -his apparatus and, relieving him of some cylinders, cheered him up -sufficiently to start him with enough oxygen on his way back to the high -camp, there to await our return. We had no compunction about letting him -go alone, for the ground was easy and he could not lose his way, the -tent being in full view below. - -After seeing him safely off and making good progress, we loaded up -Tejbir’s cylinders, and, in view of the easy nature of the climbing, -mutually agreed to dispense with the rope, and thus enable ourselves to -proceed more rapidly. Climbing not very steep and quite easy rocks, and -passing two almost level places affording ample room for some future -high camp, we gained an altitude of 26,500 feet. By this time, however, -the wind, which had been steadily rising, had acquired such force that I -considered it necessary to leave the ridge and continue our ascent by -traversing out across the great northern face of Mount Everest, hoping -by so doing to find more shelter from the icy blasts. It was not easy to -come to this decision, because I saw that between us and the shoulder -the climbing was all plain sailing and presented no outstanding -difficulty. Leaving the ridge, we began to work out into the face. For -the first few yards the going was sufficiently straightforward, but -presently the general angle became much steeper, and our trials were -accentuated by the fact that the stratification of the rocks was such -that they shelved outward and downward, making the securing of adequate -footholds difficult. We did not rope, however. I knew that the longer we -remained unroped, the more time we should save—a consideration of vital -importance. But as I led out over these steeply sloping, evilly smooth -slabs, I carefully watched Bruce to see how he would tackle the -formidable task with which he was confronted on this his first -mountaineering expedition. He did his work splendidly and followed -steadily and confidently, as if he were quite an old hand at the game. -Sometimes the slabs gave place to snow—treacherous, powdery stuff, with -a thin, hard, deceptive crust that gave the appearance of compactness. -Little reliance could be placed upon it, and it had to be treated with -great care. And sometimes we found ourselves crossing steep slopes of -scree that yielded and shifted downwards with every tread. Very -occasionally in the midst of our exacting work we were forced to indulge -in a brief rest in order to replace an empty cylinder of oxygen by a -full one. The empty ones were thrown away, and as each bumped its way -over the precipice and the good steel clanged like a church bell at each -impact, we laughed aloud at the thought that “There goes another 5 lb. -off our backs.” Since leaving the ridge we had not made much height -although we seemed to be getting so near our goal. Now and then we -consulted the aneroid barometer, and its readings encouraged us on. -27,000 feet; then we gave up traversing and began to climb diagonally -upwards towards a point on the lofty North-east ridge, midway between -the shoulder and the summit. Soon afterwards an accident put Bruce’s -oxygen apparatus out of action. He was some 20 feet below me, but -struggled gallantly upwards as I went to meet him, and, after connecting -him on to my apparatus and so renewing his supply of oxygen, we soon -traced the trouble and effected a satisfactory repair. The barometer -here recorded a height 27,300 feet. The highest mountain visible was Chö -Uyo, which is just short of 27,000 feet. We were well above it and could -look across it into the dense clouds beyond. The great West Peak of -Everest, one of the most beautiful sights to be seen from down in the -Rongbuk Valley, was hidden, but we knew that our standpoint was nearly -2,000 feet above it. Everest itself was the only mountain top which we -could see without turning our gaze downwards. We could look across into -clouds which lay at some undefined distance behind the North-east -shoulder, a clear indication that we were only a little, if any, below -its level. Pumori, an imposing ice-bound pyramid, 23,000 feet high, I -sought at first in vain. So far were we above it that it had sunk into -an insignificant little ice-hump by the side of the Rongbuk Glacier. -Most of the other landmarks were blotted out by masses of ominous, -yellow-hued clouds swept from the West in the wake of an angry -storm-wind. The point we reached is unmistakable even from afar. We were -standing on a little rocky ledge, just inside an inverted V of snow, -immediately below the great belt of reddish-yellow rock which cleaves -its way almost horizontally through the otherwise greenish-black slabs -of the mountain. Though 1,700 feet below, we were well within half a -mile of the summit, so close, indeed, that we could distinguish -individual stones on a little patch of scree lying just underneath the -highest point. Ours were truly the tortures of Tantalus; for, weak from -hunger and exhausted by that nightmare struggle for life in our high -camp, we were in no fit condition to proceed. Indeed, I knew that if we -were to persist in climbing on, even if only for another 500 feet, we -should not both get back alive. The decision to retreat once taken, no -time was lost, and, fearing lest another accidental interruption in the -oxygen supply might lead to a slip on the part of either of us, we roped -together. It was midday. At first we returned in our tracks, but later -found better going by aiming to strike the ridge between the North-east -shoulder and the North Col at a point above where we had left it in the -morning. Progress was more rapid, though great caution was still -necessary. Shortly after 2 p.m., we struck the ridge and there reduced -our burdens to a minimum by dumping four oxygen cylinders. The place -will be easily recognised by future explorers; those four cylinders are -perched against a rock at the head of the one and only large snow-filled -couloir running right up from the head of the East Rongbuk Glacier to -the ridge. The clear weather was gone. We plunged down the easy, broken -rocks through thick mists driven past us from the West by a violent -wind. For one small mercy we were thankful—no snow fell. We reached our -high camp in barely half an hour, and such are the vagaries of Everest’s -moods that in this short time the wind had practically dropped. Tejbir -lay snugly wrapped up in all three sleeping-bags, sleeping the deep -sleep of exhaustion. Hearing the voices of the porters on their way up -to bring down our kit, we woke him up, telling him to await their -arrival and to go down with them. Bruce and I then proceeded on our way, -met the ascending porters and passed on, greatly cheered by their bright -welcomes and encouraging smiles. But the long descent, coming as it did -on the top of a hard day’s work, soon began to find out our weakness. We -were deplorably tired, and could no longer move ahead with our -accustomed vigour. Knees did not always bend and unbend as required. At -times they gave way altogether and forced us, staggering, to sit down. -But eventually we reached the broken snows of the North Col, and arrived -in camp there at 4 p.m. A craving for food, to the lack of which our -weakness was mainly due, was all that animated us. Hot tea and a tin of -spaghetti were soon forthcoming, and even this little nourishment -refreshed us and renewed our strength to such an extent that -three-quarters of an hour later we were ready to set off for Camp III. -An invaluable addition to our little party was Captain Noel, the -indefatigable photographer of the Expedition, who had already spent four -days and three nights on the North Col. He formed our rearguard and -nursed us safely down the steep snow and ice slopes on to the almost -level basin of the glacier below. Before 5.30 p.m., only forty minutes -after leaving the col, we reached Camp III. Since midday, from our -highest point we had descended over 6,000 feet; but we were quite -finished. - -[Illustration: - - THE BRITISH MEMBERS OF THE SECOND CLIMBING PARTY. -] - -That evening we dined well. Four whole quails truffled in _pâté-de-foie -gras_, followed by nine sausages, left me asking for more. The last I -remember of that long day was going to sleep, warm in the depths of our -wonderful sleeping-bag, with the remains of a tin of toffee tucked away -in the crook of my elbow. - -Next morning showed that Bruce’s feet were sorely frostbitten. I had -practically escaped; but the cold had penetrated the half-inch-thick -soles of my boots and three pairs of heavy woollen socks, and four small -patches of frostbite hampered me at first in my efforts to walk. Bruce -was piled on to a sledge, and I journeyed with him as his -fellow-passenger. Willing porters dragged us down until the surface of -the glacier became so rough as to impose too great a strain on our -slender conveyance with its double burden. - -Our attack upon Mount Everest had failed. The great mountain with its -formidable array of defensive weapons had won; but if the body had -suffered, the spirit was still whole. Reaching a point whence we -obtained our last close view of the great unconquered Goddess Mother of -the Snows, Geoffrey Bruce bade his somewhat irreverent adieux with “Just -you wait, old thing, you’ll be for it soon!”—words that still are -expressive of my own sentiments. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - CONCLUSIONS - - -Geoffrey Bruce and I arrived back at the Base Camp early in the -afternoon of May 29. The next few days were spent in resting, and I then -underwent the same experience as the members of the first climbing -party; that is, instead of recovering my strength rapidly during the -first three or four days, if anything a further decline took place. -However, as the weather appeared fine, and there seemed promise of a -bright spell prior to the breaking of the monsoon, it was decided to -make another attempt on the mountain. Of the remaining climbing members -of the Expedition, Somervell was undoubtedly the fittest, with Mallory a -good second. Both had enjoyed some ten days’ rest since their first -assault upon Mount Everest, and therefore had a chance of recovering -from the abnormal strain to which they had been submitted. Medical -opinion as to my condition after so brief a rest was somewhat divided, -but in the end I was passed as sufficiently fit to join in the third -attempt. On the 3rd of June we left the Base Camp. The party consisted -of Wakefield as M.O., Crawford, and later Morris, as transport officers, -Mallory, Somervell and myself as climbers. The attempt was to be made -with oxygen, and I was placed in command. It required a great effort for -me to get as far as Camp I, and I realised there that the few days’ rest -which I had enjoyed at the Base Camp had been quite insufficient to -allow of my recuperation. During the night the weather turned with a -vengeance and it snowed heavily, and I knew that there could be no -object in my proceeding farther. After giving Somervell final detailed -instructions regarding the oxygen apparatus, I wished them all the best -of luck, and on the 4th returned to the Base Camp. As Strutt, Longstaff, -and Morshead were leaving next day for Darjeeling, I was given, and -availed myself of, the opportunity of accompanying them. - -That return journey constitutes one of the most delightful experiences -of my life. Within a week of leaving the Base Camp, I had entirely -regained my strength, although a certain tenderness in the soles of my -feet made itself felt for some considerable time. For the most part the -weather was warm, and everywhere the eye feasted on the riotous -colouring of blossoms such as we had never before seen. The only fly in -the ointment was the ever-present sense of defeat coupled with the -knowledge that with only a little better luck we should have won -through. - -In spite of our failure, however, I felt that we had learnt much; and -perhaps the most important lesson of all was that we had been taught the -real value of oxygen. Prior to the formation of the 1922 Expedition, the -oxygen problem had already been the subject of much discussion round -which two distinct schools of thought had arisen. The first, headed by -Professor G. Dreyer, F.R.S., Professor of Pathology at the University of -Oxford, was staunch to the belief that, without the assistance of a -supply of oxygen carried in containers on the back of the climber, it -would be impossible for a man to reach the summit of Mount Everest. The -second body of scientific opinion held that, not only would it be -possible for a man to attain the summit of Everest unaided by an -artificial supply of oxygen, but that the weight of such a supply would -only hamper the climber in his efforts, and thus completely -counterbalance any advantages likely to accrue from its use. To arrive -at an impartial conclusion as to the correctitude of these two divergent -opinions, it is only necessary to give careful consideration to the -results achieved on the two high climbs of May 22 and May 27 -respectively. The former was made without an artificial supply of -oxygen, the latter with. The first climbing party, consisting of -Mallory, Morshead, Norton, and Somervell, left the North Col at 7 a.m. -on the 20th of May, and that afternoon, at an altitude of 25,000 feet -above sea-level, pitched a camp just off the great North ridge leading -down from the shoulder. Morshead had suffered from the cold and was -evidently unwell. One of Norton’s ears had been badly frostbitten, and -Mallory had frostbitten finger-tips. Somervell alone was, to all intents -and purposes, as yet untouched. Snow fell during the night, but they -were untroubled by wind. At eight o’clock next morning they left their -camp—all save Morshead, who, apparently at the end of his tether and -unable to go farther, had to remain behind. After over six hours’ -climbing, Mallory, Norton, and Somervell succeeded in reaching an -altitude of 26,985 feet; so that, since their departure from their high -camp, they had gained a vertical height of 1,985 feet at a rate of -ascent of 330 feet per hour. The point at which they turned back lies -below the shoulder on the great North ridge, and is, in horizontal -distance, about 1⅛ miles from the summit, and rather over 2,000 feet -below it in vertical height. They began to retrace their steps at 2.30 -in the afternoon, and regained their high camp at four o’clock; their -rate of descent therefore was 1,320 feet per hour. Shortly after 4 p.m., -accompanied by Morshead, they started on the return journey to the North -Col, where they arrived at 11.30 that night, a rate of descent of 270 -feet per hour. We had seen them on their way down from their high camp, -and acting on instructions from Colonel Strutt, we went up towards the -North Col on the 23rd to render them assistance. We met them just above -the foot of the steep slopes leading up the col. They were obviously in -the last stages of exhaustion, as, indeed, men should be who had done -their best on a mountain like Mount Everest. - -On the 25th of May the second party, consisting of Geoffrey Bruce, -Tejbir and myself, left the North Col. Our porters, who did not use -oxygen, left at eight o’clock; we, using oxygen, left at 9.30 a.m., and -in an hour and a half succeeded in overtaking them at an altitude of -24,500 feet, where, somewhat fatigued with their three hours’ effort, -they paused to rest. A moment’s calculation will show that we had been -climbing at the rate of 1,000 feet per hour. Leaving the porters to -follow, we eventually gained an altitude of 25,500 feet, where, owing to -bad weather, we were constrained to camp. It was not until two o’clock -in the afternoon that the porters rejoined us, despite the fact that our -own progress had been hindered by the necessity for much step-cutting. -That night in our high camp was a night of trial and no rest, and the -following day, the 26th, was little better; in addition, our supply of -food was exhausted. Then followed a second night, when the advantages of -using oxygen to combat fierce cold were strikingly evident. At six -o’clock on the morning of the 27th, having had practically no rest for -two nights and a day, half starved and suffering acutely from hunger, we -set out from our high camp in full hopes of gaining the summit of Mount -Everest. Half an hour later, at an altitude of 26,000 feet, Tejbir broke -down—an unfortunate occurrence that may be largely attributed to his -lack of really windproof clothing. On arriving at a height of 26,500 -feet we were forced to leave the ridge, so violent and penetratingly -cold was the wind to which we were exposed. The thousand feet from our -camp up to this point had occupied one and a half hours, some twenty -minutes of which had been employed in re-arranging the loads when Tejbir -broke down. Our rate of progress, therefore, had been about 900 feet per -hour, in spite of the fact that we each carried a load of over 40 lb. -After leaving the ridge we struck out over difficult ground across the -great North face of the mountain, gaining but little in altitude, but -steadily approaching our goal. Eventually we decided to turn back at a -point less than half a mile in horizontal distance from, and about 1,700 -feet below, the summit. Thus, although we had climbed in vertical height -only some 300 feet higher than the first party, nevertheless we were -more than twice as close to the summit than they had been when they -turned back. - -To summarise the two performances. The first party established a camp at -an altitude of 25,000 feet, occupied it for one night, and finally -reaching a point 26,985 feet in height, and 1⅛ miles from the summit, -returned without a break to the North Col. The second party established -a camp at an altitude of 25,500 feet, occupied it for two nights and -almost two days, and eventually reaching a point of 27,300 feet high and -less than half a mile from the summit, returned without a break to Camp -III. The weather conditions throughout were incomparably worse than -those experienced by the first party. The difference between the two -performances cannot be ascribed to superior climbing powers on the part -of the second party, for the simple reason that all the members of the -first party were skilled and proven mountaineers, while Geoffrey Bruce -and Lance-Corporal Tejbir, though at home in the hills, had never before -set foot on a snow and ice mountain. No matter how strong and willing -and gallant an inexperienced climber may be, his lack of mountaineering -skill and knowledge inevitably results in that prodigality of -effort—much of it needless—which invariably and quickly places him at a -grave disadvantage when compared with the trained mountaineer. The -strength of a climbing party is no greater than that of its weakest -member. Judged on this basis the second party was very weak compared -with the first, and the superior results obtained by the former can only -be ascribed to the fact that they made use of an artificial supply of -oxygen. - -The contention, therefore, that the disadvantages of its weight would -more than counterbalance the advantages of an artificial supply of -oxygen, may be dismissed as groundless, and the assumption may be made -that on any further attempt upon Everest oxygen will form a most -important part of the climber’s equipment. The question next arises as -to the exact stage in the proceedings at which recourse should be made -to the assistance of oxygen. The strongest members of the Expedition -felt fit and well, and recuperated readily from fatigue, at Camp III, -21,000 feet above sea-level, but at the North Col this was no longer the -case. Thus it would seem that the upper level of true acclimatisation -lies somewhere between 21,000 and 23,000 feet. I would therefore -advocate commencing to use oxygen somewhere between these two levels, -preferably at the foot of the steep slopes leading up to the North Col. -The use of small quantities would allow the climber to reach the Col -without unduly tiring himself. From the North Col to a high camp -situated at an altitude of about 26,500 feet, a slightly increased -quantity of oxygen would suffice to enable the climber to progress -almost as rapidly as he would in the much lower levels of the Alps. We -know from experience that a camp at the above-mentioned altitude can be -readily established, and in all except the worst of weather conditions a -party can make its way down again. Between the camp and the summit there -would be a vertical height of only 2,500 feet, and it is conceivable -that with a full supply of oxygen this distance could be covered in as -little as four hours. I am strongly of the opinion that only one camp -should be used between the North Col and the summit. No matter what -precautions are taken, man’s strength is rapidly sapped during the stay -at these great altitudes, and the plan of campaign most likely to ensure -success would appear to be leisurely and comfortable progress as far as -the North Col, the establishment of a high camp at 26,500 feet, and a -final dash to the summit. This last part of the programme, however, -would not be feasible unless a small dump of oxygen were made at a -height of about 27,500 feet. To do this it would be necessary for a -specially detailed party to spend one night at the high camp, and on the -following day employ their strength in making a dump somewhere above the -shoulder. This done, they would then be able to return to the North Col -with the satisfaction of knowing that they had made it possible for the -actual climbing party to win through. - -It is by no means yet certain which is the best line of approach to the -North Col. The route hitherto followed, viâ the East Rongbuk Glacier, is -tedious and roundabout, but it has the advantage of being well sheltered -from the wind, and, except for the final steep slopes beneath the col, -safe under any conditions. Much more direct, however, and probably less -arduous, is the approach from over the main Rongbuk Glacier. The line of -ascent thence to the summit of the col presents no real difficulty, and, -provided it is not found to be too exposed to the wind, is undoubtedly -much safer, even after heavy snowfalls, than that previously followed. -In the light of past experience one can hardly hope to count on good -weather as an ally; adequate protection in the form of windproof -clothing will enable the climber to face all but actual snowstorms. - -Climbing parties making the final assaults on the summit should be -small, consisting of two men and no more. In the event of one man -collapsing, his comrade, if at all up to scratch, should be able to get -him down in safety. By so limiting the size of the parties, a number of -attacks, each one as strong as if effected by a large and cumbersome -team of, say, four, could be carried out. Again, in the case of small -parties as suggested, mutual attention to each other’s oxygen outfit is -possible and any necessary repair or adjustment more expeditiously made. - -The type of climber who should go farthest on Mount Everest would appear -to be similar to that which best suits the Alps. Of the physical -attributes necessary, the following points, in addition to what is -usually termed perfect physical fitness, may be emphasised. In the -rarefied atmosphere of high altitudes the larger the vital capacity the -better. By the term “vital capacity” is meant the maximum amount of air -an individual is able to expel from the lungs by voluntary effort after -taking the deepest possible inspiration. Compared with the lean, spare -type of individual, the thickset, often musclebound man, though possibly -equal to an immense effort provided it is of short duration, is, as a -rule, at a great disadvantage. The Expedition has also shown beyond all -possible doubt that the tall man is less prone to become fatigued than -one of shorter stature. Again, as is well known amongst mountaineers, -the long-legged, short-trunk type of body is immensely superior to the -short-legged, long-trunk type. - -Perhaps more important than perfect physical fitness to the would-be -conqueror of Everest is the possession of the correct mentality. -Absolutely essential are singleness of aim, namely, the attainment of -the summit, and unswerving faith in the possibility of its achievement. -Half-heartedness in even one member of the attacking party spells almost -certain failure. Many a strong party in the Alps has failed to reach its -objective through the depressing effect of the presence of one doubting -Thomas. Like an insidious disease, a wavering, infirm belief is liable -to spread and cause the destruction of the hopes of those who come into -contact with it. The man who cannot face Mount Everest without at the -same time proclaiming that the mountain has the odds in its favour would -do better by himself and others to leave the proposition severely alone. -Of almost equal importance is the possession of what may be called -mental energy or will power, or simply “go.” Mountaineers may be divided -into two classes according to their behaviour when, tired and well-nigh -exhausted, they are called upon to make yet one more supreme effort. -There are those who, lacking the will power necessary to force their -jaded bodies on to still further action, give in; others, possessed of -an almost inexhaustible fund of mental energy, will rise to the -occasion, not once, but time and again. Physical pain is the safety -valve which nature has provided to prevent harm being done to the body -by exhaustion. But nature’s margin of safety is a wide one. On Everest, -this margin must be narrowed down, if necessary, to vanishing-point; and -this can only be done by the climber whose fund of mental energy is -sufficient to drive his body on and on, no matter how intense the pains -of exhaustion, even to destruction if need be. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - NOTES ON EQUIPMENT - - -Our recent experiences having shown that the greatest altitude at which -acclimatisation takes place is about 22,000 feet above sea-level, it may -be reasonably assumed that, from the climber’s point of view, high -altitude on Mount Everest begins at that height. Incidentally, also, on -approaching the North Col over the East Rongbuk Glacier, the snow and -ice conditions met with up to this level approximate very closely to -summer conditions in the Alps. Above 22,000 feet, however, such -conditions, particularly the state of the snow, resemble those met with -in the Alps in mid-winter. This high-altitude zone may be further -divided into two sub-zones—the first, from 22,000 feet (the foot of the -steep snow and ice slopes leading up to the North Col) to 23,000 feet, -in which climatic conditions are by no means severe, as the North Col -affords protection from the prevailing west wind; and the second, from -23,000 feet onwards, of which extreme cold and strong wind are the -predominant characteristics. - -It is therefore evident that the climber must be equipped according to -the zone in which he finds himself. In the first zone clothing somewhat -warmer than that used in the Alps in the summer is practically -sufficient. Owing to the marked intensity of the sun’s rays, however, it -is advisable to cover the trunk with at least one layer of sunproof -material, such as a sunproof shirt with spine pad, while a solar topee -and suitable snow-glasses constitute the best form of headgear. Crookes’ -glasses of smoke-blue colour proved superior to other varieties; they -afford complete protection from glare and do not cause eye-strain and -subsequent headache. As sunburn, even very superficial and involving -only a small area, is invariably followed by conditions of feverishness -which must impair one’s fitness, a veil should be worn over the face and -gloves on the hands. Oxygen should be employed from the foot of the -North Col slopes onwards, for no useful purpose can be served by tiring -oneself through not using it, when, as we have seen elsewhere, full -recovery from fatigue is no longer possible at 23,000 feet. The second -zone (from 23,000 feet onwards), where a radical change in climatic -conditions is manifest, demands more complicated preparation. Wind is -seldom absent, and the degree of intensity of the cold is comparable -with that met with at the Poles, and indeed probably often exceeds it. -Also, owing to the rarefied state of the atmosphere, the cold is felt -much more severely than would be the case at sea-level. A far greater -volume of air is expelled from the climber’s lungs, and this air, at -blood heat and under a low pressure approximating to one-third of an -atmosphere, is saturated with moisture drawn from the body viâ the -lungs. The result is a proportionately far greater loss of animal heat. -Further, the partial pressure of oxygen contained in a normal atmosphere -becomes so low at altitudes over 23,000 feet that, unless the climber -has recourse to a supply of oxygen carried by himself, his climbing -efficiency is enormously reduced. The climbing equipment of the -mountaineer in this second zone of high altitude should therefore -include, firstly, a supply of oxygen; secondly, warm and windproof -clothing and foot-gear; thirdly, plenty of food and drink, as the use of -oxygen has a most stimulating effect upon the appetite. - -The oxygen equipment has already been fully described by Mr. Unna in the -_Alpine Journal_, vol. xxxiv., page 235. The apparatus is, in principle, -quite simple. It consists of a frame carried on the shoulders of the -climber, at whose back, in a rack attached to the frame, are four steel -cylinders filled with oxygen compressed to 120 atmospheres. From the -cylinders the oxygen is taken by means of copper tubes over to an -instrument arm in front of the climber. This instrument arm, also -attached to the frame, carries the pressure gauges and so forth which -indicate how much oxygen the climber is left and how rapidly the -supplies are being used up. Close to the instrument arm and readily -accessible are the valves necessary for controlling the rate of flow of -oxygen from the apparatus. From the instrument arm the oxygen passes -through a flexible rubber tubing up to a mask covering the face of the -climber. The two types of mask supplied to the Expedition proved -useless, partly owing to their stifling effect upon the wearer, and -partly to the fact that saliva and moisture collected rapidly under them -and froze. Both, therefore, had to be discarded, but fortunately I was -able to make a substitute which functioned successfully. This mask -consists of a rubber tube into which is let a rubber bladder by means of -a glass T-piece, or by means of two straight pieces of glass tube let in -at opposite ends of the bladder. One end of the rubber tube is fastened -to the tube of the apparatus out of which the oxygen flows, the other -end being held in the climber’s mouth. On exhaling, the climber closes -the rubber tube by biting upon it, and the oxygen issuing from the -apparatus, instead of being wasted, is stored up in the rubber bladder. -On inhaling, the pressure of the teeth is released sufficiently to allow -the rubber tube to open, thus permitting the oxygen stored up in the -bladder to flow into the climber’s mouth, whence, mixing with the air -exhaled, it is drawn into the lungs. The chief advantages of this mask -are that, firstly, it economises oxygen to the greatest possible extent, -and secondly, the swelling and the shrinking of the bladder during each -exhalation and inhalation respectively give the climber a fair idea as -to how rapidly the oxygen is flowing from the apparatus, and thus -enables him to keep a check upon the readings of the flow-meter, or -instrument which indicates the rate of flow of gas. In actual practice -it was found that in the space of a few minutes the climber used the -mask quite automatically. The biting upon and closing the rubber tube -and subsequent opening were performed without mental effort. - -A certain amount of breathing takes place viâ the pores of the skin. As, -however, the best clothing for a climber on Mount Everest is windproof, -there is a likelihood of the air surrounding the body becoming stale, in -which case the process of skin-breathing is seriously impeded. This -difficulty could be easily surmounted by flushing out the stale air by -means of a tube inserted inside the climber’s clothes, the flushing-out -process being done at intervals by temporarily fixing this tube to the -orifice of the oxygen apparatus. It is not known definitely whether the -advantage gained would be worth the trouble, but there is every reason -for believing so. In any case it is a matter which might well be -critically tested on the next Expedition. - -Cigarette-smoking proved of great value at high altitudes. Geoffrey -Bruce, Tejbir, and I, after pitching camp at 25,500 feet, settled down -inside our little tent about 2.30 in the afternoon. From then until -seven o’clock the following evening we used no oxygen at all. At first -we noticed that unless one kept one’s mind on the question of -breathing—that is, made breathing a voluntary process instead of the -involuntary process it ordinarily is—one suffered from lack of air and a -consequent feeling of suffocation—a feeling from which one recovered by -voluntarily forcing the lungs to work faster than they would of their -own accord. There is a physiological explanation for this phenomenon. At -normal altitudes human blood holds in solution a considerable quantity -of carbon dioxide, which serves to stimulate the nerve centre -controlling one’s involuntary breathing. At great altitudes, however, -where, in order to obtain a sufficiency of oxygen, the climber is forced -to breathe enormous volumes of air, much of this carbon dioxide is -washed out of the blood, and the nerve centre, no longer sufficiently -stimulated, fails to promote an adequately active involuntary breathing. -A voluntary process must be substituted, and this throws a considerable -strain upon the mind, and renders sleep impossible. On smoking -cigarettes we discovered after the first few inhalations it was no -longer necessary to concentrate on breathing, the process becoming once -more an involuntary one. Evidently some constituent of cigarette smoke -takes the place and performs the stimulating function of the carbon -dioxide normally present. The effect of a cigarette lasted for about -three hours. Clothing is a most important matter. It would be difficult -to exaggerate the intensity of the cold encountered at high altitudes on -Mount Everest. Several layers—the innermost of which should be of silk, -the others wool of moderate weight—form a much better protection against -cold than one or two heavy layers. The chief item of clothing, however, -should consist of a jumper and trousers made of windproof material. Two -of these windproof suits should be worn one above the other, and every -precaution taken to reduce the circulation of the air to the smallest -possible extent. The hands must be protected in accordance with the same -principles, and the head. I used a R.N.A.S. pattern flying helmet and -found it most satisfactory. Helmet and snow-glasses should completely -cover the head and face, leaving no skin exposed. Boots were a source of -trouble to all, but fortunately we had so many different designs which -we could test out thoroughly that we are now able to form a very shrewd -idea as to which kind is the most suitable. Leather conducts heat too -well for reliance to be placed upon it for the preservation of warmth. -The uppers of the boots should be of felt, strengthened where necessary -to prevent stretching, by leather straps covered by duroprened canvas. -Toe and heel caps must be hard and strong, and the former especially -should be high, so that the toes are given plenty of room. The sole of -the boot should be composed of a layer of thin leather attached to a -layer of three-ply wood, hinged in two sections at the instep. A thin -layer of felt should form the inside of the sole. The boots should be -large enough to accommodate in comfort two pairs of thick socks, or, -even better still, two pairs of thin socks and one pair of thick socks. -Nails used in the boots should penetrate through the leather into the -three-ply wood, but not through the latter. - -In conclusion, I should like to thank the Governing Body of the Imperial -College of Science and Technology for granting me the necessary leave to -enable me to take part in the 1922 Mount Everest Expedition, and also -for granting me facilities for carrying out a considerable number of -investigations in the laboratory of the Department of Chemical -Technology upon questions relating, amongst others, to oxygen equipment, -fuels, and vacuum flasks. These last were required in order to enable us -to keep foods liquid at heights over 23,000 feet, and the flasks -obtained on the market proved quite useless for this purpose in view of -the fact that they had not been sufficiently well evacuated. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE THIRD ATTEMPT - - By - GEORGE LEIGH-MALLORY - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER X - - THE THIRD ATTEMPT - - -The project of making a third attempt this season was mooted immediately -on the return of Finch and Geoffrey Bruce to the Base Camp. There in -hours of idleness we had discussed their prospects and wondered what -they would be doing as we gazed at the mountain to make out the weather -on the great ridge. We were not surprised to learn when they came down -that the summit was still unconquered, and we were not yet prepared to -accept defeat. The difficulty was to find a party. Of the six who had -been already engaged only one was obviously fit for another great -effort. Somervell had shown a recuperative capacity beyond the rest of -us. After one day at the Base he had insisted on going up again to Camp -III in case he might be of use to the others. The rest were more or less -knocked out. Morshead’s frostbitten fingers and toes, from which he was -now suffering constant pain, caused grave anxiety of most serious -consequences, and the only plan for him was to go down to a lower -elevation as soon as possible. Norton’s feet had also been affected; he -complained at first only of bruises, but the cold had come through the -soles of his boots; his trouble too was frostbite. In any case he could -not have come up again, for the strain had told on his heart and he now -found himself left without energy or strength. - -Geoffrey Bruce’s feet also were so badly frostbitten that he could not -walk. Finch, however, was not yet to be counted out. He was evidently -very much exhausted, but an examination of his heart revealed no -disorder; it was hoped that in five or six days he would be able to -start again. My own case was doubtful. Of my frostbitten finger-tips -only one was giving trouble; the extremity above the first joint was -black, but the injury was not very deep. Longstaff, who took an interest -which we all appreciated in preventing us from doing ourselves permanent -injury, pointed out the probability that fingers already touched and -highly susceptible to cold would be much more severely injured next -time, and was inclined to turn me down, from his medical point of view, -on account of my fingers alone. A much more serious matter was the -condition of my heart. I felt weak and lazy when it was a question of -the least physical exertion, and the heart was found to have a “thrill.” -Though I was prepared to take risks with my fingers I was prepared to -take none with my heart, even had General Bruce allowed me. However, I -did not abandon hope. My heart was examined again on June 3, no thrill -was heard, and though my pulse was rapid and accelerated quickly with -exertion it was capable of satisfactory recovery. We at once arranged -that Somervell, Finch, and I, together with Wakefield and Crawford, -should set forth the same day. - -It was already evident that whatever we were to do would now have to -wait for the weather. Though the Lama at the Rongbuk Monastery had told -us that the monsoon was usually to be expected about June 10, and we -knew that it was late last year, the signs of its approach were -gathering every day. Mount Everest could rarely be seen after 9 or 10 -a.m. until the clouds cleared away in the evening; and a storm -approaching from the West Rongbuk Glacier would generally sweep down the -valley in the afternoon. Though we came to despise this blustering -phenomenon,—for nothing worse came of it than light hail or snow, either -at our camp or higher,—we should want much fairer days for climbing, and -each storm threatened to be the beginning of something far more serious. -However, we planned to be on the spot to take any chance that offered. -The signs were even more ominous than usual as Finch and I walked up to -Camp I on the afternoon of June 3; we could hardly feel optimistic; and -it was soon apparent that, far from having recovered his strength, my -companion was quite unfit for another big expedition. We walked slowly -and frequently halted; it was painful to see what efforts it cost him to -make any progress. However, he persisted in coming on. - -We had not long disposed ourselves comfortably within the four square -walls of our “sangar,” always a pleasant change from the sloping sides -of a tent, when snow began to fall. Released at last by the West wind -which had held it back, the monsoon was free to work its will, and we -soon understood that the great change of weather had now come. Fine, -glistening particles were driven by the wind through the chinks in our -walls, to be drifted on the floor or on our coverings where we lay -during the night; and as morning grew the snow still fell as thickly as -ever. Finch wisely decided to go back, and we charged him with a message -to General Bruce, saying that we saw no reason at present to alter our -plans. With the whole day to spend confined and inactive we had plenty -of time to consider what we ought to do under these conditions. We went -over well-worn arguments once more. It would have been an obvious and -easy course, for which no one could reproach us, to have said simply, -The monsoon has come; this is the end of the climbing season; it is time -to go home. But the case, we felt, was not yet hopeless. The monsoon is -too variable and uncertain to be so easily admitted as the final -arbiter. There might yet be good prospects ahead of us. It was not -unreasonable to expect an interval of fine weather after the first heavy -snow, and with eight or ten fair days a third attempt might still be -made. In any case, to retire now if the smallest chance remained to us -would be an unworthy end to the Expedition. We need not run our heads -into obvious danger; but rather than be stopped by a general estimate of -conditions we would prefer to retire before some definite risk that we -were not prepared to take or simply fail to overcome the difficulties. - -After a second night of unremitting snowfall the weather on the morning -of June 5 improved and we decided to go on. Low and heavy clouds were -still flowing down the East Rongbuk Glacier, but precipitation ceased at -an early hour and the sky brightened to the West. It was surprising, -after all we had seen of the flakes passing our door, that no great -amount of snow was lying on the stones about our camp. But the snow had -come on a warm current and melted or evaporated, so that after all the -depth was no more than 6 inches at this elevation (17,500 feet). Even on -the glacier we went up a long way before noticing a perceptible increase -of depth. We passed Camp II, not requiring to halt at this stage, and -were well up towards Camp III before the fresh snow became a serious -impediment. It was still snowing up here, though not very heavily; there -was nothing to cheer the grey scene; the clinging snow about our feet -was so wet that even the best of our boots were soaked through, and the -last two hours up to Camp III were tiresome enough. Nor was it a -cheering camp when we reached it. The tents had been struck for the -safety of the poles, but not packed up. We found them now half-full of -snow and ice. The stores were all buried; everything that we wanted had -first to be dug out. - -The snow up here was so much deeper that we anxiously discussed the -possibility of going further. With 15 to 18 inches of snow to contend -with, not counting drifts, the labour would be excessive, and until the -snow solidified there would be considerable danger at several points. -But the next morning broke fine; we had soon a clear sky and glorious -sunshine; it was the warmest day that any of us remembered at Camp III; -and as we watched the amazing rapidity with which the snow solidified -and the rocks began to appear about our camp, our spirits rose. The side -of Everest facing us looked white and cold; but we observed a cloud of -snow blown from the North Ridge; it would not be long at this rate -before it was fit to climb. We had already resolved to use oxygen on the -third attempt. It was improbable that we should beat our own record -without it, for the strain of previous efforts would count against us, -and we had not the time to improve on our organisation by putting a -second camp above the North Col. Somervell, after Finch’s explanation of -the mechanical details, felt perfectly confident that he could manage -the oxygen apparatus, and all those who had used oxygen were convinced -that they went up more easily with its help than they could expect to go -without it. Somervell and I intended to profit by their experience. They -had discovered that the increased combustion in the body required a -larger supply of food; we must arrange for a bountiful provision. Their -camp at 25,000 feet had been too low; we would try to establish one now, -as we had intended before, at 26,000 feet. And we hoped for a further -advantage in going higher than Finch and Bruce had done before using -oxygen; whereas they had started using it at 21,000 feet, we intended to -go up to our old camp at 25,000 feet without it, perhaps use a cylinder -each up to 26,000 feet, and at all events start from that height for the -summit with a full supply of four cylinders. If this was not the correct -policy as laid down by Professor Dryer, it would at least be a valuable -experiment. - -Our chief anxiety under these new conditions was to provide for the -safety of our porters. We hoped that after fixing our fifth camp at -26,000 feet, at the earliest three days, hence on the fourth day of fine -weather, the porters might be able to go down by themselves to the North -Col in easy conditions; to guard against the danger of concealed -crevasses there Crawford would meet them at the foot of the North Ridge -to conduct them properly roped to Camp IV. As the supply officer at this -camp he would also be able to superintend the descent over the first -steep slope of certain porters who would go down from Camp IV without -sleeping after carrying up their loads. - -But the North Col had first to be reached. With so much new snow to -contend with we should hardly get there in one day. If we were to make -the most of our chance in the interval of fair weather, we should lose -no time in carrying up the loads for some part of the distance. It was -decided therefore to begin this work on the following day, June 7. - -In the ascent to the North Col after the recent snowfall we considered -that an avalanche was to be feared only in one place, the steep final -slope below the shelf. There we could afford to run no risk; we must -test the snow and be certain that it was safe before we could cross this -slope. Probably we should be obliged to leave our loads below it, having -gained, as a result of our day’s work, the great advantage of a track. -An avalanche might also come down, we thought, on the first steep slope -where the ascent began. Here it could do us no harm, and the behaviour -of the snow on this slope would be a test of its condition. - -The party, Somervell, Crawford, and I, with fourteen porters (Wakefield -was to be supply officer at Camp III), set out at 8 a.m. In spite of the -hard frost of the previous night, the crust was far from bearing our -weight; we sank up to our knees in almost every step, and two hours were -taken in traversing the snowfield. At 10.15 a.m., Somervell, I, a -porter, and Crawford, roped up in that order, began to work up the steep -ice-slope, now covered with snow. It was clear that the three of us -without loads must take the lead in turns stamping out the track for our -porters. These men, after their immense efforts on the first and second -attempts, had all volunteered to “go high,” as they said once more, and -everything must be done to ease the terrible work of carrying the loads -over the soft snow. No trace was found of our previous tracks, and we -were soon arguing as to where exactly they might be as we slanted across -the slope. It was remarkable that the snow adhered so well to the ice -that we were able to get up without cutting steps. Everything was done -by trenching the snow to induce it to come down if it would; every test -gave a satisfactory result. Once this crucial place was passed, we -plodded on without hesitation. If the snow would not come down where we -had formerly encountered steep bare ice, a fortiori, above, on the -gentler slopes, we had nothing to fear. The thought of an avalanche was -dismissed from our minds. - -It was necessarily slow work forging our way through the deep snow, but -the party was going extraordinarily well, and the porters were evidently -determined to get on. Somervell gave us a long lead, and Crawford next, -in spite of the handicap of shorter legs, struggled upwards in some of -the worst snow we met until I relieved him. I found the effort at each -step so great that no method of breathing I had formerly employed was -adequate; it was necessary to pause after each lifting movement for a -whole series of breaths, rapid at first and gradually slower, before the -weight was transferred again to the other foot. About 1.30 p.m. I -halted, and the porters, following on three separate ropes, soon came up -with the leading party. We should have been glad to stay where we were -for a long rest. But the hour was already late, and as Somervell was -ready to take the lead again, we decided to push on. We were now about -400 feet below a conspicuous block of ice and 600 feet below Camp IV, -still on the gentle slopes of the corridor. Somervell had advanced only -100 feet, rather up the slope than across it, and the last party of -porters had barely begun to move up in the steps. The scene was -peculiarly bright and windless, and as we rarely spoke, nothing was to -be heard but the laboured panting of our lungs. This stillness was -suddenly disturbed. We were startled by an ominous sound, sharp, -arresting, violent, and yet somehow soft like an explosion of untamped -gunpowder. I had never before on a mountain-side heard such a sound; but -all of us, I imagine, knew instinctively what it meant, as though we had -been accustomed to hear it every day of our lives. In a moment I -observed the surface of the snow broken and puckered where it had been -even for a few yards to the right of me. I took two steps convulsively -in this direction with some quick thought of getting nearer to the edge -of the danger that threatened us. And then I began to move slowly -downwards, inevitably carried on the whole moving surface by a force I -was utterly powerless to resist. Somehow I managed to turn out from the -slope so as to avoid being pushed headlong and backwards down it. For a -second or two I seemed hardly to be in danger as I went quietly sliding -down with the snow. Then the rope at my waist tightened and held me -back. A wave of snow came over me and I was buried. I supposed that the -matter was settled. However, I called to mind experiences related by -other parties; and it had been suggested that the best chance of escape -in this situation lay in swimming. I thrust out my arms above my head -and actually went through some sort of motions of swimming on my back. -Beneath the surface of the snow, with nothing to inform the senses of -the world outside it, I had no impression of speed after the first -acceleration—I struggled in the tumbling snow, unconscious of everything -else—until, perhaps, only a few seconds later, I knew the pace was -easing up. I felt an increasing pressure about my body. I wondered how -tightly I should be squeezed, and then the avalanche came to rest. - -My arms were free; my legs were near the surface. After a brief -struggle, I was standing again, surprised and breathless, in the -motionless snow. But the rope was tight at my waist; the porter tied on -next me, I supposed, must be deeply buried. To my further surprise, he -quickly emerged, unharmed as myself. Somervell and Crawford too, though -they had been above me by the rope’s length, were now quite close, and -soon extricated themselves. We subsequently made out that their -experiences had been very similar to mine. But where were the rest? -Looking down over the foam of snow, we saw one group of porters some -little distance, perhaps 150 feet, below us. Presumably the others must -be buried somewhere between us and them, and though no sign of these -missing men appeared, we at once prepared to find and dig them out. The -porters we saw still stood their ground instead of coming up to help. We -soon made out that they were the party who had been immediately behind -us, and they were pointing below them. They had travelled further than -us in the avalanche, presumably because they were nearer the centre, -where it was moving more rapidly. The other two parties, one of four and -one of five men roped together, must have been carried even further. We -could still hope that they were safe. But as we hurried down we soon saw -that beneath the place where the four porters were standing was a -formidable drop; it was only too plain that the missing men had been -swept over it. We had no difficulty in finding a way round this -obstacle; in a very short time we were standing under its shadow. The -ice-cliff was from 40 to 60 feet high in different places; the crevasse -at its foot was more or less filled up with avalanche snow. Our fears -were soon confirmed. One man was quickly uncovered and found to be still -breathing; before long we were certain that he would live. Another whom -we dug out near him had been killed by the fall. He and his party -appeared to have struck the hard lower lip of the crevasse, and were -lying under the snow on or near the edge of it. The four porters who had -escaped soon pulled themselves together after the first shock of the -accident, and now worked here with Crawford and did everything they -could to extricate the other bodies, while Somervell and I went down -into the crevasse. A loop of rope which we pulled up convinced us that -the other party must be here. It was slow work loosening the snow with -the pick or adze of an ice-axe and shovelling it with the hands. But we -were able to follow the rope to the bodies. One was dug up lifeless; -another was found upside down, and when we uncovered his face Somervell -thought he was still breathing. We had the greatest difficulty in -extricating this man, so tightly was the snow packed about his limbs; -his load, four oxygen cylinders on a steel frame, had to be cut from his -back, and eventually he was dragged out. Though buried for about forty -minutes, he had survived the fall and the suffocation, and suffered no -serious harm. Of the two others in this party of four, we found only -one. We had at length to give up a hopeless search with the certain -knowledge that the first of them to be swept over the cliff, and the -most deeply buried, must long ago be dead. Of the other five, all the -bodies were recovered, but only one was alive. The two who had so -marvellously escaped were able to walk down to Camp III, and were almost -perfectly well next day. The other seven were killed. - -This tragic calamity was naturally the end of the third attempt to climb -Mount Everest. The surviving porters who had lost their friends or -brothers behaved with dignity, making no noisy parade of the grief they -felt. We asked them whether they wished to go up and bring down the -bodies for orderly burial. They preferred to leave them where they were. -For my part, I was glad of this decision. What better burial could they -have than to lie in the snow where they fell? In their honour a large -cairn was built at Camp III. - -A few words must be added with regard to this accident. No one will -imagine that we had pushed on recklessly disregarding the new conditions -of fresh snow. Three members of the Alpine Club, with experience of -judging snow for themselves, chiefly, of course, in the Alps, had all -supposed that the party was safe. They had imagined that on those gentle -slopes the snow would not move. In what way had they been deceived? The -fact that the avalanche snow came to rest on the slope where they were -proves that their calculation was not so very far wrong. But the snow -cannot all have been of the quality that adhered so well to the steep -ice-slope lower down. Where the avalanche started, not from the line of -their steps, but about 100 feet higher, it was shaded to some extent by -a broken wall of ice. There, perhaps, it had both drifted more deeply -and remained more free and powdery, and the weight of this snow was -probably sufficient to push the other down the slope once its surface -had been disturbed. More experience, more knowledge might perhaps have -warned us not to go there. One never can know enough about snow. But -looking up the corridor again after the event, I wondered how I ever -could be certain not to be deceived by appearances so innocent. - -The regret of all members of the Expedition for the loss of our seven -porters will have been elsewhere expressed. It is my part only to add -this: the work of carrying up our camps on Mount Everest is beyond the -range of a simple contract measured in terms of money; the porters had -come to have a share in our enterprise, and these men died in an act of -voluntary service freely rendered and faithfully performed. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XI - - CONCLUSIONS - - -It might be supposed that, from the experience of two expeditions to -Mount Everest, it would be possible to deduce an estimate of the dangers -and difficulties involved and to formulate a plan for overcoming the -obstacles which would meet with universal approval among mountaineers. -But, in fact, though many deductions could hardly be denied, I should be -surprised to find, even among us of the second party, anything like -complete agreement either in our judgment of events or in our ideas for -the future. Accordingly, I must be understood as expressing only my -personal opinions. The reader, no doubt, will judge the book more -interesting if he finds the joint authors disagreeing among themselves. - -The story of the first attempt to climb the mountain in 1922 will have -no doubts on one point. The final camp was too low. However strong a -party may be brought to the assault, their aim, unless they are provided -with oxygen, must be to establish a camp considerably higher than our -camp at 25,000 feet. The whole performance of the porters encourages us -to believe that this can be done. Some of them went to a height of -25,000 feet and more, not once only, but thrice; and they accomplished -this feat with strength to spare. It is reasonable to suppose that these -same men, or others of their type, could carry loads up to 27,000 feet. -But it would be equally unreasonable to suppose that they could reach -this height in one day from the camp on Chang La at 23,000 feet. No one -would be so foolish as to organise an attempt on this assumption. Two -camps instead of one must be placed above the Chang La; another stage -must be added to the structure before the climbing party sets forth to -reach the summit. - -But how exactly is this to be done? It is to this question that one -would wish to deduce an answer from the experience of 1922. It is very -unlikely that any future party will find itself in the position to carry -out any ideal plan of organisation. Ideally, they ought to start by -considering what previous performances might help or hinder the aim of -bringing the party of attack in the fittest possible condition to the -last camp. What ought they to have done or not to have done, having -regard to acclimatisation? It is still impossible to lay down the law on -this head. After the first Expedition, I supposed that the limit of -acclimatisation must be somewhere about 21,000 feet. It now seems -probable that it is higher. One of the physiologists who has been most -deeply concerned with this problem of acclimatisation considers that it -would probably be desirable, from the physiological point of view, to -stay four or five days at 25,000 feet before proceeding to attempt the -two last stages on consecutive days. Those of us who slept at Camp V for -the first attempt would certainly be agreed in our attitude towards this -counsel. The desire to continue the advance and spend another night at a -higher elevation, if it persisted at all for so long a time at 25,000 -feet, would be chilled to tepidity, and the increasing desire to get -away from Camp V might lead to retreat instead of advance. The -conditions must be altogether more comfortable if the climbers are to -derive any advantage from their rustication at this altitude. It would -not be impossible, perhaps, if every effort were concentrated on this -end, to make a happy home where the aspiring mountaineers might pass a -long week-end in enjoyment of the simplest life at 25,000 feet; it would -not be practicable, having regard to other ends to be served by the -system of transport. But it might be well to spend a similar period for -acclimatisation 2,000 feet lower on the Chang La. There a very -comfortable camp, with perfect shelter from the prevailing wind and good -snow to lie on, can easily be established. Noel actually spent three -successive nights there in 1922, and apparently was the better rather -than the worse for the experience. - -No less important in this connection is the effect of exertions at high -altitudes on a man’s subsequent performance. We have to take into -account the condition of the climbing parties when they returned to the -Base Camp after reaching approximately 27,000 feet. With one exception, -all the climbers were affected in various degrees by their exertions, to -the prejudice of future efforts. It would seem, therefore, that they -cannot have had much strength to spare for the final stage to the -summit. But there was a general agreement among the climbers that it was -not so much the normal exertion of climbing upwards that was in itself -unduly exhausting, but the addition of anything that might be considered -abnormal, such as cutting steps, contending with wind, pushing on for a -particular reason at a faster pace, and the many little things that had -to be done in camp. It is difficult from a normal elevation to -appreciate how great is the difference between establishing a camp on -the one hand and merely ascending to one already established on the -other. If ever it proves possible to organise an advanced party whose -business it would be to establish at 25,000 feet a much more comfortable -camp than ours in 1922, and if, in addition, a man could be spared to -undertake the preparation of meals, the climbers detailed for the -highest section of all would both be spared a considerable fatigue and -would have a better chance of real rest and sleep. - -The peculiar dangers of climbing at great altitudes were illustrated by -the experience of 1922. The difficulty of maintaining the standard of -sound and accurate mountaineering among a party all more or less -affected by the conditions, and the delays and misfortunes that may -arise from the exhaustion of one of the party, are dangers which might -be minimised by a supporting party. Two men remaining at the final camp -and two men near Camp V watching the progress of the unit of assault -along the final ridge, and prepared to come to their assistance, might -serve to produce vital stimulants, hot tea or merely water, at the -critical moment, and to protect the descent. It is a counsel of -perfection to suggest providing against contingencies on this lavish -scale; but it is well to bear in mind the ideal. And there is, besides, -a precaution which surely can and will be taken: to take a supply of -oxygen for restorative purposes. The value of oxygen for restoring -exhausted and warming cold men was sufficiently well illustrated during -the second attempt in 1922. - -[Illustration: - - CHANG LA AND NORTH-EAST SHOULDER OF MOUNT EVEREST -] - -The question as to whether the use of oxygen will otherwise help or -hinder climbers is one about which opinions may be expected to disagree. -Anyone who thinks that it is impossible to get up without oxygen can -claim that nothing has shown it to be impossible to get up with its aid. -For my part, I don’t think it impossible to get up without oxygen. The -difference of atmospheric pressure between 27,000 feet and the summit is -small, and it is safe to conclude that men who have exerted themselves -at 27,000 feet could live without difficulty for a number of hours on -the summit. As to whether their power of progress would give out before -reaching 29,000 feet, it is impossible to dogmatise. I can only say that -nothing in the experience of the first attempt has led me to suppose -that those last 2,000 feet cannot be climbed in a day. I am not -competent to sift and weigh all the evidence as to whether, how much, -and with what consumption of gas it was easier to proceed up the slopes -of Mount Everest with oxygen so far as Finch and Bruce went on that -memorable day. But I do venture to combat the suggestion that it is -necessarily easier to reach the top in that manner. I think no one will -dispute the statement that the final camp for the second attempt was too -low, as it had been for the first, to enable the oxygen party to reach -the summit. With the same apparatus it will be necessary in this case -also to provide a second camp above the North Col. And the question for -the moment will ultimately be, is it possible to add to that immense -burden of transport to 27,000 feet the weight of the oxygen cylinders -required? - -The weather in all probability will have something to say to this -problem. The Expedition of 1922 was certainly not favoured by the -weather. There was no continuous spell of calm fine days, and the summer -snows began a week earlier than the most usual date. One wonders what -sort of weather is to be expected with the most favourable conditions on -Mount Everest. It is conceivable that a series of calm fine days -sometimes precede the monsoon. But when we consider the perpetual winds -of Tibet at all seasons, it seems unlikely that Mount Everest is often -immune from this abominable visitation. It is far more likely that the -calm day is a rare exception, and only to be expected when the -north-westerly current is neutralised by the monsoon from the -South-east. The ill-luck of 1922 may probably be computed as no more -than those seven days by which the monsoon preceded expectation. With so -short a time for preparations and advance, we were indeed unfortunate in -meeting an early monsoon. And it is hardly possible considerably to -extend the available time by starting earlier. There was only the barest -trickle of water at the Base Camp on May 1, 1922, and the complications -involved by the necessity of melting snow for water, both here and at -all higher stages, for any considerable time, would be a severe -handicap. But it must be remembered that the second attempt was made a -week before the monsoon broke. Time appeared short on the mountain -chiefly from the threat of bad weather and the signs showing that the -majority of days were, to say the least, extremely disagreeable for -climbing high on the mountain. If others are confronted by similar -conditions, they too will probably feel that each fine day must be -utilised and the attack must be pressed on; for the fine days past will -not come back, and ahead is the uncertain monsoon. - -A final question may now be asked: What advantages will another -Expedition have which we did not have in 1922? In one small and in one -large matter the next Expedition may be better equipped. It was -disappointing, after so much time and thought had been expended upon the -problem of foot-gear, that nothing was evolved in 1922 which succeeded -in taking the place of Alpine boots of well-known patterns. The great -disadvantage of these sorts of boot is that one cannot wear crampons -with them at these high altitudes, for the strap bound tightly round the -foot will almost certainly cause frostbite; either different boots or -different spikes must be invented if the climbers are to have crampons -or their equivalent. It is essential that they should be so equipped to -avoid the labour of step-cutting, and the lack of this equipment might -well rob them of victory on the steep final slopes below the summit. -This matter of foot-gear is not so very small, after all. But a still -more important one is the oxygen apparatus. It is conceivable, and I -believe by no means unlikely, that a different type of cylinder may be -used in the future, and capable of containing more oxygen, compared with -the same weight, than those of 1922. A 50 per cent. improvement in this -direction should alter the whole problem of using oxygen. With this -advantage it might well be possible to go to the top and back with the -four cylinders which a man may be expected to carry from a height of -25,000 feet or little higher. If a second camp above the North Col -becomes unnecessary in this way, the whole effort required, and -especially the effort of transport, will be reduced to the scale of what -has already been accomplished, and can no doubt be accomplished again. - -The further advantage of a future Expedition is simply that of -experience. It amounts to something, one cannot say how much. In small -ways a number of mistakes may be avoided. The provision of this and that -may be more accurately calculated according to tried values. The whole -organisation of life in high camps should be rather more efficient. -Beyond all this, the experience of 1922 should help when the moment -comes towards the making of a right plan; and a party which chooses -rightly what to do and when to do it, and can so exclude other -possibilities as to be certain that no better way could be chosen, has a -great advantage. But, when all is said as to experience and equipment, -it still remains true that success requires a quality. History repeats -itself, perhaps, but in a vague and general fashion only where mountains -are concerned. The problem of reaching the summit is every time a fresh -one. The keen eye for a fair opportunity and resource in grave -emergencies are no less necessary to the mountaineer everywhere, and not -least upon Mount Everest, than determination to carry through the high -project, the simple will to conquer in the struggle. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - NOTES - - By - T. HOWARD SOMERVELL - - on - - ACCLIMATISATION AT HIGH - ALTITUDES - - COLOUR IN TIBET - - TIBETAN CULTURE - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XII - - ACCLIMATISATION AT HIGH ALTITUDES - - -The Everest Expedition of 1922 had no preconceived programme of -scientific investigation, and was first and foremost an attempt to get -up the mountain; though, as I had been connected with physiological -research for some years, I was naturally anxious to make observations on -the effect of altitude on the human frame. These observations were -rather subjective, and were unaccompanied by any accurate data—in other -words, the reader will be relieved to hear that there are no tables of -figures to be reproduced. Barcroft and others were in the course of -their Expedition to the Andes, and I knew full well their results would -supply more accurate information on the exact process of acclimatisation -at high altitudes than anything we could do with our simpler apparatus. -We left it to this other Expedition, therefore, to supply the figures, -while our observations were exclusively on the practical side; that is -to say, we observed the rapidity and effect of acclimatisation, while -not investigating exactly how it is brought about. - -The first effect of altitude, in such moderate degree as we encountered -it on the plains of Tibet, was almost entirely a mere breathlessness, -which limited our rate of walking, and increased the popularity of our -uncomfortable Tibetan saddles when travelling uphill. A few of us had -severe headaches from time to time; at the modest height of 17,000 feet -I noticed Cheyne-Stokes respiration at night when lying down, though -never when sitting or standing; and I remember being distinctly amused -at the fact that one was unable to control it.[7] A few of the party had -a single attack of vomiting, but no permanent effect was noticed, and by -the time we had lived on the Tibetan Plateau for a few weeks we had lost -all ill effects save only breathlessness, which, of course, persisted to -some extent until we reached comparatively low elevations. Further -effect at these heights was not noticed save in the case of some of the -older members of the party, who suffered from a considerable loss of -appetite while at the Base Camp at 16,000 feet; this effect on appetite -did not improve as time went on. - -Footnote 7: - - For the benefit of the non-medical reader, Cheyne-Stokes breathing is - the gradual alternation of shallow and deep respirations: usually - about ten shallow breaths are followed by respirations which get - gradually deeper; then by three or four really deep ones, which become - shallower until the cycle recommences. - -It was when we began the more serious work on the mountain that we made -the most interesting observations on acclimatisation, and proved both -its rapidity (which was known before) and its persistence to great -heights. Scientists of various schools had, before the start of the -Expedition, predicted that acclimatisation would be impossible above the -height of 20,000 feet. Why they had done so will always remain a mystery -to me; but possibly they were misled by the fact that so many climbing -expeditions in the past have failed somewhere in the region of 23,000 -feet above sea-level. We were enabled, however, to prove conclusively -that acclimatisation does go on to greater heights; in fact, I do not -see a theoretical limit to it at any elevation below the top of Mount -Everest. Our observations were largely subjective, but for that reason -they are perhaps all the more to be appreciated by the general reader; -and in view of their subjective nature I may perhaps be pardoned in -substituting “feelings” for figures and putting information in the form -of a personal experience. - -When Mallory and I arrived at Camp III and established it on the site -chosen by the reconnaissance party, our first concern was the -preparation of another camp at the North Col. I shall never forget our -first ascent up that accursed slope of snow and ice, each step a -hardship, every foot a fight; until at last we lay almost exhausted on -the top. After a day or two at Camp III below, we went up again to the -col, this time with Strutt and Morshead, and I think Norton. The ascent -of the col this time was hard work, but not more than that; and after -the col had been reached Morshead and I were sufficiently cheerful to -explore the way leading up to Everest. A day or two later we again -ascended the North Col, and never really noticed more discomfort than -was occasioned by breathlessness. Though not possessing the scientific -data which explained this change in our condition, yet in those few days -of life at 21,000 feet we had become acclimatised to our altitude to a -very remarkable degree; what had previously been a hard struggle had now -become a comparatively easy job. By this rapid change in our -constitution we had not only proved the predictions of scientists to be -wrong, but had gained the physical power which took us without -artificial oxygen supply to 27,000 feet, and we had determined that -acclimatisation is not only possible but is also quite rapid at these -high altitudes. - -Thus, by sojourn and exercise for a week above 20,000 feet, we obtained -the physiological equipment necessary for an attempt on the mountain, -and at this point some personal experiences may be of interest, though -possibly of no great importance. We found that, as we ascended, we fell -into an automatic rate of breathing; Mallory preferred to breathe slowly -and deeply, while rapid and shallower respirations appealed to me; but -we all walked upwards at almost exactly the same rate at any given -height. Below the North Col, I took three breaths to a step, while at -26,000 feet I was taking five complete respirations; but as long as I -was walking slowly enough I experienced no distress or discomfort. If -one hurried for a short distance, one was forced to rest for a few -seconds—a rest was imperative, and one felt it were impossible to do -without it; but as long as an even pace was kept up, one had no desire -to stop, nor to make one’s admiration of the landscape an excuse for -delaying one’s comrades. At the height of 26,000 feet, I took my pulse -(which was 180) and my respirations (which were 50 to 55 to the minute); -but withal one felt perfectly comfortable even though these abnormal -physiological conditions were present. No doubt the heart must be young -to stand this rate of beating for many hours; yet not too young, or it -will easily become enlarged and permanently damaged. - -In view of our experiences it seems justifiable to predict that -acclimatisation at 23,000 feet will be sufficient for the attainment of -the summit of Mount Everest, if indeed a sojourn at 21,000 feet is -insufficient—which is to my mind more than doubtful. The other important -practical observation we made is less encouraging: namely, that we all -varied in our rate of acclimatisation, and in fact some of our number -(especially the older ones among us) actually seemed to deteriorate in -condition while staying at a great height. But I think we proved that it -is possible to climb to the summit of Everest without the use of oxygen, -though the selection of men who are able to do so is very difficult -until those heights are actually reached at which acclimatisation -becomes established. Personally I felt perfectly well at 27,000 feet, -and my condition seemed no different at that height from what it had -been at 25,000 feet, or even lower; and I have no doubt there are many -people, if only they can be found, who can get to the top of Everest -unaided save by their own physiological reaction to a life at 21,000 -feet for a few days. If a number of such people were allowed to live at -a height corresponding to our Camp III for a fortnight or so, making -perhaps a few minor excursions to 23,000 or 24,000 feet, then I have no -doubt from the physiological point of view that they will be able to -climb Mount Everest, provided the weather is fine and the wind not too -violent. Without allowing time for acclimatisation to take place, it is -probable that nobody—that is, unless some _lusus naturæ_ exists—will -reach the summit; if artificially supplied oxygen be used, the -acclimatisation may not be necessary; but the danger of an attempt by -non-acclimatised men with oxygen apparatus is that a breakdown of the -apparatus might lead to serious consequences, while a fully acclimatised -man is probably just as capable of standing a height of 29,000 feet, -unaided, as you or I would be able to stand the height of Mount Blanc -to-morrow. When the Expedition of 1922 started I was personally of -opinion that nobody could exist at a height about 25,000 or 26,000 feet -without oxygen; but since we have proved that this can be done, it seems -that the chances of climbing the mountain are probably greater if oxygen -be not used. For the apparatus, and the spare cylinders required, -necessitate the use of a large number of coolies; while in an attempt -without oxygen only three or four coolies are required for the camping -equipment and the food at the highest camp. Therefore it seems that the -best chance of getting to the top of Mount Everest lies in the sending -out of some nine or ten climbers, who can remain at a high camp, become -thoroughly acclimatised, and then make a series of expeditions up the -mountain, three or so at a time, as continuously as weather conditions -will allow. By adopting these tactics the number of possible attempts up -the mountain can be increased; and it seems to me that the chances of -climbing to the summit lie in the multiplicity of possible attempts -rather than in any other direction. It were better to prepare for a -number of attempts each by a small but acclimatised party, rather than -to stake all on one or two highly organised endeavours, in which oxygen, -and a large number of coolies, are used. It is only a small proportion -of coolies who can get up to the heights of 25,000 or 27,000 feet, and -they should be used for any one attempt as sparingly as possible. During -the war we all had our ideas of how it should be run, and they were -generally wrong; the above plan is the writer’s idea of how to climb -Mount Everest, and may or may not be right, but is enunciated for what -it is worth. - -Among subsidiary effects of extreme altitudes, were those upon appetite, -temper, and mental condition generally. Most of us will admit a good -deal of peevishness and irritability while at a level of 22,000 feet and -more; for the altitude undoubtedly makes one lose to some extent one’s -mental balance, and the first way in which this appears on the surface -is by a ruffling of the temper. In addition, one has a certain lack of -determination, and when at a height approaching 27,000 feet I remember -distinctly that I cared very little whether we reached the top of -Everest or not. A good instance of this altered attitude of mind is -provided by the fact that Finch and Bruce took a camera with them on -their ascent, and forgot to take any photographs of their last day’s -climbing. - -I have mentioned the deleterious effect of altitude on the appetite of -some of our older members; but the same was to some extent true of us -all. I have the most vivid recollection of distaste for food during our -first few days at Camp III, and especially of the way one had almost to -push a prune down one’s throat on the way up to the North Col; but with -the majority of us this distaste for food (especially for meat and the -slowly-digested foods) diminished during our sojourn at great heights, -though our appetites never became quite normal until we reached one of -the lower camps. Those who had oxygen reported that they had large -appetites above the North Col; and there is no doubt that it is the -rarefaction of the air that causes this alteration of the appetite. One -may perhaps be justified in assuming that the secretion of gastric juice -is diminished while air that is poor in oxygen is inhaled, though it is -rather hard to understand how this is brought about. - -Although acclimatisation is not entirely connected with the actual -increase in the number of blood corpuscles (as has been proved by -Barcroft in 1922), yet this is still recognised as one of the important -factors in its production. But this increase in the concentration of the -blood must be associated with a great increase in its viscosity, and -when that is combined with intense cold with its accompanying -constriction of all the smaller blood-vessels, there are present all the -conditions necessary for the production of frostbite. Therefore -acclimatisation with all its benefits probably increases the risk of -frostbite; hence one who is acclimatised must be especially careful of -feet and hands and their coverings. It is hard to put on too many -clothes at a great altitude, and very easy to put on too few. - -The chief point still remaining to be mentioned concerns the -after-effects of the climbing of Everest; but these varied so much that -they give us little or no scientific information. Some of us were tired -for twenty-four hours only, some for many days; some were reported to -have enlarged hearts, while in some the heart was normal; some were -incapacitated by frostbite, though their general physical condition was -very probably good. One therefore cannot generalise about after-effects, -but as a medical man I felt strongly (by observation on myself and my -companions on the Expedition) that if one is to “live to fight another -day” and to require the minimum recuperation period after an attempt on -the mountain, it is essential during the attempt to keep oneself well -within one’s powers. One is tempted to go too hard, and to exert one’s -strength to its limits; but it is just the last few ounces of strength -which call forth the greatest effort and make the maximum demands on -one’s resources; and if these resources are to be used to their full -extent they should be continuously conserved by an avoidance of definite -hurry. Personally I am of opinion that exercise before the climbing -begins is of great value. Mallory and I were the only ones whom -Longstaff allowed to make two attempts on Everest; and we were probably -rendered fit in this way by the subsidiary expeditions we had made on -the way to Mount Everest and by our preliminary work in getting the camp -ready on the North Col. It is, however, hard to generalise on a point -like this, but each man knows the idiosyncrasies of his own -constitution, and it should be left to individuals to a great extent to -see that their condition on arrival at the foot of the mountain is the -best that is possible. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - - COLOUR IN TIBET - - -In order to bring before the reader a vivid picture of Tibet, and -especially of the region around Mount Everest, a comparison between -Tibet and other better-known countries is almost inevitable. The -Expedition of 1922 took with them no official artist, or no doubt he -would have been deputed to write this section of the book; there were, -however, two people who tried to paint pictures of the country, Major -Norton and myself; and though I realise how inadequate our efforts were, -perhaps those of an official artist might have been almost as bad. -However, as one who looks on the world with an eye for its beauty, -although lacking the ability to transfer that beauty to canvas, one may -perhaps be pardoned for endeavouring to describe certain general -impressions of the scenery encountered by the Expedition. - -In the course of our journey we passed through a great variety of -landscape; in Sikkim, for instance, we found a land of steep slopes and -dense forests, while Tibet is almost a desert country. We experienced -the clear air of the winter, and the mists and storm-clouds of the -monsoon. While we were on the rolling plains of the Tibetan Plateau, -only a few miles away were the snow-covered summits of the highest -mountains in the world. - -Sikkim is a country of deep valleys and of luxurious vegetation; the air -is generally damp and the skies cloudy, and there is often a beautiful -blue haze that gives atmosphere to the distance. Sikkim is not unlike -the Italian side of the Alps, in many ways. True, its scale is larger, -and it possesses some of the most beautiful and impressive peaks in the -world (for no Alpine peak can vie with Siniolchum or Pandim for sheer -beauty of form and surface), but on the whole the scenery of Sikkim is -of the same general build as the valleys and peaks of Northern Italy. In -this sense Sikkim did not offer to the new-comer anything entirely -different from what he had seen before. But Tibet and Everest certainly -did; and the difference between Sikkim and Tibet is twofold—first, Tibet -is almost uniformly over 13,000 feet above sea-level, and therefore -bears no trees at all; second, Tibet is almost free from rainfall and -is, in consequence, a desert country. One’s eye travelled, for mile -after mile, over red-brown sand and red-brown limestone hills, finally -to rest on the blue and white of the distant snows. The air, before the -monsoon commences, is almost always clear—clear to an extent unimagined -by a European, clearer even than the air of an Alpine winter. So peaks -and ridges 30 or 40 miles away are often almost in the same visual plane -as the foreground of the landscape. In some extensive views, such as we -had from the hills above Tinki Dzong, one came to look upon hills 30 -miles away as the middle distance of one’s picture, while the background -was formed of mountains a hundred miles from the point of view. It is -this lack of atmosphere which makes pictorial representation of these -Tibetan scenes so very difficult; the pictures I made on the course of -the Expedition have all had one criticism from many different -people—“there is no atmosphere.” Many as are the demerits of these -pictures, this is the one merit they have; and if they had an -“atmosphere” they would cease to be truthful. In the Alps one has often -seen mountains with extreme clearness at a great distance, but I never -remember having viewed an Alpine landscape in which there was -practically no effect of distance, and practicably no blueness of the -more distant shadows. Yet that is precisely what obtains in Tibet before -the month of June. And then, with startling suddenness, comes the -monsoon, with its damp air; for some months the landscape is entirely -altered, and also much beautified. The blue haze of the monsoon converts -the distant shadows from their crude purple-brown to the most -magnificent and sometimes brilliant blue. Once or twice one looked in -vain on one’s palette for a blue of sufficient brilliance and intensity -to reproduce the colour of the shadows 20 or 30 miles away. Then the -monsoon brings clouds and rain-storms, all of which tend to give variety -to the scene, and to endue the distant peaks with that effect of mystery -which renders them so alluring and so beautiful. - -As far as the scenery among the higher mountains is concerned, the -comparison of photographs of the Everest group of peaks with those of -the Alps will give one more idea of the differences between the two -districts than can a mere verbal description, save in the matter of -scale and colour. In colour, the Alps are more varied and the rock is, -as a rule, a darker brown; the snow-shadows are more blue and the -outlines less clear; while Alpine foregrounds so often contain trees -which are totally absent from the foregrounds of Tibet. There both rocks -and stones, scree and valley-bed are of a light reddish-brown, almost -uniform in tone from near foreground to extreme distance; Makalu, for -example, is a colossal rock-pyramid of quite a light ochre colour; the -rocks of Everest are of a light amber brown relieved in the -neighbourhood of 27,000 feet by a lighter yellowish band of quartzite. -The snow of the range on its northern side resembles that of Alpine -peaks, but on the southern face the festoons and grooves of ice, so well -known to many from photographs of Himalayan mountains, decorate the much -steeper and more uncompromising slopes. Most of the higher peaks are -swept by continual gusts of wind which whirl clouds of snow from the -topmost ridges into the sky. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - - TIBETAN CULTURE - - -The Tibetans are a very simple folk, though not without a very definite -civilisation of their own. Art and music exist in all nations, if the -art be merely the fashioning of utensils, and the music be the crudest -of rhythms played on a tom-tom. Yet in Tibet the rudimentary music and -art associated with so many Eastern races is carried a stage farther, -and what is in wilder people merely natural instinct has become in Tibet -a definite culture. For I presume that culture is merely organised art, -and certainly on that criterion the Tibetan is to some extent cultured. - -He is a fine architect, and many of his houses have a simple stateliness -which raises them in artistic value high above the average -dwelling-house of most other Oriental countries, to say nothing of our -own garden suburbs. The Monasteries of Tibet are still more imposing, -and some of them are real objects of beauty, for the dignified -simplicity of the buildings themselves is combined with an elaborate and -often beautiful decoration of windows and cornices. The Tibetans have -learned the true principles of decoration—they do not cover the surfaces -of their buildings with unnecessary ornament, but reserve the wooden -parts alone for elaboration. The cornices are often intricate in -workmanship, but throughout the great principle of design is carried to -perfection—the principle that all ornament should be founded on utility. -Thus economy in the use of scrolls is combined with the multiplication -of brackets, supports, and rafter-ends, so that the whole is satisfying -to the eye as being beautiful, rather than useless. Considerable Chinese -influence is shown in their decorative art, but the Tibetans have a -personal, or rather national, touch which distinguishes their work in -all branches of art from the Chinese. In painting, too, the influence of -China, and very occasionally of India, is felt: though through it all -the refined austerity of the better-class Tibetan shines unmistakably. -The older pictures, nearly always of sacred subjects, are drawn with -consummate skill, coloured with great taste, and in the matter of design -rank much higher than the contemporary art of India. But, alas! the -story of painting in Tibet is the same as it is everywhere in this -commercial world of ours; the modern Tibetan picture is worthless, -careless and meretricious. No doubt the demand for “native art” at the -bazaars of Darjeeling and other places around has caused this -deterioration of what was once a fine and noble art; pictures which used -to be the life-work of devoted lamas and conscientious hermits are now -“dashed off” to satisfy the capacious maw of the tasteless traveller. -Though Tibet is still in measure “The Forbidden Land,” yet the tentacles -of commercialism cannot but penetrate between its bars, and the same -thing is now happening to Tibet as happened to Europe last century and -produced oleographs and official artists. It seems almost as if man by -nature does bad work only when he is working for reward. - -[Illustration: - - RELIGIOUS BANNERS IN SHEKAR MONASTERY. -] - -This is a mere flashlight sketch of the art of Tibet, for details of -which other books must be consulted; but the music of Tibet will be -described more fully, for two reasons—first, that no accurate record of -it has to my knowledge been obtained until now, and second, that the -writer is himself particularly fond of music, which he believes to be -the highest of the arts. - -Just as in Europe to-day we have both the traditional folk-song and the -highly organised orchestral music, so in Tibet both these forms of the -art exist. The two are also more or less interdependent in Tibet, while -in Western nations each often goes its own way without the other. - -The airs sung by the Tibetan people are usually simple, short, and -oft-repeated. They are nearly always in the pentatonic scale, -represented best to the general reader by the black notes of the piano. -Most isolated races evolve this scale at some time during their history, -and the tunes of the Highlands of Scotland, the Forests of Central -Africa, the Appalachians of America, and the Tibetans are all in this -scale.[8] - -Footnote 8: - - Sir Walford Davies has pointed out that, starting (on the black notes) - from A flat, and using only the perfect fifth, this scale is very soon - developed. From A flat one gets E flat and D flat, each a fifth away; - from D flat one obtains G flat, a fifth down, and from E flat a fifth - upwards gives us B flat. Thus we get the five notes of the scale by a - simple series of fifths, the fifth being the most perfect interval in - music, and the one which will appeal most readily to a primitive - people. - -A typical well-known pentatonic tune is “Over the Sea to Skye.” Those -who know, for instance, the songs of the Western Highlands, will be able -to appreciate the cheerful and non-Oriental character of the tunes of -Tibet, which are more akin to those of Russia and Eastern Europe than to -the music of China or India. This general spirit of the music which the -Tibetans play or sing points to a common origin of the folk-tunes of -Tibet and Russia. It seems probable that in Turkestan was the real -origin of this music, which very likely spread eastwards into Tibet and -westwards into Russia; or if Turkestan is not the country of origin of -the music, it may be the musical link between Russia and Tibet. The -tunes of Nepal, as sung by our coolies, are many of them of a similar -nature to those of Tibet, though more often the whole major or minor -scale is used, giving them often a strangely European sound; some of the -Nepalese airs have a jolly lilt and swing; others in the minor key have -quite a haunting beauty; and they too are quite unlike the music of the -plains of India with its rather pointless wailing characteristics.[9] - -Footnote 9: - - A more technical article on the subject of Tibetan Music, with musical - quotations, will be found in the _Musical Times_ for February 1, 1923. - -In Tibet, then, the folk-tunes are simple, short, and emphatically not -such “good tunes” as the airs of Nepal. But, in addition to the songs of -the peasants and beggars, there is the more highly-organised and -orchestrated music of the monasteries. This is usually played with three -groups of instruments—first and foremost the percussion; drums of all -sizes from those made of a human skull to others 3 and 4 feet in -diameter, and cymbals of great resonance and good tone, coming often -from China. The cymbals are taken very seriously, and each different way -of clashing them has a special name and a special religious -significance. The hard-worked percussion department keeps up a -continuous rhythm throughout the performance of a devil-dance or other -musical festival; and to its strenuous and often sinister efforts are -added from time to time the sounds of the two groups of wind -instruments. The first of these, playing airs which often possess great -charm, are the double-reed oboes, about twice as long as our European -oboe, and very often provided with equidistant holes, rendering them -incapable of playing save in the scale of whole tones (or a close -approximation to it). The second and larger wind instrument is the long -straight trumpet, 8 to 12 feet long, of which the fundamental note is -almost continuously blown. Most monasteries have two of these, about one -tone apart in pitch; but as the longer of the two is blown so as to play -its first overtone, while the fundamental note is played on the other, a -drone bass of a minor seventh is the resulting sound. This adds to the -sinister impressiveness of the music, and provides an effective -accompaniment to the quaint tunes of the oboe-like instruments. At a -devil-dance performance, the orchestra plays for a whole day, or perhaps -two, almost without rest either for itself or for its listeners. - -In addition to these instruments, a fairly civilised violin is used in -Tibet, especially by wandering beggar minstrels. This is about -two-thirds as long as our violin, and has four strings, tuned A,D,A,D, -in that order. The bow has two hanks of hair, one of which passes -between the first and second strings, while the other goes between the -third and fourth. Thus, by pressing the bow in one direction the two A -strings are sounded, producing a reinforced note (i.e. two notes in -unison); by pressing the bow in the other direction the sound of the D -strings is obtained. The strings converge towards the top of the -instrument, so that they can all be fingered at once. The Tibetans -become very agile with their fingers, and I have heard very skilful -performances of rapid, jolly dance-tunes by wandering minstrels; these -tunes, like the songs of the peasants, are usually in the pentatonic -scale. - -One more instrument must be mentioned—the trumpet made from a human -thigh-bone. This is not very commonly used in the larger monasteries, -but occasionally sounds a note in the ritual of the worship of smaller -villages. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - NATURAL HISTORY - - By - - T. G. LONGSTAFF, M.D. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - CHAPTER XV - - NATURAL HISTORY - - -Previous experience of the conditions of Tibetan travel had taught me -that collection and observation was a task requiring complete immunity -from other duties; but to the doctor of such an Expedition this -condition was not attainable. In the collection of specimens we were, -however, fortunate in obtaining the assistance of several other members -of the Expedition. But it is especially to Major Norton that the thanks -of the Everest Committee are due, for in addition to his other duties, -he took over the whole of the botanical work and worked equally with -myself in all other branches of Zoology. His gift of painting was -particularly valuable in leading to the certain identification of birds -in districts where collecting was prohibited. At the time of writing he -is on duty at Chanak, and the following notes lose half their value -through lack of his promised collaboration, which I had anticipated with -particular pleasure. - -In his absence I must omit all reference to botany, for personally, -owing to the wintry conditions during our outward march and to the speed -of my journey back with the invalids, I saw nothing that has not been -already better described by Wollaston. But Norton, with our Lepcha -collector Rumoo, obtained some 350 flowering plants in Kharta, and we -also sent back samples of agricultural seeds. - -It must be remembered that it was the constant aim of General Bruce to -render it easier for any subsequent party to pass through the country. -The objection of the Tibetans to the taking of any wild life is almost -universal amongst the clerics and is devoutly shared by the lay -population in certain localities. These considerations unfortunately -applied particularly to the districts of Tengkye, Shelkar Dzong and -Rombuk, where the killing of even domestic animals is prohibited. - -There are, however, other parts of Tibet where the same restraint is -unnecessary, and even where hunting is habitually practised by the -semi-nomadic population. This immunity in our case applied especially to -the Chumbi Valley and the country round Phari, and in consequence we -have been able to bring back some material which it is hoped will add to -the value of the larger collections brought back last year by Dr. -Wollaston. - -That portion of Tibet visited by the Expedition, and indeed it is -typical of most of its provinces, is a region of bare uplands and naked -mountains. Such physical conditions combine with a violent type of -radiation in the thin dry air to evolve a daily strife of winds, -ceaselessly seeking to rectify the balance of atmospheric stability; -this continual wind is indeed the foundation of the traveller’s -discomfort and the worst enemy of the mountaineer. - -[Illustration: - - ROMOO, THE LEPCHA COLLECTOR, WHO ASSISTED - DR. LONGSTAFF AND MAJOR NORTON. -] - -[Illustration: - - KARMA PAUL, THE EXPEDITION’S INTERPRETER. -] - -Owing to its aridity, due to the intervention of the rain-catching -Himalaya, the country is practically treeless. Distant open views -prevail over vast landscapes, lit by strong lights in an atmosphere -devoid of fogs or softening mist effects. Usually nothing can move -without being visible from a great distance. Hence, though it is not a -region particularly rich in life, yet those forms which do prevail are -not easily overlooked. Concealment is only to be obtained by burrowing -underground, or by immobility combined with protective coloration. - -Nowhere is this more obtrusively shown than on the great stony uplands, -at an altitude of from 14,000 to 17,000 feet East and South of Khamba -Dzong. Here we were in constant sight of bands of wild asses, gazelle, -and sheep: from a distance of a couple of miles a prowling wolf was -easily discerned. The ground is nowhere here covered by a continuous -carpet of grass or herbs, but each plant is several yards from the next. -Hence even a small herd of game will cover the ground with innumerable -tracks, suggesting to the uninitiated a far greater number of -individuals than really exist. To watch a flock of Tibetan sheep or -goats grazing seems like watching a migration, for the herd moves at a -smart walk, often breaking into a run, each individual racing for the -next mouthful a few yards ahead. They move on a wide front, with the -shepherd and his wolf-dog well in evidence. On one occasion we came on a -wolf devouring a lamb: 50 yards away lay the guardian dog, waiting -apparently for any scraps the robber might leave. - -It might be supposed that as in the Arctic the birds and animals would -turn white in winter. But two sufficient reasons against this necessity -have already been indicated. Firstly, the snow line is so high, probably -between 19,000 and 20,000 feet, that vegetation does not extend up to -it: even the predatory beasts are dependent on vegetation for the -pasture of their prey. Secondly, evaporation is so rapid that the -country is never snow-clad for long even during the winter season. - -But some modification of habit to meet the hostility of winter, under -conditions of life already so severe, is to be looked for. Of Marmots we -saw nothing during the journey to Everest; probably they were still -hibernating. Norton found them later in Kharta and obtained a welcome -specimen. Yet Hares were very common at 16,000 to 17,000 feet, several -haunting the old moraines of the Rongbuk Glacier even above our Base -Camp. Here also, at 17,000 feet, was a small herd of Bharel, or Blue -Sheep, which having some familiarity with the hermit monks permitted a -fairly close approach. - -More interesting are the Mouse-hares, or Pikas, of several varieties, -small friendly creatures which live in colonies, mainly (_Ochotona -curzoniæ_) on the open plains, where even their small burrows sometimes -undermine considerable areas so that one must ride with care. They are -quick and lively in their movements, darting from hole to hole with -extreme rapidity, and peeping from their burrows at the stranger with -obvious amusement. They are often first seen sitting up on their -hind-legs. They lay in stores of grass for winter use, though the -evidence all goes to prove that they do not regularly hibernate. They -frequently utter a nearly inaudible high-pitched whispering call, a sort -of subdued whistle, from which no doubt comes the (Shoka) Bhotia name of -_shippi_, “The Whisperer,” which I obtained in Gnari Khorsum in 1905. -Certain birds, as will be subsequently noted, live in association with -these small rodents, and add a further note to the charm of their -colonies. It appears impossible to trap them, and as their skulls are -usually damaged by shooting, a good series of skins, in both summer and -winter pelage, of the different species, is still much wanted for study -in our museums. - -The collection of small mammals is always difficult, and under the -circumstances already detailed our collection of skins was necessarily a -very small one. Geoffrey Bruce, however, obtained a perfect specimen of -the Panda (_Ailurus fulgens_) from the forests on the Chumbi side of the -Jelep La. This curiously aberrant animal, sometimes called the Bear-Cat, -is about the size of a fox, and has rich thick fur of a chestnut colour -on the back, black below, and with a thick bushy ring-marked tail; in -appearance it resembles somewhat the badgers, the bears, and the cats. -Its relative, the Great Panda of Tibet, is one of the rarest of large -mammals, owing to its very circumscribed distribution. - -A Hamster and a few Pikas of three varieties were caught at night in our -tents. A Weasel (_M. temon_) shot in Sikkim, with another Weasel and a -Marmot from Kharta, complete our list of mammal skins. We are much -disappointed at our failure to see or obtain any specimens from 20,000 -feet, where Wollaston’s Pika was actually handled last year—the greatest -known altitude for resident mammals. - -As to the birds, we were fortunate in having been able to go over Dr. -Wollaston’s collection with Mr. Norman B. Kinnear of the Natural History -Museum, who provided us in addition with a series of careful notes by -which we could identify those likely to be met with in localities where -we could not shoot. It is hoped that our material will be found -sufficient for Mr. Kinnear to publish a supplement to his recent paper -in the _Ibis_ on last year’s collection. - -Dr. Percy R. Lowe, Keeper of Birds of the Natural History Museum, was -particularly anxious for us to obtain for him a specimen of the -Himalayan or Ibis-billed Curlew (_Ibidorhynchus struthersi_) in the -flesh, for purposes of dissection, nothing being known of its anatomy up -to the present. Luckily this bird haunts the Chumbi Valley, and Norton -and I were able to spend a day in its pursuit. It is of the form of a -small curlew, of a general french-grey hue with bold dark markings, and -coral red beak and legs. There were several of these birds, not yet -(April 3) paired, about Yatung in the Chumbi Valley, but they were very -wary. They utter a high-pitched wader-like note not at all resembling -our curlew. They always flew directly over the main river, whence we -never could have retrieved them. The shores of this river are fringed by -beaches of large round grey pebbles, and resting amongst these the birds -were invisible. Eventually I lay up under the bank and Norton succeeded -in driving a bird on to an island in mid-stream, where I shot it. With -an outward display of truly scientific eagerness we divested ourselves -of our nether garments and waded waist deep through the torrent. We came -near quarrelling as to whether the water or the air was the coldest. But -at any rate we retrieved our bird, and what is more brought it, duly -preserved in spirits, through all the trials of travel and climate, -safely back to Dr. Lowe. - -In the Chumbi Valley also we obtained the Great or Solitary Snipe -(_Gallinago solitaria_), an addition to last year’s list. But my -favourite family, the Redstarts, were the most interesting. The -beautiful White-capped Redstart (_Chimarhornis leucocephalus_), mostly -widely distributed in the Himalaya, was still with us. The Plumbeous -Redstart (_Rhyacornis fuliginosus_) and the Blue-fronted Redstart -(_Phœnicurus frontalis_) we had already obtained in Sikkim. These also -were present at the beginning of April in the Chumbi Valley. We obtained -in addition the beautiful Blue-tail or Red-flanked Bush-Robin (_Tarsiger -rafiliatus_). I understand that the three latter species have not been -previously recorded from this locality. The Blue-tail frequents dense -bushes over marshy spots and is very quiet and furtive in its habits, -while the Redstarts are the most obtrusive of birds, as to me they are -one of the most beautiful of families. At Phari I luckily obtained a -specimen of what I thought was the Indian Redstart, but the bird in the -hand proved again to be the Blue-fronted sort. At 17,000 feet, above the -Base Camp over the snout of the main Rongbuk Glacier, I saw a cock-bird -of Güldenstadt’s Redstart (_Phœnicurus erythrogaster grandis_), -fortunately a very easily recognisable bird, and one I had previously -seen in Nubra and the Karakoram country. - -Although I had previously become somewhat familiar with bird-life in -Tibet, I was not prepared to see the teeming flocks of finches, -buntings, and larks which we met with on the bare stony uplands at every -old camping ground or village we encountered. A portion of this swarming -bird population appears to have been due to the spring migration being -at its height. Of this we had evidence before and during our passage of -the Jelep La, from Sikkim into the Chumbi Valley. At Phari and at Khamba -Dzong especially, the birds appeared not yet to have dispersed in pairs -to their breeding territory, but, though actually arrived at their -destination, to be still collected in migration flocks. Yet this -condition of things may be more apparent than real, for neither Norton -nor I ever managed to find any evidence of nesting behaviour in such an -extremely common bird as Brandt’s Ground Linnet. It is conceivable that -the inimical climatic conditions of Tibet are such as to condemn a -larger proportion than usual of the bird population to a celibate -existence, a condition which is at least by no means rare even in the -British Isles. A small piece of evidence is that the only four nests of -larks and wagtails which I found contained only three eggs each, as if -the altitude had reduced the number of eggs laid. It is to be noted that -in each case the eggs were incubated, and so the clutches were -presumably complete. But as an exception to this rule, at Chushar, on -June 13, I found a nest of the Eastern Desert Wheatear with a normal -clutch of five eggs. - -In writing of nesting, it may be recorded that we obtained the eggs of -the Tibetan Snow Cock (_Tetraogallus tibetanus_) from nearly 17,000 feet -on the Pang La. At the Base Camp (16,500 feet), a Brown Accentor -(_Prunella f. fulvescens_) commenced building its nest in a crevice -between a stack of provision boxes in the middle of the camp on May 16. -Laying did not commence till May 25—a long period of delay—and was -completed with the third egg on the 27th. The hen commenced to sit at -once, and no more eggs were laid. Norton observed Alpine Choughs and -Rock Doves nesting in the cliffs above the Base Camp at an altitude of -17,000 feet. Besides the usual Ravens, and the species already named, -the Base Camp was visited by Brandt’s Ground Linnet (_Leucosticte -brandti_), a Sparrow, a Snow Finch, the Ground Chough (_Podoces -humilis_), and the Shore Lark (_Otocorys alpestris elwesi_). - -Noel, during his vigil on the Chang La (23,000 feet), saw a small bird -fly above him, borne on the Westerly gale. But Wollaston’s Lammergeyer -maintains still the first place in altitude with a record of over 24,000 -feet. - -At Trangso Chumbab, on June 11, I had the opportunity of observing the -habits of Blandford’s Mountain-Finch (_Chionospiza blandfordi_). This -bird seems to live in amity with the Pikas (_Ochotona curzoniæ_) in -their burrows. I marked the birds bringing food to a Pika burrow, and -wishing to see what the young in down were like, Finch and I commenced -to dig out the hole. It proved, however, beyond our powers in the -sun-baked ground, so I fell to watching again. We had laid open the -burrow for about 2 feet. The hen-bird at once returned with food, but -alighting at the spot where the burrow formerly commenced, began -immediately to tunnel into the ground, quite oblivious of the true -opening in full view only 2 feet away. What would our nature writers say -to such a lapse of intellect? The bird burrowed with its beak, diving -its head into the ground and boring with a very rapid jerky twist so -that the sand was scattered in a small cloud. This was repeated several -times and on several visits. I then filled up the trench, leaving the -nesting hole open. On the next visit the bird flew down the hole, which -I then stopped with loose earth. In the morning the burrow had been -completely cleared and the birds were busily feeding their young again. -This seems to point to the conclusion that these birds are naturally -ground-dwellers, and are fully capable of making their own tunnels, but -that the abundance of Pika burrows has induced lazy habits. Mandelle’s -Snow-Finch (_Montifringilla mandelli_), not obtained by last year’s -Expedition, was shot by us at Pika warrens at Phari (April 7), and seen, -always associated with Pikas, on the following days. - -On June 11, also, we were witnesses to what must be a common tragedy. A -family of small Brahminy ducklings—the Ruddy Sheldrake of Europe—were -making their noisy way down from some nesting site on the steppe to the -headwaters of the Arun—and safety. The parent birds may have taken -fright at our camp, through which the ducklings scuttled fearlessly. The -loathsome Ravens, gathered, as always, for carrion or camp refuse, -swooped down and attacked the hapless family, bolting a whole duckling -at each mouthful. Surely a gun would have done no harm here. - -Norton made the interesting discovery that the Meadow Bunting (_Emberiza -cia godlewskii_) breeds in the Kama Valley, thus extending its breeding -range far to the South. It may, indeed, be expected that several species -now believed to breed only in Siberia may in fact be found nesting on -the Northern slopes of the Himalaya, and even in other highland regions -of Tibet. For here altitude comes to the assistance of latitude to -produce an arctic type of climate, flora, and fauna; though it must be -admitted that the aridity of Tibet must produce very different climatic -conditions to those obtaining in the far North. In Gnari Khorsum, 400 -miles West of Everest, I had obtained specimens, with young in down, of -the Large Eastern Sand Plover (_Cirripedesmus mongolicus atrifrons_), -which previously was only known as a breeding species from much farther -North; and again, the day we left Tibet, at 17,000 feet, on the Serpo -La, I found another pair of these Dotterel, from their behaviour -obviously nesting, so to speak, at the very gates of India, for 10 miles -further on we had left everything Tibetan behind us—landscape, flowers, -birds, beasts, and insects were all different. Nowhere else in the world -can there be a sharper natural division than between the Tibetan -Highlands and the true Himalayan Zone. - -The physical and climatic conditions prevailing in this part of Tibet -produces an environment hostile to reptilian and amphibian life. The -single Toad obtained last year was quite new to science, and Norton’s -capture of a second specimen is a great piece of luck. Miss Joan B. -Procter, F.Z.S., of the Natural History Museum, has described and named -it (_Cophophryne alticola_). It is remarkable by having the toes fully -webbed. She also writes that the Toad, together with the Frog (_Nanorana -pleskei_) and the Lizard (_Phrynocephalus theobaldi_), are all devoid of -external ears, the tympanum itself being absent in the Toad. This -unusual modification is attributed to the effect of altitude, but it has -also been suggested that the absence of ears is due to inherited atrophy -following generations of frost-bite—an interesting subject for the -followers of Weissman! - -The fish, rejoicing in the name of _Schizopygopsis stoliczkæ_, is stated -by Mr. Norman never to have been previously obtained from such an -altitude. - -With the Molluscs we drew blank, in spite of Norton’s energetic dredging -of tarns and pools at Kharta. Nor did any member of the Expedition -produce a single snail-shell, though all were armed with pill-boxes and -on the look out for them. - -It is probably only among the various families of insects that any -important biological results may be hoped for from this Expedition. Our -collection from the Base Camp, greatly due to the assistance received -from Morris, of more than 300 beetles of a dozen or more species, may be -sufficient to show some evidence of the effect of environment. A number -of them are new to science, and, with one or two exceptions, were not -obtained last year. There are already described over 100,000 kinds of -beetles, and under these circumstances it is obvious that even such a -modest collection as ours will take some time to work out. Mr. K. G. -Blair, of the Natural History Museum, has it in hand, and, with the -assistance of Mr. H. E. Andrewes and Dr. G. A. K. Marshall, will -certainly make the most of it. His preliminary note gives 160 specimens -of four or perhaps five kinds of Ground Beetles (_Carabidæ_) belonging -to genera of Palæarctic distribution. Of the Tenebrionids there are 140 -specimens belong to six species, probably all new, but characteristic of -the mountainous regions of Central Asia. Of the Weevils there are only -seventeen specimens, but they appear to belong to seven new species. Two -of these were kindly collected by Norton’s Toad. - -Mr. B. P. Uvarov is working out the Orthoptera, and writes that our -Stick-Insect (Phasmid) is of great interest because the family is -essentially a sub-tropical group and has never been recorded from any -such high altitude before. We were lucky, also, in getting three more -specimens of Wollaston’s curious new Grasshopper (_Hypernephia -everesti_, Uvarov). At the same time, my old specimens from Purang have -been elevated into the type of a new species of a new genus (_Hyphinomos -fasciata_). Future visitors are earnestly requested to collect every -grasshopper-like insect they meet here, for the orthopterous fauna of -High Asia is wholly unexplored. - -It must be remembered that we constantly passed through localities in -which it was inadvisable to show even a butterfly-net. When recrossing -the Pang La (17,000 feet), I lagged behind and spent a laborious hour -collecting disconcertingly quick-flying, woolly-bodied flies; these and -others are being worked out by Major E. E. Austen, D.S.O. - -There is also a Burrowing Bee (_Ammophia sp._), the most interesting -insect I met. It is of a repellent ant-like aspect, of an evil black and -red pattern. It flies astonishingly fast, and can only be netted by -careful stalking when it lands to burrow in the sand. It is preparing a -tomb for a paralysed grub in which it will lay its own egg; on hatching, -the bee grub will feed on the living corpse of its entertainer. I first -observed it by noticing, as I rode along the banks of the Phung Chu, -tiny jets of sand being shot violently upwards from the ground, the -insect itself being quite invisible. My pony, a true Tibetan, loathed -the sight of a butterfly-net; I had no companion to hold him, and the -pursuit of science was attended by more than the usual trials. - -A series of small Moths was obtained at the Base Camp, and Norton -collected more in Kharta. These are being worked out by Mr. W. H. T. -Tams, but in the case of Moths, identification is a particularly lengthy -and laborious business. - -The Butterflies are naturally few in such an environment; nor does the -constant wind make their breathless capture any easier. Captain N. D. -Riley is working them out, and tells me that in general they resemble -our English butterflies, with other Alpine families. On a recent visit -to the Museum, I was excusing the scantiness of our collection, -explaining that, as a rule, I had only been able to collect while -crossing high passes. Indicating a series of small dark brown -“Ringlets,” rather the worse for wear, I said that that was all I saw -above 16,000 feet. “Why that,” said Riley, “is a new species of a new -genus!” So may our successors seize every opportunity that offers of -collecting even the least and most inconspicuous-looking insects in the -endeavour to assist our research workers in adding some particle to the -sum of our knowledge of nature. - -[Illustration: - - SKETCH-MAP OF MOUNT EVEREST AND THE RONGBUK GLACIERS. - From surveys by Major Wheeler, with Route and Camps of the 1922 - Expedition added by Colonel Strutt. - _London: Edward Arnold & Co._ -] - -[Illustration: - - The Route of the - MOUNT EVEREST EXPEDITION 1922 - CHUMBI TO MT. EVEREST - _Published by Edward Arnold & Co. for the Mount Everest Committee_ - _from maps prepared by the Royal Geographical Society._ - (Click on map for larger version.) -] - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - INDEX - - - Abruzzi, Duke of, the, 115 - - - Acclimatisation, 77–78, 126–240, 288–289, 299–308 - - Altitude, zones of, 262 _ff._; - effects of, 305. - _See_ Acclimatisation - - Ammu Chu valley, 29 - - Army and Navy Stores, 21 - - - Arun river, 39, 43, 82–87, 97; - gorges of, explored, 98–102 - - Avalanche on Mount Everest, 69, 282–285 - - - Base Camp, the, 49–51, 124 - - Bhong Chu, river, (= Arun, _q.v._) - - Bride Peak (Baltistan), 115 - - Brown, Mr., 21 - - Bruce, Captain J. G., 8, 20, 33, 130, 325; - in second attempt on Mount Everest, 61–62, 116–117, 236–249, 254–257; - leaves Base Camp for Kharta, 65, 80, 85, 89–90, 95 - - Bruce, General C. G., 4–6, 8, 19–20; - author of the _Narrative of the Expedition_, 17–118, 130, 143 - - Bullock, Mr. G., 139, 156, 162 - - - - Camp IV (on North Col.), 57; - route to, from E. Rongbuk glacier, 125, 153–159, 173–175; - from main Rongbuk glacier, 259 - - Camp V (above North Col), 288 - - Camps, problem of, 141, 258, 287, 291–292 - - - Camps I, II, and III on E. Rongbuk glacier, 52, 54–56, 145–152, 231 - - Chang La (= North Col, _q.v._), 289, 329 - - Changtse, mountain, 158 - - Chey La, 105 - - Chiu, camp, 108 - - Cho Uyo, mountain, 72, 158, 209, 246 - - Chobu village, 104 - - Chodzong, camp, 43, 79 - - Chog La, 89–90 - - Chokarbo, camp, 89–90 - - Chomolhari, mountain, 28 - - Chomolonzo, mountain, 91 - - Chomolungmo (= Mount Everest), 123 - - Chongay, tent-mender, 21, 31, 92–94, 103 - - Chongay La, agent of the Shekar Dzongpen, 42, 53, 57 - - Chongray, Tibetan deity, 45 - - Chotromo, camp, 98 - - Chumbi valley, 27, 29–30, 38, 105, 111, 326–327 - - Chushar, 329 - - Cigarette-smoking, effects of, 266–267 - - Clothing, 186–188, 262, 307. - _See_ Wind-proof clothing - - Cooks, 23, 56 - - Crampons. _See_ Foot-gear - - Crawford, Mr. C. G., 8, 20, 22, 38, 227–228; - at Camp III, 168–169; - in third attempt on Mount Everest, 275, 280–284; - return to Darjeeling, 96–97, 114 - - - Dalai Lama, the, 85, 118 - - Damtang, village, 92, 103 - - Darjeeling, 20, 22, 114 - - Dasno, Mallory’s porter, 153, 159 - - Donka La, 32, 111 - - Doya La, 66, 81–82 - - Dra, village, 105 - - Dreyer, Professor G., 253, 279 - - Dzakar Chu, river, 43, 81, 104 - - - East Rongbuk glacier, 51, etc. - _See_ Camps I, II, III - - - Everest, Mount, 18, 114, 125; - compared with Mont Blanc, 231–233; - first attempt on, 58–60, 182–224, 253–254, 256; - second attempt, 61–62, 227–250, 254–257; - third attempt, 66–70, 273–286; - weather conditions, 18, 170–171, 233–234, 275, 292 - - - Farrar, Captain J. P., 8–10 - - Father William, 84, 104 - - Finch, Captain George, 6, 10, 20, 22; - joins main body at Kamba Dzong, 38, 227–228; 39, 58, 59; - to site of Camp I, 230–231; - at Base Camp, 231 _ff._, - to Camp III, 234–235; - second attempt on Mount Everest, 61–62, 116–117, 237–250, 254–257; - starts on third attempt, but returns, 66–67, 251–252; - return to Darjeeling, 67, 252. - Author of Chapters VII, VIII, and IX - - Food, 177–180 - - - Foot-gear, 197, 268, 293 - - Fuel, 51, 52, 93 - - - Gembu (= headman), 100 - - Gnatong, bungalow, 26, 27, 112, 130 - - Gurkhas, 5, 20 - - Gyachang Kang, mountain, 72, 158, 209 - - Gyaljen, sardar, 32–33, 63 - - Gyamda, pony, 29, 80, 82 - - Gyang’ka-nangpa, camp, 39, 133, 136–137 - - Gyantse, town, 29, 110 - - - Hats, Homburg, as gifts, 42, 85 - - Head-gear, 263, 268 - - Howard-Bury, Colonel, 3, 4, 8, 17, 32, 39 - - Hung Zungtrak, camp, 36 - - Hurké Gurung, naik, 32 - - - Jelep La, 27, 38, 112, 131, 227 - - Jelep valley, 29 - - Jykhiop, camp, 107 - - - Kalimpong, 21, 22, 27, 227 - - Kama valley, 88–89, 93, 171, 331 - - Kanchenjunga, 112, 114 - - Karma Paul, interpreter, 24, 45, 47, 63, 79 - - Kehar Sing, cook, 80, 92 - - Kellas, Dr., 38 - - Khamba Dzong, 32, 37, 39, 109, 228 - - Kharta valley, 65, 83 - - - Kharta Shika, 83, 87–89 - - Khartaphu, mountain, 158 - - Khombu La, 54 - - Kosi river, 97 - - Kyamathang, village, 97, 99–100 - - Kyishong, camp, 106 - - - Laden La, Mr., 27 - - Lal Sing Gurung, lance-naik, 32 - - Leeches, 113 - - Lhakpa La, 158 - - Lhakpa Tsering, boy, 38 - - Lhotse, 126 - - Longstaff, Dr. T. G., 19, 130; - first reconnaissance to site of camp III, 51–53, 64; - return to Darjeeling, 65, 252. - Author of Chapter XV - - Lumeh Camp, 104 - - Lungdo, village, 100 - - Lungtung, village, 26, 113 - - - Macdonald, Mr. John, 29–30, 63, 72, 106, 111, 113 - - Makalu, mountain, 152, 171, 312 - - - Mallory, Mr. G. L., 4, 6, 9, 19, 130; - attempt on Sangkar Ri, 39, 133–137; - ascends 21,000 ft. peak near Base camp, 140; - to Camp I, 144; - Camp II, 146; - Camp III, 148; - to North Col and back, 57, 152–160, 301; - at Camp III, 160–168; - establishes Camp IV, 169–174, 300; - first attempt on Mount Everest, 56–59, 175–224; - third attempt, 273–286, 308; - return to Darjeeling, 96–97. - Author of Chapters IV–VI, X and XI - - Monsoon, the, 18, 50, 58, 68, 70, 275–276, 292 - - Morris, Captain C. G., 8, 20, 21, 33; - establishes Camp I, 52; - meets party of second attempt on Everest at Camp III, 223; - conducts evacuation of Camps I–III, 66–71; - explores the Arun gorges, 95, 98–102 - - Morshead, Major, 4, 8, 20, 130; - on first reconnaissance to site of Camp III, 51–52; - arrives at Camp III, 168; - establishes Camp IV, 169–175; - to 25,000 ft. camp on first attempt on Mount Everest, 56–59, 175–203, - 211–224; - return to Darjeeling, 64–65, 252 - - Mules, 27, 31, 34 - - - Nepal, Maharajah of, 75, 96, 103 - - Nepalese language, 33; - sheep, 91 - - Ngangba La, 54 - - Noel, Captain J. B., 8, 20, 23, 85, 130; - at Base Camp, 50, 73–74; - to North Col with the party of second attempt on Everest, 237; - spends three nights there, 249, 289, 329; - explores the Arun gorges, 95, 98–102 (his own account); - leaves the main body and goes to Gyantse, 110 - - - North Col, 55; - camp on, 57. - _See_ Camp IV - - Norton, Major E. F., 6–7, 19, 24, 130, 131; - to site of Camp I, 230–231; - on first reconnaissance, 51–52; - first attempt on Mount Everest, 58–59, 173–224; - leaves Base camp for Kharta valley, 65, 84, 86; - joins the main body, 87, 89, 95; - botanical and zoological work, 321–322, 326, etc. - - - Oxygen, 9–10, 52, 60, 69, 115–117, 231, 235–237, 243, 252–259, 263–266, - 291, 294, 303–305 - - - Pang La, 43, 334 - - Pangli, camp, 105 - - Pawhunri, mountain, 36 - - Phari Dzong, 30–31, 33, 111, 131 - - Pharmogoddra La, 108 - - Popti La, 92, 103 - - Porters, 5, 63, 94, 117, 286, etc. - - Pou, a cook, 151 - - Primus stoves, 151, 176 - - Pumori, mountain, 158, 247 - - - Rapiu La, 152, 168, 171, 236 - - Rawlinson, Lord, 20 - - Richengong, Camp, 29 - - Rongbuk monastery, 43, 73 - - Rongbuk Lama, 45–47, 74–75, 78, 275 - - Rongli Chu, 26, 112, 114 - - Rumoo collector of plants, 322 - - - Sakiathang, Camp, 89–91 - - Sakia Chu, 102 - - Samchang La, 89 - - Sangkar Ri, mountain, 39, 133–137 - - Sarabjit Thapa, lance-naik, 32 - - Sedongchen, Camp, 113 - - Serpo La, 331 - - Shekar Dzong, 39–41, 105 - - Sherpas, 33, 54, 63 - - Shika. _See_ Kharta Shika - - Shiling, plain, 107, 136 - - Shing (= fuel), 52 - - Sikkim, 25–28, 110, 113, 309–310 - - Snow-glasses, 263 - - Somervell, Dr., 7, 10, 19, 130, 167; - attempt on Sangkar Ri, 39, 133–137; - ascends a 21,000 ft. peak near Base camp, 140; - first attempt on Mount Everest (_see_ Mallory), 56–59, 144–224, - 301–302; - third attempt, 273–286, 308; - return to Darjeeling, 96–97, 114. - Author of Chapters XII to XIV - - Strutt, Colonel E. L., 6, 19; - fixes site of Camp I, 230–231; - leader of first reconnaissance, 51–53; - returns to Camp III and visits North Col, 56–58; - return to Darjeeling, 65, 252 - - - Tang La, 32, 34 - - Tashilumpo, Lama of, 85, 118 - - Tatsang, village, 39, 110; - nunnery, 37 - - Tea, 177, 223; - Tibetan tea, 46, 78 - - Tejbir Bura, lance-naik, 20, 32, 58; - in second attempt on Everest, 62, 234–244, 248, 254–256, 78, 81, 85 - - Teng, village and camp, 82–85, 96–97 - - Tibet, 228, 323 - - Tibetan architecture, 313–314; - atmosphere, 79–80, 311; - colour, Chap. XIII; - coolies, 53–54, 63; - fauna, Chap. XV; - food, 44; - music, 230, 315–318; - painting, 314; - wind, 165, 228, 332–333; - weather, 170 - - Tinki Dzong, 39, 107–108; - pass, 107, 132, 310 - - Training, 39, 118, 130. - _See_ Acclimatisation - - Trangso Chumbab, camp, 329 - - Transport, 143, 168 - - Trateza, camp, 82 - - Tsanga, waterfall, 100 - - Tzampa (= flour), 100 - - - Unna, Mr. P. J. H., 10 - - - Wakefield, Dr., 7, 19, 39, 130; - meets the party of the first attempt on Everest, 223, 236; - to Camp III with party of third attempt 70, 252, 275, 280 - - Weatherall, Mr., 20–21 - - Wheeler, Captain E. O., 4, 147 - - Wind, 165, 172, 186. - _See_ Everest, Tibet - - - Wind-proof clothing, 59, 62, 117, 255, 259, 264, 266–267 - - Wollaston, Dr. A. F. R., 322, 326, etc. - - - Yaru, river, 39, 107, 138 - - Yatung, 29, 131, 326 - - Yulok La, 102 - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - Uniform with “Mount Everest: The Assault.” - - MOUNT EVEREST. - The Reconnaissance, 1921. - By LIEUT.-COLONEL C. K. HOWARD-BURY, D.S.O., - AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION. - With 33 full-page illustrations and maps. Medium 8vo. - 25s. net. - Also a Limited Large Paper Edition, with additional plates - in photogravure. Quarto, each copy numbered. - £5 5s. net. - -“A remarkable contribution to the long and glorious story of British -endeavour in the high places of the earth. The whole is a splendid -record of clever and courageous enterprise.”—The Times. - -“The book under review tells the tale of the doings of last year’s -journey, and a notable tale it is, well told, finely illustrated with -wonderful photographs, and excellently printed. The accompanying maps -enable us for the first time to describe the articulation of the whole -mountain region and to replace the vaguely guessed indication of -culminations and connexions by a labyrinth of glaciers and ridges, full -of meaning to geographers and those for whom the actual shape of the -surface of the earth has interest.”—Sir Martin Conway, M.P., in the -Manchester Guardian. - -“Mr. Leigh-Mallory, who led the climbing party of the Everest -expedition, has written in ‘The Reconnaissance of the Mountain’ an epic -of mountaineering which deserves to be an abiding possession for all -those who have ventured themselves into the silence and desolation of -the high peaks.”—Morning Post. - -“The book put together by the members of last year’s expedition, more -especially the maps and illustrations, makes us envious. Colonel Howard -Bury has told his story simply, with evident enjoyment. Mr. Leigh -Mallory, who gives us the story of the reconnaissance, is terse and -human and never tedious. He tells us exactly what we want to know.”—Mr. -Edmund Candler in the Nation. - -“The story of the journey and the climbing adventure as told separately -by the leader and Mr. Mallory combine to make a narrative of singular -variety which sustains its interest to the end, and is agreeably -supplemented by the chapters of ‘Natural History Notes,’ contributed by -Dr. Wollaston.”—Mr. Douglas Freshfield in the New Statesman. - -“As fascinating and picturesque as it is valuable. It will rank with the -best of its kind, and is assured of a success that is exceptionally well -deserved. It will satisfy both the expert and the casual reader, and -there can be nothing but praise for all concerned in it.”—Illustrated -London News. - -“The book is admirably and enthusiastically written, very finely -illustrated, and in every way an ideal record of what will always be -considered a classical example of exploration in its first -stage.”—Country Life. - -“Quite apart from its intrinsic interest it will be of the greatest -value to everybody who wishes to appreciate the attempt which is now -being made to continue the work and reach the absolute summit of the -highest mountain in the world.”—Westminster Gazette. - - ---------------------------- - - LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD & CO. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - ● Transcriber’s Notes: - ○ Abbreviated index entries for page ranges (e.g. 12-4 or 127-9) - were expanded to allow links to the appropriate pages to be - generated for the HTML and ePUB versions. - ○ Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected. - ○ Typographical errors were silently corrected. - ○ Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only - when a predominant form was found in this book. - ○ Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - ○ The use of a carat (^) before one or more letters shows they were - intended to be superscripts, as in S^t Bartholomew or L^{d.} - Egemont. - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Assault on Mount Everest, 1922, by -Charles Granville Bruce - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ASSAULT ON MOUNT EVEREST, 1922 *** - -***** This file should be named 61083-0.txt or 61083-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/0/8/61083/ - -Produced by Tim Lindell, Barry Abrahamsen, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll -have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using -this ebook. - - - -Title: The Assault on Mount Everest, 1922 - -Author: Charles Granville Bruce - -Release Date: January 2, 2020 [EBook #61083] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ASSAULT ON MOUNT EVEREST, 1922 *** - - - - -Produced by Tim Lindell, Barry Abrahamsen, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class='figcenter id001'> -<img src='images/cover.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -</div> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c000' /> -</div> -<div> - <h1 class='c001'><span class='xxlarge'>THE ASSAULT ON<br />MOUNT EVEREST,<br />1922</span></h1> -</div> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> - -<div id='frontis' class='figcenter id002'> -<img src='images/frontis.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><i>The Second Climbing Party descending from their record climb.</i><br /><span class='small'>LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD & C<sup>o.</sup></span></p> -</div> -</div> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c000' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div><span class='xxlarge'>THE ASSAULT ON</span></div> - <div><span class='xxlarge'>MOUNT EVEREST</span></div> - <div><span class='xxlarge'>1922</span></div> - <div class='c003'>By</div> - <div class='c000'><span class='large'>Brigadier-General Hon. C. G. BRUCE, C.B., M.V.O.</span></div> - <div>AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION</div> - <div class='c002'><i>WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS</i></div> - <div class='c002'><span class='large'>NEW YORK</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>LONGMANS, GREEN & CO.</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD & CO.</span></div> - <div><span class='large'>1923</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='small'><i>All rights reserved</i></span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div><i>Made and Printed in Great Britain by</i></div> - <div>Butler & Tanner Ltd., <i>Frome and London</i></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_v'>v</span> - <h2 class='c004'>PREFACE</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>The Mount Everest Committee desire to take this opportunity -of thanking General Bruce, Mr. Mallory, Captain -Finch, Mr. Somervell and Dr. Longstaff for having, in -addition to their labours in the field, made the following -contributions to the story of an expedition whose chief -result has been to strengthen our confidence that the -summit of the highest mountain in the world can be -attained by man.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_vii'>vii</span> - <h2 class='c004'>CONTENTS</h2> -</div> -<table class='table0' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='88%' /> -<col width='11%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c006'> </td> - <td class='c007'><span class='xsmall'>PAGE</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='sc'>Introduction.</span> By <span class='sc'>Sir Francis Younghusband, K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E.</span></td> - <td class='c007'>3</td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div>THE NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION</div> - <div>By <span class='sc'>Brigadier-General Hon. C. G. Bruce, C.B., M.V.O.</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<table class='table1' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='11%' /> -<col width='77%' /> -<col width='11%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'><span class='xsmall'>CHAP.</span></td> - <td class='c009'> </td> - <td class='c007'> </td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>I</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>To the Base Camp</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch01'>17</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>II</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Assault on the Mountain</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch02'>50</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>III</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Return by Kharta</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch03'>77</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div>THE FIRST ATTEMPT</div> - <div>By <span class='sc'>George H. Leigh-Mallory</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<table class='table1' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='11%' /> -<col width='77%' /> -<col width='11%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>IV</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Problem</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch04'>121</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>V</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Highest Camp</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch05'>150</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>VI</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Highest Point</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch06'>183</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div>THE ATTEMPT WITH OXYGEN</div> - <div>By <span class='sc'>Captain George Finch</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<table class='table1' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='11%' /> -<col width='77%' /> -<col width='11%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>VII</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Second Attempt</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch07'>227</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>VIII</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Conclusions</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch08'>251</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>IX</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Notes on Equipment</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch09'>262</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div>THE THIRD ATTEMPT</div> - <div>By <span class='sc'>George H. Leigh-Mallory</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<table class='table1' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='11%' /> -<col width='77%' /> -<col width='11%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>X</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>The Third Attempt</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch10'>273</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XI</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Conclusions</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch11'>287</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_viii'>viii</span>NOTES</div> - <div>By <span class='sc'>T. Howard Somervell</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<table class='table1' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='11%' /> -<col width='77%' /> -<col width='11%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XII</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Acclimatisation at High Altitudes</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch12'>299</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XIII</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Colour in Tibet</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch13'>309</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XIV</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Tibetan Culture</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch14'>313</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div>NATURAL HISTORY</div> - <div>By <span class='sc'>Dr. T. G. Longstaff, M.D.</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<table class='table1' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='11%' /> -<col width='77%' /> -<col width='11%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c008'>XV</td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Natural History</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#ch15'>321</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c008'> </td> - <td class='c009'><span class='sc'>Index</span></td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#index'>338</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_ix'>ix</span> - <h2 class='c004'>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> -</div> -<table class='table2' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='86%' /> -<col width='13%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>The Second Climbing Party descending from their Record Climb</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#frontis'><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'> </td> - <td class='c007'><span class='xsmall'>PAGE</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Frozen Waterfall, Chumbi Valley</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i028'>28</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Nuns at Tatsang</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i034'>34</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Rongbuk Monastery and Mount Everest</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i044'>44</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>The Expedition at Base Camp</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i046'>46</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>View at Base Camp</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i051'>50</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Camp II at Sunset</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i054'>54</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Mount Everest from Camp III</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i060'>60</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Watching the Dancers, Rongbuk Monastery</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i072'>72</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>The Chief Lama, Rongbuk Monastery</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i078'>78</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Tibetan Dancing Woman</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i084b'>84</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Tibetan Dancing Man</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i084a'>84</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Old Tibetan Woman and Child</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i090'>90</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Fording the Bhong Chu</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i098'>98</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Panorama at Shekar Dzong</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i106'>106</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>In Khamba Dzong</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i110'>110</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Lingga and the Lhonak Mountains</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i114'>114</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Base Camp and Mount Everest in Evening Light</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i124'>124</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Serac, East Rongbuk Glacier</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i140'>140</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>View from Ice Cavern</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i146'>146</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Seracs, East Rongbuk Glacier, above Camp II</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i150'>150</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Party ascending the Chang La</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i156'>156</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_x'>x</span>Peak, 23,180 feet (Kellas’ dark rock peak), from the Rongbuk Glacier, above Camp II</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i162'>162</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Mallory and Norton approaching their Highest Point, 26,985 feet</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i204'>204</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Summit of Mount Everest from the Highest Point of the First Climb, 26,985 feet, May 21, 1922</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i210'>210</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>The First Climbing Party</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i218'>218</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Frost-bitten Climber being helped down to Camp II</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i222'>222</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Mount Everest from Base Camp</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i232'>232</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>East Rongbuk Glacier, near Camp II</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i236'>236</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Oxygen Apparatus</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i242a'>242</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Captain Noel kinematographing the Ascent of Mount Everest from the Chang La</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i242b'>242</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>The British Members of the Second Climbing Party</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i248'>248</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Chang La and North-east Shoulder of Mount Everest</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i290'>290</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Religious Banners in Shekar Monastery</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i314'>314</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Romoo, the Lepcha Collector who assisted Dr. Longstaff and Major Norton</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i322a'>322</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Karma Paul, the Expedition’s Interpreter</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i322b'>322</a></td> - </tr> -</table> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_xi'>xi</span> - <h2 class='c004'>MAPS</h2> -</div> -<table class='table2' summary=''> -<colgroup> -<col width='86%' /> -<col width='13%' /> -</colgroup> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>Sketch Map of Mount Everest and the Rongbuk Glaciers</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i336'>366</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class='c006'>The Route of the Mount Everest Expedition, 1922</td> - <td class='c007'><a href='#i367'>367</a></td> - </tr> -</table> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_xii'>xii</span><span class='xxlarge'>INTRODUCTION</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xlarge'>By</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>SIR FRANCIS YOUNGHUSBAND,</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E.</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_3'>3</span> - <h2 class='c004'>INTRODUCTION</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>Colonel Howard-Bury and the members of the Expedition -of 1921 had effected the object with which they had -been despatched. They were not sent out to climb Mount -Everest. It would be impossible to reach the summit in a -single effort. They were sent to reconnoitre the mountain -from every direction and discover what was for certain the -easiest way up. For it was quite certain that only by the -easiest way possible—and only if there were an easy way—would -the summit ever be reached. In the Alps, nowadays, -men look about for the most difficult way up a mountain. -Hundreds every year ascend even the Matterhorn by the -easiest ways up. So men with any turn for adventure have -to look about for the difficult ways. With Mount Everest -it is very different. The exhaustion produced from the -difficulty of breathing in enough oxygen at the great heights -is so fearful that only by a way that entails the least possible -exertion can the summit be reached. Hence the necessity -for spending the first season in thoroughly prospecting the -mountain. And this was all the more necessary because -no European so far had been within sixty miles of Mount -Everest, so that not even the approaches to the mountain -were known.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_4'>4</span>During 1921, under the leadership of Colonel Howard-Bury, -this reconnaissance was most thoroughly carried out. -Mr. Mallory found what was quite certainly the easiest—indeed -the only practicable—way up the mountain, and -Major Morshead and Captain Wheeler mapped the mountain -itself and the country round. They brought back also -much valuable experience of the conditions under which a -definite “all-out” attempt to reach the summit might be -made. Ample data were therefore now at the disposal of -the Mount Everest Committee for organising an expedition -to make this attempt.</p> - -<p class='c010'>And first the question of leadership had to be decided. -This was a definitely climbing expedition, and a climbing -expert would be needed to lead it—and a climbing expert -who had experience of Himalayan conditions, which are in -so many ways different from Alpine conditions. The one -obvious man for this position of leader was Brigadier-General -Hon. C. G. Bruce. He could not be expected at -his age to take part in the actual climbing. But for the -command of the whole Expedition no better could be found. -For thirty years he had devoted himself to climbing both -in the Himalaya and in the Alps. He was an expert climber, -and he knew the Himalayan conditions as no other man. -And, what was of scarcely less importance, he knew the -Himalayan peoples, and knew how to handle them. Any -climbing party would be dependent upon the native porters -to carry stores and equipment up the mountain. But -climbers from England would know nothing about these -<span class='pageno' id='Page_5'>5</span>men or how to treat them. It was essential, therefore, that -there should be with the Expedition some one who could -humour and get the best out of them.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This was the more necessary as one of the chief features -of these expeditions to Mount Everest was the organisation -of a corps of porters specially enlisted from among the -hardiest men on that frontier for the particular purpose -of carrying camps to high altitudes. This idea originated -with General Bruce himself. So far Himalayan climbing -expeditions had been dependent upon coolies collected at -the highest villages and taken on for a few days while the -climb lasted. But this was never very satisfactory, and -coolies so collected would be of no use on Mount Everest. -General Bruce’s plan was very different. It was, months -beforehand, to select thirty or forty of the very best men -who could be found in the higher mountains, to enlist -them for some months, pay them well, feed them well and -equip them well, and above all to put into them a real -<i>esprit de corps</i>, make them take a pride in the task that -was before them. But to do all this there was needed a -man who knew and understood them and who had this -capacity for infusing them with a keen spirit. And for -this no one could be better than General Bruce himself. -He had served in a Gurkha regiment for thirty years. -He loved his Gurkhas, and was beloved by them. He -spoke their language; knew all their customs and -traditions, and had had them climbing with him in -the Alps as well as the Himalaya. And Gurkhas come -<span class='pageno' id='Page_6'>6</span>from Nepal, on the borders of which Mount Everest lies.</p> - -<p class='c010'>For organising this corps of porters, for dealing with -the Tibetans, and, lastly, for keeping together the climbers -from England, who were mostly quite unknown to each -other, but who all knew of General Bruce and his mountaineering -achievements in the Himalaya, General Bruce -was an ideal chief.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This being settled, the next question was the selection -of the climbing party. General Bruce would not be able -to go on to the mountain itself, and he would have plenty -to do at the main base camp, seeing after supplies and -organising transport service from the main base to the -high mountain base. As chief at the mountain base, and -as second-in-command of the Expedition to take General -Bruce’s place in case of any misadventure to him, Lieutenant-Colonel -E. L. Strutt was selected. He was an Alpine -climber of great experience and knowledge of ice and snow -conditions. But for the actual effort to reach the summit -two men were specially marked out. One, of course, was -Mr. George Leigh-Mallory, who had done such valuable -service on the reconnaissance of the previous year; and -the other was Captain George Finch, who had been selected -for the first Expedition, but who had, through temporary -indisposition, not been able to go with it. Both of these -were first-rate men and well known for their skill in mountaineering. -These two had been selected in the previous -year. Of new men, Major E. F. Norton was an experienced -and very reliable and thorough mountaineer. He is an -<span class='pageno' id='Page_7'>7</span>officer in the Artillery, and well known in India for his -skill and interest in pig-sticking. But in between his -soldiering and his pig-sticking and a course at the Staff -College he seems to have found time for Alpine climbing -and for bird observation. A man of high spirit, who could -be trusted to keep his head under all circumstances and to -help in keeping a party together, he was a valuable addition -to the Expedition. Mr. Somervell was perhaps even more -versatile in his accomplishments. He was a surgeon in -a London hospital, who was also skilled both in music and -painting, and yet found time for mountaineering, and, being -younger than the others, and possessed of exuberant energy -and a fine physique, he could be reckoned on to go with -the highest climbers. Another member of the medical -profession who was also a mountaineer was Dr. Wakefield. -He was a Westmorland man, who had performed wonderful -climbing feats in the Lake District in his younger days, and -now held a medical practice in Canada. He was bursting -with enthusiasm to join the expedition, and gave up his -practice for the purpose.</p> - -<p class='c010'>As medical officer and naturalist of the Expedition, Dr. -T. G. Longstaff was chosen. He was a veteran Himalayan -climber, and if only this Expedition could have been undertaken -some years earlier, he, like General Bruce, would have -made a magnificent leader of a climbing party. As it was, -his great experience would be available for the climbers -as far as the high mountain camp. And this time it was -intended to send with the Expedition a “whole-time” -<span class='pageno' id='Page_8'>8</span>photographer and cinematographer, both for the purpose -of having a photographic record of its progress and also -to provide the means by which the expenses of this and -a future expedition might be met. For this Captain J. B. -Noel was selected. He had made a reconnaissance towards -Mount Everest in 1913, and he had since then made a special -study of photography and cinematography, so that he was -eminently suited for the task.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The above formed the party which would be sent out -from England. And subsequently General Bruce, in India, -selected four others to join the Expedition: Mr. Crawford, -of the Indian Civil Service, a keen mountaineer, who had -long wished to join the Expedition; Major Morshead, who -had held charge of the survey party in the 1921 Expedition, -and now wanted to join the present Expedition as a -climber; and two officers from Gurkha regiments, to serve -as transport officers, namely, Captain Geoffrey Bruce and -Captain Morris.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This completed the British personnel of the Expedition. -It had been my hope that a first-rate artist might have -accompanied it to paint the greatest peaks of the Himalaya, -but the artists whom we chose were unable to pass the -medical examination, though the examination was, of course, -not so severe as the examination which the actual climbers -had to pass.</p> - -<p class='c010'>While these men were being selected, the Equipment -Committee, Captain Farrar and Mr. Meade, were working -hard. Taking the advice of Colonel Howard-Bury and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_9'>9</span>Mr. Mallory, and profiting by the experience gained on the -previous Expedition, they got together and had suitably -packed and despatched to India a splendid outfit comprising -every necessity for an Expedition of this nature. The -amount of work that Farrar put into this was enormous; -for as a mountaineer he knew well how the success of the -Expedition depended on each detail of the equipment being -looked into, and he spared himself no trouble and overlooked -nothing. The stores were of the most varied description, -in order to meet the varying tastes of the different members. -The tents were improved in accordance with the experience -gained. Most particular attention was paid to the boots. -Clothing and bedding, light in weight but warm to wear, -were specially designed. Ice-axes, crampons, ropes, lanterns, -cooking-stoves, and also warm clothing for the porters, -were all provided, and much else besides.</p> - -<p class='c010'>But about one point in the equipment of the party -there was much diversity of opinion. Should the climbers -be provided with oxygen, or should they not? If it were -at all feasible to provide climbers with oxygen without -adding appreciably to the weight they had to carry, the -summit of Mount Everest could be reached to a certainty. -For the purely mountaineering difficulties are not great. -On the way to the summit there are no physical obstacles -which a trained mountaineer could not readily overcome. -The one factor which renders the ascent so difficult is the -want of oxygen in the air. Provide the oxygen and the -ascent could be made at once. But to provide the oxygen -<span class='pageno' id='Page_10'>10</span>heavy apparatus would have to be carried—and carried by -the climbers themselves. It became a question whether -the disadvantage of having to carry a weight of at least -thirty pounds would or would not outweigh the advantages -to be gained by the use of the oxygen.</p> - -<p class='c010'>And the Mount Everest Committee were warned of -another feature in the case. They were told that if by any -misfortune the oxygen were to run out when the climbers -were at a considerable height—say 27,000 feet—and they -suddenly found themselves without any preparation in -this attenuated atmosphere, they might collapse straight -away. It was a disagreeable prospect to anticipate. But -Captain Finch, who was himself a lecturer on chemistry at -the Imperial College of Science, Mr. Somervell, and Captain -Farrar, pressed so strongly for the use of oxygen, and Mr. -Unna was so convinced he could construct a reasonably -portable apparatus, that the Committee decided that the -experiment should be made. The value of using oxygen -could thus be tested, and we should know what were the -prospects of reaching the summit of the mountain either -with or without its aid. Captain Farrar, Captain Finch, -and Mr. Unna therefore set about constructing an apparatus -which would hold the lightest procurable oxygen cylinders, -and which could be carried on the back by the climbers.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This final question having been settled, all the stores -and equipment having been purchased, packed, and despatched, -the members of the Expedition left England in -March. But before I leave General Bruce to take up the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_11'>11</span>tale of their adventures, I must say yet one word more -about “the good” of climbing Mount Everest. These -repeated efforts to reach the summit of the world’s highest -mountain have already cost human life. They have also -cost much physical pain, fatigue, and discomfort to the -climbers. They have been very expensive. And there is -not the slightest sign of any material gain whatever being -obtained—not an ounce of gold, or iron, or coal, or a single -precious stone, or any land upon which food or material -could be grown. What, then, is the good of it all? Who -will benefit in the least even if the climbers do eventually -get to the top? These are questions which are still being -continually asked me, so I had better still go on trying to -make as plain as I can what is the good of climbing Mount -Everest.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The most obvious good is an increased knowledge of -our own capacities. By trying with all our might and with -all our mind to climb the highest point on the earth, we -are getting to know better what we really can do. No one -can say for certain yet whether we can or cannot reach the -summit. We cannot know till we try. But if—as seems -much more probable now than it did ten years ago—we -can reach the summit, we shall know that we are capable -of more than we had supposed. And this knowledge of -our capacities will be very valuable. In my own lifetime -I have seen men’s knowledge of their capacity for climbing -mountains greatly increased. Men’s standard of climbing -has been raised. They now know that they can do what -<span class='pageno' id='Page_12'>12</span>forty years ago they did not deem in the least possible. -And if they reach the summit of Mount Everest, the standard -of achievement will be still further raised; and men who -had, so far, never thought of attempting the lesser peaks of -the Himalaya, will be climbing them as freely as they now -climb peaks in Switzerland.</p> - -<p class='c010'>And what then? What is the good of that? The good -of that is that a whole new enjoyment in life will be opened -up. And enjoyment of life is, after all, the end of life. We -do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make -money to be able to enjoy life. And some of us know from -actual experience that by climbing a mountain we can get -some of the finest enjoyment there is to be had. We like -bracing ourselves against a mountain, pitting our mettle, -our nerve, our skill, against the physical difficulties the -mountain presents, and feeling that we are forcing the spirit -within us to prevail against the material. That is a glorious -feeling in itself and a real tonic to the spirit—even when it -does not always conquer.</p> - -<p class='c010'>But that is not all. The wrestling with the mountain -makes us love the mountain. For the moment we may be -utterly exhausted and only too thankful to be able to -hurry back to more congenial regions. Yet, all the same, -we shall eventually get to love the mountain for the very -fact that she has forced the utmost out of us, lifted us -just for one precious moment high above our ordinary -life, and shown us beauty of an austerity, power, and -purity we should have never known if we had not faced -<span class='pageno' id='Page_13'>13</span>the mountain squarely and battled strongly with her.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This, then, is the good to be obtained from climbing -Mount Everest. Most men will have to take on trust that -there is this good. But most of the best things in life we -have to take on trust at first till we have proved them for -ourselves. So I would beg readers of this book first trustfully -to accept it from the Everest climbers that there is -good in climbing great mountains (for the risks they have -run and the hardships they have endured are ample enough -proof of the faith that is in them), and then to go and test -it for themselves—in the Himalaya, if possible, or if not, -in the Alps, the Rockies, the Andes, wherever high mountains -make the call.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_14'>14</span><span class='xxlarge'>THE NARRATIVE OF THE</span></div> - <div><span class='xxlarge'>EXPEDITION</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xlarge'>By</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>BRIGADIER-GENERAL HON. C. G. BRUCE,</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>C.B., M.V.O.</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_17'>17</span> - <h2 id='ch01' class='c004'>CHAPTER I<br /> <br />TO THE BASE CAMP</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>The precursor of the present volume, <i>The Reconnaissance -of Mount Everest in 1921</i>, sets forth fully the successful and -strenuous work which was accomplished in that year and -which has rendered possible the Expedition of the present -year. The whole of our work lying in country which had -never previously been explored by Europeans, it was rendered -absolutely necessary for a full examination of the -whole country to be made before an attempt to climb -Mount Everest could possibly be carried out. We have to -thank Colonel Howard-Bury and his companions, especially -his survey officers, for their important work, which -rendered our task in arriving at our base comparatively -simple.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The object of the Expedition of 1922, of course, was the -actual attack on the mountain in an attempt to climb it; -but no great mountain has ever succumbed to the first -attempt on it, and therefore it is almost inconceivable that -so tremendous a problem as the ascent of Mount Everest -should succeed at the very first effort. In fact, I myself am -more than satisfied, almost astounded, at the extraordinary -success attained by my companions in this endeavour. The -<span class='pageno' id='Page_18'>18</span>problem that lay in front of us, I think, should be first -explained.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Mount Everest, as all know, lies on that part of the -Himalaya which is narrowest. It is, therefore, exposed -very rapidly to the first assaults of the South-west monsoon, -and this monsoon advances up the Bay of Bengal at an -earlier period in the year than that of its Western branch, -the Gulf current. It is this fact which supplies the greatest -difficulty to be faced in an attack on any of the great peaks -which lie in this region, giving one an unusually short -season. However, to a certain extent this is counteracted -by the fact that the winter climate in this portion of the -Himalaya is far drier than it is in the West. There is less -deposit of snow on the mountains in this section of the -Himalaya than there would be, for instance, in the Kashmir -mountains, and this, to some extent, makes up for the early -advance of the monsoon, and consequent bad weather, -which renders any exploration of the great heights during -the time that the monsoon blows an impossibility.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Towards the end of May the monsoon arrives in Darjeeling, -and then, according to the strength of the current, -quickly approaches the Southern faces of the Himalaya, -and, as the current strengthens, drifts across their summits -and through the gorges and over the lower ridges. The -problem, therefore, of any party exploring in these mountains -resolves itself into the rapidity with which they can -establish their base of operations in a suitable locality to -explore the mountains and to climb them. During the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_19'>19</span>period of the very great cold, naturally, the upper heights -are impossible, and camping on the upper glaciers is in -itself also almost impossible. Travelling across Tibet in -March, crossing high passes of over 17,000 feet is such that, -although it might be perfectly possible to do, it would be a -great strain on the stamina of the party, and likely to detract -from their condition. We had, therefore, to adapt our -advance into Tibet so as to make it at the latest possible -moment, in order to avoid the very worst of the weather, -and yet at the earliest possible moment, so that we could -arrive at the foot of our mountains with sufficient time to -attack them before the weather broke up and rendered -mountaineering an impossibility at a great height. It -resolves itself, then, almost into a race against the monsoon.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This was our problem, and it is my special province in -these opening chapters to show how we tackled it.</p> - -<p class='c010'>During the winter of 1921–2, the Mount Everest Committee, -owing to the lateness with which the party had -returned after the reconnaissance, had to work at very top -speed. They had to collect all the necessary stores for -the party, and not only that, but also to select a suitable -mountaineering team; this was a considerable difficulty. -Finally the party was made up as follows: myself as leader, -Colonel E. L. Strutt as Second-in-Command, and Dr. -Longstaff the official doctor and naturalist of the Expedition. -The climbing party pure consisted of Mr. Mallory -(of last year’s Expedition), Dr. Somervell, Dr. Wakefield, -and Major Norton. We had three transport officers, one -<span class='pageno' id='Page_20'>20</span>of whom belonged to the Alpine Club, and was considered -an assistant of the climbing party, Mr. C. G. Crawford, of -the Indian Civil Service. The official photographer was -Captain Noel. Two officers in the Indian Army were -attached to the Expedition as transport officers—Captain -J. G. Bruce and Captain C. G. Morris. Later, on our arrival -in Darjeeling, the party was further reinforced by Major -Morshead, who had been one of the survey party of the -previous year, and whose general knowledge of Tibet and -of Tibetans was of great service to us; and last, but not -least, Captain George Finch, who came not only as a most -important member of the climbing party, but also as the -scientific expert in charge of the entire oxygen outfit.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This large party was collected in Darjeeling by the last -week in March, and in a few days we were all ready to make -a start. I myself preceded the party by about a month, -arriving in Delhi to interview the Indian authorities about -the 25th of February. Through the kindness of the Commander-in-Chief, -Lord Rawlinson, we were supplied with -four young non-commissioned officers of Captain Bruce’s -regiment, the 2nd Battalion 6th Gurkha Rifles, and an -orderly of the 1st Battalion 6th Gurkha Rifles, and right -well all these five Gurkhas carried out their duties. As will -be seen later, one of them, Lance-naik Tejbir Bura, very -highly distinguished himself.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I arrived in Darjeeling with Captain Bruce on March 1, -and there I found that our agent in India, Mr. Weatherall, -had carried out the instructions which he had received from -<span class='pageno' id='Page_21'>21</span>England in the most efficient manner. The large quantity -of stores which we had ordered previously were all beautifully -packed and ready for transportation; the tents of the -previous year all mended and in good order; the stores of -different kinds, such as there were, which had been left -also from the previous year, had been put into order; and -last and most important, 150 porters had been collected -for our inspection and from whom to make a selection. -He had also for us a large number of cooks to choose from, -a most excellent individual to look after the tents, Chongay, -who proved quite invaluable to us, and a local cobbler who -had expressed his willingness to come with the Expedition.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Owing to the tremendous hurry in which all arrangements -had to be made in England, the stores were forwarded in -different batches. On our arrival in Calcutta, we interviewed -Mr. Brown, of the Army and Navy Stores, whose -work, both for the Expeditions of 1921 and of 1922, has been -quite beyond praise. He told us that only one instalment -of stores had yet arrived, but that the ships containing the -remainder were expected shortly. Luckily for us, we had -at the Army and Navy Stores, and acting in the interests -of the Expedition, a most capable agent. As the ships -containing the stores arrived, the latter were unloaded, -rapidly passed through the Customs, and forwarded on to -Kalimpong Road, which is the terminus of the Darjeeling -Railway and the Teesta Valley. On arrival there they -were met by our representative in no less a person than -Captain Morris, handed over to the contractors who were -<span class='pageno' id='Page_22'>22</span>moving our stores, and forwarded on to Tibet in advance -of the Expedition. This naturally required a great deal of -arranging.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I must mention that, shortly after our arrival in Darjeeling, -we were joined by Captain Morris, who immediately -left for Kalimpong, two stages on our journey, to which -place the whole of the outfit of the Expedition was -sent. We could not spare the time to wait for the -arrival of the oxygen, and therefore, when the party finally -left Darjeeling, Captain Finch, the scientist in whose charge -the whole of the oxygen and scientific apparatus had been -put, remained behind with Mr. Crawford to bring it up. -Luckily, the ship arrived in Calcutta just as we were leaving, -and therefore the delay was less than we had anticipated.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The people of Darjeeling, both the British and the -native inhabitants—whether Tibetans or Hillmen—were -all immensely interested in our Expedition, and Mr. Laden -La, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, was, if anything, -the most enthusiastic of them all. Mr. Laden La has -himself rendered excellent service to Government, and has -travelled greatly in Tibet. He is himself a Tibetan, and, I -believe, is an Honorary General in the Tibetan Army. His -influence in Darjeeling and the district is great, and his help -to the Expedition was invaluable. He arranged in Darjeeling, -both as head of the Buddhist Association of Darjeeling, -and in conjunction with the Committee of the -Hillmen’s Association, that the whole of the party should -be entertained by these two Associations, and that the chief -<span class='pageno' id='Page_23'>23</span>Lamas and Brahmins of the district should bless and offer -up prayers for the well-being and success of the party. The -entertainment went off most excellently, and it was altogether -a most interesting function. The Nepalese members -of the party were blessed by the Brahmins, but also, in -order to confirm this blessing, further received the blessings -of the Lamas. I think there is every reason for supposing -that this small function assisted in bringing home to all our -porters and followers what was expected of them by their -own people, and it was very likely a good deal in consequence -of this that they behaved on the whole so extremely well. -For it must be understood that all these hill people, whether -Nepalese or Tibetan, are very light-hearted, very irresponsible, -very high-spirited, and up to the present time -prohibition as a national measure is not exactly a popular -outlook; in fact, none of them on any occasion, unless well -looked after, lost any opportunity of looking on the wine -when it is red—or any other colour.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our cooks had to be chosen with a good deal of care. -Captain Bruce and myself took the most likely candidates -out into the hills and gave them a good trial before we -engaged them. One of them, who was a Nepalese, had -been an old servant of my own for many months; he was -the only Gurkha among them. The other three (for we gave -ourselves an ample outfit of four cooks) were Bhotias -(Tibetans). They were the greatest success, mostly because -they are hard-working and ready to do any amount of -work; but they were good cooks too. Captain Noel also -<span class='pageno' id='Page_24'>24</span>engaged an excellent servant (also a cook), and Major -Norton’s private servant (another Tibetan) was very capable -in the same way; so that we were thoroughly well -provided with an ample outfit, and wherever we were we -could count on having our meals properly prepared. This -is one of the important points in Tibetan travel, from the -want of which I believe a certain amount of the illness that -was experienced in the previous year was due.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We also engaged almost the most important subordinate -member of the Expedition—the interpreter, Karma Paul. -He was quite young, and had been a schoolmaster in -Darjeeling. He had also worked, I believe, for a time in -an office in Calcutta. He was quite new to the kind of -work that he would have to do. But he was a great acquisition -to the Expedition, always good company and always -cheerful, full of a quaint little vanity of his own and delighted -when he was praised. He served us very well indeed from -one end of the Expedition to the other, and it was a great -deal owing to his cheerfulness and to his excellent manners -and way with the Tibetans that we never had the smallest -possible misunderstanding with any officials, even of the -lowest grades, to disturb our good relations with the Tibetans -of any kind or class. He also was bilingual, for he had -been born in Lhasa, and still had relations living there.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On March 26 the whole Expedition started off for Kalimpong -by rail, with the exception of Captain Finch and Mr. -Crawford, who remained to bring on the oxygen. Owing -to the kindness of the Himalayan Railway Company, we -<span class='pageno' id='Page_25'>25</span>were all taken round by rail to Kalimpong Road free, the -whole Expedition travelling up the Teesta Valley in the -normal manner, with the exception of Captain Noel, who -elected to ride on the roof of the carriages in order to take -pictures with his cinema camera of the Teesta Valley. The -junction at Siliguri, where the Teesta railway branches off -from the main line, is only 300 feet above the sea, the -terminus at Kalimpong Road about 700 feet above the sea, -and therefore as one dives down from the hills one enters -into tropical conditions and passes through the most magnificent -tropical jungle and the steepest gorges and ravines. -It is a wonderful journey. Even the long spell of hot and -dry weather and the heat haze at this time of year were -unable to spoil the scenery. And though we saw it almost -at its worst time, it remained gorgeous.</p> - -<p class='c010'>At Kalimpong the Expedition broke up into two parties, -but before we left we had a very pleasant function to attend. -I had been charged by Sir Robert Baden-Powell to deliver -a message to the scouts of Dr. Graham’s Homes for European -Children at Kalimpong. Not only that, but incorporated -with these scouts was the first small body of Nepalese boy-scouts. -It was a very interesting function indeed, and a -most enthusiastic one.</p> - -<p class='c010'>From there we pushed on stage by stage over the Jelep -La into the Chumbi Valley. Of course, journeys through -Sikkim have often been described. Again we were disappointed. -On my first arrival in Darjeeling, the cold weather -had hardly finished, but now (March 28) we were well into -<span class='pageno' id='Page_26'>26</span>the hot weather of Bengal, and in consequence we were also -in the hot-weather haze. During the whole of our journey -we never got a single view of the gorgeous Southern faces -of the Himalaya, of Kanchenjanga and of its supporters, and -especially of the wonderful Siniolchum peak. This was a -very great disappointment, as from several points on our -road a view of the Southern face can be obtained. Nevertheless, -a journey through Sikkim is always a wonderful -experience. The steep and deeply cut valleys, the wonderful -clear mountain streams, and the inhabitants and their -means of cultivation, are all full of interest. The depth of -the valleys is always striking, and can never be anything -else. When one thinks that from Rongli Chu, situated only -at 2,700 feet above the sea, one rises in one continuous -pull to close on 13,000 feet on the ridge which looks down -on the Gnatong bungalow, and travels through cultivation -and forest the whole way, passing through every phase of -Eastern Himalayan landscape, one cannot cease to be continually -impressed by the scale of the country. We were -too early for the rhododendrons on the way to Gnatong, -but there were just sufficient in flower to give us a mental -vision of what these wonderful rhododendron forests would -be like in another three weeks.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On the way to Gnatong, at a height of 11,500 feet, we -came to the little village of Lungtung. Here there was a -tea-house kept by some Nepalese. It was spotlessly clean, -or at least all the cooking arrangements were, and here, as -we came up, we all indulged in tea and the local cakes, and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_27'>27</span>found them both excellent. Not only that, but the little -lady who kept the shop was full of talk and full of chaff, and -we all sat down and enjoyed ourselves for more than an -hour, keeping up a continuous flow of conversation. All the -men joined us as they came up, and I am afraid we made -rather a noise. As a matter of fact, all through Sikkim -these little tea-shops are to be found, and the tea is generally -quite drinkable. This little lady’s shop, though, was particularly -well run and attractive. When we left we promised to -call and see her again on our return, which promise we were -able to fulfil.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The higher portions of the road from Gnatong over the -Jelep are a very great contrast. It is almost like a march -through the Highlands of Scotland, and hardly represents or -brings to one’s mind the fact that one is among great mountains. -The Jelep, which is 14,300 feet above the sea, is -a perfectly easy pass, crossed by a horrid pavé road, very -much out of repair, the descent into the Chumbi Valley -being, for animals, the last word in discomfort. We employed -altogether in our two parties about eighty mules -from the Chumbi Valley, and we were all immensely struck -by this wonderful transport. There is a considerable trade -carried on between Tibet and Chumbi in particular for seven -or eight months in the year, as on this road quantities of -Tibetan wool are brought down for sale at Kalimpong, -very nearly all of it being brought by the Chumbi muleteers, -and most efficient they are. They thoroughly understand -the loading and care of mules, and the pace they travel at is -<span class='pageno' id='Page_28'>28</span>something to see. It is only understood if one walks for -long distances with, or often behind, a train of laden mules. -No doubt, owing to the continual changes from cold to -warmth and heat, many sore backs are occasioned, and -further, owing to the tremendous stress and continuous -labour involved, many mules are worked that have no -business to be worked. The muleteers themselves, when -talked to about it, say that it distresses them, but they are -hard put to it to carry out their work, and see no method -very often of being able to fulfil their contracts and at the -same time lay up their mules.</p> - -<p class='c010'>After crossing the Jelep La, and leaving Sikkim, it is -almost like diving into Kashmir, so great is the difference -in the general appearance of the country and in its forests. -While we were sitting on the top of the Jelep we had the -most splendid view of Chomolhari (23,800 feet). It showed -itself at its very best; the day was quiet and very warm. -Chomolhari stood out clearly, and still with plenty of atmosphere -round it. Snow-streamers were blowing out from -its summit. It showed its full height, and did full justice -to its shape and beauty. It is a great mountain which -completely dominates Phari and its plain, and is the striking -feature as one enters Tibet from the Chumbi Valley. We -all admired it enormously, but the enthusiasm of the party -was somewhat damped when I pointed out to them that -our high advanced base on Everest, in fact, the camp that -we hoped to establish on the North Col, called the Chang -La, which had been marked out the year before by Mr. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_29'>29</span>Mallory, was, in fact, only about 600 feet lower than the top -of Chomolhari itself.</p> - -<div id='i028' class='figcenter id003'> -<img src='images/i028.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Frozen Waterfall, Chumbi Valley.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>On arrival at Richengong, which is at the foot of the -valley which forms the junction between the Jelep Valley -and the valley of the Ammu Chu, which is the Chumbi -Valley, we were met by Mr. Macdonald, the British Trade -Agent, who lives at Chumbi, and his wonderfully dressed -chuprassis, and also by a guard of honour of 90 Panjabis, -who supplied a small guard both at Yatung, in Chumbi, and -also at the British post in Gyantse, on the road to Lhasa. -We had a very pleasant ride by the Chumbi Valley to -Yatung. I had previously supplied myself in Darjeeling -with a treasure of a pony, Gyamda by name, who was -locally very well known in Darjeeling. He was only 12½ -hands, but had the go and the stamina of a very much -bigger animal. He was attended by a sais who was nearly -twice as big as himself, and was one of the finest-built -Tibetans I saw the whole time. Gyamda himself hailed -from the town of Gyamda, which is about 12 miles South of -Lhasa. His enormous sais hailed from Lhasa itself, and, -unfortunately, could hardly speak a word of anything but -Tibetan. However, he improved by degrees, and very soon -we got on very well. He adored the pony Gyamda, but had -the habit of giving it, unless looked after, at least a dozen -eggs mixed with its grain. When we stopped him doing -this, he was caught hugging the pony round the neck and -saying to it, “Now they have cut your eggs, you will die, -and what shall I do?” Gyamda carried me right through -<span class='pageno' id='Page_30'>30</span>the Expedition, and could go over any ground, and came -back as well as he left, never sick or sorry, and always pleased -with life.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We marched from Chumbi on April 5, accompanied -by Mr. Macdonald and his son, who had come to help -us make all our transport arrangements when we should -arrive in Phari. Mr. Macdonald helped us on all occasions, -and we cannot thank him enough for all the trouble he -took from now on and during the whole time the Expedition -was in Tibet. It was owing very largely to his help that -we were able in Phari to get our Expedition on so soon, for -he warned the two Dzongpens of Phari Dzong beforehand to -obtain adequate transport for us.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Again, the march from Yatung to Phari has been described -on many occasions, but it is quite impossible to march -through it without mentioning its character. It is, especially -at the time of year we went through, one of the darkest -and blackest and most impressive forested gorges that I -have ever seen, and almost equally impressive is the debouchment -on to the Phari Plain at the head of the gorge, -dominated as it is by our old friend Chomolhari.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We arrived in Phari on April 6, and made our -first real acquaintance with the Tibetan wind. Phari is -14,300 feet, and winter was scarcely over; the weather also -was threatening. Luckily, there is a little British Government -rest-house and bungalow and serai at Phari, and there -we found comfortable quarters. We were joined on the -following day by the rest of the party. This really formed -<span class='pageno' id='Page_31'>31</span>the starting-point of the Expedition, and, further, it was my -birthday, and the bottle of old rum, 120 years old, specially -brought out for this occasion, was opened and the success of -the Expedition was drunk to. If we had known what was -in front of us, we should have put off the drinking of this -peculiarly comforting fluid until the evening of the day of -our first march from Phari. The two Phari Dzongpens, -probably owing to the fact that Phari is on the main route -between Lhasa and India, were far and away the most -grasping and difficult of any officials that we met, but no -doubt their difficulties were pretty considerable. Although -there is a great quantity of transport to be obtained in -Phari, at this time of the year it is in very poor condition. -Grazing exists, but one would never know that it existed -unless one was told, and also unless one saw herds of yaks -on the hillsides apparently eating frozen earth. Everything -was frozen hard. We had difficulty, therefore, in obtaining -the transport required. We found here collected the whole -of our stores, with the exception of the oxygen. Our -excellent tindel,<a id='r1' /><a href='#f1' class='c011'><sup>[1]</sup></a> Chongay, who had gone on ahead, had got -it all marshalled; the tents were also pitched and in good -order.</p> - -<div class='footnote c012' id='f1'> -<p class='c013'><span class='label'><a href='#r1'>1</a>. </span>Tent-mender.</p> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>On April 8 we set out from Phari, but had been obliged -to reinforce the local transport by re-engaging fifty -of the Chumbi mules. We had been obliged to do this -because we were unable to get a sufficiency of transport that -was capable of carrying loads in Phari itself. But these -<span class='pageno' id='Page_32'>32</span>fifty mules were our salvation; without them, as it turned -out, we should have been in a bad way.</p> - -<p class='c010'>There are two roads that lead from Phari to Khamba -Dzong, our next objective; the short road passing over the -Tang La and the Donka La, and a long road which starts -first on the road to Lhasa and turns finally after two marches -to the West. On account of the short time at our disposal, -and having regard to the fact that we had now in earnest -begun our race with the weather, we chose the shorter -route. Owing to the condition of the animals, all had agreed -that the yaks could not possibly, even by the short road, -get to Khamba Dzong under six days. We therefore -divided our party again into two. The advance party, with -fifty Chumbi mules and a large collection of donkeys and -particularly active bullocks, and even some cows, were to -march to Khamba Dzong in four days, and were to be -followed by 200 yaks in charge of our sardar, Gyaljen, and -two of the Gurkha non-commissioned officers, to wit, -Naik Hurké Gurung and Lance-naik Lal Sing Gurung, -the other two Gurkhas being in charge of the treasure-chest -which accompanied the first party; Lance-naik Tejbir Bura -and Lance-naik Sarabjit Thapa were to march with the -first party.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The sardar Gyaljen had accompanied Colonel Howard-Bury’s -party on the first Expedition, and had, apparently, -from the accounts given of him in last year’s volume, not -been a very great success. I, however, gave him a second -chance. He was a thoroughly capable man, and I had -<span class='pageno' id='Page_33'>33</span>every hope, as he knew that I had heard about him and had -also seen the report that had been made of him by Colonel -Howard-Bury, that on this occasion he would pull himself -together and do well; in this we were not disappointed. -Of course, as all sophisticated men in his position are likely -to do, he was out to benefit himself; but we were able pretty -successfully to cope with this failing, and, generally speaking, -his services were of great value, especially on certain occasions. -Altogether, I think, he was a success.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Of course, we were rather well qualified from this point of -view—both Morris and Geoffrey Bruce had an excellent -knowledge of Nepal and of the Nepalese, and Nepalese is the -one Eastern language which I may say that I also have a -good knowledge of. All Sherpas are tri-lingual—that is to -say, they talk their own Sherpa dialect of Tibet, Tibetan as -a mother-tongue, and nearly all of them Nepalese as well. -Owing to their being subjects of Nepal, the official language -(that is, Nepalese) is the one they are obliged to employ in -dealing with the authorities. Also nearly every one of the -Tibetans we employed and who came with us from Darjeeling -spoke Nepali as their second language. In consequence -of this, nearly the whole of the work usually done by a sardar -of coolies in Darjeeling was carried out by the officers of the -Expedition, who dealt directly both with the men and with -the people of the country.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On April 8 we started out. There was for a good -long time a tremendous scrimmage getting all the different -loads packed on to the animals, and dividing the animals, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_34'>34</span>especially as the Tibetans had no idea of being punctual, -and in consequence the yaks, ponies for riding, mules and -bullocks, all drifted in at different times during the morning. -Finally, however, our two large mixed convoys were got off. -It was really a great piece of luck being able to keep the -fifty Chumbi mules. These were laden in the early morning -with what was necessary for our camp and despatched well -before the rest of the luggage. The great convoy of 200 -yaks was finally marshalled and sent off under the charge of -the Gurkhas and the sardar, but the advance party’s luggage -was spread over miles of country. In consequence of this, -Geoffrey, Morris, and myself were delayed until quite late -in the morning.</p> - -<div id='i034' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i034.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Nuns at Ta-tsang.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Our first march was about 16 miles, and the day was very -threatening. We pushed along on ponies at a good pace -and crossed the Tang La, which is a little over 15,000 feet, in -rough, but not actually wet, weather. Luckily, the country -is very open, over plains of more or less frozen grass. Over -the main chain of the Himalaya the clouds had settled, and -it was evident that the weather was breaking. A little -after noon it broke with a vengeance. The clouds settled -down, it began to snow heavily, and the wind increased to -half a hurricane. Luckily, however, most of our local men -knew the road well, otherwise in this great open and undulating -country one could very easily get lost. The track, -which was fairly well marked otherwise, was completely -and rapidly obliterated in places. It was certainly a rather -disheartening start. Morris was delayed for a time to look -<span class='pageno' id='Page_35'>35</span>after some luggage; Geoffrey and myself pushed on. Going -pretty quickly, we were able to pick up different parties, and -were lucky enough to pass one small encampment of Tibetans. -It was curious to see yaks contentedly chewing the -cud, the whole of their weather-side being a mass of frozen -snow. They seemed to be quite as happy lying out in a -blizzard as though they had been ordinary civilised cows in -a barn.</p> - -<p class='c010'>About what is usually known as tea-time we sighted the -camp. Our excellent followers had got a few tents up, and -I was fortunate enough myself to find that the porter who -was carrying my big coat had already arrived. Nearly all -Indian camp servants who are accustomed to travelling in -the Himalaya are good in a crisis, and, when things get bad, -come to the fore; but on this occasion they surpassed themselves. -It must be understood that, in Tibet, very, very -seldom can anything but dried yak-dung be found to make -a fire with. On this occasion the snow had obliterated -everything, and in consequence a fire had to be otherwise -improvised. Some tents had been pitched, a fire had been -got going, and very soon a hot meal and hot tea were forthcoming. -The rest of the party gradually collected, but it -was not until well after nightfall that the whole of the -advance transport had managed to arrive. As a first march -it certainly gave the party a very good idea of what they -might have to put up with in Tibet; it was a real -good entry into Tibetan travel. However, nobody was -much the worse, and, the weather having cleared during -<span class='pageno' id='Page_36'>36</span>the night, we had a brilliant sight the following morning.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On April 9, we made what I think was the -hardest march undertaken on the Expedition. Our path -led us over the ridge in its three bifurcations which runs -North from Pawhunri and rapidly rises from our last camp, -each of these ridges being just 17,000 feet, slightly more or -less, and most of the path being at about 16,000 feet of -elevation. At any time early in April great cold would be -expected at such a height, but on this day the wind was -blowing right over the Himalaya direct from the snows -across these passes, and howling down the gorges between -them. It was painfully cold, and the wind never abated -from morning to night. We left about seven o’clock in the -morning, and it was well after nightfall again before our -transport was collected at our next camp at Hung-Zung-trak. -Longstaff and myself pushed on in search of the -camp for most of the day together, arriving before any of -the animals at about 4.30 to five o’clock in the evening, -and made our camp at the above-named place under some -overhanging cliffs with fairly good grazing—such as grazing -is in April—and with a stream beneath the camp from which -water could be obtained. We were very shortly followed -by our magnificent Chumbi transport, which had been -pushing along at a tremendous pace the whole day long. I -do not know what we should have done without it.</p> - -<p class='c010'>What was very much brought home to us was the -absolute necessity of windproof material to keep out the -tremendous cold of these winds. Fortunately, I had a very -<span class='pageno' id='Page_37'>37</span>efficient mackintosh which covered everything, but even -then I suffered very considerably from the cold. It simply -blew through and through wool, and riding without windproof -clothing would have been very painful. It was also -very fortunate for us that the weather was really fine and -the sun shone all day. I think we should have been in a -very bad way indeed if the blizzard had occurred on the -second day out from Phari, and not on the first.</p> - -<p class='c010'>However, by night we were all comfortably settled down, -although the whole of our advance stores did not arrive -until after ten o’clock at night again. Unfortunately, three -of our porters who had stayed behind with the slowest of -the bullocks lost their way after dark. They stayed out -the whole night without bedding or covering, and in the -morning continued to the nunnery of Tatsang, which was -about 4 or 5 miles further down the valley and rather off -our direct route. We here heard of them and retrieved -them. These men had not yet been issued with their full -clothes, and how they managed to sit out the night clothed -as they were and without any damage of any kind passes -one’s comprehension. So low was the temperature that -night that the quickly flowing stream outside our camp was -frozen solid.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We halted the next day, as the transport was overdone, -and the following day (April 11) made another long, but -very interesting, march direct to Khamba Dzong, leaving -the monastery of Tatsang on our right and crossing high -plains on which were grazing large herds of kyang and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_38'>38</span>gazelle. The mounted men had great fun trying to round -up and get as close as possible to the herds of kyang; they -were trusting up to a point, but never let us go close enough -to get a good snap photograph of them. Finally, the road -led from the high plateau down to Khamba Dzong, through -what to several of us immediately became astonishingly -familiar country; for the whole surroundings of the Khamba -Dzong Valley reminds one very much of the scenery on the -North-west frontier of India. But what a difference in -climate!</p> - -<p class='c010'>We camped at Khamba Dzong where last year’s Expedition -had camped, and were very well received by the same -Dzongpen. We were gratified to find Dr. Kellas’ grave in -good order, and we further added to it a collection of great -stones. The inscription on the grave in English and Tibetan -was clear and clean. We were delayed in Khamba Dzong -for three whole days, partly because of the difficulty in -collecting animals; also two days to allow our main convoy -of 200 yaks to catch us up, and we had the good luck to be -joined by Finch and Crawford, who had pushed on at a great -pace with the oxygen apparatus. They showed evident -signs of wear and tear, being badly knocked about by the -weather. The storm had caught them on the Jelep La, and -as this is more South, there had been a very much greater -fall of snow, so much so that the Chumbi Valley was inches -deep in it. They spoke very highly indeed of all their -followers, cooks and Tibetans, and especially of a capital -boy, Lhakpa Tsering, who had come along with them as their -<span class='pageno' id='Page_39'>39</span>special attendant. He was quite a young boy, but had -made the march in two days with them to Tatsang, where -they stayed for the night, without showing any particular -signs of fatigue, running along beside their ponies. I make -a considerable point of the following: I think great exertions -and long marches at these high altitudes before -acclimatisation is complete would have tended to exhaust, -and not to improve, the training of the party, whereas to -have a pony with one and be able to walk or ride when one -felt tired or blown, gradually allowed the body to adjust -itself. At any rate, I am perfectly certain that if every one -had been obliged to walk instead of being able to ride, even -on the terribly inadequate ponies that were supplied to -them in Tibet, but which, at any rate, gave them the much-needed -rest, they would not have arrived at the Rongbuk -Glacier fit to do the work which they afterwards successfully -tackled.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our march from Khamba Dzong to Tinki and from -Tinki to Shekar was exactly by the route followed by Colonel -Howard-Bury in the previous year, and calls for no particular -comment on my part, with the exception that two small -parties of Finch and Wakefield and Mallory and Somervell -made a good attempt at Gyangka-nangpa to climb a -20,000-foot peak, Sangkar Ri, on the way. This they were -not quite able to do.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We had no difficulty in crossing the great sand-dunes -where the Yaru River joins the Arun, as we were able to -cross it in the early morning before the wind had arisen. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_40'>40</span>But on that morning, when we came to the junction of the -valley of the Arun, we had a most wonderful and clear view -of Mount Everest to the South. Although it was over -50 miles distant in a straight line, it did not look more than -twenty. The whole of the face that was visible to us was -smothered in snow. The entire setting of the piece was -very strange; the country was almost bare enough to -remind one of a crumpled Egyptian desert, and the strangeness -and wonder was hugely increased by the South of the -valley being filled with this wonderful mountain mass.</p> - -<p class='c010'>At Shekar, where we arrived on April 24, we were again -delayed for three days getting transport. We found the -Dzong filled with Lamas. There is a great monastery in -Shekar itself, and one of less account a little further beyond. -The great Lama of Shekar is an extremely cunning old -person and a first-class trader. In his quarters at the -monastery he had immense collections of Tibetan and -Chinese curios, and he knew the price of these as well as any -professional dealer. We saw a great deal, in fact, a great -deal too much, of the Lamas of Shekar. They were the -most inconceivably dirty crowd that we had met in Tibet; -the dirt was quite indescribable. Although the people in -Lhasa in good positions are reported to be generally cleanish, -here in the more out-of-the-way parts of Tibet washing -appears to be entirely unknown, except to the Dzongpens, -and I believe that the ordinary Dzongpen only has a ceremonial -bath on New Year’s Eve as a preparatory to the -new year, and I should not be at all surprised if Mrs. Dzongpen -<span class='pageno' id='Page_41'>41</span>did too. At any rate, the Dzongpens’ families were -always infinitely better cared for in this respect than anyone -else. These people, however, have the most terribly dirty -cooks it is possible for the human imagination to conceive. -For this reason I never was very happy as a guest, and -although the food provided for one’s entertainment was -often quite pleasant to eat, it was absolutely necessary not -to allow one’s imagination to get to work.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The three days’ delay at Shekar was greatly due to the -movement of officials and troops marching by the same route -from Tingri to Shigatse, and as they had commissioned -every available animal, they interfered considerably with -our movements. Shekar was not comfortable during these -days; the wind was not continuous, but came in tremendous -gusts, and dust-devils were continually tearing through the -camp and upsetting everything. Shekar, as Colonel Howard-Bury -has described it, is wonderfully situated. The -pointed mass of rock rises direct from the plains, and the -white monasteries and white town are built on its sides. -The illustration will describe it much better than I can. -Shekar means “Shining glass.” All the towns and houses -on the sides of the mountain are brilliantly white and show -up very clearly against the dark browns and reds of the -hillside. It is no doubt this appearance which gives it its -name.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The Dzongpen at Shekar was a most important official. -The whole of the country South of Shekar and the Rongbuk -Valley where we were going were in his jurisdiction. We -<span class='pageno' id='Page_42'>42</span>hoped that if we could only gain his own goodwill as well as -his official goodwill, it would be of very great advantage to -us. We entertained each other freely, and he was very -pleased with the lengths of kin kob<a id='r2' /><a href='#f2' class='c011'><sup>[2]</sup></a> which I gave to himself -and his wife, and also with the photographs of the Dalai -and Tashi Lamas which I gave to him. By showing him -pictures and taking his own picture, we were able to make -great friends with him, to our great advantage. He sent -with us his agent, Chongay La, who served us well during the -whole of our time in the Rongbuk Glacier; in fact, without -him we should have had great difficulty in obtaining the -large amount of stores, grain, and Tibetan coolies which -were necessary for us in order to keep our very large party -properly provisioned when we were high up on the mountain-side.</p> - -<div class='footnote c012' id='f2'> -<p class='c013'><span class='label'><a href='#r2'>2</a>. </span>Brocade.</p> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Among our other presents was the inevitable Homburg -hat. Wherever we went we presented a Homburg hat. I -had provided myself with a large number of these hats from -Whiteaway and Laidlaw before leaving Darjeeling. These -were a cheap present, but very much valued. Any high man -of a village known as a Gembo La would do anything for -a Homburg hat; it was ceremoniously placed on his head -and was invariably well received. In fact, all recipients -visibly preened themselves for some time afterwards.</p> - -<p class='c010'>From Shekar our route differed slightly from Colonel -Howard-Bury’s. He had taken the direct road to Tingri, -but our objective was the Rongbuk. Therefore we crossed -<span class='pageno' id='Page_43'>43</span>the Arun for the first time, and, crossing by the Pang La, -descended into the Dzakar Chu. This was one of the -pleasantest marches that we had made. The country was -new—even Mallory had only been over part of it. The -Pang La (meaning “the Grass Pass”) was altogether very -interesting, and from its summit, where we all collected and -lunched, we had again a fine view of Everest, and on this -occasion the mountain was almost clear of snow and gave -one a very different impression. We here recognised the -fact that Everest, on its North face, is essentially a rock -peak. Unfortunately for us, it did not remain clear of -snow for long, rough weather again coming up; the next -time we saw it we found it again clothed from head to foot -in snow.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Four marches from Shekar found us at Rongbuk, the -final march from Chodzong to the Rongbuk Monastery -being extremely interesting. There is only one word for -it: the valleys of Tibet leading up to the Rongbuk Monastery -are hideous. The hills are formless humps, dull in -colour; of vegetation there is next to none. At our camp -at Chodzong, however, on the hillside opposite our camp, -there was quite a large grove of thorn-trees. We had -visions of a wood fire very quickly damped when we were -told that this grove was inhabited by the most active and -most malicious of demons, and that he would promptly get -to work if we interfered and carried away any sticks from -his grove.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The Upper Rongbuk Valley is an extremely sacred -<span class='pageno' id='Page_44'>44</span>valley; no animals are allowed to be killed in it. In fact, the -great Mani at the mouth of the valley opposite the village -of Chobu marks the limit beyond which animals are not -allowed to be killed. We were told that if we wanted any -fresh meat it was all to be killed lower down the valley and -carried up to us. The Tibetans themselves live very largely -on dried meats, both yak meat and mutton. I have never -tried it myself, and its appearance was enough to put off -anyone but a hungry dog, but I am told that when cooked -it is by no means bad. Most Tibetans, however, eat it raw -in its dried state. I bought quantities of both sorts for the -porters. They cooked it as they would cook fresh meat, and -it seemed to suit them very well. For the sake of their -health, however, I gave them, whenever possible, fresh -meat, and with the very finest results.</p> - -<div id='i044' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i044.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Rongbuk Monastery and Mount Everest.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Rongbuk means “the valley of precipices or steep -ravines.” The Lepchas of Sikkim are occasionally called -“Rong Pa,” i.e., the people of steep ravines. It is also used -for Upper Nepal, or rather for the people on the Southern -faces of the Himalayan heights, as they are people of the steep -ravines. I have also heard it used to mean Nepal itself. -Some five miles up the valley one comes out on to a plateau -and is suddenly almost brought up against the walls of the -Rongbuk Monastery. Here also, as we came out to the -Rongbuk Monastery, we found the whole Southern end of -the valley filled with Mount Everest and quite close to us—apparently. -In any European climate one would have said -that it was a short march to its base, and one would have -<span class='pageno' id='Page_45'>45</span>been terribly wrong. The air is astonishingly clear; the -scale is enormous. The mountain was 16 miles off.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We pitched our camp just below the monastery with -considerable difficulty, as the wind was howling rather more -than usual. Then we went up to pay our respects to the -Rongbuk Lama. This particular Lama was beyond question -a remarkable individual. He was a large, well-made -man of about sixty, full of dignity, with a most intelligent -and wise face and an extraordinarily attractive smile. He -was treated with the utmost respect by the whole of his -people. Curiously enough, considering the terrible severity -of the climate at Rongbuk, all his surroundings were far -cleaner than any monastery we had previously, or indeed -subsequently, visited. This Lama has the distinction of -being actually the incarnation of a god, the god Chongraysay, -who is depicted with nine heads. With his extraordinary -mobility of expression, he has also acquired the -reputation of being able to change his countenance. We -were received with full ceremony, and after compliments -had been exchanged in the usual way by the almost grovelling -interpreter, Karma Paul (who was very much of a -Buddhist here), the Lama began to ask us questions with -regard to the objects of the Expedition. He was very -anxious also that we should treat his people kindly. His -inquiries about the objects of the Expedition were very -intelligent, although at the same time they were very -difficult to answer. Indeed, this is not strange when one -comes to think how many times in England one has been -<span class='pageno' id='Page_46'>46</span>asked—What is the good of an exploration of Everest? -What can you get out of it? And, in fact, what is the object -generally of wandering in the mountains? As a matter of -fact, it was very much easier to answer the Lama than it is -to answer inquiries in England. The Tibetan Lama, especially -of the better class, is certainly not a materialist. I -was fortunately inspired to say that we regarded the whole -Expedition, and especially our attempt to reach the summit -of Everest, as a pilgrimage. I am afraid, also, I rather enlarged -on the importance of the vows taken by all members -of the Expedition. At any rate, these gentle “white lies” -were very well received, and even my own less excusable one -which I uttered to save myself from the dreadful imposition -of having to drink Tibetan tea was also sufficiently well -received. I told the Lama, through Paul, who, fortunately -enough, was able to repress his smiles (an actual record for -Paul, which must have strained him to his last ounce of -strength), that I had sworn never to touch butter until I -had arrived at the summit of Everest. Even this was well -received. After that time I drank tea with sugar or milk -which was made specially for me.</p> - -<div id='i046' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i046.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>The Expedition at Base Camp.</span><br /><span class='small'><i>Left to Right, Back Row</i>: MAJOR MORSHEAD, CAPTAIN GEOFFREY BRUCE, CAPTAIN NOEL, DR. WAKEFIELD, MR. SOMERVELL, CAPTAIN NORRIS, MAJOR NORTON.</span><br /><span class='small'><i>Front Row</i>: MR. MALLORY, CAPTAIN FINCH, DR. LONGSTAFF, GENERAL BRUCE, COLONEL STRUTT, MR. CRAWFORD.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>A word about Tibetan tea: the actual tea from which -it is originally made is probably quite sufficiently good, but -it is churned up in a great churn with many other ingredients, -including salt, nitre, and butter, and the butter is -nearly invariably rancid, that is, as commonly made in -Tibet. I believe a superior quality is drunk by the upper -classes, but at any rate, to the ordinary European taste, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_47'>47</span>castor-oil is pleasant in comparison. One of the party, -however, had managed to acquire a taste for it, but then -some people enjoy castor-oil!</p> - -<p class='c010'>The Lama finally blessed us and blessed our men, and -gave us his best wishes for success. He was very anxious -that no animals of any sort should be interfered with, -which we promised, for we had already given our word -not to shoot during our Expedition in Tibet. He did not -seem to have the least fear that our exploring the mountain -would upset the demons who live there, but he told me that -it was perfectly true that the Upper Rongbuk and its -glaciers held no less than five wild men. There is, at any -rate, a local tradition of the existence of such beings, just as -there is a tradition of the wild men existing right through -the Himalaya.</p> - -<p class='c010'>As a matter of fact, I really think that the Rongbuk -Lama had a friendly feeling for me personally, as he told the -interpreter, Karma Paul, that he had discovered that in a -previous incarnation I had been a Tibetan Lama. I do not -know exactly how to take this. According to the life you -lead during any particular incarnation, so are you ranked -for the next incarnation; that is to say, if your life has been -terrible, down you go to the lowest depths, and as you acquire -merit in any particular existence, so in the next birth you -get one step nearer to Nirvana. I am perfectly certain -that he would consider a Tibetan Lama a good bit nearer -the right thing than a Britisher could ever be, and so possibly -he may have meant that I had not degenerated so very -<span class='pageno' id='Page_48'>48</span>far anyhow. I should have liked to know, however, what -the previous incarnations of the rest of the party had been!</p> - -<p class='c010'>I think in my present incarnation the passion that I -have for taking Turkish baths may be some slight reaction -from my life in the previous and superior conditions as a -Tibetan Lama.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The following morning, in cold weather, as usual, we left -to try and push our camp as high up as possible. Our -march now became very interesting, and we passed on our -road, which was fairly rough, six or seven of the hermits’ -dwellings. These men are fed fairly regularly from the -monasteries and nunneries, and do not necessarily take their -vows of isolation for ever all at once. They try a year of it -and see how they get on before they take the complete vows, -but how it is possible for human beings to stand what they -stand, even for a year, without either dying or going mad, -passes comprehension. Their cells are very small, and they -spend the whole of their time in a kind of contemplation of -the ōm, the god-head, and apparently of nothing else. -They are supposed to be able to live on one handful of -grain per diem, but this we were able successfully to prove -was not the case; they appear, as far as we could make out, -to have a sufficiency of food always brought to them. -However, there they are in little cells, without firing or -warm drinks, all the year round, and many of them last for -a great number of years.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our march took us right up to the snout of the main -Rongbuk Glacier, and on arrival there we vainly endeavoured -<span class='pageno' id='Page_49'>49</span>to get our yak-men to push up the trough between -the glacier and the mountain-side. There was promptly -a strike among the local transport workers, but the employers -of labour were wise enough to give in to their -demands. If we had pushed further up, we must have -injured a great number of animals, and finally have been -obliged to return. So we found a fairly good site, protected -to a small extent from the prevailing West wind, and there -we collected the whole of our outfit and pitched our camp. -I do not think such an enormous cavalcade could possibly -have mounted the Rongbuk Glacier before. There were -over 300 baggage animals, about twenty ponies, fifty or -sixty men in our own employ, and the best part of 100 -Tibetans, either looking after us or coming up as representatives -of the Shekar Dzongpen. Finally, all were paid -off, and the Expedition was left alone in its glory. The -date was the 1st of May.</p> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_50'>50</span> - <h2 id='ch02' class='c004'>CHAPTER II<br /> <br />THE ASSAULT ON THE MOUNTAIN</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>Now began in earnest our race against the monsoon. I -have often been asked since my return, whether we should -not have done better if we had started sooner. I think -none of us would have cared to have arrived at our Upper -Rongbuk camp a fortnight earlier in the year, nor, having -done so, would any good purpose have been served. As it -was, the temperature and the coldness of the wind was as -much as any of us could keep up with and still keep our -good health. This was to be our Base Camp at a height of -16,500 feet. We made suitable dumps of stores, pitched -our mess tents, put all our porters in tents at their own -particular places, and made ourselves as comfortable as -circumstances allowed, strengthening the tents in every way -to resist the wind. Noel also pitched his developing tent -near the small stream that issues from the Rongbuk Glacier. -On our arrival water was hardly available; all the running -streams were frozen hard, and we drove the whole of our -animals over them. Where the glacier stream flowed -fastest in the centre, we got sufficient water for drinking -purposes.</p> - -<div id='i051' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i051.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>View at Base Camp.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>The establishment and support of such a large party -<span class='pageno' id='Page_51'>51</span>(for we were thirteen Europeans and over sixty of what -may be termed other ranks) in a country as desolate and -as bare as Tibet is a difficulty. There is, of course, no -fuel to be found, with the exception of a very little scrubby -root which, burnt in large quantities, would heat an oven, -but which was not good enough or plentiful enough for -ordinary cooking purposes.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our first work, beyond the establishment of the Base -Camp, was immediately to send out a reconnaissance party. -Strutt was put in charge of this, and chose as his assistants -Norton, Longstaff, and Morshead. The remainder of the -party had to work very hard dividing stores and arranging -for the movement up to the different camps we wished to -make on the way up the East Rongbuk Glacier to the North -Col. It was pretty apparent from Major Wheeler’s map -that our advance up the East Rongbuk to the glacier crossed -by Mr. Mallory in 1921, which is below the Chang La, would -not be a very difficult road. But it was a very considerable -question how many camps should be established, and how -full provision should be made for each? We were naturally -very anxious to save our own porters for the much more -strenuous work of establishing our camp at the North Col, -and perhaps of further camps up the mountain. I had, -therefore, on our march up, made every possible endeavour -to collect a large number of Tibetan coolies in order that -they should be employed in moving all the heavy stuff as -far up the glacier as possible; in fact, until we came to -ground which would not be suitable to them, or, rather, not -<span class='pageno' id='Page_52'>52</span>suitable to their clothing. They were perfectly willing to -work on any ground which was fairly dry, but their form of -foot-covering would certainly not allow of continual work -in snow. We had a promise of ninety men.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We further had to make full arrangements for a regular -supply of yak-dung, the whole of which, as in fact everything -to burn in Tibet, is called “shing,” which really means -wood; all our fuel, therefore, from now on, will be referred -to as “shing.” All tzampa,<a id='r3' /><a href='#f3' class='c011'><sup>[3]</sup></a> meat, and grain for the men -had to be procured as far down as Chobu, Tashishong, and -even from other villages still further down the Dzakar Chu; -that is to say, very often our supplies were brought up from -at least 40 miles distant. We required a pretty continuous -flow of everything. It is wonderful how much even seventy -men can get through.</p> - -<div class='footnote c012' id='f3'> -<p class='c013'><span class='label'><a href='#r3'>3</a>. </span>Flour.</p> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>The preliminary reconnaissance had fixed an excellent -camp as our first stage out. Geoffrey Bruce and Morris, -with our own porters went up, and, so as to save tents, -built a number of stone shelters and roofed them with spare -parts of tents. This camp was immediately provisioned -and filled with every kind of supply in large amounts in -order to form again a little base from which to move up -further. Strutt returned with his reconnaissance on May 9, -having made a complete plan for our advance and having -fixed all our camps up to the flat glacier under the North -Col. During this period Finch had also been very active -with his oxygen apparatus, not only in getting it all together, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_53'>53</span>but continuing the training of the personnel and in making -experiments with the Leonard Hill apparatus as well. He -also gave lectures and demonstrations on the use of our -Primus stove, with which everybody practised. Primus -stoves are excellent when they are carefully treated, but -are kittle cattle unless everything goes quite as it should, -and are apt to blow up.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Longstaff suffered considerably on the reconnaissance, -and was brought down not too fit. We also had a real -set-back—our ninety coolies did not eventuate, only forty-five -appearing, and these coolies only worked for about -two days, when they said that their food was exhausted and -they must go down for more. We took the best guarantee -we could for their return by keeping back half their pay. -They went for more food, but found it in their houses and -stopped there; we never saw them again. However, it is -not to be wondered at. If ploughing in the upper valleys -is to be done at all, it is to be done in May. They were, -therefore, very anxious to get back to their homes. Ninety -men is a big toll for these valleys to supply, but their behaviour -left us rather dispirited. We had to turn every one -on to work, and then we had to make every possible exertion -to collect further coolies from the different villages. The -Chongay La who came with us, and who understood our -needs, was frantic, but said he could do nothing. However, -we persuaded him to do something, at any rate, and further -offered very high prices to all the men who had come. He -certainly played up and did his very best. Men came up -<span class='pageno' id='Page_54'>54</span>in driblets, or rather men, women, and children came, as -every one in this country can carry loads, and they seem to -be quite unaffected by sleeping out under rocks at 16,000 -or 17,000 feet.</p> - -<p class='c010'>For the whole time we remained at the Rongbuk Base -Camp the equipping and supply of our first and second -camps up the East Rongbuk was mostly carried out by -local coolies, and the supply of these was very difficult to -assure. We never knew whether we should have three or -four men working, or thirty; they came up for different -periods, so that we would often have a dozen men coming -down and four or five going up, and in order to keep their -complete confidence, they were received and paid personally -by myself or the transport officers. By degrees their -confidence was restored, and a very fair stream of porters -arrived. Not only that, but many of the men’s own relations -came over from Sola-Khombu, which is a great Sherpa -Settlement at the head of the Dudh Kosi Valley in Nepal. -To reach us they had to cross the Ngangba La, sometimes -called the Khombu La, which is 19,000 feet in height. -Often the men’s relations came and were willing to carry -a load or two and then go off again. The mothers often -brought their children, even of less than a year old, who did -not apparently suffer. It is evidently a case of the survival -of the fittest.</p> - -<div id='i054' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i054.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Camp II. at Sunset.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>We had brought also large stores of rice, sugar, tea, and -wheat grain, both for the use of the officers of the Expedition -and of the porters, for fear we should run short of grain, and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_55'>55</span>this proved a great stand-by. The very rough tzampa of -Tibet is often upsetting even to those most accustomed to it. -It was found to be an excellent policy to feed our porters -on the good grain when they came down to the Base Camp, -and to use the tzampa, which is cooked and ready for -eating, at the upper camps. Meat also had to be bought -low down, sheep killed low down in the valleys, and brought -up for the use of the officers and men, and often fresh yak -meat for the porters. The Gurkhas got the fresh mutton. -Dried meat was brought up in large quantities for the -porters, and proved of the greatest use.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On the return, having received a full report from the -reconnaissance party, we tackled in earnest the establishment -of the different camps.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Camp III, which was under the North Col, was first -established in full. This was to be our advance base of -operations; and Mallory and Somervell established themselves -there, their business being to make the road to the -North Col while the rest of the Expedition was being pushed -up to join them. On May 13, Mallory, Somervell, -and one coolie, together with a tent, reached the North Col -and planted the tent there.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This must be described as the beginning of the great -offensive of May, 1922. Owing to the lack of coolies, all our -officers and men had been working at the highest possible -speed, pushing forward the necessary stores, camp equipage, -and fuel to Camps I and II, and from thence moving on -to Camp III, Gurkhas being planted at each stage, whose -<span class='pageno' id='Page_56'>56</span>business it was to take the convoys to and fro. Finally, -Camps I, II, and III were each provided with an independent -cook.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The duties of the cook at Camp III were the duties of -an ordinary cook in camp; those of the cooks at Camps I -and II were to provide all officers passing through or staying -there with meals as they were required, and right well all -these three men carried out their duties. The distance from -the Base Camp to the advance base at Camp III was fairly -evenly divided, Camp I being at about three hours’ journey -for a laden animal at a height of 17,800 feet; Camp II a -further four hours up the glaciers at a height of 19,800 feet, -and directly below the lesser peak which terminates the -Northern ridge of Everest; Camp III on moraine at the -edge of the open glacier below the Chang La, at a height of -21,000 feet, about four hours again beyond Camp II.</p> - -<p class='c010'>As our supply of Tibetan coolies improved, and as the -main bulk of the necessary supplies was put into Camp III, -and the oxygen and its complete outfit had been deposited -in this camp, the hard work of supplying rations and fuel -to Camps I and II was entirely in the hands of the local -Tibetans. From Camp II to Camp III one encounters real -mountaineering conditions, as crevassed glaciers have to be -crossed, requiring in places considerable care. The road -from the Base Camp to Camp II, rough enough in all conscience, -was such as could very easily be negotiated by -mountain people.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On May 14, Strutt, Morshead, and Norton left to join -<span class='pageno' id='Page_57'>57</span>the advance party at Camp III. The weather was even -worse than before, the wind blowing a perfect hurricane -during the daytime, and the thermometer sinking to zero -even in the Base Camp. I asked the Chongay La why it -should be that as summer was approaching the weather -should be continuously worse. He accounted for this -without any difficulty. He said in the middle of the month, -each month, in fact, at the Rongbuk Monastery there were -special services held. These services invariably irritated -the demons on the mountains, and they attempted to put -a stop to them by roaring more than usually loud. As soon -as the services stopped, these winds would stop too. The -services stopped on May 17, and the Chongay La said we -could expect better weather on that date.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On May 16 the last of the oxygen, with Finch, left for -the upper camps, and it is a curious thing that about -that time the weather did slightly improve. On May 20, I -received a letter from Strutt telling me of the establishment -of the camp on the North Col; he himself also accompanied -the party that reached the North Col. Here they made a -very considerable encampment, and put in it such light -stores and cooking apparatus as would be available for -parties stopping there and attacking the mountain from that -spot. It is very curious how on this Expedition the standard -of what we expected from all our members went up. It -was looked upon as a foregone conclusion that any member -of the party could walk with comfort to the North Col -(23,000 feet). It is quite right, no doubt, that the standard -<span class='pageno' id='Page_58'>58</span>should have been set so high; but it is a little amazing, -when one comes to think, that only on one occasion before -has a night been spent as high as 23,000 feet, and that on -very, very few occasions has this height been even attained. -Strutt was quite by way of looking upon himself as a worn-out -old gentleman because he felt tired at 23,000 feet. No -doubt that is the standard we should set for ourselves; but -even 23,000 feet is a tremendous undertaking, and no one at -any time or at any age of life need be anything but pleased -with himself if he can get there.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The party established at Camp III made little expeditions -to the Lhakpa La and Ra-piu-la, and obtained a fine -view of Makalu and the Northern face of Everest; but the -views so obtained also gave them a sight of the approaching -monsoon, and this made every one very nervous about the -length of time there was left to us for our actual attack on -the mountain. It was this very point, including also the -evidence of rough and uncertain weather which had been -experienced round the mountain itself, that decided Strutt -to allow four members to make an attempt on the mountain -without oxygen. Certain defects had been found in the -oxygen apparatus, and Finch was employed in rectifying -these difficulties, and at the same time he was not quite -ready to proceed further. Geoffrey Bruce was also working -with him at Camp III, and made great progress in the use -of the oxygen. They also roped in as their assistant the -Gurkha Tejbir, having for him a special rôle.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It is not for me to describe in detail the great attempt -<span class='pageno' id='Page_59'>59</span>on the mountain made by the party consisting of Mallory, -Somervell, Morshead, and Norton, but I must point out quite -clearly that as a <i>tour de force</i> alone it stands, in my opinion, -by itself. It was the most terrific exertion, carried out -during unfavourable weather and in the face of that dreadful -West wind. Not only did they reach the prodigious height -of 26,985 feet without the assistance of oxygen, but they -passed a night at 25,000 feet.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I think it is pretty clear from their accounts that any -further expedition must be clothed in windproof suitings, -and these of the lightest, when attacking Everest, or probably -any other great mountain in this particular part of the -world. Morshead, who suffered far more than any of the -others from the cold, did not employ his windproof suiting -in the early part of the climb, and I believe by this omission -he very greatly decreased his vitality, and it was probably -this decrease which was the reason of his terrible frostbites.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was a tremendous effort, unparalleled in the history -of mountain exploration, but it gave immense confidence to -all that the mountain was not unconquerable. If on the -first occasion such a gigantic height could be reached, we -were pretty certain that later, with the experience so gained, -and with the weather in the climbers’ favour instead of the -horrible conditions under which this climb was undertaken, -the mountain would in time yield to assault.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The following day, notwithstanding their fatigue, they -determined to get down to Camp I. They certainly were a -sight on arrival; I have never seen such a crowd of swollen -<span class='pageno' id='Page_60'>60</span>and blistered and weary mountaineers before, but they were -all naturally tremendously elated with their performance. -Strutt came down with them, and quite rightly too; he had -been a very long time living above 21,000 feet, and this in -itself is a great strain. I thoroughly endorse his judgment -in making this great attempt without oxygen. At first -sight it would seem that it was not wise to send so many of -the best climbers at once on to the mountain before the -oxygen apparatus was ready, but he felt (and I consider he -was quite right) that as the weather was so bad and the -monsoon was evidently arriving before its time, and as at -the moment the oxygen apparatus was in such a doubtful -condition, it was far better to make an attempt than possibly -to fail in making any attempt at all.</p> - -<div id='i060' class='figcenter id005'> -<img src='images/i060.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Mount Everest from Camp III.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>During the time that the great attempt on the mountain -without oxygen was being made, Finch was employed in -getting the oxygen apparatus into order. It had suffered -in a good many ways, and the method of inhaling the oxygen -appeared to be deficient, the face-masks, in fact, causing -a feeling of suffocation and not allowing a sufficiency of -ordinary air to be inhaled. Finch had a very difficult time -getting all this apparatus into order in this very high camp. -It would have been difficult anywhere, but up here in the -great cold and the great height it was infinitely more troublesome. -As soon as the apparatus was in working order, they -made numerous training walks up on to the passes, looking -down into the heart of the Kharta Valley, from where they -were able to see the Southern faces of the Himalaya and to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_61'>61</span>know the way in which the clouds were pushing up from the -South.</p> - -<p class='c010'>They had also instructed, to a certain extent, the Gurkha -Tejbir Bura in the use of oxygen, as they intended him to -help them in their advance on the mountain.</p> - -<p class='c010'>About the time the other party left for the Base Camp, -Finch and Geoffrey Bruce set off for the camp on the Chang -La, Camp IV, taking with them twelve laden coolies to carry -their outfit. I will not attempt to describe their subsequent -mountaineering operations in detail, as these must be left -to Finch’s narrative in a subsequent chapter, but there are -a great many points to which attention might be drawn. -First, although Geoffrey Bruce is thoroughly accustomed -to work on the hillside, he had never before this big attempt, -and before the few practice walks that he had with Finch, -attempted a snow mountain in his life; the nearest thing -he had been to it was following game in Kashmir. It was, -therefore, for him a very great test. The same also applies -to the Gurkha; although he is a born mountain man and -has hardly been off the hillside the whole of his life, up to -the time of the climb he knew nothing about snow and ice as -understood by a Swiss mountaineer. However, they had a -first-rate leader, and his trust in them proved anything but -ill-placed.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Owing to a terrific gale, they had to spend two nights -at 25,500 feet. They were all short of food, and no doubt -greatly exhausted, and I think they would have been perfectly -justified, after two nights spent at this tremendous -<span class='pageno' id='Page_62'>62</span>altitude, if they had given up their attempt and returned, -but they had too much grit for that. Here should have -come in the use of Tejbir if he had been quite himself. He -was given extra oxygen to carry, and their intention was -that, after proceeding as far as the ridge, he should be sent -back to their camp to wait their descent. However, Tejbir -was completely played out when he had reached 26,000 feet.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The party continued until they reached a point which -has been found to work out at 27,235 feet. Here Geoffrey -had an accident to his oxygen apparatus, and, far from -becoming immediately unconscious (as we had been warned -would be the case before we left England if climbers were -suddenly deprived of their artificial oxygen supply), he was -able to attach himself to Finch’s instrument while Finch -was repairing the damaged apparatus. Slightly higher than -this point they were completely exhausted, and had to beat -a retreat, the whole party finally descending to the North -Col, where food was found ready for them, and by the -evening got down to Camp III itself—a great performance, -considering the altitude and that the descent was over -6,000 feet. I think it is pretty certain that Tejbir’s breakdown -was largely due to his not having a windproof suit. -This biting West wind goes through wool as if it was paper, -and he was exposed to it for a great period of time, and no -doubt it very largely sapped his vitality.</p> - -<p class='c010'>One result of this last attempt is that it increases our -hopes, almost to the point of certainty, that, with luck and -good weather, and when the oxygen apparatus has been -<span class='pageno' id='Page_63'>63</span>further improved, the summit of Everest will be attained.</p> - -<p class='c010'>All the time the porters were working from our Base -Camp and up there was great competition between them, -and also considerable betting as to who would do the hardest -work—the true Tibetan-born porters or the Sherpas from -the South. It was rather amusing to see the superior airs -which the Sherpas invariably gave themselves in travelling -through Tibet. They considered Tibetans undoubtedly -jăngli,<a id='r4' /><a href='#f4' class='c011'><sup>[4]</sup></a> and treated them very much from the point of view -that a clever Londoner does the simplest form of yokel -when he appears in London. At any rate, they backed -themselves heavily to beat the Tibetans. It was a pretty -good race, but finally they came out well on top; in fact, -I think all but one who reached 25,000 feet and over were -Sherpas. Paul, the interpreter, and Gyaljen, had a great -bet also about the officers, Paul favouring Finch and -Gyaljen Mallory. As a matter of fact, there was quite a -little book made among all the followers with regard to who -would go highest among the officers. I did not even belong -to the “also rans” between them. Oxygen was looked upon -as a matter of no particular importance, and I believe -Paul made Gyaljen pay up, as he had won with Finch -against Mallory.</p> - -<div class='footnote c012' id='f4'> -<p class='c013'><span class='label'><a href='#r4'>4</a>. </span>Wild.</p> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>On May 27 we welcomed the arrival of John Macdonald -with a further supply of money, as, owing to the large calls -of our enormous transport, we had been afraid of running -short. This was very cheering to us indeed, and also a very -<span class='pageno' id='Page_64'>64</span>great help, for, besides the money, Mr. Macdonald brought -with him two or three servants very well accustomed to -travel in Tibet and knowing all the people of the country. -These we were able to use as special messengers, and we sent -off immediately by them an account of the climbs that had -occurred. The second of them was unfortunately delayed -by illness, and this accounted for the slight delay in letting -the world know of our great second “oxygen” climb. The -first messenger rode through in ten days from Rongbuk -to Phari, and by so doing almost caught up the previous -letters which had been despatched through the Dzongpens. -Arrangements are, after all, not so bad in Tibet. When one -considers that Tibetans themselves have no understanding -or care for time, the promptness with which the different -communications were sent through was rather wonderful. -There were, on occasions, no doubt, hitches, but, generally -speaking, the postal arrangements worked very well.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The weather had become more and more threatening, -but we could not bring ourselves absolutely to give up for -this year the attempts on Everest; at the same time, the -casualties were heavy. Our medical members had all got -to work and had tested thoroughly each member of the -Expedition that had been employed. It was evidently -absolutely necessary that Morshead should return as quickly -as possible into hospital in India, and there were also several -other members who were suffering from their hard work. -Longstaff had “shot his bolt” as far as this year’s work was -concerned, and it was also most important that Morshead -<span class='pageno' id='Page_65'>65</span>should have a doctor with him. Strutt, too, was very much -overdone, and it was time for him to return. Norton was -strained and tired, and Geoffrey’s toes, though not so bad -as Morshead’s, required that he should quickly go down to -a warmer climate. We therefore made up two convoys, -which were to start together from the Base Camp. Longstaff, -Strutt, and Morshead to go with the sardar Gyaljen -direct to Darjeeling, travelling viâ Khamba Dzong, and -from Khamba Dzong directly South to Lachen and Gangtok -and Darjeeling by the shorter and quicker route. This -would bring them quite a week sooner to Darjeeling than -the route by which we entered Tibet. It was most important -that Morshead should be got back as quickly as possible; -in fact, we were all very nervous about his condition, and we -were afraid that it might be necessary for some operation to -be carried out actually on the march.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It had always been our idea that as soon as we had -finished with our summer attack on Everest, the whole -Expedition should go into the Kharta Valley, where Colonel -Howard-Bury in 1921 made his camps, and there recover -from our labours. The Kharta Valley is far lower than -any other district in this part of Tibet, lying between 11,000 -and 12,000 feet above sea-level; there are also many -comforts which do not exist in other parts. There is good -cultivation, trees and grass to a certain extent, and even -some vegetables are obtainable. It is altogether a charming -spot—very charming compared with any other country we -were likely to see. The road was very high for sick men, as -<span class='pageno' id='Page_66'>66</span>it led over the Doya La, which is only 3 feet under 17,000 -feet, but having once got there, they would be in comfort -compared with the Rongbuk Glacier.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Having decided on sending off this large convoy of -invalids and semi-invalids, we then began to organise our -third attempt on Everest, but so doubtful was the weather -that the party was organised for two complete purposes. -It was fully provided with porters, far more than would in -the ordinary way be necessary for an attempt on the mountain -itself, considering that the camps were all fully provisioned. -We had brought every single man off the glacier -after the last attempt in order to give them all a complete -rest. Every one had now had a long rest, with the exception -of Finch, who had only had five days. He, however, was -very keen to join the party.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The second rôle of this party was to evacuate as many -camps as possible, according to the condition of the weather, -and it was carefully explained to them that if in their -opinion the weather was such as to preclude an attempt on -the mountain, they were to use the greatest possible care -and run no undue risks. It was organised as follows: The -climbing party to consist of Finch, Mallory, and Somervell; -the backing-up party, Crawford and Wakefield, to remain -at Camp III; and Morris, in whose charge the whole of -the transport arrangements were, was to take charge of -the evacuation of camps either after the attempt had been -made, or if no attempt was made, immediately. Such was -the condition of the weather that I had no very great hope -<span class='pageno' id='Page_67'>67</span>that even the Chang La camp could be evacuated, but it -was most necessary to recover all stores left at the great -depôt at Camp III. This was of the utmost importance, as -not only was the oxygen apparatus there, but also a great -number of surplus stores—stores which we should be in -need of. We had, of course, rationed these camps with a -view to staying there probably a fortnight longer, but this -year the monsoon had evidently advanced at least ten days -earlier than usual. That, however, we could not foresee, -nor could we foresee the very great severity of the 1922 -monsoon of the Eastern Himalaya. This we only heard -about on our return to India later on. It was a curious -thing that the Rongbuk Lama had sent up to congratulate -the porters, and ourselves also, on having come back safely -from the earlier attempts, but he warned the porters to leave -the mountain alone, as he had had a vision of an accident.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On June 3 the great convoy set off and spent the -night at Camp I. On June 4 we were rather overwhelmed -to see Finch staggering into camp. He was very much -overdone, and had by no means recovered from his terrific -exertions on the mountain. It was quite evident that -he was finished for this year, and he was lucky to be -just in time to join the detachment returning to India -direct. It was a very great loss to the party. Not only -would he have been of special assistance as the oxygen -expert, but his experience and knowledge of snow and ice -under the conditions then prevailing would have been of -the greatest advantage to the party.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_68'>68</span>The weather now had completely broken. It was -snowing hard; even at our Base Camp we had 2 inches of -snow; the whole of the mountains were a complete smother -of snow. Notwithstanding this, and, under the conditions, -quite rightly, the convoy pushed on to Camp III. On -arrival at Camp III the weather cleared. The wind temporarily -went round to the West, and one perfect day of -rest and sunshine was enjoyed.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Morris all this time was on the line of communication. -He had the whole of the service of evacuation to arrange, -and was laying out his convoys of Tibetan coolies and -others with that point of view in his mind. It was lucky -he did so. The great foe, generally speaking, on Everest -during the dry period is the horrible West wind, but now -the monsoon had to all intents and purposes arrived. The -West wind now was our one and only friend. If it would -again blow for a short period, the mountain would probably -return temporarily to a fairly safe condition. The South -wind is a warm and wet, though fairly strong, current, but -the result of even a short visit from it absolutely ruins the -mountain-side. However, at Camp III they enjoyed one -full day of sunshine, followed by a very low temperature -(12° below zero) the following night, and it was considered, -owing both to the strength of the sun and to the fact that -the West wind had temporarily got the better of the South -wind, that the mountain would in all probability be safely -solidified so as to render an attempt justifiable. Therefore -on the morning of June 7 a start was made to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_69'>69</span>reach the North Col, with the object of spending a night -there and making an assault on the mountain the following -day. It was also proposed to carry up as much oxygen as -possible to the greatest height they could get the porters -to go, and from that point only to use the remaining oxygen -to make a push over the summit. I think this was a -thoroughly sound proposition. They were all acclimatised, -and it seems to me that it is probably better, especially if -there is any chance of a shortage of oxygen, to use one’s -acclimatisation to go as high as one can without undue -fatigue, and from thence on to use the oxygen. No doubt -it would be possible and of advantage, if the oxygen apparatus -should ever be improved, to use it for the whole of an -ascent, say, from 20,000 feet or so, but against that comes -the chance that, in case of any cessation of the oxygen -supply, the danger would be very much greater.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The caravan consisted of Mallory, Somervell, and Crawford, -who was going with them as far as the North Col to -assist them and to relieve them of the hard labour of remaking -the path up to that point. Mallory will relate -further on how at about one o’clock, when about half the -journey had been completed, the snow suddenly cracked -across and gave way, and the whole caravan was swept -down the hillside, and seven porters killed.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On return to Camp III, a porter was despatched to take -the news down to the Base Camp, and arrived that same -night at about nine o’clock, having travelled at full speed—really -a wonderful performance. There was nothing to be -<span class='pageno' id='Page_70'>70</span>done—that was quite evident—and all I could do was to -await the return of the party for a full account, sending -news at the same time to Morris to evacuate the camps -at the greatest possible speed. Mallory arrived by himself, -very tired, and naturally very upset, on Thursday, the 8th. -Again was shown what a terrible enemy the great Himalaya -is. Risks and conditions which would appear justifiable in -the Alps can never be taken in the Himalaya. So great is -the scale that far greater time must be allowed for the -restoration of safe conditions. When once the condition -of a mountain is spoiled, the greater size requires more -time for its readjustment. The odds against one are much -greater in the Himalaya than in the smaller ranges. Its -sun is hotter; its storms are worse; the distances are -greater; everything is on an exaggerated scale.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Mallory was followed next morning by Wakefield, -Crawford, and Somervell, who brought down with them a -certain amount of the lighter equipment. Morris was all -this time working to salvage as much as he possibly could -from the different camps. We had a large number of -Tibetans pushed up as far as Camp II, and as many of our -own porters as were available (not very many, I am sorry -to say, by now) working with Morris in the evacuation of -Camp III. In this work the cooks and orderlies also joined.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was perfectly evident by now that the monsoon had -set in in full force. On his return, Morris gave me a very -vivid description of how, even during the one day that he -stayed up after the others had left at Camp III, although -<span class='pageno' id='Page_71'>71</span>the weather was fairly fine, the whole face of the mountain -sides began to change; how under the influence of the soft -South wind the mountains seemed to melt and disintegrate. -Not only that, but even the great teeth formed by the -pressure of the collateral glaciers, probably great séracs -that spring out like the teeth of a huge saw on the glacier, -and which seemed solid enough to last for all time, were -visibly crumbling up, and some of them were even toppling -over. The great trough of black ice up the centre of the -glacier which Strutt has described had turned into a rushing -torrent—and all this in an incredibly short period of time. -Snow also fell at intervals, and it was quite apparent that -when the monsoon settled down the whole of Camp III -would be under a great blanket of fresh snow. Under these -conditions a good deal of stuff, especially the supplies of -grain, tzampa, and so on, for our porters, had to be abandoned. -As for Camps IV, V, and VI, there was naturally -no chance of rescuing anything from them. Thus was -occasioned a fairly large loss of outfit; nor was there -any possibility that any of it could have stood under any -conditions more than a month’s exposure to the weather. -There was a considerable loss in the oxygen apparatus, but -Morris managed to bring down three full outfits in more or -less dilapidated condition.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On Morris’s return to the Base Camp, the party was -completed. One of the difficulties in having so large an -outfit as ours was the difficulty of obtaining transport when -necessary. Therefore, as soon as we saw signs of the monsoon, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_72'>72</span>it was necessary to make arrangements for our return, -as at least fifteen days were required to collect the still large -number of animals required for our moving. These animals -have to be searched for all down the Dzakar Chu, collected, -and brought up; nor when once collected could they be -kept waiting for very long, as the supply of fodder in the -upper valley was absolutely nil—fodder did not exist. -When we sent off the previous party they travelled as -lightly as possible, but even then the small number of -animals which was required for their transport had not -been obtained with any great ease. Fortunately, John -Macdonald was with us and was free, and it was owing to -his help (for he speaks Tibetan as well as Nepali, and is -thoroughly accustomed to deal with the people) that the two -parties of Strutt and Norton were able to proceed with -such little delay. It had required a full fifteen days to -collect enough animals to move the main body. I had -arranged for a latitude of one or two days, which meant -that they should have spare food up to that extent, but -beyond that it would be quite impossible, naturally, to -make provision. Of course, as one of our secondary objects -we had hoped, if our party had not been exhausted, to have -explored the West Rongbuk and the great glens on the -Western faces of Everest. And besides this most interesting -piece of exploration, of which really not very much more -than glimpses were obtained during 1921, there is the -prodigious and fascinating group of Cho Uyo and Gyachang -Kang to be explored.</p> - -<div id='i072' class='figcenter id005'> -<span class='pageno' id='Page_73'>73</span> -<img src='images/i072.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Watching the Dancers, Rongbuk Monastery.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>As I before pointed out, of course, not only was our -major work and the whole object of the Expedition the -tackling of the great mountain, but also it was a race -against the weather, so we could let nothing interfere with -our main object. It was quite clear now, as we were situated, -that an exploration of the West Rongbuk was entirely -beyond consideration. Not only was the whole party -fairly played out, but to get up enthusiasm in a new direction -after what we had gone through was pretty nearly out of -the question. Somervell, the absolutely untireable, had -very strong yearnings in that direction, but it would have -been nothing more than a scramble in the dark if he had -gone. The weather was broken and was getting worse and -worse every day. Snow fell occasionally even at our camp. -Further up everything was getting smothered. Everest, -when we had glimpses of it, was a smother of snow from -head to foot, and no one who saw it in these days could -ever imagine that it was a rock peak.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I am afraid also that most of us had only one real idea -at the time, and that was to get out of the Rongbuk Valley. -However, during our wait for the transport the annual fête -of the Rongbuk Monastery occurred. There was a great -pilgrimage to the monastery to receive the blessing of the -Lama and to witness the annual dances. Most of our party -went down to see dances, and Noel especially to cinematograph -the whole ceremony, dances as well as religious ceremonies. -I have not done justice up to this point to Noel’s -work. He was quite indefatigable from the start, and had -<span class='pageno' id='Page_74'>74</span>lost no opportunity during our march up, not only of taking -many pictures of the country and Expedition, both with -his ordinary camera and with his cinema camera, but of -studying Tibetan life as well. He had in the Rongbuk -Valley pitched his developing tents near the only available -clear water at the moment, and had there been untiring in -developing his cinema photographs. He had made two -expeditions to the head of the East Rongbuk Glacier, and -had even taken his cameras and his cinema outfit on to the -North Col itself where he remained for no less than four -days—a most remarkable <i>tour de force</i>. On the last occasion -he had accompanied the evacuation party, and had -been actually taking pictures of the start of the last attempt -to get to the North Col and to climb Everest. Of course, his -performances with the camera are entirely unprecedented. -The amount of work he carried out was prodigious, and the -enthusiasm he displayed under the most trying conditions -of wind and weather was quite wonderful. We now feel -that we can produce a real representation of our life and of -life in Tibet in a manner in which it has never hitherto been -brought before people’s eyes, and this gives a reality to the -whole Expedition which I hope will make all those who are -interested in mountain exploration understand the wonderful -performances and the great difficulties under which -the climbing members of this Expedition and the transport -officers laboured.</p> - -<p class='c010'>After the news of the accident had been received, we -immediately got in touch with the great Lama of Rongbuk, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_75'>75</span>who was intensely sympathetic and kind over the whole -matter. It is very strange to have to deal with these -curious people; they are an extraordinary mixture of -superstition and nice feelings. Buddhist services were -held in the monasteries for the men who had been lost and -for the families; and all the porters, and especially the -relations of the men who were killed, were received and -specially blessed by the Rongbuk Lama himself. All the -Nepalese tribes who live high up in the mountains, and -also the Sherpa Bhotias, have a belief that when a man slips -on the mountains and is killed, or when he slips on a cliff -above a river and falls into it and is drowned, that this is -a sacrifice to God, and especially to the god of the actual -mountain or river. They further believe that anyone -whosoever who happens to be on the same cliff or on the -same mountain at the same place, exactly at the same time -of year, on the same date and at the same hour, will also -immediately slip and be killed.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I also received during our return a very kind letter from -the Maharajah of Nepal condoling with us on the loss of our -porters. He writes as follows:—</p> - -<p class='c010'>“Personally, and as a member of the Royal Geographical -Society, I share with you the grief that must have resulted -from the frustration of the keen hope entertained by you -and the party. My heartiest sympathies go to you and to -the families of the seven men who lost their lives in the -attempt. This puts in my mind the curious belief that -persistently prevails with the people here, and which I -<span class='pageno' id='Page_76'>76</span>came to learn so long ago in the time of our mutual friend, -Colonel Manners Smith, when the question of giving permission -for the project of climbing the King of Heights -through Nepal was brought by you and discussed in a -council of Bharadars. It is to the effect that the height is -the abode of the god and goddess Shiva and Parvati, and -any attempt to invade the privacy of it would be a sacrilege -fraught with disastrous consequences to this Hindu country -and its people, and this belief or superstition, as one may -choose to call it, is so firm and strong that people attribute -the present tragic occurrence to the divine wrath which on -no occasion they would draw on their heads by their actions.”</p> - -<p class='c010'>This, I must point out, is, of course, the Southern and -Hindu people’s tradition, and did not in the same way affect -all the porters whom we employed, as they were Buddhists -by faith. The whole of our people, however, took the view -common to both and dismissed their troubles very rapidly -and very lightly, holding simply that the men’s time had -come, and so there was no more to be said about it. If their -time had not come, they would not have died. It had -come, and they had died and that was all. What need to say -any more? As a matter of fact, this philosophic way of -looking on everything also allowed them to say that they -were perfectly ready to come back for the next attempt, -because if it was written that they should die on Everest, -they should die on Everest; if it was written that they -would not die on Everest, they would not, and that was all -there was to be said in the matter.</p> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_77'>77</span> - <h2 id='ch03' class='c004'>CHAPTER III<br /> <br />THE RETURN BY KHARTA</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>On June 14 we were cheered with the news that -our transport was approaching, and I think a good -many sighs of relief were uttered. We had quite made -up our minds to cross over into the Kharta Valley, and, -having had a sufficiency of rest, to explore the Kama -Chu more completely than had been done in 1921, and, if -possible, to examine the whole gorge of the Arun where it -breaks through the great Himalayan range; but our first -idea was to get down to a decent elevation where some -rest could be obtained, where we could get adequate -bathing and washing for our clothes and get everybody -into a fairly respectable condition again. Living continuously -for many weeks at elevations never below, and -generally far above, 16,500 feet, does not tend to general -cleanliness, and it also, after a time, I think, tends to -general degeneration. At the same time, we were by no -means convinced that at medium elevations there is any -particular loss of physical powers or that acclimatisation -takes long to complete. I found, personally, that I was -getting better and better when exerting myself at the -medium heights to which I went. I found, during the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_78'>78</span>march that was in front of us, that I could walk at elevations -of over 16,000 feet very much more easily than -when I first arrived at the Rongbuk Glacier, and this -certainly does not show that one had been degenerating -physically. I think, really, that the strain was more a -mental one; and this remark probably also applies to -every member of our party. At the same time, it was -most exhilarating to think that one was descending to a -low altitude.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We made our first march back to the Rongbuk Glacier, -and that evening we were left in peace—by the Lamas, -that is to say, but not by the wind, which howled consistently, -bringing with it thin driving sleet.</p> - -<div id='i078' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i078.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>The Chief Lama, Rongbuk Monastery.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>On the following morning we arranged that we should -all meet the Rongbuk Lama; and so, having got our kit -packed, we left it to be loaded by the Tibetans, and the -whole party, including all our followers, porters, all the -Gurkhas who were with us (with the exception of Tejbir, -who had gone on in advance with Geoffrey Bruce and -Norton), went up to the monastery. There we waited in -the courtyard until the Lama himself descended from his -inner sanctuary in state. Tea was first served in the -usual way, ordinary tea being provided, I am glad to say, -for the others and myself by special arrangement of the -interpreter. I think Noel, however, a man of infinite -pluck, took down a bowl or two of true Tibetan tea. The -Lama made special inquiries after the Expedition, and -then began the blessing. He offered us his very best -<span class='pageno' id='Page_79'>79</span>wishes, and presented me, through Paul, with a special -mark of his goodwill, a little image of one of the Taras, -or queens, of Tibetan mythology. My special one was the -Green Tara, who takes precedence among all ladies. This -was a mark of very great favour. Paul was also presented -with another little mark and many little packets of medicine, -which were to preserve him from all and every description -of the illnesses which afflict and worry humanity. The -Buddhistic side of Paul came up on this occasion, and -he received his blessings and the medicines in the most -humble and reverent spirit. The Gurkhas all went up -too, and were suitably blessed, being even more humble -in their aspect than the very much overcome and reverent -porters themselves; they could hardly be induced to -approach his Holiness. However, we all parted on the -most friendly terms, and left our own good wishes, for what -they were worth, with the old gentleman.</p> - -<p class='c010'>By three o’clock in the afternoon we arrived at Chodzong. -But what a difference there was in our march! -The few days of the monsoon and the small amount of -rain which had fallen, even this little way back from the -mountains, had changed the whole aspect of the valley. -Flowers had begun to show, and in places there was even -a little green grass. At Chodzong there was quite a considerable -amount of grass, and we enjoyed here what was -more pleasant than anything we had experienced for a -long time—a shower of rain. We had almost forgotten -the existence of rain, and the relief from the very trying -<span class='pageno' id='Page_80'>80</span>dryness of the Tibetan atmosphere, which parches one’s -skin as if one was in the Sahara, was immense. Still, at -Chodzong it was cold at night and the temperature below -freezing-point. Here we found all our ponies and their -saises returned from taking Norton and Geoffrey Bruce -over to the Kharta Valley. Also the gigantic D(r)ubla -and his small Gyamda very fit and well.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This camp at Chodzong was a place particularly -impressed on our minds on our way up, as we had there -the very coldest breakfast that we anywhere indulged in. -The wind was blowing half a hurricane, and the temperature -nearly at zero, while our breakfast was actually being -brought to us in the morning, and the misery and discomfort -of that particular temperature was in great contrast -to the delightful weather we were now experiencing. -From this place we diverted a large convoy of our spare -baggage to Shekar, to await our return after we had -finished our further wanderings in Kharta. The following -day took us up the Rebu Valley. It was a fairly long and -very windy march, but the climate was so greatly improved -that, generally speaking, it was very enjoyable, and again -we camped in a very pleasant spot in grassy fields—such -a change from our late life. Not only that, but in the -evening, as the people up here had no prejudices, we -caught a sufficient number of snow-trout, really a barbel, -to make a dish. My own servant, Kehar Sing, the cook, -always had a reputation for being, and always was, a -first-rate poacher. At any form of netting or tickling -<span class='pageno' id='Page_81'>81</span>trout he was a great hand. However, he was completely -eclipsed later on by one of Macdonald’s servants, to whom -I am quite certain no fish-poacher that ever was could have -given a wrinkle. He was also quite a good hand at catching -fish with rod-and-line. The Gurkhas, as usual, took -a hand; they are immensely fond of fish, and their methods -are primitive. Tejbir, who came along with us, was -nearly recovered from his exertions with Finch and -Geoffrey; he had lost a good deal of skin from seven or -eight fingers and a large patch off his foot, but though -his frostbites were many, they were slight. He was really -suffering from being rather overdone, and took at least -a fortnight to recover.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The next day’s was an interesting march, though very -long, and tiring for the animals. Our way led over the -high ridge which divides the Dzakar Chu country from -the Kharta district. Although the rise was not very great -from our camp at approximately 13,500 feet, still the -pass itself was just 17,000 feet, or rather, to be absolutely -accurate, just 3 feet under. The way led for several -miles, hardly rising at all, up a grassy valley, and then -over the strangest and wildest and most completely -barren of hillsides. From here, no doubt, we should -have a fine view of the great supporters of Everest, but -clouds completely obliterated the mountains. We had -the ordinary balmy Tibetan breezes through the snows, -but modified to what they would have been quite a short -time before.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_82'>82</span>The descent from the Doya La was very fine indeed; -the colour wonderful, and very soon giving promise of a -greener land. The first 300 feet on the Kharta side is -down a very steep rocky track, and I was told afterwards -by Geoffrey Bruce that he never dismounted, and that the -wonderful Gyamda had carried him down without making -a mistake. On that day we all of us well overtopped -17,000 feet. There was a little joke about Crawford, -who was not very tall, but who certainly did not deserve -his nickname of the “Two-and-a-half-footer” given him -by the porters. It was a joke among them afterwards, -when told the height of the pass, that he had just missed -the 17,000 feet by 6 inches.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was a very long descent, but into a valley rapidly -changing from bare hillsides to grassy banks. Never -was there a more welcome change, and here we came into -a real profusion of Alpine flowers. It was a full 20-mile -march to our halting-place at Trateza, and as we got -down where the valley narrowed we passed the very -picturesquely situated village of Teng. Everybody was -delighted with the change. Our camp was pitched near -the village on quite thick and beautiful green grass, and -the hillsides were green and covered with bushes. We -were absolutely happy and intensely relieved, and pleased -with our surroundings. The ponies and animals simply -pounced on the green grass, and were even more happy -than their masters.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The following morning we all started off in wonderful -<span class='pageno' id='Page_83'>83</span>spirits, shared in by the yaks, several of whom took it -into their heads to run amuck, and we had a first-class -scene of confusion in the rather tight camp before we could -get matters straightened out. One yak especially was -peculiarly gay here, and took to the hillside after throwing -his load on three or four occasions. We had, in fact, a -real hunt after him; everybody joined in the fun, and -I am afraid on one or two occasions some of the more -light-hearted of the porters kept him going on purpose. -This march, however, was even pleasanter than the one -before. The part we were travelling down grew richer -and richer; the hillsides were thickly clothed in cedar -trees and in shrubs of many kinds; the valley itself, -wherever possible, was cultivated. We passed on our way -two or three small villages extremely well situated, and -finally debouched into an open valley full of fields and -cultivation, where we joined the main Arun Valley and the -district of Kharta proper. Kharta is a fairly large district, -and not a village. The largest settlement is called -Kharta Shika, and it is there that the Dzongpen has his -abode. The whole of this district, also, is under the Dzongpen -of Shekar Dzong, and the Dzongpen of Shika apparently -has not as full powers by any means as the Dzongpen -at Shekar Dzong. However, for all that, he appears to -be quite a little autocrat.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was quite delightful riding out into the main valley, -and there also we were cheered by meeting Geoffrey Bruce -and John Macdonald, who had come out some miles from -<span class='pageno' id='Page_84'>84</span>where our camp had been established at the small village -of Teng. We passed, also, the old gentleman, known, I -think, in the last year’s Expedition as “the Havildar,” -but whom Geoffrey and Norton had promptly christened -Father William. He was a rather officious, but at the -same time most helpful, old man, and on our way back -he asked us to come in for a meal into his very attractive -garden; but as it was only a mile or so from Teng, where -our camp was pitched, we did not think it was worth while -then, knowing we should see a good deal more of the old -gentleman. He brought us plenty of what we were yearning -for—fresh green vegetables, the very greatest boon.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We found our invalids very nearly recovered; Norton’s -feet, however, were tender, and Geoffrey’s toes still in a -distinctly unpleasant condition. It was wonderful, nevertheless, -how well both were able to get about with the -help of plenty of socks. Our camp was pitched in fields -at a height of about 10,800 feet, and below us, at about -the distance of 3 miles, we could see the entrance to the -great Arun Gorge where it cuts through the Himalaya. -On the opposite side of the Arun the two mountains, old -friends of ours that we had noticed on our way up, looked -down on the camp. On the whole of my way down I -was struck with the resemblance between these valleys -and parts of Lahoul and Kailang. They were less rich, -however, and the forests of pencil cedar not so fine, but -still the whole character of the country and of the hillsides -was very much the same.</p> - -<div id='i084a' class='figcenter id006'> -<span class='pageno' id='Page_85'>85</span> -<img src='images/i084a.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Tibetan Dancing Man.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div id='i084b' class='figcenter id007'> -<img src='images/i084b.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Tibetan Dancing Woman.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_86'>86</span>Above the camp at Teng was a very well situated -monastery, which Noel afterwards photographed. Soon -after our arrival during the afternoon, the Dzongpen from -Kharta Shika arrived to meet us. He was reported at -first to be very suspicious of the party, and such, indeed, -appeared to be the case. However, after a long conversation, -and having presented him with pictures of the -Dalai Lama and of the Tashilumpo Lama, as well as -with the ubiquitous Homburg hat, he became much more -confidential, and we finished up very good friends. He -also told us that on the following day he would bring -down some Tibetan dancers and acrobats to give us a -performance.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The rapidity with which the whole party seemed to -recover at Kharta was perfectly wonderful. Everybody -was in first-class health and spirits, especially all our -porters, and that night their high spirits were not only -due to the atmospheric conditions, but were taken into -them in a manner they thoroughly approved of and of -which they had been deprived for some time. However, -after all their very hard work and the wonderful way -in which they had played up, it is not altogether to be -wondered at if they did occasionally “go on the spree” -on their way back.</p> - -<p class='c010'>So attractive was the whole country, and so strong -was the call of the Kama Valley, that we were all very -soon anxious to get a move on again. Tejbir was still not -quite recovered, and would be all the better for further -<span class='pageno' id='Page_87'>87</span>rest, so he was detailed with one of the other Gurkhas, -Sarabjit, to stay behind and take charge of our camp -and spare equipment. The rest of us all set to work and -planned an advance into the Kama Valley, and, we hoped -also, an exploration of it, both towards the snows up and -to the Popti La, which is the main road into the valley -of the Arun, and, if possible, up the great Arun Gorge -itself. But this year’s monsoon never gave us a chance -of carrying out more than a small portion of that programme. -We were now living in an entirely different -climate. We had many showers of rain, which were hailed -with delight by the people of the country, as their crops -were now fairly well advanced. The crops at Kharta -consist chiefly of peas and barley, as usual, but there is -a certain amount of other grain and vegetables to be -obtained from the gardens.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Having arranged the transport, we started our caravan -off to Kharta Shika. Norton had issued a large-hearted -invitation for us to lunch with him at the mouth of the -Arun Gorge. Previously Norton and Geoffrey had explored, -while they were waiting, the country round as -far as they could go on horseback, and Norton had discovered -at the mouth of a gorge an alp like those on the -Kashmir Mountains, surrounded with a forest which he -described as equal to a Southern Himalayan forest, and -we positively must go and see it, and climb up the hillsides -and look down into the gorge itself.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We all accepted his invitation with the greatest alacrity. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_88'>88</span>On the afternoon of the day before starting, the -Dzongpen, as he had promised, produced us his acrobats -and dancers, and we had a very hilarious afternoon. -They were not particularly good either as actors or as -acrobats, but they danced with prodigious vigour, and it -was altogether great fun. Before all the dances and the -little plays they covered their faces with masks of an -extremely primitive kind. They failed at most of their -tricks once or twice before accomplishment, and these -failures were invariably greeted both by the spectators -and by the actors with shrieks of laughter.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On the following day (June 19) we all set off, the -luggage proceeding direct to Kharta Shika under the -charge of the interpreter and the Gurkhas, while we -switched off to Norton’s alp. It really was delightful, -and though the forest was rather a dwarfed forest, it contained -several kinds of fir trees, birch, and rhododendron -scrub, and, after Tibet, was in every way quite charming. -We climbed up the hillsides and suddenly came round -the corner on to great cliffs diving straight down into -the Arun Valley, and we could see further down how -enormously the scale of the mountains increased. It was -a most attractive gorge, but on our side it appeared to -be almost impossible to have got along, so steep were the -hillsides. On the far bank, that is, the true left bank, -the East bank, there was a well-marked track, and it -appears that lower down it crosses to the right bank and -then continues on the right bank to the junction with -<span class='pageno' id='Page_89'>89</span>the Kama Chu. Later on Noel and Morris were able to -explore and photograph the greater part of the gorge. -We all sat on the top of the cliffs and indulged in the very -pleasant amusement of rolling great rocks into the river -a thousand feet below us—always a fascinating pursuit, -especially when one is quite certain that there is no one -in the neighbourhood. The lunch did not turn up for -some time, when an exploring party discovered that our -porters, who had been detailed to carry it, had dropped -in at a village and visited the Barley Mow, and could -hardly get along at all in consequence; finally, however, -the lunch was rescued and an extremely pleasant time -passed. It was absolutely epicurean: Gruyère cheese, -sardines, truffled yaks, and, finally, almost our last three -bottles of champagne. It was intended to be an epicurean -feast—and it was so.</p> - -<p class='c010'>By the evening we arrived in Shika, and found our -camp pitched in beautiful grassy fields high above the -village of Shika. The Dzongpen was very anxious to -entertain the whole party, but we were rather lazy and -did not want to go down to his village, which was some way -off, but promised him that we would pay him a visit on -our return from Kama. The Dzongpen, however, imported -his cooks and full outfit and gave us a dinner in -our own tent, himself sitting down with us and joining -in. He was a plump and very well dressed little man, -and by now had completely recovered his confidence in -us. He was, however, very anxious that we should do -<span class='pageno' id='Page_90'>90</span>no shooting, and this anxiety of his was no doubt very -largely occasioned by the fact that he had only arrived -from Lhasa about a fortnight before our arrival. We -were to reach in two marches Sakiathang, in the Kama -Valley, where Colonel Howard-Bury and his party had -encamped the year before. Our first march led us over -the Samchang La to a camp called Chokarbō. It was a -steep and rough walk over the pass, but knowing the -wonderful capacity of the Tibetan pony, several of the -party took ponies with them. It was necessary both for -Geoffrey and for Norton to rest their feet as much as -possible until completely cured, and so on arrival at -Chokarbō they took their ponies on over our next pass, -the Chog La, which is no less than 16,280 feet, and down -into the Kama Chu. This is a very rough road indeed.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We had here reached the most perfect land of flowers, -and in the low land which lies between the Samchang La -and our camp at Chokarbō we found every description of -Alpine flora, reinforced by rhododendrons—the very last -of the rhododendrons. We also found several kinds of -iris.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The road leading up to the Samchang La was extremely -steep and rough, but the path was well marked, and it -was evident there was a considerable amount of traffic -leading into the Kama Chu. The local people stoutly -denied that yaks could cross, but later on we actually -found yaks carrying loads over this road. I can quite -understand their reason for not wishing to send their -<span class='pageno' id='Page_91'>91</span>yaks, as the road from one end to the other is very bad -for animals. At Chokarbō all the riding ponies were dispensed -with, with the exception of Geoffrey’s and Norton’s; -these two ponies they particularly wished to look after, -as they had bought them, knowing that they must assure -mounts, probably to the end of the journey. They had -certainly picked up the most useful little couple. All the -same, they had to walk most of the way, as it was quite -out of the question for anyone to have ridden at all, except -over short pieces of open ground, and it was perfectly -wonderful the way in which these two ponies got over -the most shocking collection of rocks, big and little, and -how they negotiated the extremely slippery and rocky -path which led down from the Chog La. The ascent to -the Chog La was easy, and the latter half of it still under -winter snow, as also was the first thousand feet of the -descent. The mountains were interesting on each side, so -much so that Somervell and Crawford went off for a little -climb on the way. The descent was delightful, although -the road was, as I have said, very stony indeed. One -passes through every description of Eastern Himalayan -forest and wonderful banks of rhododendrons of many -kinds. We were, unfortunately, much too late for their -full bloom, but a month earlier this descent must be perfectly -gorgeous, the whole hillsides being covered with -flowering rhododendrons.</p> - -<div id='i090' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i090.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Old Tibetan Woman and Child.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>The descent to Sakiathang is at least 5,000 feet, and -may be a little more. Thang means “a flat bench,” and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_92'>92</span>such was Sakiathang, set in gorgeous forest, and deep in -grass and flowers. But the weather was breaking fast, -and by evening the clouds had descended and wiped out -the whole of the valley. Before it was quite obliterated -we got glimpses of what it must be like in fine weather.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In the early morning of the following day (Thursday, -June 22), when I woke up and looked out of my tent, -the mouth of which looked straight up the valley between -the big mountains, the clouds had lifted somewhat, and -the whole end of the valley was filled with the gorgeous -Chomolönzo peak, and for an hour or so I was able to -watch it with the clouds drifting round its flanks, and -then, just as the sun lit up the valley for a moment, the -great monsoon clouds coming up from the valley of the -Arun, driven by the wind up the Kama Chu, completely -wiped it out again. It was a glorious glimpse, and the -only one we obtained during our stay of more than a week -in Sakiathang.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We found encamped in the neighbouring woods Nepalese -shepherds, with their flocks of sheep, and saw for the first -time the very fine type of sheep which these men own—a -far bigger and better breed of sheep than exists in Tibet, -and also carrying a very much finer coat of wool. They -were rather strange to look at at first, as the whole fore-part -of their body was black and the hind-part white. -We also found that the Nepalese shepherds thoroughly -understood the value of their own sheep. They keep -them all to make butter from their milk, which they collect -<span class='pageno' id='Page_93'>93</span>and sell in the bazaars in Nepal. All these shepherds -were Gurkhas belonging either to the Gurung tribe or -Kirantis, and, curiously enough, one of them was related -to my servant Kehar Sing, he having gone through the -“mit” ceremony with his relations, and that is quite -sufficient for him to be also a “mit.” This “mit” -ceremony is rather difficult to explain. It is not exactly -blood-brotherhood, it is more of the nature of religious -brotherhood; but it is quite binding, as much so as an -ordinary relationship. This eased the situation for us -pretty considerably in the matter of obtaining milk and -butter. As I have before mentioned, I do not myself eat -butter in an uncooked state, but the remainder of the -party reported that this sheep’s butter was of very fine -quality, and it was certainly very clean. These shepherd -establishments are known as gôts. Naturally forgetting -that certain terms are unfamiliar, I told Wakefield that I -had bought two sheep from the gôts. He seemed more -confused than usual by the strangeness of the country.</p> - -<p class='c010'>As we were rather short of provisions, we despatched -Noel’s servant and our excellent Chongay Tindel to obtain -supplies for us; the first down to the junction with the -Arun, and the second over the Popti into Damtang, a -large Nepalese settlement.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The remainder of the party stayed behind, hoping -for better weather in order to explore the upper valley -of the snows, and up to the Popti to get a view of the -country into Nepal, if possible. It was no use attempting -<span class='pageno' id='Page_94'>94</span>to move unless the weather cleared to a certain extent. -Meanwhile we were living in a smother of cloud, mist, -and rain. But how delightful it was to have an ample -supply of firewood and to be able to build, for the first -time since we had entered Tibet, a reckless camp-fire -round which we could all sit! It is a real hardship in -Tibet never to have a good roaring fire, and it is a little -damping to one’s spirits having always to go to bed in -order to get warm. Whenever it cleared, we went for -short walks through the neighbouring forests and into -the neighbouring valleys, and saw quite enough to fill us -with a desire for much more exploration. The forest of -the Kama is unbelievably rich; the undergrowth, especially -the hill bamboo, of a very vivid green, and the cedar -and fir appear very dark, almost black, against it. But -the forest also contains every other kind of tree and shrub -proper to the Eastern Himalaya, and the river-banks were, -in places, overhung with the most glorious Himalayan larch, -identical with the European larch in appearance, but with -possibly a greater spread of branch.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The weather got worse and worse, and our food supplies -lower and lower. There were no signs of the return either -of Noel’s servant or of the Chongay from Nepal, and so, -with the greatest reluctance, we gave up further exploration -as a body. We were reduced to only half a day’s -grain-food for our following, and not only that, but the -Tibetan porters whom we were expecting to help us back, -and who had been ordered, showed no signs of arriving. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_95'>95</span>Having searched the country round, we managed to rope -in a few local people, mostly Tibetans, who had come -over from Kharta for wood. There is considerable traffic -from the Tibetan side, as in this well-wooded country -they cut most of the timber required for their houses and -carry it over on their own backs, or else on the backs -of unfortunate yaks, when they can bring themselves to -risk their yaks’ legs over this awful road. We carried as -much luggage as we possibly could with us, not knowing -how many men we should be able to obtain to send for -the remainder. We had not enough men with us to carry -the whole camp, and so two Gurkhas were left here in -charge of what remained. They were also to meet Chongay -and bring him back with them, and it was considered -an absolute certainty that he would be in time to save -them from a shortage of rations; also, they would be able -to get enough to keep themselves alive from the Gurkha -gôts, although these gôts themselves are on a very short -ration of grain, living largely on sheep’s milk.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our own porters and a few local people, with the help -of a little chaff to excite them, vied with each other in -the size of the loads they could carry, and they certainly -gave us a first-class exhibition of load-carrying. One girl, -about eighteen years of age, actually carried a 160-lb. -tent by herself from Sakiathang to Chokarbō, over the -top of the Chog La. Moreover, this tent had been wet -for the last ten days, and although we did our best to -dry all our camp as much as possible before starting, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_96'>96</span>it must have been at least 20 to 30 lb. heavier than it -ought to have been. I am quite certain that not a single -man or woman carried less than 100 lb. that day over -the pass, and this they did apparently without undue -fatigue, arriving quite cheerful at Chokarbō. We started -in fairly fine weather—a break, we thought; but before -we had gone half-way up the hill the clouds descended -on us, and it was raining hard when we got to our camp. -The day before we left we came to the conclusion that it -would be quite possible for a very small party to get -down to the junction of the Kama Chu over the Arun, -and Noel himself was intensely anxious to photograph -the Kama Chu and the gorges of the Arun itself. He -had also a plan, if possible, to get up the gorge and to -cross up over the high cliffs and hillsides, which would -bring him down almost to the alp where we had our picnic -with Norton. This was a magnificent conception, but, -considering the weather, we thought that he would have -a very rough time of it. He chose Morris as his assistant; -he took off his own particular porters, reinforced by some -Tibetans, and left on the 27th, we leaving on the 28th.</p> - -<p class='c010'>While we had been over there, Geoffrey’s feet had completely -recovered, and he was able to walk now as of old. -Norton could walk uphill, but his feet pained him when -descending; his ear had by this time completely recovered.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On the 29th, Geoffrey and I, leaving the remainder of -the party, went down to see the Dzongpen of Kharta, -with a view to making arrangements for our final return. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_97'>97</span>I had, previous to this, written to the Maharajah of Nepal -with a scheme by which Mallory should be allowed to -cross the upper end of the Wallung and Yallung valleys -and to cross into British territory by the Khang La, -returning to Darjeeling by the ordinary route along the -Singalela Ridge. The Maharajah gave his consent to -this expedition, but unfortunately it had to be modified, -owing to difficulties of transport and to the very bad -weather; but as Mallory was rather pressed for time, it -was arranged that he, Somervell, and Crawford, should -return direct to Tinki, crossing the Arun by the rope -bridge which was utilised in 1921 for the return of the -party, and from thence descending into Sikkim and travelling -viâ Lachen and Gangtok back to Darjeeling. The -remainder of the party, with the heavy luggage, would have -to return viâ Shekar and the way we came in order to -square up our various accounts with the different Dzongpens -and with the authorities, postal and other, in Phari -Dzong and the Chumbi Valley. All this required a certain -amount of arrangements. Before going into Kama, -we had given the Dzongpen an outline of our requirements, -but everything in Tibet, as elsewhere, requires a considerable -supervision, and so Geoffrey and I went down -before the rest of the party to complete our arrangements. -On our way down we met a large contingent of Tibetan -porters coming over to move our camp. This eased -matters off very considerably. They were sent off into the -Kama to bring the remainder of the camp, and on their -<span class='pageno' id='Page_98'>98</span>return to move the full camp down to Teng. Meanwhile -we descended and had a long and very interesting interview -with the Dzongpen, who by this time had quite lost -all suspicion of us. He entertained us splendidly, and -presented us each with a jade cup before leaving.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On July 1 we were all assembled in Teng, and packing -up and dividing our luggage preparatory to the -return of the party by the different routes. On July 3 -Mallory’s party set off, and we did not see him nor -the rest of the party again until our arrival in Darjeeling, -more than a month later. We were now joined -by Noel and Morris, back from their adventurous journey -up the Arun. They gave me a report of their travels. -I think it would be worth while once more to point out -what the course of the Arun is. The Arun is one of the -principal tributaries of the Kosi River (that is evident -from the map), and has a very long journey through Tibet, -where it is known as the Bhong Chu.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It rises near and drains the plains of Tingri and Khamba, -and then turning due South, forces its way through the -main chain of the Himalaya directly between the mountain -passes of the Everest group on the one side, and of -the Kanchengjanga group on the other. Between our -camp at Kharta and the village of Kyamathang, which -is on the actual Nepal frontier, a distance of some 20 -miles, the river drops a vertical height of 4,000 feet; and -therefore we were particularly interested in the exploration -of this wonderful gorge, and we wished to find out, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_99'>99</span>if we could, whether this tremendous vertical drop consisted -of a series of great rapids and waterfalls or a steady -fall in the bed of the river. It was also clear, from first -glimpses that we had had of the Arun Gorge, that lower -down they must be of the greatest possible grandeur and -interest. I have before described how we looked down -from our picnic into the Arun and hoped we should be -able to explore it.</p> - -<p class='c010'>When we despatched Noel and Morris it was in terribly -bad weather, the whole of the Lower Kama being a -smother of mist and the jungle dripping with moisture. -We had most of us been down as far as a place called -Chotromo, where the river is crossed by the road which -leads up to the Popti La, and this is the common road -down into Nepal. From there the road is far less well -known, and is not so well marked.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I will now give Noel’s description of his journey.</p> - -<div id='i098' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i098.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Fording the Bhong Chu.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>“On the evening of the 27th June, at the end of our -first day’s march, we pitched our camp on a little pleasant -grassy shelf situated in a small clearing in the forest near -empty shepherd huts, which comprise the camp at Chotromo. -The hot, damp atmosphere of the Ka(r)ma here at -9,000 feet harbours a world of insect life. No sooner -had the sun set that evening than swarms of tiny midges -emerged. They annoyed us for most of the night, except -when, in moments of exasperation, we got out of bed -and drove them away by lighting a small fire of juniper-wood -at the mouth of our tent. From Chotromo a little -<span class='pageno' id='Page_100'>100</span>shepherd track leads down the left bank of the river to -Kyamathang. In actual distance Kyamathang is not -far, but the road is scarcely level for more than a few -yards. It zigzags precipitously a thousand feet up and -down in order to avoid the ravines through which the -river rushes, thus trebling the marching distance. The -forest here becomes more tropical; bamboos and ferns are -thick in the undergrowth, the trees increase enormously -in size, and leeches make their appearance. The path -where it descends to the river passes through bog and -marsh, where the Nepalese shepherds, who mostly use this -road, in order to reach the upper grazing grounds, have -cut and laid tree-trunks along the path. The forest here -darkens owing to the height of the trees, junipers being -particularly noticeable; most of the trees being festooned -with thick grey lichen. Here and there on level spots -beside the river-bank one marches from the forest into -delightful glades carpeted with moss and thick with banks -of purple irises in full bloom.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“Ascending and descending precipitously the hillsides, -and covering all the time horizontal distance at a despairing -rate, we came at last, tired out, to the bridge which -leads across the Kyamathang, and there found that another -climb of some 1,500 feet remained before reaching the -village, which is perched on a small plateau overlooking -the junction of the rivers. Kyamathang, though, strictly -speaking, in Tibet, is a typical Nepalese village. The neat -little chalets are each surrounded by well-kept fields of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_101'>101</span>Indian corn, wheat, and barley. The fields are bounded -by stone walls, and each contains a small machan (a small -raised platform), from where a look-out is kept for bears -at night. Kyamathang and the surrounding villages are -so inaccessible that the people do not appear to come -under the influence of Tibet or Nepal, leading an independent -life. The village boasts of five Gembus (headmen), -all of whom, so excited at seeing Europeans for the -first time, did all they could to help us, and insisted on -accompanying us on our first march up the gorge.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“The road from Kyamathang, after passing the fields -of Lungdo, plunges once more into the forest. The path -mounts up over cliffs, hiding the view of the river in the -gorge below, but revealing across the valley the magnificent -waterfalls of Tsanga, some thousand feet in height.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“At our first halting-place we met a fine old Gurkha -shepherd, Rai or Karanti by tribe, a man of some seventy -years of age, who many years ago had been employed -by the Survey of India. He was able to tell us much -about our route ahead. This stretch of country, although -inhabited by Tibetans, is yearly visited by Nepalese -shepherds, who use the rough track in order to reach the -grazing grounds on the mountain-tops above the gorge. -He told us we should find a track of sorts along the right -bank of the river, which would eventually bring us out at -Kharta again.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“The Arun has no great waterfalls, but passes through -three deep gorges, one at Kyamathang and one near -<span class='pageno' id='Page_102'>102</span>Kharta, where it enters the main chain. There is another -also between these two. For the rest it is a raging torrent -running through a narrow forested defile.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“In order to pass these gorges, the path ascends and -descends many thousands of feet. Looking down from -the ledges of the precipices, one gets occasional glimpses -of the torrent below; the cliffs above frequently rising -as much as 10,000 feet above the river-bed, and ending in -snow-capped peaks. Here and there the promontories -of the cliffs afford a grandiose panorama, which rewards -the exertions of the terrific ascents, but as these alternate -ascents and descents are not single occurrences, but the -normal nature of the track, ever climbing up by crazy -ladder-paths and plunging amongst tangled undergrowth, -one ceases to revel in the scenery, and would forego those -bird’s-eye views from the cloud-level for the sake of a few -yards of marching on the flat.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“At the end of our second march, where the track -appeared to come to an end, while pitching our camp -in a small clearing, swarms of bees descended upon us, -scattering our porters in all directions; they did no -harm, however. Our third march was a struggle through -pathless jungle, and, mounting over the great central gorge, -on the far side of which we dropped down to the river-bed, -we found a narrow strip of sand, just room enough -to pitch our camp. This was one of the most beautiful -spots seen in the valley. Wild flowers grew here in great -profusion, the most conspicuous amongst them being some -<span class='pageno' id='Page_103'>103</span>great white lilies fully 6 feet in height. That evening -the rain, which had been falling most of the day, cleared, -and the rising clouds revealed the luxuriant walls of the -valleys, which seemed to rise almost vertically above us, -with black caverns beneath, where the trees trailed and -projected over the water’s edge.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“During the fourth march we again struck the track -which is apparently used by Tibetans who come down -from the Kharta end of the valley to get wood. This -led us up the side valley, descending from the mountains -round about Chog La. We camped towards the -top of the valley, and next day crossed by a new pass, -which we judged to be about 16,000 feet in height, and -then crossed the Sakia Chu, which descends from the -Samchang Pass across the Yulok La, and descended on -Kharta.”</p> - -<p class='c010'>Well, I think that is a very fine description of an -intensely interesting journey. One thing the party was -quite certain of, and that was that they never would have -got through had they numbered any more. It was very -difficult to get supplies even for themselves, as the roads -were so very, very bad, and camping grounds so very, -very small. They said all their men had worked like -horses, but it was so warm that they took nearly all their -clothes off and worked almost entirely naked. It is an -extraordinary thing how, when one gets far back into the -Himalaya at altitudes at 7,000, 8,000, and 9,000 feet, one -is often extremely warm. This is generally due to the fact -<span class='pageno' id='Page_104'>104</span>that most of these places are usually between mountains -and in confined conditions; such altitudes on the lower -spurs of the Himalaya are by no means so warm. We all -envied Noel and Morris their trip and the gorgeous country -which they had seen, and, further than that, I in particular -envied them the occasional glimpses which they could -get right down the Arun Valley into Nepal, glimpses of -country which I believe no European has yet looked on.</p> - -<p class='c010'>As a matter of fact, I had also written to the Maharajah -to find out whether it would not be possible for me -to return to Darjeeling viâ this same Arun Valley. It -was a mere <i>ballon d’essai</i>; I had no real hope that the -rules and regulations of the Nepal Durbar would be overridden -in my favour, but it is probably not more than -50 miles from Kyamathang down the Arun Valley to -Dhankuta, which is a large Nepalese town, and only some -five or six days’ travel from Darjeeling itself. What a -wonderful experience it would have been! The Maharajah -was extremely kind about it, but quite firm.</p> - -<p class='c010'>At the same time as Noel and Morris arrived, our -Chongay also came from the Popti route, and he brought -with him quite a number of chickens and vegetables and -excellent potatoes. He had been delayed at Damtang by -the weather. There was quite a change in Chongay on -his arrival. We were filled with admiration. He wore a -Seaforth Highlander’s bonnet and a Seaforth Highlander’s -tunic, both of which he had obtained from some demobilised -Gurkha who had sold his effects in the Upper Arun Valley. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_105'>105</span>We joined hands and danced round him with cheers; -Chongay bridled from head to foot.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Soon after Mallory’s party left, a note arrived from -Crawford to say that his pony and his pony-man had run -away during the night, and asking us to find out about -it, as he had been paid for the full journey. This was -reported immediately to the Dzongpen. He knew exactly -what to do. Without a moment’s hesitation he seized -the man’s elder brother, down with his clothes, and gave -him a first-class flogging, and nearly flogged old Father -William himself, so angry was he, as this man was one of -Father William’s underlings. Father William was humbler -than ever after this, and produced more and more green -vegetables.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On July 4 the main body set off, even now very considerable. -We were to march direct by a road up to the -present date untravelled, our first march being to Lumeh, -which was also on the road used by Mallory and by last -year’s Expedition. From there we marched up the Dzakar -Chu instead of turning to our right and crossing the Arun. -We had been largely in summer in Kharta, but on our -way to Lumeh we came in, for a time, to some of the very -strongest winds we had met since leaving the Rongbuk -Glacier. Crossing a little gully, I was nearly blown off -my pony. Our camp at Lumeh has been described by -Colonel Howard-Bury, and is a very charming spot.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The following march to Dzakar Chu was quite new -ground, not travelled by any European, and was very -<span class='pageno' id='Page_106'>106</span>interesting indeed, but extremely rough. It led for part -of the way through a steep and deep gorge, extraordinarily -like the gorges in the Hindu Kush in Gilgit and Chambal. -The gorge, owing to its elevation, is of less depth, but the -whole colour and form of the mountains, their bareness -and barrenness, and the smell from the wormwood scrub, -brought back to me the Hindu Kush in very vivid recollection. -Those gorges, however, as so often in the West, -are terribly and oppressively hot, but here, at 12,500 to -13,000 feet above the sea, we were in a fresh and exhilarating -air. We camped at a village called Dra, at the foot -of the pass we were to cross, which is called the Chey La. -Our camp was pitched in a very pleasant grove, and here -we had, for the last time until we arrived at the Chumbi -Valley, a gorgeous and glorious camp-fire. Curiously -enough, the wood was willingly given to us by the -inhabitants.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The following morning there was a long march and a -continual pull to the top of the Chey La, about 17,000 feet, -the last thousand feet being a very rapid ascent, but from -the top we were almost in sight of Shekar and the Arun -Valley. The camp at which we stopped was a very short -morning’s walk from our old camp at Pangli, and separated -from it by a low ridge.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The next morning, after crossing the Arun at the Arun -Bridge, we reached Shekar, where we had a great reception. -The Dzongpen played up, and he had no less than -160 mules all collected and ready for us the following -<span class='pageno' id='Page_107'>107</span>morning; and not only that, but every one turned out -the evening, and we had a little race meeting of our own -and a great tea with exchange of cakes and compliments -with the Dzongpen himself. Altogether we were evidently -in very good favour both with the Dzongpen and with -the great Lama of Shekar. Noel and others paid a very -interesting visit to the great Lama, and were shown by -him his collections of curios of all kinds. They thought -at first that the old gentleman prized and guarded these -as Gömpa property, but they were rather surprised to -discover that he was perfectly ready to sell at a price—and -that his own. He was by far the shrewdest trader -that we had come across in Tibet. Most of the things -that he was ready to part with, however, were beyond -the pockets of our party.</p> - -<p class='c010'>John Macdonald, who has a very good eye for a pony, -took out a likely mount in the horse-races and himself -won no less than three races that day. He bargained -for it, as he was looking forward to the Darjeeling pony-races -in the autumn, and before we left Macdonald, to his -great joy, had concluded a very respectable bargain.</p> - -<div id='i106' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i106.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Panorama at Shekar Dzong.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>The following morning we got off not quite as well as -we should. We had difficulty in loading and some difficulties -on the march. Shekar had proved altogether too -much for the porters and the following morning they were -not of much use; in fact, it was with the greatest difficulty -that many of them were produced at the next camp. -The place was called Kyishong. It had not been a very -<span class='pageno' id='Page_108'>108</span>promising little camp, so we thought of stopping down by -the river on a very pleasant plot of grass, but on arrival -there we found a dead Tibetan in a basket moored to the -bank in the water about a hundred yards above our camp, -so that was no place for us. Instead of marching back -exactly the same way we had come, viâ our camp at -Gyangka-Nangpa, we determined to follow up a smaller -branch of the Arun which would bring us finally down -on to Tinki itself. By so doing we avoided wading the -Yaru in two places, and also the rather high and steep -Tinki Pass. On our way across the plains of Teng, before -one arrives at the great sand dunes of Shiling, we passed -a Sokpo, a true Mongolian, whose home was in Northern -Mongolia, near Urga, a religious devotee. He was travelling -from Lhasa to Nepal, that is, to Khatmandu, on -a pilgrimage, by the time-honoured method of measuring -his length on the ground for every advance. He was a -young man and apparently well fed, trusting to the kindness -of the villages through which he passed for his food. -He told us that he had been continually travelling and -that it had taken him one year to reach the place where -we found him from Lhasa, and that he hoped to get to -Khatmandu in another year, if he was lucky and able to -cross the mountains. We encouraged him the best way -we could and left him to his work.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our halt that night was in a very pleasant camp surrounded -by low cliffs at a place called Jykhiop. Our -march up this valley was a great contrast to our march -<span class='pageno' id='Page_109'>109</span>into Tibet. A warm sun and a pleasant cool breeze -blowing; the clouds drifted across us and we had some -rain, which only added to our comfort. We camped one -night at a place called Chiu, where we all bathed, and bathed -the ponies into the bargain.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our last march before reaching Tinki was over an -interesting pass, which suffers under the terrible name of -the Pharmogoddra La, down to a pleasant little camping -ground with a very dirty village near it. Here we caught -an enormous number of fish, the inhabitants proving -quite ready to help us do so. Every one fed freely on -fresh fish that night.</p> - -<p class='c010'>An easy pleasant pass the following morning led us -down in 2½ hours to Tinki. Here we met the Dzongpen -of Tinki for the first time. He was an extremely pleasant -individual, and the most friendly and intelligent official -we met in Tibet. He helped us in every way, and had -previously helped Strutt’s party on their journey through. -We heard excellent reports also of him afterwards from -the advance parties. When we had gone through in the -spring this Dzongpen had been away collecting his dues -for the Tibetan Government. Tinki was a very different -place, very green, and altogether very lovely. Before -travelling in Tibet we had heard so much of the wonderful -colour of Tibetan scenery. It was only on our return -journey when there was a considerable amount of moisture -in the air, when clouds rolled up from the South, that one -obtained a real notion of what Tibet could be like when -<span class='pageno' id='Page_110'>110</span>at its best, and Tinki, which had been an absolute sandy -waste when we marched up, was now covered with beautiful -green grass and flowers. Nor was the air of that -horrible and rather irritating dryness, but was almost -balmy, considering the height of the country.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Two days later we reached Khamba Dzong. The -Dzongpen was absent, but his two head men helped us -in his place. We had pouring rain the whole of the following -night. There must have been from 1½ to 2 inches -of rain, a most surprising experience in Tibet and one for -which we were hardly prepared. The men had been -breaking out a little again, and one sportsman had broken -out considerably more than anybody else. For purposes -of letting the porters down easily we never considered -a man was inebriated as long as he could lie on the ground -without holding on, but this man for three days in succession -had been hopeless, giving no reaction whatever -to the smartest smacks with our sticks, and finally having -to be brought into camp and giving a great deal of trouble. -So we determined on an exemplary punishment. The -other men who had broken out badly had all been given -loads to carry for a march, but the next day this man -was condemned to carry an enormous load from Khamba -Dzong to Phari. Considering what his condition had -been we were absolutely astounded when the following -day he carried the whole of well over 100 lb. for a 20-mile -march to Tătsăng, over a pass of 17,000 feet, grinning -and smiling the whole way as if it was the finest joke he -had heard of. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_111'>111</span>Everybody “pulled his leg” on the way, -but nothing could possibly interfere with his good temper. -He was condemned to carry this load right into Phari -Dzong, crossing the three high ridges of the Donka La, -and never for a moment did he lose his temper or bear -any ill-will. This is characteristic of the people: as long -as your treatment of them is understood by them to be -just they bear no ill-will whatever, nor does it interfere -in any way with one’s friendly relations; but still, for -all that, it seems to me that they are unkillable. After -his behaviour and the condition he was in for so long, -to do such terrific hard labour as we condemned him to -do without the smallest sign of fatigue was pretty remarkable. -But, after all, my own particular Angturke -had only complained of being a little dazed after falling -60 feet on to his head at the time of the accident.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We camped at Tătsăng, and here we parted with Noel, -who carried off his own people and left us for Gyantse; -he was very much afraid of bringing his cinema films -down into the warmth and damp of Sikkim until they were -properly developed, but not only this: it was now the -season of the great meetings and dances of Gyantse, and -he hoped to get first-rate studies of Tibetan life generally. -The climate and accommodation also at Gyantse would -just suit him, and he would be able there to put in a full -month’s work completing his films and adding immensely -to his collection of pictures of Tibetan life. He accompanied -us for 5 miles, almost up to the camp we had -<span class='pageno' id='Page_112'>112</span>occupied on our arrival in the spring, and we left him with -great regret.</p> - -<div id='i110' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i110.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>In Kampa Dzong.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>We had a long march that day from Tătsăng, and -again crossing the ridges of the Donka La a very cold -wind and sleet and rain overtook us. It was the last -shot at us the typical Tibetan weather had, and considering -the time of year it did its very best for us, but we camped -that night under the Donka La at a great height, not -far from 17,000 feet. While we were waiting for our -luggage we took refuge in a Tibetan encampment. The -Tibetans were out with their herds of yaks, grazing them -over the hillsides. We were rather amused to find that -they had guns in their encampment, which they evidently -used for sporting purposes, and we thought regretfully -of the limitations which had been put on our expedition.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Next morning we had a delightful march crossing the -last and highest ridge of the Donka La and camped half-way -to Phari, finally reaching Phari Dzong after a very -pleasant morning’s ride over delightful green turf and -passing immense flocks of sheep grazing on the hillsides.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Here, on July 20, we found a welcome post and spent -the day in great comfort in the Phari Dzong bungalow. -Two days later we reached Chumbi and met the Macdonalds -again, and were, as usual, sumptuously entertained -by them. Here our transport had to be reorganized -to take our still rather large convoy down to India. -Geoffrey and I climbed the neighbouring hills and really -revelled in the whole journey down, which had been very -<span class='pageno' id='Page_113'>113</span>reminiscent of the Western Himalaya in summer. Chumbi -is wonderful; even in the rains the climate is delightful. -It cannot have more than one-third of the rainfall which -falls only 20 miles away on the other side of the Jelep: -in fact, when two days later we crossed the Jelep, we were -immediately involved again in the mists and rains and -sleets, and were again in a completely and absolutely -different type of country.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We arrived at Gnatong on July 27 in pouring rain, -but next morning it had cleared, and on the way down -as we started the clouds showed signs of really lifting. -On arrival at the ridge over which the road crosses before -beginning the long descent to Rongli Chu, about 400 feet -above Gnatong, we were lucky enough to come in for one -of those sudden breaks which occasionally occur during -the monsoon, and if one is at the moment in a position -to profit by them one obtains one of the most glorious -sights to be found in this world. Such was our luck this -morning. Standing on the ridge we were able to see the -plains of India stretched out beneath us to the South, -the plains of Kuch Behar with the Mahanadi River running -through them quite clear, while on our right Kanchengjanga -rose through the clouds—a perfectly marvellous -vision of ice and snow, looking immeasurably high. The -clouds were drifting and continually changing across the -hillsides and the deep valleys. The extremely deep and, -in places, sombre colour, the astonishingly brilliant colour -where the sun lit up the mountains, and the prodigious -<span class='pageno' id='Page_114'>114</span>heights, made a mountain vision which must be entirely -unsurpassed in any other portion of the globe. It was a -moment to live for; but the moment was all too short. -In half an hour the vision of the plains and the mountains -was completely blotted out.</p> - -<p class='c010'>At Lungtung we visited the little tea-shop where we -had all collected, as we had promised the patroness on -our way up. There she was again, full of smiles, with -her family round her, and we all stayed there and drank -hot tea, which we thoroughly enjoyed after the cold and -driving mist, and the flow of chaff I think even surpassed -that of our first visit. So exhilarated were we that -Geoffrey and I ran at top speed down to Sedongchen, -which is only 6,000 feet, tearing down the hillsides, and -by so doing, although we occasionally took short cuts -over grassy banks and through forest where it was not -too thick, we arrived at Sedongchen, having entirely -baffled the leeches which swarm in this part of the forest. -Not so, however, Wakefield; he also had been exhilarated -and had taken a short cut down, but he had been too -trusting, and he arrived with his legs simply crawling -with leeches.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The rest of our journey through Sikkim requires no -particular comment, except that the weather behaved -itself in a wonderful way, and we escaped any real heavy -duckings. The heat, although considerable in the lower -valleys and moist, was not at all oppressive. So much -so that we were able to travel at a great pace down -<span class='pageno' id='Page_115'>115</span>to Rongli bridge, which is only 700 feet above the sea.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We arrived in Darjeeling on August 2, every one by -now in thoroughly good health. Here we were to await -the arrival of Crawford and Somervell, who were making -tremendous attempts, considering that it was the height -of the monsoon, to see something of the South face of -Kanchen, and even, if possible, to do a little climbing—a -rather ambitious programme under the circumstances. -Five or six days later they arrived, quite pleased with -themselves and having had a very strenuous time, but -naturally having seen a minimum of the country they -travelled over. At Darjeeling the party rapidly broke -up, although the Staff of the Expedition had about a fortnight’s -work clearing up business matters, which included -the proper provision for the families of the unfortunate -porters who had been lost in the avalanche.</p> - -<div id='i114' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i114.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Lingga and the Lhonak Mountains.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Thus ended the first attempt to climb Mount Everest. -I think on the whole we may be quite satisfied with the -results. It would have been almost unthinkable if a -great mountain like Everest—the highest in the world, -almost the greatest in scale as well—had yielded to the -very first assault. After all, it took a very long time, -many years in fact, to climb the easier of the great mountains -of the Alps. It took many years to find the way, -even, up the North face of the Matterhorn, a problem -which would now only be considered one of the second -class. How, then, could we expect on the very first -occasion to solve all the different problems which are included -<span class='pageno' id='Page_116'>116</span>in an assault on Everest? It is not merely a case -of mountaineering, or of mountaineering skill, nor even of -having a most highly-trained party; there are many -other problems which we also have to consider. Our -methods had almost to be those of an Arctic expedition; -at the same time our clothing and outfit in many ways -had to be suitable for mountain climbing. Our climbing -season was extraordinarily short, far shorter than it would -have been in any mountains in the West.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Not only that, but all the warnings of the scientists -tended to show that no very great height could probably be -reached without oxygen, and that even with an oxygen -apparatus there were a great many dangers to be faced. -Among other things we were told that having once put -on the oxygen apparatus, and having once for any continuous -period worked on an artificial supply of oxygen, -the sudden cessation of that supply would certainly cause -unconsciousness, and probably would cause death. Luckily -for us this was proved not to be in accordance with actual -practical experience, as the height reached by our climbing -party which had not used oxygen was more than 2,000 -feet higher than any point yet reached. For the Duke of -Abruzzi, in his great attempt on the Bride Peak on the -Baltoro Glacier in Baltistan, did not quite reach 24,600 -feet. While Mallory, Somervell, and Norton reached -26,985 feet.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In the whole range of the mountains of the world there -are only four peaks that top this great height, namely, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_117'>117</span>Mount Everest itself, K<sup>2</sup> in the Karakorum in Baltistan; -Broad Peak on the Baltoro Glacier, and Makalu in the -Everest group. Therefore this climb stands actually as -the fifth of the great altitudes of the world. It is a perfectly -prodigious performance, and taken simply as a -<i>tour de force</i> stands in the front rank in no matter what -department of sport or human endeavour. The men who -took part in this climb have every reason to be proud of -themselves.</p> - -<p class='c010'>As I have pointed out, Finch and Geoffrey Bruce, -using oxygen, took a route traversing the face of the -mountain to the West, and before they were completely -played out and conditions were such that they had to -return, reached a height of 27,235 feet. If they had -directly mounted up the ridge they would undoubtedly -have reached the point on the main Everest crest which -is marked at 27,390 and have progressed along it to a -greater altitude. There is no doubt in my mind whatever -of this: not only would their route have been far more -direct, but the actual ground over which they would have -to climb would have been easier. It is quite certain that -with the same exertions on the same day they could have -reached a higher point than they did. That does not, -however, in the least detract from their performance. -Their experiences, as has been pointed out by Finch, -ease the oxygen question immensely. It was shown that -it was quite possible to remove the oxygen apparatus altogether, -having used it fully and having reached a height -<span class='pageno' id='Page_118'>118</span>of 25,500 feet, nor was the accident to Geoffrey’s apparatus -attended with any of the terrible consequences which we -were led to expect. These conclusions are all very satisfactory -from the point of view of our final success in -climbing Everest. There is no doubt that the height -will be attained provided the very best men, the best -apparatus, and an outfit of porters equally as good as our -own, attempt it. And there are plenty of men to draw -from for porters. We could probably obtain without -difficulty a team as good, or better. Of that I am quite -certain.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was pretty evident that one of the secrets of living -with immunity high up is that the actual clothes on the -men’s backs should be as light as possible and as windproof -as possible. Proper protection should be taken -against the wind for the head also, and the greatest care -must be taken and the necessity for care be understood -by everybody in the protection of their hands and feet. -It is quite possible that with a little more care we might -have escaped this year without any serious consequences -from that point of view.</p> - -<p class='c010'>These remarks apply equally to the outfit for the -porters. Men who worked with so little experience, and -took camps for us to a height of 25,500 feet, would, if -correctly outfitted, take the camp 500 to 1,000 feet higher: -of that I am quite convinced. An improved and lighter -oxygen apparatus is under construction; when this has -been completed I have every reason to believe that an -<span class='pageno' id='Page_119'>119</span>oxygen depôt could be well established at 26,000 feet, -thus allowing a full time for the attempt on the greater -heights. This year there was always at the back of the -oxygen-carriers’ minds a slight doubt that their oxygen -might give out and that the consequences to them would -be most unpleasant.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Another problem that must always be borne in mind -when one’s object is the assault of a great mountain in -the Himalaya, is to bring one’s whole party there in first-class -health and training. This sounds an unnecessary -remark to have to make, but as a matter of fact the task -is not as easy as it appears. The great danger lies in -fatiguing and exhausting one’s party before the real test -comes. This year there was great danger of our working -the porters out, and this question gave me a good deal -of anxiety. But they were all absolute gluttons for work, -and I never would have believed that men could have -carried out such tremendous hard labour in establishing -our high camps and apparently continuing fit and well, -showing no signs of staleness and quite ready to continue -up the mountain.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Before we left Darjeeling I forwarded to the Dalai -Lama, on behalf of the Mount Everest Committee, a letter -of thanks for all the assistance which he had given to -our Expedition, and sent with it, for him and for the -Tashilumpo Lama also, a silk banner on which was printed -a coloured picture of the Potālā, the great palace of the -Dalai Lamas in Lhasa.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_120'>120</span><span class='xxlarge'>THE FIRST ATTEMPT</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xlarge'>By</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xlarge'>GEORGE LEIGH-MALLORY</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_121'>121</span> - <h2 id='ch04' class='c004'>CHAPTER IV<br /> <br />THE PROBLEM</h2> -</div> -<h3 class='c014'>I</h3> -<p class='c005'>It is very natural that mountaineers, particularly if -they are members of the Alpine Club, should wish success -to the Everest Expedition; for in a sense it is their own -adventure. And yet their sympathies must often wobble. -It is not always an undiluted pleasure to hear of new -ascents in the Alps, or even in Great Britain; for half the -charm of climbing mountains is born in visions preceding -this experience—visions of what is mysterious, remote, -inaccessible.</p> - -<p class='c010'>By experience we learn that we may pass to another -world and come back; we rediscover the accessibility -of summits appearing impregnable; and so long as we -cannot without a tremor imagine ourselves upon a mountain’s -side, that mountain holds its mystery for us. But -when we often hear about mountaineering expeditions on -one or another of the most famous peaks in the world, -are told of conquests among the most remote and difficult -ranges or others continually repeated in well-known -centres, we come to know too well how accessible mountains -are to skilful and even to unskilful climbers. The -<span class='pageno' id='Page_122'>122</span>imagination falters, and it may happen that we find -ourselves one day thinking of the most surprising mountain -of all with no more reverence than the practised golfer -has for an artificial bunker. It was so, I was once -informed by a friend, that he caught himself thinking of -the Matterhorn, and he wondered whether he shouldn’t -give up climbing mountains until he had recovered his -reverence for them. A shorter way, I thought, was to -wait until the weather broke and then climb the Matterhorn -every day till it should be calm and fine again, and when -he pondered this suggestion he had no need to test its -power, for he very soon began to think again of the -Matterhorn as he ought to think. But from the anguish -of discovering his heresy he cherished a lesson and afterwards -would never consent to read or hear accounts of -mountaineering, nor even to speak of his own exploits. -This was a commendable attitude in him; and I can -feel no doubt, thinking of his case, that however valuable -a function it may have been of the Alpine Club in its -infancy to propagate not only the gospel, but the knowledge -of mountains, the time has come when it should be the -principal aim of any such body not only to suppress the -propagation of a gospel already too popular, but also to -shelter its members against that superabundance of -knowledge which must needs result from accumulating -records. Hereafter, of contemporary exploits the less we -know the better; our heritage of discovery among -mountains is rich enough; too little remains to be discovered. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_123'>123</span>The story of a new ascent should now be regarded -as a corrupting communication calculated to promote the -glory of Man, or perhaps only of individual men, at the -expense of the mountains themselves.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It may well be asked how, holding such opinions, I can -set myself to the task of describing an attempt to reach the -highest summit of all. Surely Chomolungmo should remain -inviolate, or if attempted, the deed should not be named. -With this point of view I have every sympathy, and lest it -should be thought that in order to justify myself I must -bring in a different order of reasons from some other plane, -and involve myself in a digression even longer than the -present, I will say nothing about justification for this story -beyond remarking that it glorifies Mount Everest, since -this mountain has not yet been climbed. And when I say -that sympathy in a mountaineer may wobble, the mountaineer -I more particularly mean is the present writer. It -is true that I did what I could to reach the summit, but -now as I look back and see all those wonderful preparations, -the great array of boxes collected at Phari Dzong and filling -up the courtyard of the bungalow, the train of animals and -coolies carrying our baggage across Tibet, the thirteen -selected Europeans so snugly wrapt in their woollen -waistcoats and Jaeger pants, their armour of windproof -materials, their splendid overcoats, the furred finneskoes or -felt-sided boots or fleece-lined moccasins devised to keep -warm their feet, and the sixty strong porters with them -delighting in underwear from England and leathern jerkins -<span class='pageno' id='Page_124'>124</span>and puttees from Kashmir; and then, unforgettable scene, -the scatter of our stores at the Base Camp, the innumerable -neatly-made wooden boxes concealing the rows and rows -of tins—of Harris’s sausages, Hunter’s hams, Heinz’s -spaghetti, herrings soi-disant fresh, sardines, sliced bacon, -peas, beans, and a whole forgotten host besides, sauce-bottles -for the Mess tables, and the rare bottles more precious -than these, the gay tins of sweet biscuits, Ginger Nuts and -Rich Mixed, and all the carefully chosen delicacies; and -besides all these for our sustenance or pleasure, the fuel -supply, uncovered in the centre of the camp, green and -blue two-gallon-cans of paraffin and petrol, and an impressive -heap of yak-dung; and the climbing equipment—the gay -little tents with crimson flies or yellow, pitched here only to -be seen and admired, the bundles of soft sleeping-bags, soft -as eiderdown quilt can be, the ferocious crampons and other -devices, steel-pointed and terrible, for boots’ armament, -the business-like coils of rope, the little army of steel cylinders -containing oxygen under high pressure, and, not least, -the warlike sets of apparatus for using the life-giving gas; -and lastly, when I call to mind the whole begoggled crowd -moving with slow determination over the snow and up the -mountain slopes and with such remarkable persistence -bearing up the formidable loads, when after the lapse -of months I envisage the whole prodigious evidences of -this vast intention, how can I help rejoicing in the yet -undimmed splendour, the undiminished glory, the unconquered -supremacy of Mount Everest?</p> - -<div id='i124' class='figcenter id004'> -<span class='pageno' id='Page_125'>125</span> -<img src='images/i124.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Base Camp and Mount Everest in Evening Light.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>It is conceivable that this great mountain, though still -unsubdued, may nevertheless have suffered some loss of -reputation. It is the business of a mountain to be ferocious -first, charming and smiling afterwards if it will. But it has -been said already of this mountain that the way to the -summit is not very terrible, it will present no technical -difficulties of climbing. Has it not then, after all, a character -unsuitably mild? Is it not a great cow among mountains? -It cannot be denied that the projected route to the -summit presents no slopes of terrible steepness. But we -may easily underrate the difficulties even here. Though -some of us have gazed earnestly at the final ridge and -discussed at length the possibility of turning or of climbing -direct certain prominent obstacles, no one has certainly -determined that he may proceed there without being obliged -to climb difficult places; and the snow slope which guards -the very citadel will prove, one cannot doubt, as steep as -one would wish to find the final slope of any great mountain. -Again, the way to the North Col, that snow-saddle by which -alone we may gain access to the North Ridge, has not always -been simple; we know little enough still about its changing -conditions, but evidently on too many days the snow will -be dangerous there, and perhaps on many others the presence -of bare ice may involve more labour than was required of -us this year. But granted this one breach in the defence -of Mount Everest, shall we only for that think of it as a -mild mountain? How many mountains can be named in -the Alps of which so small a part presents the hope of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_126'>126</span>finding a way to the summit? Nowhere on the whole -immense face of ice and rocks from the North-east ridge -to Lhotse and the South-east ridge is the smallest chance -for the mountaineer, and, leaving out all count of size, -Mont Blanc even above the Brenva Glacier has no face so -formidable as this; of the Southern side, which we know -only from a few photographs and sketches, one thing is -certain—that whoever reaches it will find there a terrific -precipice of bare rock probably unequalled for steepness by -any great mountain face in the Alps and immeasurably -greater; the single glimpse obtained last year of the -Western glacier and the slopes above it revealed one of the -most awful and utterly forbidding scenes ever observed -by men; how much more encouraging, and yet how utterly -hopeless, is the familiar view from the Rongbuk Valley! -Mount Everest, therefore, apart from its pre-eminence in -bulk and height, is great and beautiful, marvellously built, -majestic, terrible, a mountain made for reverence; and -beneath its shining sides one must stand in awe and wonder.</p> -<h3 class='c014'>II</h3> - -<p class='c015'>When we think of a party of climbers struggling along -the final ridge of Mount Everest, we are perhaps inclined -to reject an obvious comparison of their endeavour with -that of athletes in a long distance race. The climbers are -not of course competing to reach the goal one before another; -the aim is for all to reach it. But the climbers’ performance, -like the runners’, will depend on two factors, endurance and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_127'>127</span>pace; and the two have to be considered together. A -climber must not only keep on moving upwards if he is to -succeed, he must move at a certain minimum pace: a -pace that will allow him, having started from a given point, -to reach the top and come down in a given time. Further, -at a great height it is true for the climber even more than -for the runner on a track in England that to acquire pace -is the chief difficulty, and still more true that it is the pace -which kills. Consequently it is pace more than anything -else which becomes the test of fitness on Mount Everest.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Every man has his own standard, determined as a result -of his experience. He knows perhaps that in the Alps with -favourable conditions he is capable of ascending 1,500 feet -an hour without unduly exerting himself and without -fatigue; if he were to bring into action the whole of his -reserves he might be able to double this figure. He will -assuredly find when he comes up into Tibet and lives at a -mean height of 15,000 feet that he is capable of very much -less. And then he begins to call in question his power, to -measure himself against his European standard. Every -member of both Everest Expeditions was more or less of a -valetudinarian. He had his eye on his physical fitness. -He wondered each day, Am I getting fitter? Am I as fit -as I should expect to be in the Alps? And the ultimate -test was pace uphill.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The simpler phenomena of acclimatisation have frequently -been referred to in connection with Mount Everest. -But still it may be asked why improvement should be -<span class='pageno' id='Page_128'>128</span>expected during a sojourn at 15,000 feet. It is expected -because as a matter of experience it happens: though why -the red corpuscles in the blood whose function is to absorb -and give up oxygen should multiply in the ratio of 8:5, I -leave it to physiologists to explain. Whatever explanation -they may give I shall not cease to regard this amazing -change as the best of miracles. And this change in the -hæmoglobin content of the blood evidently proceeds a long -way above 15,000 feet. Nevertheless the advantage -thereby obtained by no means altogether compensates at -very high altitudes the effects of reduced atmospheric -pressure. It enables a man to live in very thin air (11½ -inches barometric pressure, at 27,000 feet), but not to exert -himself with anything like his normal power at sea-level. -His pace suffers. If at 23,000 feet he were able to exercise -no less power than at 10,000 feet after a few well-spent days -in the Alps, he would probably be able to ascend the remaining -6,000 feet to the summit in a single day. But if you cut -off the supply of fuel you cannot expect your engine to -maintain its pace of working; the power exercised by the -climber in the more rarefied atmosphere at these high -altitudes must be less; a rise of 6,000 feet in a day will be -beyond his capacity. Therefore he must have camps -higher on the mountain, and ultimately he must have one -so high that in nine or ten hours even his snail’s pace will -bring him to the summit.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We must remember too that not only will his pace have -suffered, his mind will be in a deplorable state. The -<span class='pageno' id='Page_129'>129</span>experiments conducted in pressure chambers have a bearing -on this point. I treasure the story of Prof. Haldane who, -while in such a chamber, wanted to observe the colour of -his lips and for some minutes gazed into his mirror before -discovering that he held the back towards his face. Mountaineers -have often observed a lack of clarity in their mental -state at high altitudes; it is difficult for the stupid mind to -observe how stupid it is, but it is by no means improbable -that the climbers of Mount Everest will try to drink their -food or proceed crabwise, or do some quite ridiculous thing. -And not only is it difficult to think straight in thin air, it -is difficult to retain the desire to do anything at all. Perhaps -of all that tells against him the mere weakness of a man’s -will when he is starved of oxygen is beyond everything -likely to prevent his success.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Since the problem of climbing Mount Everest presented -itself physiologically, it was only natural in us on the -Expedition continually to be watching acclimatisation. -We watched it in connection with the whole idea of being -trained for the event. Probably each of us had a different -notion as to how he should be trained, and some thought -more about training than others. On this point I must -confess a weakness when I foresee an event in which my -physical strength and condition are to count for so much; -I am one of those who think more about training. I consider -how I may add a cubit to my stature and all the time -I am half aware that I might spare myself the trouble of -such futile meditations. Experience seems only to show -<span class='pageno' id='Page_130'>130</span>that, provided I habitually eat well and sleep well and take -a moderate amount of exercise, I can do nothing to improve -my endurance on a mountain. Probably some men may -do more to this end. The week we spent in Darjeeling -sufficed for all of us to brace ourselves after the enervating -effects of our journey from England. Norton, who had come -out rather earlier and prepared himself in the most strenuous -fashion for the immense exertions of the Khadir Cup, was -already finely trained—too well, I thought, for so lean a man. -He and Geoffrey Bruce, my companion in the first party, -together with General Bruce, Longstaff, and Noel, elected to -walk a great deal in Sikkim, and so I believe did Somervell, -Wakefield, and Morshead in the second party. The General, -very frankly expressing the probable advantage to his figure -of profuse perspiration in those warm valleys, also walked a -great deal. For an exactly contrary reason—I hate the -inconvenience that must arise on the march from wet -clothes—I walked less than any of these; probably Longstaff -and I rode more than the rest up to Phari Dzong. But -when I heard how wonderfully fit were the two most energetic -walkers of our party, and learned from Geoffrey Bruce -of Norton’s amazing pace uphill, I could not refrain from -testing my own condition on the first occasion that we -approached a comparatively high altitude: coming up to -Gnatong, where the bungalow is situated above 12,000 feet, -I walked for all I was worth, and was well satisfied. Next -day I felt far from well with indigestion and headache. -General Bruce and Longstaff were also unwell, and it was a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_131'>131</span>cheerless afternoon and evening in the two little rooms at -Kupup, with hailstorms outside and too little light within. -Norton and Bruce elected to sleep on the verandah, and -these two, with me, if I were fit enough, intended starting -early next morning so as to climb a small mountain, diverging -thus from our path over the Jelep La (14,500 feet) for -the sake of the view. We set off not much later than we -had intended; but it was now Norton’s turn to be unwell, -and he was properly mountain-sick 1,000 feet below the -pass. However, we were not inclined to pay much attention -to these little troubles; with a day’s rest at a lower elevation -(9,000 feet), and the pleasures of feasting with the -Macdonalds in Yatung, we were quickly restored.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The continuous process of acclimatisation was due to -begin at Phari Dzong. There we should stay three days -above 14,000 feet, and after that our marches would keep -us between that level and 17,000 feet, so that a man would -surely find out how he was affected by living at high altitudes. -At Phari the whole party seemed remarkably fit, -and any amount of energy was available for sorting out and -checking our vast mass of stores. But the conditions of -travel on these high plains became evident so soon as we -were on the march again. Those who gaily started to -walk, not troubling to provide themselves with a pony, -found after a time that they were glad enough to ride; -but then it became so bitterly cold that riding was more -disagreeable than walking, and most of us, as we pushed -along in the teeth of a blizzard, preferred to walk, and were -<span class='pageno' id='Page_132'>132</span>surprisingly fatigued. Two of the party were ill when we -reached camp, but more perhaps from chill than mountain-sickness. -On the following day a system of sharing ponies -to allow alternate walking and riding was more carefully -organised. Even so, most of us must have walked two-thirds -of that long rough march (about 25 miles), and while crossing -the “Concertina pass,” as we called it, a name which explains -itself, we had ample opportunities of testing our -powers of walking uphill between 16,000 and 17,000 feet; -it was evident that we were already becoming acclimatised -and able to enjoy those mild competitions in which a man -will test his powers against another as they breast a hill -together. This was encouraging enough; but how far we -were from “going” as we would go at 10,000 feet lower -could easily be observed from our puffing and blowing and -the very moderate pace achieved by great efforts.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was a week later before we had another opportunity -of testing our acclimatisation as we came up to the Tinki -La, a rise of nearly 3,000 feet up to 17,000 feet. I suppose -there may have been some slight improvement in this -week; for my part, I was fairly fit, and after riding over the -comparatively flat approach, walked up about 2,000 feet -without a halt and experienced no sort of fatigue. But the -party as a whole was disappointing, and several members -were distinctly affected by the height. Perhaps this pass -was one of those places where some local circumstance -emphasises the altitude, for the ponies stopped and puffed -in a way we had never seen before; but I fancy the reason -<span class='pageno' id='Page_133'>133</span>of their condition was to be found in the steepness of the -ascent.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The day after crossing the Tinki La, we had a short -march to Gyangkar Nangpa, and, coming across the flat -basin, had full in view before us Sangkar Ri, a prominent -rock peak, the most northerly of a remarkable range above -the left bank of the Arun River. The desire to vary the -routine of the daily march by climbing a mountain had -already stirred a number of suggestions among us, and now -the opportunity seemed to offer itself; we were further -incited by the prospect of a splendid view of Mount Everest -if we could reach this summit, which lay not so very far out -of our way. No doubt unconscious motives, too, promoted -our attempt on Sangkar Ri. The pleasures of mountaineering -must always be restricted for those who grapple with -the highest mountains, if not denied <i>in toto</i>; but the ascent -of a little rock peak of 20,000 feet might help to keep alive -in us some appreciation of mountaineering as an enjoyable -pursuit. And then we wanted confidence in ourselves. At -present we could only feel how unequal we were to the -prodigious task in front of us; so were we urged to try -conclusions with Sangkar Ri, to put ourselves to the test.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The project demanded a high camp, at 17,000 feet, -nearly 4,000 feet above Gyangkar Nangpa. Seeing that it -would clearly be undesirable to employ more than a very -small number of porters to carry up tents and sleeping-bags -for the night, Somervell and I at first made a plan for ourselves -alone; but when it was found that two others wanted -<span class='pageno' id='Page_134'>134</span>to come with us, this plan was amplified to include them, and -it was arranged that the four of us should sleep at close -quarters in a Whymper tent. The porters who carried for -us in the evening would take down their burdens in the early -morning, in time to get them loaded on to the animals at -Gyangkar without delaying the main body. The establishment -of our camp did not proceed without some little -difficulty; one of the porters gave out and had to be -relieved of his load, and it was not until we had contoured -a hillside for an hour in the dark that we found a suitable -place. So soon as we had lain down in our tent, a bitter -wind sprang up and blew in at the door; the night was one -of the coldest I remember.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We had ascended not more than 1,000 feet next morning -when one of the party decided that he was too ill to go on; -he exhibited the usual symptoms of mountain-sickness. -While the other two suffered the disappointment of turning -back, Somervell and I pushed on towards a snow col on the -North ridge of the mountain. As it was desirable to reach -this point without delay in order to see the view while it was -yet unclouded, and to take photographs, I continued at my -own pace, and eventually found myself looking down on -Somervell some distance below me as he struggled up with -frequent halts. I very soon made up my mind that we -should get no higher than this. But after a brief halt and -some refreshment when he had rejoined me, Somervell -announced that he was prepared to go on. We began to -make our way along a rock ridge, which became ever steeper -<span class='pageno' id='Page_135'>135</span>as we mounted. Our progress was slow indeed, and I kept -thinking, as I found myself more and more fatigued, “Surely -we must give up now; a man in his state can’t go on -climbing such rocks as these.” But whenever I asked how -he was feeling, he would answer that he was getting along -well enough; and as we gradually won our way up, and I -kept my eye on my watch, I began to see that we had really -a chance of reaching the summit. The rocks were by no -means easy, and it is commonly said that the effort of -climbing difficult rocks is just what will prove most exhausting, -if it can be undertaken at all, to men affected by altitude. -The struggle to overcome a steep obstacle must -always interfere with regular breathing. Nevertheless, I am -inclined to think that the advantage in sheer exhilaration -of climbing difficult rocks compensates the greater trouble -in breathing, and that so long as I am still in a state to climb -them, I prefer even difficult rocks to snow. The actual -exertion put forth in mounting even the steepest cliff is -often overrated. If there are moments of intense struggle, -these are rare, and though the demand on nervous concentration -is great, the climber proceeds for the most part with -balanced movements, requiring, indeed, the sureness of -trained muscles, but no tremendous output of strength. -With such balanced movement the two of us were able -to go slowly upwards, without a rapidly increasing exhaustion, -to the foot of a formidable gendarme. We had hopes -in the first instance that he might be compelled to yield to a -frontal attack. But, 30 feet up, we found our way barred -<span class='pageno' id='Page_136'>136</span>by a slab, which was at once so smooth and so exposed that, -though we felt it might conceivably be climbed, we decided -it was not for us to climb it at the present moment; our -allowance of rope was insufficient for operations which -might require an “abseil”<a id='r5' /><a href='#f5' class='c011'><sup>[5]</sup></a> on the descent. We therefore -turned to the West side of our ridge. Here, of course, we -were out of the sun, and the rocks were so cold that they felt -sticky to the skin and blistered our finger-tips. However, -we managed to execute a sensational traverse, and afterwards -climbed a steep wall, which brought us out above the slab -from which we had turned back. It was here that we -experienced both the difficulty and the danger of rock-climbing -at high altitudes. It was necessary, in a terribly -exposed position, to pull oneself over an edge of rock on -to a little platform. A big effort was required: but the -reserve of strength had been exhausted. Having committed -myself to this taxing struggling, the grim thought arose in -my mind that at the critical moment I might be found -wanting and my body refuse to respond when the greatest -effort was required of it. A great effort was required before -I arrived panting on the airy stance.</p> - -<div class='footnote c012' id='f5'> -<p class='c013'><span class='label'><a href='#r5'>5</a>. </span>A method of coming down on a double rope.</p> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>After these exciting moments, we reached the top of the -gendarme without much trouble. But he had cost us too -much time. We had to start from Gyangkar this same day -in pursuit of General Bruce, and ought to cross the quicksands -of the Shiling Plain before dark. We had already -overstepped the time allowed for the ascent according to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_137'>137</span>our intention. The summit now appeared perhaps 500 feet -above us, and the intervening rocks were evidently going -to provide some stiff passages. It was necessary, therefore, -to turn back here and waste no time on the descent. The -descent proved longer than we had expected; we chose a -long traverse over steep snow to avoid the gendarme, and -neither of us was in a condition to cut steps quickly. We -observed, in fact, what I had observed last year with Bullock, -that one may go down a considerable distance at a -high altitude, and instead of recovering very quickly, as may -happen in the Alps, one only becomes progressively more -fatigued. It was 4.30 p.m. when we reached Gyankar and -found ourselves happily recovered from our exertions. -Sangkar Ri was still unclimbed. But we looked back on -our expedition with some satisfaction. We had been little -short of 20,000 feet when we turned back, and I had been -greatly impressed by Somervell’s endurance. For though -very much fatigued before reaching the col at the foot of -our ridge, and further enervated by an attack of dysentery -which had begun on the previous day, his condition seemed -rather to improve than to deteriorate above that point. -For my part, I had come near enough to exhaustion, considering -the difficulties of the climb, and had suffered from -a severe headache, but certainly felt no worse than I -expected at this stage of our training.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I entered upon this tale with the object of illustrating -the course of acclimatisation among us; but the return to -Gyangkar was not for us the end of the story. It was now -<span class='pageno' id='Page_138'>138</span>clear that we could not hope to cross the quicksands before -night. However, we might hope to reach the ford by which -we must cross the river Yaru with still enough light to -recognise the spot, and thereafter we could rest in a sheltered -place I knew of until the late rising moon should show us -the tracks of the main body. We set off accordingly in -high haste on the ponies we found waiting for us. Our -instruction had been that these animals should be specially -selected for their fleetness of foot—for Tibetan ponies can, -some of them, travel at a fair speed, while others no amount -of flogging will urge beyond 3 miles an hour. The beast I -rode very quickly showed that he was one of these last. I -had entrusted my ice-axe to a porter who accompanied us, -and now told him to ride behind me and use it if necessary. -For 5 miles he used it with a dexterity and energy beyond -praise. Then I abandoned the pony, and, walking ahead of -the party, easily outstripped the rest encumbered with this -beast. Night fell when we were still 2 miles short of the -ford. But as Somervell and I approached the spot and -wondered exactly where it might be, we perceived lights a -little way ahead on the further bank of the river, presumably -those of a Tibetan camp, and soon a figure appeared on that -side. We were hailed in Tibetan; our sirdar, coming up, -spoke Tibetan in reply; the figure waded across to us; -and it was explained to me that this good Samaritan was -prepared to carry me over on his back. I readily agreed to -so generous a proposition. He was not an easy steed, but I -was able to hang on to him for a hundred yards or so until -<span class='pageno' id='Page_139'>139</span>he deposited me on the other bank, a light enough burden, -apparently, to be picked up and set down like a child. And -400 yards further we reached the lights. It was no stranger -camp; the tents were ours, and the General and the rest -were sitting in the Mess while dinner was keeping hot in -the kitchen against our return.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Ten days later we reached our Base Camp at the foot -of the Rongbuk Glacier (16,800 feet) and contemplated the -prospect of rising another 12,000 feet and more to the summit -of Mount Everest. At all events the whole party had -reached this point remarkably fit, and no one now showed -signs of distress from staying at this elevation. Remembering -how Bullock and I had felt after our first exertions -up here last year, I hoped to spend a few days at the Base -Camp before doing very much, and as General Bruce’s -plans worked out nothing was required of me at present. -But much was asked of the reconnaissance party which -started out on May 4.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It has been recorded in earlier chapters how in three -days from the Base Camp they reached a height of 21,500 -feet on the East Rongbuk Glacier. The cold was great and -their hardships were unrelieved by the greater comfort of -established camps enjoyed by those who followed the -pioneers. From their accounts they were evidently affected -a good deal by altitude before turning back with their work -accomplished, and in spite of the cold they experienced the -familiar phenomenon of lassitude so painfully and particularly -noticeable on the glaciers when the sun makes -<span class='pageno' id='Page_140'>140</span>itself felt. But on the whole they had been less affected by -the want of air than was to be expected. They had this -advantage—that they proceeded gradually; the distance -to travel was long, but the ascent was never steep, and they -found the upper glacier very lightly covered with snow; -and it is heavy going and a steep ascent that most readily -induce the more distressing symptoms of mountain-sickness. -However, from the point of view of acclimatisation it was -highly satisfactory that this party should have proceeded -with so little delay to reach 21,000 feet.</p> - -<div id='i140' class='figcenter id008'> -<img src='images/i140.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Serac, East Rongbuk Glacier.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Meanwhile Somervell and I, chafing somewhat at our -inactivity and with the idea that a long day on the mountains -would do us good at this stage, on May 6 climbed a -small peak above the left bank of the Rongbuk Glacier. -It was a day of small misfortunes for me. As we were -walking on the stony slopes in the early morning my triconni -nails of hard steel slipped on a granite slab and I contrived -to leave there an incredible amount of skin from the back -of my right hand. And higher, as we worked along a -broken ridge, a large boulder poised in unstable equilibrium -slipped as I brushed it with my knee and fell on the big-toe -joint so as to pinion my right foot. It was an awkward -moment, for the place was steep; I just had strength to -heave it over and down the mountain-side, and luckily no -bones were broken. But walking was very painful afterwards, -and perhaps this accident had something to do with -the fatigue I felt as we neared the summit. On the lower -slopes I had been going well enough and seemed fitter than -<span class='pageno' id='Page_141'>141</span>Somervell; at 21,000 feet he was apparently no more -fatigued than at 18,000 or 19,000 feet, while I could scarcely -drag one leg after the other. And when we came back to -camp I was surprisingly glad to take a little whisky in -my tea.</p> -<h3 class='c014'>III</h3> - -<p class='c015'>I have said too much already about the early stage of -acclimatisation: my excuse must be that much will depend -upon this factor. The issue will depend no less on organisation -and transport; and though this subject is General -Bruce’s province, at all events so far as Camp III, I have -a few words to add to what he has written.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In the calculation of what will be required at various -stages in order to reach the summit of Mount Everest it is -necessary to begin at the highest; and the climber imagines -in the first place where he would like to have his camps. He -may imagine that on the final day he might rise 2,000 feet -to the summit; if he is to give himself the best chance of -success he will not wish to start much lower than 27,000 feet, -and in any case he cannot camp much higher, for he is very -unlikely to find a place on the ridge above the North-east -shoulder (27,400 feet) or on the steep rocks within 200 feet -of it. We may therefore fix 27,000 feet approximately as -the desirable height for the last camp. And we have another -camping ground fixed for us by circumstances, approximately -at 23,000 feet, the broad shelf lying in the shelter of -the ice-cliffs on the North Col—there is no convenient place -for a comparatively large camp for a considerable distance -<span class='pageno' id='Page_142'>142</span>either above or below it. But to carry up a camp 4,000 feet -at these altitudes would be to ask altogether too much of -the porters. We must therefore establish an intermediary -camp between these two, say at 25,000 feet if a place can be -found.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Now what will be required at these three camps? We -must ask first with what number of climbers the assault is -to be made. A party of two appears insufficient, for if one -man should become exhausted the other will probably want -help in bringing him down. This difficulty is met by having -three climbers. But since an exhausted man cannot be -left alone, certainly not without the shelter of a tent, nor -should one man go on alone, a party of three must turn back -so soon as one man is unable to go further. Four men -would give a better chance of success in this case, for then -two might go on and still leave one to look after the sick -man. Granted, then, that the best hope is for four men to -start from a camp at 27,000 feet, we have firstly to provide -them with tents. Two tents are better than one, for it may -be difficult to find a place for four men to lie side by side, -and the greater weight of two smaller tents above one larger -is inconsiderable; and they must have sleeping-bags, provisions -for two days, fuel, and cooking-pots. All these -necessities have been previously carried up to the camp -below at 25,000 feet; but other things besides are required -there. We may assume that this camp is to be used as a -stage on the way up only and not on the way down. Even -so, six porters at least will have to sleep there before carrying -<span class='pageno' id='Page_143'>143</span>up the highest camp, and their requirements will be the -same as we have laid down for the four climbers; we must -add another day’s provisions and fuel for the climbers -themselves.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It will be understood from this method of calculation -how we arrive at the number of loads which must be carried -up to any given camp; it is observable that at each stage -downwards the number increases in a proportion considerably -greater than 2:1. Fortunately we are not obliged to -proceed strictly on these lines; to the lower camps we need -not carry up the whole of our stores on one day, and consequently -we need not increase in this alarming ratio the -number of our porters. But in any case when we get down -to the North Col we must clearly have a large bulk of -stores; and the fewer porters we employ between one stage -and another, economizing on tents and sleeping-bags, the -more time we shall require.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was clear from the start that time was likely to be a -formidable enemy. General Bruce’s problem was not only -to move our vast quantity of stores across an almost -barren country, but to move them in a given time. It was -fortunate for this reason that the number of porters who -came with us was not increased, for every man must add -something to our burdens. No one who knows that arid -country could fail to be surprised that we reached our Base -Camp below the Rongbuk Glacier so early as the 1st of May. -But now the number of Nepalese porters—only forty were -available for carrying—was too small for all our needs. If -<span class='pageno' id='Page_144'>144</span>they alone were to shoulder all our loads when should we -reach the North Col? Some sort of depôt must be established -below it at 21,000 feet for the supply of all higher -camps on the mountain before we could proceed; and the -reconnaissance party determined that two staging camps -would be required between the Base Camp and this depôt. -The existence and the solution of so large a problem of -transport have so important a bearing on our later plans that -I must refer to it again in this place. General Bruce has -told how he impressed Tibetans into his service, and by using -them up to Camp II was able to liberate our own porters -much earlier than might have been expected for work -further on. But the system of employing Tibetans did not -work without a hitch. It was because the first labour -battalion absconded that General Bruce gave orders for -only two of us to go forward and use the first opportunities -for pushing on from Camp III. With the prospect of an -early monsoon and a shortage of transport it was desirable -that, so soon as any porters were available for work above -Camp III, this work should be pushed on without delay, -and if necessary an assault should be made with the minimum -of stores required by a party of two climbers. Without -a further supply of transport there was no question of -using the oxygen, for we should have more than enough to -carry up without it.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On May 10 Somervell and I started from the Base -Camp for Camp I. The way already customary among the -porters led us at first over the flat waste of stones, intersected -<span class='pageno' id='Page_145'>145</span>occasionally by dry stream-beds, which lies below the -black, humpy snout of the Rongbuk Glacier; we then -followed the deep trough below the glacier’s right (west) -bank, an obvious line, but rough with great boulders. It -is not before reaching the head of this trough, where one -must turn up towards the East Rongbuk Glacier, that a -problem arises as to how best to proceed; here we found -that an adequate path had already been stamped on the -loose moraine, and after ascending steeply we contoured the -hillside at an easy gradient—a little forethought and energy -had devised so good a way that we could walk comfortably -from one camp to the other in two hours and a half. Moreover -we were highly pleased by Camp I. The draught -perpetually blowing down the main glacier was scarcely -noticed in this side-valley; the afternoon sun was shining -to cheer the stony scene, and away to the West some noble -peaks were well placed for our delight. But beyond æsthetic -satisfaction we were soon aware of a civilized habitation. -We had been in camp only a few minutes when a cook -brought us tea and sweet biscuits and demanded to know -what we would like for dinner; we ordered a good dinner -and proceeded to examine our apartments. Geoffrey -Bruce, we knew, had been busy here with certain constructional -works to obviate the difficulty of carrying up heavy -tents which were required in any case at the Base Camp. -We found a little house reserved for Europeans, one of four -solidly built with stones and roofed, with the outer flies of -Whymper tents. I never measured up this chamber; I -<span class='pageno' id='Page_146'>146</span>suppose the floor must have been 8 feet × 10 feet and the -roof 4 feet high. It is true the tent-poles bridging across -from side to side in support of the roof were in dangerously -unstable equilibrium, and there were windy moments when -valetudinously minded persons might have pronounced it a -draughty room. But we were far from hypercritical on this -first night, particularly as no wind blew, and a wonderful -and pleasant change it was, after living in tents, to sit, eat, -and sleep in a house once more.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The greater part of our alpine stores, with which I was -especially concerned, had already reached Camp I, and there -I found the various bundles of tents, ropes, sleeping-bags, -crampons, paraffin, petrol, primus stoves, cooking-sets, etc., -which I had carefully labelled for their respective destinations. -The great majority were labelled for III—no higher -destination had yet been assigned, and I speculated, not -altogether optimistically, as to the probable rates of their -arrival. As the general order of transport was interrupted -for the present, we had to decide what we should take on -with us both of food and alpine stores. Somervell, who by -now was an expert in the numbers and contents of food-boxes, -vigorously selected all that we preferred, and we went -to bed with very good hopes for the future, at least in one -respect. In consequence of these puzzling problems it took -us some little time in the morning to make up our loads; -it was past ten o’clock when we started on our way to -Camp II.</p> - -<div id='i146' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i146.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>View from Ice Cavern.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>I was surprised, after we had proceeded some distance -<span class='pageno' id='Page_147'>147</span>along the stones on the left bank of the East Rongbuk -Glacier, to observe a conspicuous cairn, evidently intended -to mark our way over the glacier itself. But the glacier in -this lower end is so completely covered with stones that in -choosing the easiest way one is only concerned to find the -flattest surfaces, and as we mildly followed where the route -had been laid out by Colonel Strutt and his party we found -the glacier far less broken than was to be expected. Ultimately -we walked along a conspicuous medial moraine, -avoiding by that means some complicated ice, and descended -it abruptly, to find ourselves on the flat space where Camp -II was situated.</p> - -<p class='c010'>By this time we had seen a good deal of the East Rongbuk -Glacier. As we came up the moraine near its left bank -we looked northwards on a remarkable scene. From the -stony surface of the glacier fantastic pinnacles arose, a -strange, gigantic company, gleaming white as they stood in -some sort of order, divided by the definite lines of the -moraines. Beyond and above them was a vast mountain -of reddish rock known to us only by the triangulated height -of its sharp summit, marked in Wheeler’s map as 23,180. -The pinnacles became more thickly crowded together as we -mounted, until, as we followed the bend southwards, individuals -were lost in the crowd and finally the crowd was -merged in the great tumbled sea of the glacier, now no -longer dark with stones, but exhibiting everywhere the -bright surfaces of its steep and angry waves. At Camp II -we were surrounded on three sides by this amazing world of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_148'>148</span>ice. We lay in the shelter of a vertical cliff not less than -60 feet high, sombrely cold in the evening shadow, dazzlingly -white in the morning sun, and perfectly set off by the frozen -pool at its foot. Nothing, of course, was to be seen of Mount -Everest; the whole bulk of the North Peak stood in front -of it. But by mounting a few steps up some stony slopes -above us we could see to the south-east, over the surface -of the ice, the slopes coming down from the Lhapka La, -from which high pass we had looked down the East Rongbuk -Glacier in September, 1921, and observed the special whiteness -of the broken stream, at our own level now, and puzzled -over its curious course. We had yet another sight to cheer -us as we lay in our tents. On the range between us and -the main Rongbuk Glacier stood, in the one direction of -uninterrupted vision, a peak of slender beauty, and as the -moon rose its crests were silver cords.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Next morning, May 12, according to Colonel Strutt’s -directions, we worked our way along the true left edge of the -glacier and the stones of its left bank. The problem here -is to avoid that tumbled sea of ice where no moraine can be -continuously followed. Probably it would be possible to get -through this ice almost anywhere, for it is not an ice-fall, -the gradient is not steep, the pinnacles are not seracs, and -there are few crevasses: but much time and labour would -be wasted in attempting such a course. Further up the -surface becomes more even, and the reconnaissance party -had reached this better surface by only a short and simple -crossing of the rougher ice. We easily found the place, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_149'>149</span>marked by a conspicuous cairn, where they had turned -away from the bank. Their tracks on the glacier, though -snow was lying in the hollows, were not easy to follow, and -we quickly lost them; but presently we found another cairn -built upon a single large stone, and here proceeded with -confidence to cross a deep and wide trough of which we -had been warned; and once this obstacle was overcome we -knew no difficulty could impede our progress to Camp III. -The laden porters, however, did not get along very easily. -Their nails, for the most part, were worn smooth, and they -found the ice too slippery. As I had never seen in the Alps -a glacier-surface like this one I was greatly surprised by the -nature of the bare ice. In a sense it was often extremely -rough, with holes and minute watercourses having vertical -sides 6 inches to 13 inches high; but the upper surfaces of -the little knobs and plateaus intervening were extraordinarily -hard and smooth and the colour was very much bluer -than the usual granular surface of a dry glacier. It was -also surprising to find at most a thin coating of fine snow as -high as 20,500 feet; for in 1921 we had found, even before -the first heavy snowfall, plenty of snow on the glaciers -above 19,000 feet. For my part, with new nails in my -boots, I was not troubled by the slippery surfaces. But -we decided to supply the porters with crampons, which -they subsequently found very useful on this stage of -the journey.</p> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_150'>150</span> - <h2 id='ch05' class='c004'>CHAPTER V<br /> <br />THE HIGHEST CAMP</h2> -</div> -<h3 class='c014'>IV</h3> -<p class='c005'>The situation of Camp III when we reached it early in -the afternoon was not calculated to encourage me, though I -suppose it might be found congenial by hardier men. We -had turned the corner of the North Peak so that the steep -slopes of its Eastern arm rose above us to North and West. -Our tents were to be pitched on the stones that have rolled -down these slopes on to the glacier, and just out of range of a -stone fall from the rocks immediately above us. A shallow -trough divided us from the main plateau of the glacier, and -up this trough the wind was blowing; since the higher -current was hurrying the clouds from the normal direction, -North-west, we might presume that this local variation was -habitual. But wind we could hardly expect to escape from -one direction or another. A more important consideration, -perhaps, for a mountain camp is the duration of sunshine. -Here we should have the sun early, for to the East we -looked across a wide snowy basin to the comparatively low -mountains round about the Lhakpa La; but we should -lose it early too, and we observed with dismay on this first -afternoon that our camp was in shadow at 3.15 p.m. The -<span class='pageno' id='Page_151'>151</span>water supply was conveniently near, running in a trough, -and we might expect it to be unfrozen for several hours -each day.</p> - -<div id='i150' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i150.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Seracs, East Rongbuk Glacier, above Camp II.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Whatever we might think of this place it was undoubtedly -the best available. Very little energy remained among -the party, most of whom had now reached 21,000 feet for -the first time in their lives. However, a number soon set to -work levelling the ground which we chose for two tents. It -was necessary to do this work thoroughly, for, unlike the -smooth, flat stones at Camp I, these, like those at Camp II, -of which we had obtained sufficient experience during the -previous night, were extremely sharp and uncomfortable to -lie on. After it was done we sent down the main body of -the porters, keeping only one man for cook and each the man -specially attached to him as servant by Geoffrey Bruce’s -command long ago in Darjeeling. With these we proceeded -to order our camp. The tents were pitched, some sort of a -cookhouse was constructed from the wealth of building -material, and we also began to put up walls behind which -we could lie in shelter to eat our meals. Perhaps the most -important matter was the instruction of Pou, our cook, in -the correct use of the Primus stove; with the purpose of -giving him confidence a fine fountain of blazing paraffin was -arranged and at once extinguished by opening the safety -valve; for the conservation of our fuel supply we carefully -showed him how the absolute alcohol must be used to warm -the burner while paraffin and petrol were to be mixed for -combustion. Fortunately his intelligence rose above those -<span class='pageno' id='Page_152'>152</span>disagreeable agitations which attend the roaring or the -failure to roar of Primus stoves, so that after these first -explanations we had never again to begrime our hands with -paraffin and soot.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In our tent this evening of May 12, Somervell and I -discussed what we should do. There was something to be -said for taking a day’s rest at this altitude before attempting -to rise another 2,000 feet. Neither of us felt at his best. -After our first activities in camp I had made myself comfortable -with my legs in a sleeping-bag, Somervell with his -accustomed energy had been exploring at some distance—he -had walked as far as the broad pass on the far side of -our snowy basin, the Rápiu La, at the foot of Everest’s -North-east ridge, and had already begun a sketch of the -wonderful view obtained from that point of Makalu. When -he returned to camp about 5.30 p.m. he was suffering from -a headache and made a poor supper. Moreover, we were -full of doubts about the way up to the North Col. After -finding so much ice on the glacier we must expect to find -ice on those East-facing slopes below the Col. It was not -unlikely that we should be compelled to cut steps the whole -way up, and several days would be required for so arduous -a task. We decided therefore to lose no time in establishing -a track to the North Col.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was our intention on the following morning, May 13, -to take with us two available porters, leaving only our -cook in camp, and so make a small beginning towards the -supply of our next camp. But Somervell’s man was sick -<span class='pageno' id='Page_153'>153</span>and could not come with us. We set out in good time with -only my porter, Dasno, and carried with us, besides one -small tent, a large coil of spare rope and some wooden pegs -about 18 inches long. As we made our way up the gently -sloping snow it was easy to distinguish the line followed to -the North Col after the monsoon last year—a long slope -at a fairly easy angle bearing away to the right, or North, a -traverse to the left, and a steep slope leading up to the shelf -under the ice-cliff on the skyline. With the sun behind us -we saw the first long slope, nearly 1,000 feet, glittering in a -way that snow will never glitter; there we should find only -blue ice, bare and hard. Further to the North was no -better, and as we looked at the steep final slope it became -plain enough that there and nowhere else was the necessary -key to the whole ascent; for to the South of an imaginary -vertical line drawn below it was a hopeless series of impassable -cliffs. The more we thought about it the more convinced -we became that an alternative way must be found up -to this final slope. We had not merely to reach the North -Col once: whatever way we chose must be used for all the -comings and goings to and from a camp up there. Unless -the connection between Camps III and IV were free from -serious obstacles, the whole problem of transport would -increase enormously in difficulty; every party of porters -must be escorted by climbers both up and down, and even -so the dangers on a big ice slope after a fall of snow would -hardly be avoided.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Endeavouring to trace out a satisfactory route from the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_154'>154</span>shelf of the North Col downwards, we soon determined that -we should make use of a sloping corridor lying some distance -to the left of the icy line used last year and apparently well -covered with snow. For 300 or 400 feet above the flat -snowfield it appeared to be cut off by very steep ice slopes; -nevertheless the best hope was to attempt an approach more -or less direct to the foot of this corridor; and first we must -reconnoitre the steepest of these obstacles, which promised -the most convenient access to the desired point could -we climb it. Here fortune favoured our enterprise. We -found the surface slightly cleft by a fissure slanting at first -to the right and then directly upwards. In the disintegrated -substance of its edges it was hardly necessary to cut -steps, and we mounted 250 feet of what threatened to be -formidable ice with no great expenditure of time and -energy. Two lengths of rope were now fixed for the security -of future parties, the one hanging directly downwards from -a single wooden peg driven in almost to the head, and -another on a series of pegs for the passage of a leftward -traverse which brought us to the edge of a large crevasse. -We were now able to let ourselves down into the snow -which choked this crevasse a little distance below its -edges, and by means of some large steps hewn in the walls -and another length of rope a satisfactory crossing was -established. Above this crevasse we mounted easy snow -to the corridor.</p> - -<p class='c010'>So far as the shelf which was our objective we now met -no serious difficulty. The gentle angle steepened for a short -<span class='pageno' id='Page_155'>155</span>space where we were obliged to cut a score of steps in hard -ice; we fixed another length of rope, and again the final -slope was steep, but not so as to trouble us. However, the -condition of the snow was not perfect; we were surprised, -on a face where so much ice appeared, to find any snow that -was not perfectly hard; and yet we were usually breaking -a heavy crust and stamping down the steps in snow deep -enough to cover our ankles. It was a question rather of -strength than of skill. An East-facing slope in the heat and -glare of the morning sun favours the enemy mountain-sickness, -and though no one of us three was sick our lassitude -increased continually as we mounted and it required -as much energy as we could muster to keep on stamping -slowly upwards.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We lay down at length on the shelf, not yet shaded by -the ice-cliff above it, in a state of considerable exhaustion. -Here presumably was the end of a day’s work satisfactory -in the most important respect, for we felt that the way we -had found was good enough, and with the fixed ropes was -suitable for use under almost any conditions. It occurred -to us after a little interval and some light refreshment that -one thing yet remained to be done. The lowest point of -the North Col, from which the North ridge of Everest -springs a little way to the South of our shelf, is perhaps -ten minutes’ walk. We ought to go just so far as that -in order to make quite sure of the way onward.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In the direction of the North-east shoulder, now slightly -East of South from us, the shelf slopes gradually upwards, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_156'>156</span>a ramp as it were alongside the battlements almost attaining -the level of the crest itself. In the whirl of snow and wind -on that bitter day of September 1921, Bullock, Wheeler, -and I had found it necessary, in order actually to gain this -level, to take a few steps to the right round the head of a -large crevasse slanting across our line to the North Col. -Somervell and I soon found ourselves confronted by this -same crevasse, and prepared to evade it by the same -manœuvre. But during those intervening months the -crack had extended itself some distance to the right and -prevented the possibility of getting round at that end. It -was also much too wide to be leapt. The best chance was -in the other direction. Here we were able to work our way -down, before the steep slopes plunge over towards the head -of the East Rongbuk Glacier, to a snow bridge within the -crevasse giving access to a fissure in its opposite wall. We -carefully examined the prospects of an ascent at this point. -Our idea was to go up in the acute angle between two -vertical walls of ice. A ladder of footsteps and finger-holds -would have to be constructed in the ice, and even so the -issue would be doubtful. When we set against the severe -labour our present state of weakness and considered the -consequences of a step into the gulf of the crevasse while -steps were being cut—how poor a chance only one man -could have of pulling out his companion—it was clear that -a performance of this kind must wait for a stronger party. -In any case, we reckoned, this was not a way which could -safely be used by laden porters. If it must be used we -<span class='pageno' id='Page_157'>157</span>should apply to General Bruce for a 15-foot ladder, more -permanent than any we could make in the ice, and no -doubt the mechanical ingenuity so much in evidence at the -Base Camp would devise a ladder both portable and strong. -Even this thought failed to inspire us with perfect confidence, -and it seemed rather a long way to have come from -England to Mount Everest, to be stopped by an obstacle -like this.</p> - -<div id='i156' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i156.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Party ascending the Chang La.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>But was there no possible alternative? On this side -of the crest we had nothing more to hope; but on the far -side, could we reach it, there might exist some other shelf -crowning the West-facing slopes of the Col, and connecting -with the lowest point. We retraced our steps, going now -in the opposite direction with the battlement on our left. -Beyond there was a snow slope ascending towards the -formidable ridge of the North Peak. The crevasse guarding -it was filled with snow and presented no difficulty, and -though the slope was steep we were able to make a staircase -up the edge of it and presently found ourselves on the -broken ground of the Northern end of the crest. As we -turned back toward Everest a huge crevasse was in our -way. A narrow bridge of ice took us across it and we -found we were just able to leap another crevasse a few -yards further.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We had now an uninterrupted view of all that lies to -the West. Below us was the head of the main Rongbuk -Glacier. On the skyline to the left was the prodigious -North-west ridge of Everest, flanked with snow, hiding the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_158'>158</span>crest of the West Peak. Past the foot of the North-west -ridge we looked down the immense glacier flowing South-westwards -into Nepal and saw without distinguishing them -the distant ranges beyond. Near at hand a sharp edge -of rocks, the buttress of Changtse falling abruptly to the -Rongbuk Glacier, blocked out vision of the two greatest -mountains North-west of Everest, Gyachung Kang (25,990) -and Cho Uyo (26,367). But we could feel no regret for -this loss, so enchanted were we by the spectacle of Pumori; -though its summit (23,190) was little higher than our own -level, it was, as it always is, a singularly impressive sight. -The snow-cap of Pumori is supported by splendid architecture; -the pyramidal bulk of the mountain, the steep fall -of the ridges and faces to South and West, and the precipices -of rock and ice towards East and North, are set off -by a whole chain of mountains extending West-north-west -along a frail, fantastic ridge unrivalled anywhere in this -district for the elegant beauty of its cornices and towers. -No more striking change of scenery could be imagined than -this from all we saw to the East—the gentle snowy basin; -the unemphatic lines of the slopes below and on either side -of the Lhakpa La, dominated as they are by the dullest of -mountains, Khartaphu; the even fall of rocks and snow -from the East ridge of Changtse and from the North-east -ridge of Everest. Pumori itself stood only as a symbol of -this new wonderful world before our eyes as we stayed to -look westwards, a world exciting, strange, unearthly, fantastic -as the sky-scrapers in New York City, and at the same -<span class='pageno' id='Page_159'>159</span>time possessing the dignity of what is enduring and immense, -for no end was visible or even conceivable to this kingdom of -adventure.</p> - -<p class='c010'>However, even Somervell’s passion for using coloured -chalks did not encourage him to stay long inactive in a place -designed to be a funnel for the West wind of Tibet at an -elevation of about 23,000 feet. We sped again over snow-covered -monticules thrust up from the chaos of riven ice, -and at last looked down from one more prominent little -summit to the very nape of the Chang La. We saw our -conjectured shelf in real existence and a fair way before us. -In a moment all our doubts were eased. We knew that the -foot of the North Ridge, by which alone we could approach -the summit of Mount Everest, was not beyond our reach.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Dasno meanwhile was stretched in the snow on the -sheltered shelf, which clearly must serve us sooner or later -for Camp IV. As we looked down upon him from the -battlements, we noticed that their shadow already covered -the greater part of the shelf. It was four o’clock. We -must delay no longer. The tent which Dasno had carried -up was left to be the symbol of our future intentions, and -we hastened down. Since 7 a.m. Somervell and I had been -spending our strength with only one considerable halt, and -latterly at a rapid rate. For some hours now we had felt -the dull height-headache which results from exertion with -too little oxygen, a symptom, I am told, not unlike the -effect of poisoning by carbon monoxide. The unpleasing -symptom became so increasingly disagreeable as we came -<span class='pageno' id='Page_160'>160</span>down that I was very glad to reach our tent again. As it -was only fair that Somervell should share all my sufferings, -it now seemed inconsiderate of him to explain that he had -a good appetite. For my part, I took a little soup and -could face no food; defeated for the first and last time in -either expedition before the sight of supper. I humbly -swallowed a dose of aspirin, lay my head on the pillow and -went to sleep.</p> -<h3 class='c014'>V</h3> - -<p class='c015'>For three days now we made no expedition of any -consequence. The question arises, then, what did we? I -have been searching the meagre entries in my journal for an -answer, with no satisfactory result. The doctrine that men -should be held accountable for their days, or even their -hours, is one to which the very young often subscribe as a -matter of course, seeing in front of them such a long way to -go and so little time: the futility of exact accounts in this -sort is apparent among mountains; the span of human life -appears so short as hardly to be capable of the usual subdivisions, -and a much longer period than a day may be -neglected as easily as a halfpenny in current expenditure; -and while some hours and days are spent in doing, others -pass in simply being or being evolved, a process in the mind -not to be measured in terms of time. Nevertheless, it is -often interesting to draft a balance-sheet covering a period -of twenty-four hours or seven days if only to see how much -must truthfully be set down as “unaccounted.”</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_161'>161</span>In the present instance my first inclination is to write -off in this bold fashion a full half of the time we spent in -Camp III. But I will try to serve my accounts better -cooked. The largest item in a balance of hours, even the -least frank, will always be sleep. Here I prefer to make the -entry under the heading Bed. This will enable me to write -off at once a minimum of fourteen or a maximum of sixteen -hours, leaving me only eight to ten hours to account for. -It is also a simplification, because I am able by this means to -avoid a doubtful and perhaps an ugly heading, Dozing. No -one will ask me to describe exactly what goes on in bed. -At Camp III it will be understood that supper is always -included, but not breakfast, for as the breakfasting hour is -the most agreeable in the day, it must be spent out-of-doors -in the warm sun. Supper, unlike most activities, takes less -time than in civilised life. Wasted minutes allow the food -to cool and the grease to congeal. The porter serving us -would not want to be standing about longer than necessary, -and the whole performance was expeditious. Perhaps the -fashion of eating among mountaineers is also more wolfish -than among civilised men. The remaining 13½ or 14½ hours -were not all spent in sleep. Probably on the night of May -13–14 I slept at least ten hours after the exertions of our -ascent to the North Col. But though one sleeps well and -is refreshed by sleep in a tent at an altitude to which one -is sufficiently acclimatised, the outside world is not so very -far away. However well accustomed to such scenes, one -does not easily lose a certain excitement from the mere -<span class='pageno' id='Page_162'>162</span>presence beyond the open tent-door of the silent power of -frost suspending even the life of the mountains, and of the -black ridges cutting the space of stars. The slow-spinning -web of unconscious thought is nearer consciousness. One -wakes in the early morning with the mind more definitely -gathered about a subject, looks out to find the stars still -bright, or dim in the first flush of dawn, and because the -subject, whatever it be, and however nearly connected with -the one absorbing problem, commands less concentrated -attention—for the unwilled effort of the mind is more -dispersed—one may often fall asleep once more and stay in -a light intermittent slumber until the bright sun is up and -the tent begins to be warm again. No sleeper, so far as I -know on this second expedition, could compete either for -quantity or quality with the sleep of Guy Bullock on the -first; but all, perhaps with different habits from either his -or mine, but at all events all who spent several nights at -this camp or higher, slept well and were refreshed by sleep, -and I hope they were no less grateful than I for those blessed -nights.</p> - -<div id='i162' class='figcenter id009'> -<img src='images/i162.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Peak, 23,180 feet (Kellas’ Dark Rock Peak) from the Rongbuk Glacier above Camp II.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>I often remarked during the Expedition how large a part -of a day had been spent by some of us in conversation. -Down at the Base Camp we would often sit on, those of -us who were not expert photographers, or painters, or -naturalists, sit indefinitely not only after dinner, but after -each succeeding meal, talking the hours away. When a -man has learned to deal firmly with an imperious conscience, -he will be neither surprised nor ashamed in such circumstances -<span class='pageno' id='Page_163'>163</span>to enter in his diary, “so many hours talking and -listening.” It is true that conscience has the right to -demand, in the case of such an entry, that the subjects talked -of should also be named. But our company was able to -draw upon so wide a range of experience that a fair proportion -of our subjects were worth talking of. Perhaps in the -higher camps there was a tendency to talk, though from less -active brains, for the sake of obliterating the sense of discomfort. -However, I believe that most men, once they -have faced the change from armchairs and spring mattresses, -and solid walls and hot baths, and drawers for their clothes -and shelves for their books, do not experience discomfort in -camp life except in the matter of feeding. However good -your food and however well cooked, sooner or later in this -sort of life meals appear messy. The most unsatisfactory -circumstance of our meals at the Base Camp was the tables. -In a country where wood is so difficult to obtain you cannot -construct solid tables, still less can you afford to carry -them. Our ingenious “X” tables had thin iron legs and -canvas tops. On the rough ground they were altogether too -light, too easily disturbed, and for this reason too many of -our victuals erred on to these tables; their surfaces appeared -under our eyes with constantly accumulating stains, but -half rubbed out by a greasy rag. Efforts truly were made to -control the nightly flow, proceeding from X and Y in their -cups—had they been cups of beer or whisky, we might -have minded little enough, but the sticky soiling mess was -soup or cocoa; offenders were freely cursed; tables were -<span class='pageno' id='Page_164'>164</span>scrubbed; table-cloths were produced. In the long run, no -efforts availed. If the curry were tasty and the plate clean, -who would complain of a dirty table-cloth at the impurification -of which he had himself assisted? But I have little -doubt that this circumstance, more than any gradual drift -of the mountaineer back towards the Stone Age, was to be -held accountable for the visible deterioration of our table -manners. With no implication of insult to General Bruce -and Dr. Longstaff, I record my belief that our manners at -Camp III were better than those at the Base Camp. It -may suggest a lower degree of civilisation that men should -be seated on the ground at boxes for eating rather than on -boxes at a table. On the contrary, the nice adjustment of a -full plate upon one’s lap, or the finer art of conveying and -forking in the mouthfuls which start so much further from -the face, requires a delicacy, if it is to be accomplished at -all, which continually restrains the grosser impulses. And, -though it might be supposed that as we went higher up the -mountain we should come to feeding entirely <i>sans façon</i>, it -was my experience that the greater difficulties at the higher -altitudes in satisfying the appetite continually promoted -more civilised habits of feeding. To outward appearance, -perhaps, the sight of four men each with a spoon eating out -of a common saucepan of spaghetti would not be altogether -reassuring. But one must not leave out of the reckoning the -gourmet’s peculiar enjoyment in the steamy aroma from -things cooked and eaten before any wanton hand has served -them on a dish, still less the finer politeness required -<span class='pageno' id='Page_165'>165</span>by several persons sharing the same pots in this manner.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On the whole, therefore, we suffered, either morally, -æsthetically, or physically, little enough in the matter of -meals; still less from any other cause. The bitter wind, -it is true, was constantly disagreeable. But such wind -deadens even the senses that dislike it, and the wind of -Tibet was admirable both as an excuse for and necessary -contrast with luxurious practices. Just as one most enjoys -a fire when half aware of unpleasant things outside, or is -most disgusted by a stuffy room after breathing the soft -air of a South-west wind, so in Tibet one may delight merely -in being warm anywhere. Neatly to avoid the disagreeable -is in itself a keen pleasure and heightens the desire for active -life. It was only rarely, very rarely, that one suffered of -necessity, and generally, if a man were cold, he was himself -to blame; either he had failed to put on clothes enough for -the occasion, or had failed, having put them on, to stimulate -circulation. In a sleeping-bag such as we had this year, -with soft flannel lining the quilted eiderdown, one need not -be chilled even by the coldest night; and to lie in a tent no -bigger than will just hold two persons, with 20° of frost -inside and 40° without, snugly defying cold and wind, -to experience at once in this situation the keen bite of the -air and the warm glow in one’s extremities, gives a delicious -sensation of well-being and true comfort never to be so -acutely provoked even in the armchair at an English fireside.</p> - -<p class='c010'>But to return to the subject from which I have naughtily -digressed, time passed swiftly enough for Somervell and me -<span class='pageno' id='Page_166'>166</span>at Camp III. We did not keep the ball rolling so rapidly and -continuously to and fro as it was wont to roll in the united -Mess; but we found plenty to say to one another, more -particularly after supper, in the tent. We entered upon a -serious discussion of our future prospects on Mount Everest, -and were both feeling so brave and hardy after a day’s rest -that we decided, if necessary, to meet the transport difficulty -half-way and do without a tent in any camp we should -establish above the North Col, and so reduce the burden to -be carried up to Camp IV to three rather light or two rather -heavy loads. Our conversation was further stimulated by -two little volumes which I had brought up with me, the -one Robert Bridges’ anthology, <i>The Spirit of Man</i>, and the -other one-seventh of the complete works of William Shakespeare, -including <i>Hamlet</i> and <i>King Lear</i>. It was interesting -to test the choice made in answer to the old question, -“What book would you take to a desert island?” though in -this case it was a desert glacier, and the situation demanded -rather lighter literature than prolonged edification might -require on the island. The trouble about lighter literature -is that it weighs heavier because more has to be provided. -Neither of my books would be to every one’s taste in a camp -at 21,000 feet; but <i>The Spirit of Man</i> read aloud now by -one of us and now by the other, suggested matters undreamt -of in the philosophy of Mount Everest, and enabled us to -spend one evening very agreeably. On another occasion I -had the good fortune to open my Shakespeare at the very -place where Hamlet addresses the ghost. “Angels and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_167'>167</span>Ministers of Grace defend us,” I began, and the theme was -so congenial that we stumbled on enthusiastically reading -the parts in turn through half the play.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Besides reading and talking, we found a number of things -to do. The ordering of even so small a camp as this may -occupy a good deal of attention. Stores will have to be -checked and arranged in some way so as to be easily found -when wanted. One article or another is sure to be missing, -too often to be retrieved when it lies on the stones only after -prolonged search, and even to find a strayed stocking -groped for on hands and knees in the congested tent may -take a considerable time. Again, the difficult and important -problem of meals will have to be considered in connection -with the use of available food supplies. We have one ox -tongue. Shall we open it to-day, or ought we to keep it to -take up with us? And so on. But with a number of details -to be arranged, I was impressed not so much by the amount -of energy and attention which they demanded as by the -time taken to do any little thing—and most of all to write. -Undoubtedly one is slower in every activity, and in none so -remarkably slower as in writing. The greater part of a -morning might easily be consumed in writing one letter of -perhaps half a dozen pages.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In referring to my own slowness, particularly mental -slowness, I must hasten to exclude my companion. His -most important activity when we were not on the mountain -was sketching. His vast supply of energy, the number of -sketches he produced, and oil-paintings besides, was only -<span class='pageno' id='Page_168'>168</span>less remarkable than the rapidity with which he worked. -On May 14 he again walked over the uncrevassed snowfield -by himself to the Rapiu La. Later on I joined him, and, -so far as I could judge, his talent and energy were no less at -21,000 feet than on the wind-swept plains of Tibet.</p> -<h3 class='c014'>VI</h3> - -<p class='c015'>On May 16 Somervell and I spent the morning in camp -with some hopes of welcoming sooner or later the arrival -of stores, and sure enough about midday the first detachment -of a large convoy reached our camp. With the porters, -somewhat to our surprise, were Strutt, Morshead, and -Norton. The whole party seemed rather tired, though not -more than was to be expected, and when a little later -Crawford, the responsible transport officer, came in, he told -us he had been mountain-sick. We were delighted to learn -that General Bruce was now much happier about transport—hence -these reinforcements; twenty-two Tibetan coolies -were now working up to Camp I, more were expected, and -the prospects were definitely brighter. A start had even -been made, in spite of Finch’s continued sickness, with -moving up the oxygen cylinders. We at once proceeded to -discuss with Crawford how many porters could remain with -us at Camp III. Taking into consideration the oxygen -loads, he suggested a number below the hopes I had begun -to entertain. It was agreed that eight could be spared -without interfering with the work lower down. We had two -before, so we should now have ten in all.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_169'>169</span>It was clear that all must carry up loads to Camp IV -with the least delay in reason. But in view of the tremendous -efforts that would be required of these men at a later -stage, it was a necessary act of precautionary wisdom to -grant the porters a day’s rest on the 16th; and in any case -an extra day was advisable for the acclimatisation of us all -before sleeping at 23,000 feet. Meanwhile we should be -able to formulate exact plans for climbing the mountain. -It had hitherto been assumed that the first attempt should -be made only by Somervell and me, and General Bruce had -not cancelled our orders; but he had now delegated his -authority to Strutt, as second-in-command, to decide on the -spot what had best be done. The first point, therefore, to be -settled was the number of climbers composing the party of -attack. Strutt himself took the modest rôle of assuming -that he would not be equal to a considerable advance above -Camp IV, but saw no reason why the other four of us (Crawford -returned on the 15th to a lower camp) should be too -many for one party provided our organisation sufficed. -Norton and Morshead were evidently most anxious to come -on, and for my part I had always held, and still held, the -view that four climbers were a sounder party than two for -this sort of mountaineering, and would have a better chance -of success. It remained to determine what could be done -for a party of four by the available porters. To carry the -whole of what we should need up to Camp IV in one journey -was clearly impossible. But we reckoned that twenty loads -should be enough to provide for ourselves and for nine -<span class='pageno' id='Page_170'>170</span>porters, who would have to sleep there and carry up another -camp. The delay in making two journeys to the North Col -was not too great; the one sacrifice involved by this plan -was a second camp above the North Col. In my judgment, -the chances of establishing such a camp, even for two -climbers, with so small a number as ten porters, without -reckoning further loss of time, would be small in any case. -We were necessarily doubtful as to how much might be -expected of our porters before the North Ridge had been -explored, and before we had any evidence to show that -these men were capable of much more than other porters -had accomplished before. It was right, therefore, for the -advantages of the stronger party, to sacrifice so uncertain a -prospect. Nevertheless, we realised the terrible handicap -in this limitation.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I shall perhaps appear as affirming or repeating what is -merely commonplace if I venture to make some observations -about the weather, but I must here insist upon its importance -to mountaineers; and though I cannot remember that -the subject was much discussed among us at Camp III, it -remained but a little way below the surface of consciousness. -In settled weather among mountains one has not a great deal -to observe. The changing colours at sunrise and sunset -follow an expected sequence, the white flocks of fleecy -clouds form and drift upwards, or the midday haze gathers -about the peaks, leaving the climber unperturbed. He has -sniffed the keen air before dawn when he came out under -the bright stars, and his optimism is assured for the day. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_171'>171</span>On Mount Everest it had been supposed that the season preceding -the monsoon would be mainly fair; but we knew that -the warm moist wind should be approaching up the Arun -Valley, pushing up towards us during the month of May, -and we must expect to feel something of its influence. Moreover, -we did not know very well how to read the signs in this -country. We anxiously watched and studied them; each -of us, I suppose, while he might be engaged upon one thing -or another, or talking of matters infinitely and delightfully -remote from Mount Everest, like a pilot had his weather-eye -open. And what he saw would not all be encouraging. -The drift of the upper clouds, it is true, was fairly consistent; -the white wisps of smoke, as it seemed, were driven in -our direction over the North Col, and occasionally the clear -edge of the North Ridge would be dulled with powdery -snow puffed out on the Eastern side. But looking across -the snowfield from near our camp to where the head of -Makalu showed over the Rapiu La, we saw strange things -happening. On May 16, our day of rest, a number of us -paid a visit to this pass, and as we stood above the head of -the Kama Valley, the clouds boiling up from that vast and -terrible cauldron were not gleaming white, but sadly grey. -A glimpse down the valley showed under them the sombre -blue light that forebodes mischief, and Makalu, seen through -a rift, looked cold and grim. The evidence of trouble in -store for us was not confined to the Kama Valley, for some -clouds away to the North also excited our suspicion, and -yet, as we looked up the edges of the North-east arête to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_172'>172</span>its curving sickle and the great towers of the North-east -shoulder, here was the dividing-line between the clear air -and fair weather to the right, and the white mists to the left -streaming up above the ridge and all the evil omens. The -bitterest even of Tibetan winds poured violently over the -pass at our backs. We wondered as we turned to meet it -how long a respite was to be allowed us.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Preparation for what we intended to attempt was not -to be made without some thought, or at all events I do not -find such preparation a perfectly simple matter. It requires -exact calculation. The first thing is to make a list—in this -case a list of all we should require at Camp IV, with the -approximate weights of each article. But not every article -would be available to be carried up on the first of the two -journeys to the North Col; for instance, we must keep our -sleeping-bags for use at Camp III until we moved up ourselves. -It was necessary, therefore, to mark off certain -things to be left for the second journey, and to ascertain that -not more than half of the whole was so reserved. It might -be supposed that the problem could now be solved by adding -up the weights, dividing the total by ten (the number of -our porters), and giving so many pounds, according to this -arithmetical answer, to each man for the first journey. In -practice this cannot be done, and we have to allow for the -fallibility of human lists. However carefully you have gone -over in your mind and provided for every contingency, you -may be quite sure you have omitted something, probably -some property of the porters regarded by them as necessary -<span class='pageno' id='Page_173'>173</span>to salvation, and at the last moment it will turn up. The -danger is that one or two men will be seriously overloaded, -and perhaps without your knowing it. To circumvent it, -allowance must be made in your calculations. On this -occasion we took good care to carry up more than half of -what was shown on our list on the first journey. Another -difficulty in the mathematical solution is the nature of the -loads. They cannot be all exactly equal, because they are -composed of indivisible objects. A tent cannot be treated -like a vulgar fraction. The best plan, therefore, is to fix a -maximum. We intended our loads to be from 25 to 30 lb. -They were all weighed with a spring balance, and the upper -limit was only exceeded by a pound or two in two cases, to -the best of my remembrance.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On May 17 the fifteen of us, Strutt, Morshead, Norton, -Somervell, and I, with ten porters, set off for Camp IV. -The snow was in good condition, we had our old tracks to -tread in, and the only mishap to be feared was the possible -exhaustion of one or more porters. It was necessary that -all the loads should reach their destination to-day; but the -five climbers were comparatively unladen, and constituted -a reserve of power. My recollections of going up to the -North Col are all of a performance rather wearisome and -dazed, of a mind incapable of acute perceptions faintly -stirring the drowsy senses to take notice within a circle of -limited radius. The heat and glare of the morning sun as it -blazed on the windless long slopes emphasised the monotony. -I was dimly aware of this puzzling question of light-rays and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_174'>174</span>the harm they might do. I was glad I wore two felt hats, -and that Strutt and Somervell had their solar topis. Morshead -and Norton had no special protection, and the porters -none at all. What did it matter? Seemingly nothing. We -plodded on and slowly upwards; each of us was content -to go as slowly as anyone else might wish to go. The -porters were more silent than usual. They were strung up -to the effort required of them. No one was going to give -in. The end was certain. At length our success was duly -epitomised. As he struggled up the final slope, Strutt broke -into gasping speech: “I wish that—cinema were here. If I -look anything like what I feel, I ought to be immortalised -for the British public.” We looked at his grease-smeared, -yellow-ashen face, and the reply was: “Well, what in -Heaven’s name <i>do</i> we look like? And what do we do it for, -anyway?”</p> - -<p class='c010'>At all events, we had some reason to feel hopeful on our -subsequent day’s rest, May 18. Somervell more particularly -pronounced that his second journey to Camp IV had -been much less fatiguing than the first. I was able to say -the same, though I felt that a sufficient reason was to be -found in the fact that far less labour had been required of -me. It was more remarkable, perhaps, that those who went -for the first time to 23,000 feet, and especially the laden men, -should have shown so much endurance.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On May 19 we carried up the remainder of our loads. -And again we seemed better acclimatised. The ascent to the -North Col was generally felt to be easier on this day; we -<span class='pageno' id='Page_175'>175</span>had strength to spare when we reached the shelf. With all -our loads now gathered about us at Camp IV, the first stage -up from the base of the mountain was accomplished. To-morrow, -we hoped, would complete the second. The five -light tents were gradually pitched, two of them destined -for the climbers a few yards apart towards the North Peak, -the remaining three to accommodate each three porters in -the same alignment; in all, a neat little row showing green -against the white. The even surface of the snow was -further disturbed by the muddled tracks, soon to be a -trampled space about the tent-doors. For the safety of -sleep-walkers, or any other who might feel disposed to take a -walk in the night, these tent-doors faced inwards, toward the -back of the shelf. There the gigantic blocks of ice were -darker than the snow on which their deep shadow was -thrown. Their cleft surfaces suggested cold colours, and -were green and blue as the ocean is on some winter’s day -of swelling seas—a strange impressive rampart impregnable -against direct assault, and equally well placed to be the -final defence of the North Col on this section, and at the -same time to protect us amazingly, entirely, against the -unfriendly wind from the West.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Other activities besides demanded our attention. It -had been resolved that one more rope should be fixed on the -steep slope we must follow to circumvent the ice-cliffs. -Morshead and Somervell volunteered for this good work; -Norton and I were left to tend the cooking-pots. As we -had not burdened the porters with a large supply of water, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_176'>176</span>we had now to make provision both for this evening and for -to-morrow morning. The Primus stoves remained at Camp -III, partly because they were heavy and partly because, -however carefully devised, their performance at a high -altitude must always be a little uncertain. They had served -us well up to 21,000 feet, and we had no need to trust them -further. With our aluminium cooking sets we could use -either absolute alcohol in the spirit-burner or “Meta,” a -French sort of solidified spirit, especially prepared in -cylindrical shape and extremely efficient; you have only -to put a match to the dry white cylinders and they burn -without any trouble, and smokelessly, even at 23,000 feet, -for not less than forty minutes. The supply of “Meta” was -not very large, and it was considered rather as an emergency -fuel. The alcohol was to do most of our heating at -Camp IV, and all too rapidly it seemed to burn away as -we kept filling and refilling our pots with snow. In the -end six large thermos flasks were filled with tea or water -for the use of all in the morning, and we had enough for -our present needs besides.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Morshead and Somervell had not long returned, after -duly fixing the rope, before our meal was ready. As I have -already referred to our table manners, the more delicate-minded -among my readers may not relish the spectacle of us -four feasting around our cooking-pots—in which case I -caution them to omit this paragraph, for now, living up to -my own standard of faithful narrative, I must honestly and -courageously face the subject of victuals. As mankind is -<span class='pageno' id='Page_177'>177</span>agreed that the pleasures of the senses, when it is impossible -they should be actually experienced, can most nearly be -tasted by exercising an artistic faculty in choosing the -dishes of imaginary repasts, so it might be supposed that -the state of affairs, when those pleasures were thousands of -feet below in other worlds, might more easily be brought to -mind by reconstructing the associated menus. But such a -practice was unfortunately out of the question, for it would -have involved assigning this, that, and the other to breakfast, -lunch, and supper; and when, calling to mind what we -ate, I try to distinguish between one meal and another, I am -altogether at a loss. I can only suppose they were interchangeable. -The nature of our supplies confirms my belief -that this was the case. Practically speaking, we hardly -considered by which name our meal should be called, but -only what would seem nice to eat or convenient to produce, -when we next wanted food and drink. Among the supplies -I classify some as “standard pattern”—such things as we -knew were always to be had in abundance, the “pièce,” as -it were, of our whole ménage—three solid foods, two liquid -foods, and one stimulant.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The stimulant, in the first place, as long as we remained -at Camp III, was amazingly satisfactory, both for its kind, -its quality, and especially for its abundance. We took -it shamelessly before breakfast, and at breakfast again; -occasionally with or after lunch, and most usually a little -time before supper, when it was known as afternoon tea. -The longer we stayed at this camp, the deeper were our -<span class='pageno' id='Page_178'>178</span>potations. So good was the tea that I came almost to -disregard the objectionable flavour of tinned milk in it. -I had always supposed that General Bruce would keep a -special herd of yaks at the Base Camp for the provision of -fresh milk; but this scheme was hardly practicable, for the -only grass at the Base Camp, grew under canvas, and no one -suggested sharing his tent with a yak. The one trouble -about our stimulant was its scarcity as we proceeded up the -mountain. It diminished instead of increasing to the -climax where it was needed most. Fortunately, the lower -temperatures at which water boils as the atmospheric -pressure diminishes made no appreciable difference to the -quality, and the difficulty of melting snow enough to fill our -saucepans with water was set off to some extent by increasing -the quantity of tea-leaves.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The two liquid foods, cocoa and pea-soup, though not -imbibed so plentifully as tea, were considered no less as the -natural and fitting companions of meat on any and every -occasion. At Camp III it was not unusual to begin supper -with pea-soup and end it with cocoa, but such a custom by -no means precluded their use at other times. Cocoa tended -to fall in my esteem, though it never lost a certain popularity. -Pea-soup, on the other hand, had a growing reputation, and, -from being considered an accessory, came to be regarded -as a principal. However, before I describe its dominating -influence in the whole matter of diet, I must mention the -solid foods. The three of “standard pattern” were ration -biscuits, ham, and cheese. It was no misfortune to find -<span class='pageno' id='Page_179'>179</span>above the Base Camp that we had left the region of fancy -breads; for while the chupatis and scones, baked by our -cooks with such surprising skill and energy, were usually -palatable, they were probably more difficult of digestion -than the biscuits, and our appetite for these hard wholemeal -biscuits increased as we went upwards, possibly to -the detriment of teeth, which became ever more brittle. -Ham, of all foods, was the most generally acceptable. The -quality of our “Hunter’s hams” left nothing to be desired, -and the supply, apparently, was inexhaustible. A slice of -ham, or several slices, either cold or fried, was fit food for -any and almost every meal. The cheese supplied for our -use at these higher camps, and for expeditions on the mountains -besides, were always delicious and freely eaten. We -had also a considerable variety of other tinned foods. -Harris’s sausages, sardines, herrings, sliced bacon, soups, -ox tongues, green vegetables, both peas and beans, all -these I remember in general use at Camp III. We were -never short of jam and chocolate. As luxuries we had -“quails in truffles,” besides various sweet-stuffs, such as -mixed biscuits, acid drops, crystallized ginger, figs and -prunes (I feel greedy again as I name them), and, reserved -more or less for use at the highest camps, Heinz’s spaghetti. -More important, perhaps, than any of these was “Army and -Navy Rations,” from the special use we made of it. I -never quite made out what these tins contained; they were -designed to be, when heated up, a rich stew of mutton or -beef, or both. They were used by us to enrich a stew which -<span class='pageno' id='Page_180'>180</span>was the peculiar invention of Morshead. He called it -“hoosch.” Like a trained chef, he was well aware that -“the foundation of good cooking is the stock-pot.” But -such a maxim was decidedly depressing under our circumstances. -Instead of accepting and regretting our want of a -“stock-pot,” Morshead, with the true genius that penetrates -to the inward truth, devised a substitute and improved the -motto: “The foundation of every dish must be pea-soup.” -Or if these were not his very words, it was easy to -deduce that they contained the substance of his culinary -thoughts. It was a corollary of this axiom that any and -every available solid food might be used to stew with pea-soup. -The process of selection tended to emphasise the -merits of some as compared with other solids until it became -almost a custom, sadly to the limitation of Morshead’s art, -to prefer to “sliced bacon,” or even sausages, for the flotsam -and jetsam of “hoosch,” Army and Navy Rations. It was -“hoosch” that we ate at Camp IV, about the hour of an -early afternoon tea on May 19.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We had hardly finished eating and washing up—it was -a point of honour to wash up, and much may be achieved -with snow—when the shadow crept over our tents and the -chill of evening was upon us. We lingered a little after -everything was set in order to look out over the still sunlit -slopes of Mount Everest between us and the Rapiu La, and -over the undulating basin of snow towards the Lhakpa La -and Camp IV, and to pass some cheerful remarks with the -porters, already seeking shelter, before turning in ourselves -<span class='pageno' id='Page_181'>181</span>for the night. It had been, so far as we could tell, a singularly -windless day. Such clouds as we had observed were -seemingly innocent; and now, as darkness deepened, it was -a fine night. The flaps of our two tents were still reefed -back so as to admit a free supply of air, poor and thin in -quality but still recognisable as fresh air; Norton and I and, -I believe, Morshead and Somervell also lay with our heads -towards the door, and, peering out from the mouths of our -eiderdown bags, could see the crest above us sharply defined. -The signs were favourable. We had the best omen a -mountaineer can look for, the palpitating fire, to use Mr. -Santayana’s words, of many stars in a black sky. I wonder -what the others were thinking of between the intervals of -light slumber. I daresay none of us troubled to inform -himself that this was the vigil of our great adventure, but -I remember how my mind kept wandering over the various -details of our preparations without anxiety, rather like -God after the Creation seeing that it was good. It was good. -And the best of it was what we expected to be doing these -next two days. As the mind swung in its dreamy circle it -kept passing and repassing the highest point, always passing -through the details to their intention. The prospects -emerging from this mental movement, unwilled and intermittent -and yet continually charged with fresh momentum, -were wonderfully, surprisingly bright, already better than I -had dared to expect. Here were the four of us fit and -happy, to all appearances as we should expect to be in a -snug alpine hut after a proper nightcap of whisky punch. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_182'>182</span>We had confidence in our porters, nine strong men willing -and even keen to do whatever should be asked of them; -surely these men were fit for anything. And we planned -to lighten their burdens as far as possible; only four loads, -beyond the warm things which each of us would carry for -himself, were to go on to our next camp—two tents weighing -each 15 lb., two double sleeping-bags, and provisions for -a day and a half besides the minimum of feeding utensils. -The loads would not exceed 20 lb. each, and we should have -two men to one load, and even so a man in reserve. To -provide a considerable excess of porters had for long been a -favourite scheme of mine. I saw no other way of making -sure that all the loads would reach their destination. As it -was, we should start with the knowledge that so soon as any -man at any moment felt the strain too great he could be -relieved of his load, and when he in his turn required to be -relieved the other would presumably be ready to take up his -load again. Proceeding in this way we should be free of all -anxiety lest one of the loads should be left on the mountain-side -or else put on to a climber’s back, with the chance of -impairing his strength for the final assault. <i>Ceteris paribus</i>, -we were going to succeed at least in establishing another -camp. This was no mere hope wherein judgment was -sacrificed to promote the lesser courage of optimism, but a -reasonable conviction. It remained but to ask, Would the -Fates be kind?</p> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_183'>183</span> - <h2 id='ch06' class='c004'>CHAPTER VI<br /> <br />THE HIGHEST POINT</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>My first recollection of the morning of May 20 is of -shivering outside the porters’ tents. It is not an enviable -task at 23,000 feet, this of rousing men from the snugness -of their sleeping-bags between 5 and 6 a.m. One may -listen in vain for a note of alertness in their response; -the heard notes will not echo the smallest zest for any -enterprise. On this occasion the replies made to my -tender inquiries and encouragements were so profoundly -disappointing that I decided to untie the fastenings of -the tent, which were as nearly as might be hermetically -sealed. In the degree of somnolence and inertia prevailing -I suspected the abnormal. Soon I began to make -out a tale of confused complaints; the porters were not -all well. The cause was not far to look for; they had -starved themselves of air during the night. The best -chance of a remedy was fresh air now and a brew of tea, -which could easily be managed.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Meanwhile Norton had been stirring, and while I -retired to “dress” he began to busy himself with preparations -for our own breakfast. Tea of course was intended -for us too, and further two tins of spaghetti had been -<span class='pageno' id='Page_184'>184</span>reserved to give us the best possible start for the day. -But one small thing had been forgotten. Those precious -tins had lain all night in the snow; they should have -been cuddled by human bodies, carefully nursed in the -warmth of sleeping-bags. Now their contents were frozen -stiff and beyond extraction even by an ice-axe. Even -so it might be supposed a little boiling water would put -all to rights. Had a little sufficed I should omit to tell -the doleful tale. Only very gradually were the outer -surfaces thawed, permitting the scarlet blocks (tomato -sauce was an ingredient) to be transferred to another -saucepan, where they had still to be thawed to homogeneous -softness and afterwards heated to the point -required for doing justice to the genius of Mr. Heinz. -As the expenditure of treasured hot water merely for -thawing spaghetti involved more melting of snow to water -and boiling of water for indispensable tea, the kitchen-maid’s -task was disagreeably protracted; and the one -among us, Norton, who most continuously and stubbornly -played the man’s part of kitchen-maid, sitting -upon the snow in the chill early morning became a great -deal colder than anyone should be with a day’s mountaineering -in front of him.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Of our nine porters it was presently discovered that -five were mountain-sick in various degrees; only four -were fit to come on and do a full day’s work carrying up -our camp. The whole of our reserve was already exhausted -before we had advanced a single step up the North Ridge. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_185'>185</span>But pessimism was not in the air this morning. We had -won through our various delays and difficulties, we had -eaten and enjoyed our wonderful breakfast, and after all -we were able to make a start about 7.30 a.m. The -reserve had already been of use; without it we should -have been obliged to remain in camp, waiting for sick -porters to recover, and counting our stores. Morshead, -who by the testimony of good spirits seemed the fittest -of us all, was set to lead the party; I followed with two -porters, while Norton and Somervell shepherded the -others on a separate rope. In a short half-hour we were -on the North Col itself, the true white neck to the South -of those strange blocks of ice, and looking up the North -Ridge from its foot.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The general nature of what lay ahead of us can readily -be appreciated from this point of view. To the right, -as you look up, the great Northern slopes of Mount -Everest above the main Rongbuk Glacier are slightly -concave; the North-eastern facet to the left is also concave, -but much more deeply, and especially more deeply -in a section of about 1,500 feet above the North Col. -Consequently the ground falls away more suddenly on -that side below the ridge. The climber may either follow -the crest itself or find a parallel way on the gently receding -face to right of it. The best way for us, we soon saw, -was not to follow the crest of snow or even the snow-slopes -immediately to the right; for these were merged -after a little interval in the vast sweep of broken rocks -<span class='pageno' id='Page_186'>186</span>forming the North face of the mountain, and at the junction -between snow and rocks was an edge of stones -stretching upwards for perhaps 1,500 feet at a convenient -angle. Loose stones that slip as he treads on them are -an abomination to the climber’s feet and only less fatiguing -than knee-deep sticky snow. We presently found those -stones agreeably secure; enough snow lay among them -to bind and freeze all to the slope; we were able to tread -on firm, flat surfaces without the trouble of kicking our -feet into snow; no sort of ground could have taken us -more easily up the mountain. The morning, too, was -calm and fine. Though it can hardly be said that we -enjoyed the exercise of going up Mount Everest, we were -certainly able to enjoy the sensation so long as our progress -was satisfactory. But the air remained perceptibly -colder than we could have wished; the sun had less than -its usual power; and in the breeze which sprang up on -our side, blowing across the ridge from the right, we -recognized an enemy, “the old wind in the old anger,” -the devastating wind of Tibet. The wolf had come in -lamb’s clothes. But we were not deceived. Remembering -bitter experiences down in the plains now 10,000 -feet below us, we expected little mercy here, we only hoped -for a period of respite; so long as this gentle mood should -last we could proceed happily enough until we should -be obliged to fight our way up.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We had risen about 1,200 feet when we stopped to -put on the spare warm clothes which we carried against -<span class='pageno' id='Page_187'>187</span>such a contingency as this. For my part, I added a light -shetland “woolly” and a thin silk shirt to what I was -wearing before under my closely woven cotton coat. As -this outer garment, with knickers to match, was practically -windproof, and a silk shirt too is a further protection -against wind, with these two extra layers I feared no -cold we were likely to meet. Morshead, if I remember -right, troubled himself no more at this time than to wrap -a woollen scarf round his neck, and he and I were ready -and impatient to get off before the rest. Norton was -sitting a little way below with his rucksack poised on -his lap. In gathering up our rope so as to have it free -when we should move on I must have communicated to -the other rope some small jerk—sufficient, at all events, -to upset the balance of Norton’s rucksack. He was unprepared, -made a desperate grab, and missed it. Slowly -the round, soft thing gathered momentum from its rotation, -the first little leaps down from one ledge to another -grew to excited and magnificent bounds, and the precious -burden vanished from sight. For a little interval, while -we still imagined its fearful progress until it should rest -for who knows how long on the snow at the head of the -Rongbuk Glacier, no one spoke. “My rucksack gone down -the kudh!” Norton exclaimed with simple regret. I made -a mental note that my warm pyjama-legs which he had -borrowed were inside it, so if I were to blame I had a -share in the loss. A number of offers in woollen garments -for the night were soon made to Norton; after which -<span class='pageno' id='Page_188'>188</span>we began to explain what each had brought for comfort’s -sake, and I wondered whether my companions’ system of -selection resembled mine;—as I never can resolve in cold -blood to leave anything behind, when each article presents -itself as just the one I may particularly want, I pack -them all into a rucksack and then pull out this and that -more or less at random until the load is not greater than -I can conveniently carry; even so I almost invariably -find that I have more clothing in reserve than I actually -use.</p> - -<p class='c010'>However, we had no time to spare for discussing -the dispensation of absolute justice between the various -claims of affection and utility among a man’s equipment. -We were soon plodding upwards again, and had we been -inclined to tarry the bite of the keen air would have -hurried us along. The respite granted us was short -enough. The sun disappeared behind a veil of high clouds; -and before long grey tones to match the sky replaced the -varied brightness of snow and rocks, and soon now we -were struggling to keep our breath and leaning our bodies -against a heavy wind. We had not the experience to -reckon exactly the dangers associated with these conditions. -We could only look to our senses for warning, -and their warning soon became obvious enough. Fingertips -and toes and ears all began to testify to the cold. -By continuing on the windward flank of the ridge just -where we were most exposed we should incur a heavy -risk of frostbite and the whole party might be put out of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_189'>189</span>action. It was clear that something must be done, and -without delay. The best chance was to change our direction. -Very likely we should find less wind, as is often -the case, on the crest itself, and in any case we must -reach shelter on the leeward side at the earliest possible -moment.</p> - -<p class='c010'>While Morshead stopped, at last submitting so far as -to put on a sledging suit, which is reputed to be the best -possible protection, I went ahead, abandoned the rocks, -and steered a slanting course over the snow to the left. -Unlike the softer substance we had met in the region of -the North Col, the surface here was hard; on this smooth -slope the blown snow can find no lodgment, cannot stay -to be gathered into drifts, and the little that falls there -is swept clean away. The angle soon became steeper, -and we must have steps to tread in. A strong kick was -required to make the smallest impression in the snow. -It was just the place where we could best be served -by crampons and be helped up by their long steel points -without troubling ourselves at all about steps. Crampons -of course had been provided among our equipment, and -the question of taking them with us above Camp IV -had been considered. We had decided not to bring them: -we sorely needed them now. And yet we had been right -to leave them behind; for with their straps binding -tightly round our boots we should not have had the -smallest chance of preserving our toes from frostbite. -The only way was to set to work and cut steps. The -<span class='pageno' id='Page_190'>190</span>proper manner of cutting one in such a substance as this -is to take but one strong blow, tearing out enough snow -to allow the foot to finish the work as it treads in the hole. -Such a practice is not beyond the strength and skill of an -amateur in the Alps. But even if he can muster the -power for this sort of blow at a great altitude, he will -soon discover the inconvenience of repeating it frequently; -he will be out of breath and panting and obliged to wait, -so that no time has been gained after all. The alternative -is to apply less force; three gentle strokes, as a rule, will -be required for each step. To cut a staircase in this -humble manner was by no means impossible, as was -proved again on the descent, up to 25,000 feet. But the -same rules and limitations determine this labour as every -other up here. The work can be done and the worker -will endure it provided sufficient time is allowed. It is -haste that induces exhaustion. On this occasion we were -obliged to hurry; our object was to reach shelter as soon -as possible. In a wind like that on a bare snow-slope -a man must take his axe in both hands to meet the present -need; future contingencies will be left to take care of -themselves. The slope was never steep; the substance -was not obdurate; but when at length we lay on the rocks -and out of the wind I computed our staircase to be 300 -feet, and at least one of us was very tired.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I cannot say precisely how much time passed on this -arduous section of our ascent. It was now 11.30 a.m. -The aneroid was showing 25,000 feet compared with a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_191'>191</span>reading of 23,000 on the North Col; the rise of 2,000 feet -had taken us in all 3½ hours. For some reason Morshead -had been delayed with two or three of the porters, and -as the rest of us now sat waiting for them we began to -discuss what should be done about fixing our camp. It -had been our intention to reach 26,000 feet before pitching -the tents. But it was evident that very few places would -accommodate them. We had already seen enough to -realise how steeply the rocks of this mountain dip towards -the North, with the consequence that even where the -ground is broken the ledges are likely to prove too steep -for camping. We must pass the night somewhere on this -leeward side, and we had little hopes of finding a place -above us. However, at about our present level, well -marked as the point of junction between snow and rocks, -we had previously observed from Camp III some ground -which appeared less uncompromising than the rest. A -broken ledge offered a practicable line towards this same -locality.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Whether the decision we came to at this crisis of our -fortunes were right or wrong, I cannot tell, and I hardly -want to know. I have no wish to excuse our judgment. -Who can tell what might have happened had we decided -otherwise? And who can judge? Then why should I -be at the pains to analyse the thoughts which influenced -our decision? It is perhaps a futile inquiry. Nevertheless -it is such decisions that determine the fate of a mountaineering -enterprise, and the operative motives or contending -<span class='pageno' id='Page_192'>192</span>points of view may have an interest of their own. -Among us there was deliberation often enough, but never -contention. There never was a dissentient voice to anything -we resolved to do, partly, I suppose, because we had -little choice in the matter, more because we were that -sort of party. We had a single aim in common and -regarded it from common ground. We had no leader -within the full meaning of the word, no one in authority -over the rest to command as captain. We all knew -equally what was required to be done from first to last, -and when the occasion arose for doing it one of us did it. -Some one, if only to avoid delay in action, had to arrange -the order in which the party or parties should proceed. -I took this responsibility without waiting to be asked; -the rest accepted my initiative, I suppose, because I used -to talk so much about what had been done on the previous -Expedition. In practice it amounted only to this, that -I would say to my companions, “A, will you go first? B, -will you go second?” and we roped up in the order indicated -without palaver. Apart from this I never attempted to -inflict my own view on men who were at least as capable -as I of judging what was best. Our proceedings in any -crisis of our fortunes were informally democratic. They -were so on the occasion from which I have so grievously -digressed.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It must not be forgotten that we had just come through -a trying ordeal. Nothing is more demoralising than a -severe wind, and it may be that our <i>morale</i> was affected. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_193'>193</span>But I don’t think we were demoralised, or not in any -degree so as to affect our judgment. The impression I -retain from that remote scene where we sat perched in -discussion crowding under a bluff of rocks is of a party -well pleased with their performance, rejoicing to be sheltered -from the wind, and every one of them quite game -to go higher. Perhaps the deciding influence was the -weather. A mountaineer judges of the weather conditions -almost by instinct; and apart from our experience of the -wind, which had already been sufficiently menacing, we -knew, so far as such things can be known, that the weather -would get worse before it got better. But we could not -imagine what might be coming without thinking definitely -about the porters. It would be their lot, wherever our -new camp was fixed, to return this same day to Camp IV. -It was no part of our design to risk even the extremities -of their limbs, let alone their lives; apart from any consideration -of ethics it would not be sensible; no one -supposed that this attempt on Mount Everest would be -the last of the season, even for ourselves, and if the porters -who first completed this stage were to suffer nothing worse -than severe frostbite the moral effect of that injury alone -might be an irreparable disaster. The porters must be -sent down before the weather grew worse, and the less -they were exposed to the cold wind the better. It was -12.30 p.m. before the stragglers who had joined us had -rested sufficiently to go on. To fix a camp 1,000 feet -higher would probably require, granted reasonably good -<span class='pageno' id='Page_194'>194</span>fortune in finding a site, another three hours; and if -snow began to fall or the ridge were enveloped in mist -it would be necessary to provide an escort for the porters. -Had we supposed a place might be found anywhere above -us within range on this lee-side of the ridge, we might -conceivably have accepted these hard conditions and -pushed on. Deliberately to choose a site on the ridge -with such a wind blowing and in defiance of every threat -in the sky was a folly not to be contemplated, and our -suppositions as to the lee side above us (they were afterwards -proved correct) were all unfavourable to going -higher. The plan of encamping somewhere near at hand, -not lower than 25,000 feet, still left plenty to hope for this -time besides building the best foundation for a second -attempt. In my opinion no other alternative was sanely -practicable; and I believe this conviction was shared by -all when at length we left our niche, having conceded so -much already to the mountain.</p> - -<p class='c010'>As the broken ledges we now followed presented no -special difficulties the party was able to explore more than -one level in search of some place sufficiently flat and -sufficiently commodious. The nature of the ground and -the presence of cloud, though we were never thickly enveloped, -prevented any sort of extensive view. Many -suggestions were mooted and rejected; a considerable -time elapsed and still we had found no site that would -serve. At about 2 p.m. Somervell and some porters -shouted the news that one tent could be pitched in the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_195'>195</span>place where they were. On the far side of a defined rib -slanting up to the ridge we had left they had discovered -some sort of a platform. It was evident that work would -be required to extend and prepare it for the tent, and they -at once set about building a supporting wall and levelling -the ground. It remained to find a place near at hand -for the other tent. We could see no obvious shelf, but -the constructional works undertaken by Somervell seemed -to contain such a promising idea that Norton and I in -separate places each started works of our own. Each -of us very soon reached the same conclusion, that nothing -could be done where he was. We moved away and tried -again; but always with the same result; the ground -was everywhere too steep and too insecure. One soon -tires of heaving up big stones when no useful end is served. -Eventually coming together, we resolved to agree on the -least unlikely site and make the best of it. We chose -the foot of a long sloping slab—at all events it was part -of the mountain and would not budge—and there built -up the ground below it with some fine stones we found -to hand. Our tent was pitched at last with one side of -the floor lying along the foot of the sloping slab and the -other half on the platform we had made. It was not a -situation that promised for either of us a bountiful repose, -for one would be obliged to lie along the slope and the -only check to his tendency to slip down would be the body -of the other. However, there it was, a little tent making -a gallant effort to hold itself proudly and well.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_196'>196</span>Before we had concluded these operations the porters -had been sent down about 3 p.m. and kitchen had been -instituted, and a meal was already being prepared. Presumably -because their single tent would have to accommodate -the four of us (ours was too far away), when we -set ourselves down to eat and be warm, Somervell and -Morshead had arranged the kitchen outside it. Somervell -had appointed himself chief in this department and it -remained only for the rest of us to offer menial service. -But so great had been his energy and perseverance, sheltering -the flame from the cold draught and by every -device encouraging the snow to melt, that almost all such -offers were rejected. Like a famous pretender, I would -have gladly been a scullion, but I was allowed only to open -one or two tins and fill up a pot with snow. I have no -recollection of what we ate; I remember only a hot and -stimulating drink, Brand’s essence or bovril or something -of the sort. We did not linger long over this meal. We -wanted to go to bed still warm. Norton and I soon left -the others in possession of their tent and began to make -our dispositions for the night.</p> - -<p class='c010'>To the civilised man who gets into bed after the customary -routine, tucks himself in, lays his head on the -pillow, and presently goes to sleep with no further worry, -the dispositions in a climber’s tent may seem to be strangely -intricate. In the first place, he has to arrange about his -boots. He looks forward to the time when he will have -to start next morning, if possible with warm feet and in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_197'>197</span>boots not altogether frozen stiff. He may choose to go -to bed in his boots, not altogether approving the practice, -and resolving that the habit shall not be allowed to grow -upon him. If his feet are already warm when he turns in, -it may be that he can do no better; his feet will probably -keep warm in the sleeping-bag if he wears his bed-socks -over his boots, and he will not have to endure the pains -of pulling on and wearing frozen boots in the morning. -At this camp I adopted a different plan—to wear moccasins -instead of boots during the night and keep them -on until the last moment before starting. But if one -takes his boots off, where is he to keep them warm? -Climbing boots are not good to cuddle, and in any case -there will be no room for them with two now inside a -double sleeping-bag. My boots were happily accommodated -in a rucksack and I put them under my head for a -pillow. It is not often that one uses the head for warming -things, and no one would suspect one of a hot head; -nevertheless my boots were kept warm enough and were -scarcely frozen in the morning.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was all-important besides to make ourselves really -comfortable, if we were to get to sleep, by making experiments -in the disposition of limbs, adjusting the floor if -possible and arranging one’s pillow at exactly the right -level—which may be difficult, as the pillow should be high -if one is to breathe easily at a great altitude. I had already -found out exactly how to be comfortable before Norton -was ready to share the accommodation. I remarked that in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_198'>198</span>our double sleeping-bag I found ample room for myself but -not much to spare. Norton’s entrance was a grievous -disturbance. It was doubtful for some time whether -he would be able to enter; considering how long and slim -he is, it is astonishing how much room he requires. We -were so tightly pressed together that if either was to -move a corresponding manœuvre was required of the -other. I soon discovered, as the chief item of interest -in the place where I lay, a certain boulder obstinately -immovable and excruciatingly sharp which came up -between my shoulder-blades. How under these circumstances -we achieved sleep, and I believe that both of us -were sometimes unconscious in a sort of light, intermittent -slumber, I cannot attempt to explain. Perhaps the -fact that one was often breathless from the exhaustion -of discomfort, and was obliged to breathe deeply, helped -one to sleep, as deep breathing often will. Perhaps the -necessity of lying still because it was so difficult to move -was good for us in the end. Norton’s case was worse -than mine. One of his ears had been severely frostbitten -on the way up; only one side was available to -lie on; and yet the blessed sleep we sometimes sigh for -in easy beds at home visited him too.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The party had suffered more than at first we realized -from exposure in the wind on the way up. The damage -to Norton’s ear was not all. I noticed when my hands -got warm in bed that three finger-tips appeared to be badly -bruised; the symptom could only point to one conclusion, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_199'>199</span>and I soon made out how they had come to be frostbitten. -At the time when the step-cutting began I had -been wearing a pair of lined leather gloves, motor-drivers’ -gloves well suited to the occasion, and my hands had -been so warm that I thought it safe to change the glove -on my right hand for a woollen one with which it was -easier to grasp the axe. But wool is not a good protection -against wind, and in grasping the axe I must have -partially stopped the circulation in these finger-tips. -The injury, though not serious, was inconvenient. And -Morshead had felt the cold far more than I. It is still -uncertain whether he had yet been frostbitten in toes -and fingers, but though he made no complaint about -them until much later I have little doubt they were already -touched, if not severely frozen. At all events, he had been -badly chilled on the way up; he was obliged to lie down -when we reached our camp and was evidently unwell.</p> - -<p class='c010'>When all is said about our troubles and difficulties, -the night, in spite of everything, was endurable. For distraction -to pass the sleepless intervals engaging thoughts -were not far to seek; we had still our plans for to-morrow; -the climax was to come; and, might we not get so high -by such a time? Then, might not the remaining hours -be almost, even quite enough? Besides, we had accomplished -something, and though the moments following -achievement are occupied more often in looking forward -than in looking back, we perhaps deliberately encouraged -in ourselves a certain complacency on the present occasion; -<span class='pageno' id='Page_200'>200</span>we were able to feel some little satisfaction in the -mere existence of this camp, the two small tents perched -there on the vast mountain-side of snow-bound rocks -and actually higher, at 25,000 feet, than any climbing -party had been before. “Hang it all!” we cooed, “it’s -not so bad.”</p> - -<p class='c010'>The worst of it in dimly conscious moments was still -the weather. The wind had dropped in the evening, as -it often does, and nothing was to be deduced from that; -but the hovering clouds had not cleared off and the night -was too warm. I’m not meaning that we complained -of the warmth; but for fine weather we must have a -cold night, and it was no colder here than we had often -known it at Camp III.<a id='r6' /><a href='#f6' class='c011'><sup>[6]</sup></a> Occasionally stars were visible -during the night; but they shone with a feeble, watery -light, and in the early morning we were listening to the -musical patter of fine, granular snow on the roofs of our -tents. A thick mist had come up all about us, and the -stones outside were white with a growing pall of fresh -snow. We were greatly surprised under these conditions -when, at about 6.30 a.m., a perceptible break appeared in -the clouds to the East of us, the “weather quarter,” and -this good sign developed so hopefully that we were soon -encouraged to expect a fair day. It was even more surprising -perhaps that some one among us very quickly -discovered his conscience: “I suppose,” he said with a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_201'>201</span>stifled yawn, in a tone that reminded one of Mr. Saltena -rolling over in his costly bed, “it’s about time we were -getting up.” No one dissented—how could one dissent? -“I suppose we ought to be getting up,” we grunted in -turn, and slowly we began to draw ourselves out from -the tight warmth of those friendly bags.</p> - -<div class='footnote c012' id='f6'> -<p class='c013'><span class='label'><a href='#r6'>6</a>. </span>The thermometer confirmed our senses and showed a minimum -reading for the night of 7° F.</p> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>I do not propose to emphasise the various agonies of -an early-morning start or to catalogue all that may be -found for fumbling fingers to do; but one incident is worth -recording. A second rucksack escaped us, slipping from -the ledge where it was perched, and went bounding down -the mountain. Its value, even Norton will agree, was -greater than that of the first; it contained our provisions; -our breakfast was inside it. From the moment -of its elusion I gave it up for lost. What could stop its -fatal career? What did stop it unless it were a miracle? -Somehow or another it was hung up on a ledge 100 feet -below. Morshead volunteered to go and get it. By -slow degrees he dragged up the heavy load, and our -precious stores were recovered intact.</p> - -<p class='c010'>At 8 a.m. we were ready to start and roped up, Norton -first, followed by myself, Morshead and Somervell. This -bald statement of fact may suggest a misleading picture; -the reader may imagine the four of us like runners at the -start of a race, greyhounds straining at the leash, with -nerves on the stretch and muscles aching for the moment -when they can be suddenly tight in strong endeavour. -It was not like that. I suppose we had all the same -<span class='pageno' id='Page_202'>202</span>feelings in various degrees, and even our slight exertions -about the camp had shown us something of our physical -state. In spite of the occasional sleep of exhaustion it -had been a long, restless night, scarcely less wearisome -than the preceding day; we were tired no less than when -we went to bed, and stiff from lying in cramped attitudes. -I was clear about my own case. Struggling across with -an awkward load from one tent to the other, I had been -forced to put the question, Is it possible for me to go -on? Judging from physical evidence, No; I hadn’t the -power to lift my weight repeatedly step after step. And -yet from experience I knew that I should go on for a -time at all events; something would set the machinery -going and somehow I should be able to keep it at work. -And when the moment of starting came I felt some little -stir of excitement. If we were not going to experience -“the wild joy of living, the leaping from rock up to rock,” -on the other hand this was not to be a sort of funeral -procession. A certain keenness of anticipation is associated -merely with tying on the rope. We tied it on now -partly for convenience, so that no one would be obliged -to carry it on his back, but no less for its moral effect: -a roped party is more closely united; the separate wills -of individuals are joined into a stronger common will. -Our roping-up was the last act of preparation. We had -“got ourselves ready,” lacing up our boots so as to be -just tight enough but not too tight, disposing puttees -so that they would not slip down, attending to one small -<span class='pageno' id='Page_203'>203</span>thing or another about our clothing for warmth and -comfort’s sake, possibly even tightening a buckle or doing -up a button simply for neatness, and not forgetting to -arrange the few things we wanted to take with us, some in -rucksacks, some nearer to hand in pockets. Two of us, -Norton and I, as Somervell’s photograph proves, appeared -positively dainty; the word seems hardly applicable to -Somervell himself: but at all events we were all ready; -we felt ready; and when all these details of preparation -culminated in tying on the rope we felt something more, -derived from the many occasions in the past when readiness -in mind and body contained the keen anticipation -of strenuous delights.</p> - -<p class='c010'>How quickly the physical facts of our case asserted -their importance! We had only moved upwards a few -steps when Morshead stopped. “I think I won’t come -with you any farther,” he said. “I know I should only -keep you back.” Considering his condition on the previous -day I had not supposed Morshead would get very -much higher; but this morning he had so made light -of his troubles, and worn so cheerful a countenance, that -we heard his statement now with surprise and anxiety. -We understood very well the spirit of the remark; if -Morshead said that, there could be no longer a question -of his coming on, but we wondered whether one of us -should not stay behind with him. However, he declared -that he was not seriously unwell and was perfectly capable -of looking after himself. Somervell’s judgment as a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_204'>204</span>doctor confirmed him, and it was decided he should -remain in camp while we three went on without him.</p> - -<div id='i204' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i204.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Mallory and Norton approaching their highest point, 26,985 ft.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Our first object was to regain the crest of the North -ridge, not by retracing our steps to the point where we -had left it yesterday, but slanting up to meet it perhaps -800 feet above us. Ascent is possible almost everywhere -on these broken slopes; a steeper pitch can usually be -avoided, and the more difficult feats of climbing need not -be performed. In fact, the whole problem for the mountaineer -is quite unlike that presented by the ridge of any -great mountain in the Alps, which, if it is not definitely -a snow ridge like that from the Dômedu Gouter to the -summit of Mont Blanc, will almost invariably present a -sharper edge and a more broken crest. On the North -ridge of Everest one has the sensations rather of climbing -the face than the ridge of a mountain; and it is best -thought of as a face-climb, for one is actually on the -North face, though at the edge of it. I can think of no -exact parallel in the Alps—the nearest perhaps would -be the easier parts on the Hornli ridge of the Matterhorn, -if we were to imagine the stones to be fewer, larger -and more secure. Somervell’s photographs will convey -more to the trained eye of a mountaineer than any words -of mine, and it will readily be understood that there was -no question for us of gymnastic struggles and strong arm-pulls, -wedging ourselves in cracks and hanging on our -finger-tips. We should soon have been turned back by -difficulties of that sort. We could allow ourselves nothing -<span class='pageno' id='Page_205'>205</span>in the nature of a violent struggle. We must avoid any -hasty movement. It would have exhausted us at once -to proceed by rushing up a few steps at a time. We wanted -to hit off just that mean pace which we could keep up without -rapidly losing our strength, to proceed evenly with balanced -movements, saving effort, to keep our form, as -oarsmen say, at the end of the race, remembering to step -neatly and transfer the weight from one leg to the other -by swinging the body rhythmically upwards. With the -occasional help of the hands we were able to keep going -for spells of twenty or thirty minutes before halting for -three or four or five minutes to gather potential energy -for pushing on again. Our whole power seemed to depend -on the lungs. The air, such as it was, was inhaled through -the mouth and expired again to some sort of tune in the -unconscious mind, and the lungs beat time, as it were, -for the feet. An effort of will was required not so much -to induce any movement of the limbs as to set the lungs -to work and keep them working. So long as they were -working evenly and well the limbs would do their duty -automatically, it seemed, as though actuated by a hidden -spring. I remember one rather longer halt. In spite -of all my care I found that one of my feet was painfully -cold, and fearing frostbite I took off my boot. Norton -rubbed my foot warm. I had been wearing four thick -socks, and now put back on this foot only three. As it -remained warm for the rest of the day I have no doubt -that the boot was previously too tight. Once again I -<span class='pageno' id='Page_206'>206</span>learned the futility of stopping the circulation by wearing -one layer of wool too many.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was our intention naturally in setting out this day -to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Provided we were -not stopped by a mountaineering difficulty, and that -was unlikely, the fate of our Expedition would depend -on the two factors, time and speed. Of course, we might -become too exhausted to go farther before reaching our -goal; but the consideration of speed really covers that -case, for provided one were capable of moving his limbs -at all he would presumably be able to crawl a few steps -only so slowly that there would be no point in doing so. -From the outset we were short of time; we should have -started two hours earlier; the weather prevented us. -The fresh snow was an encumbrance, lying everywhere -on the ledges from 4 inches to 8 inches deep; it must -have made a difference, though not a large one. In any -case, when we measured our rate of progress it was not -satisfactory, at most 400 feet an hour, not counting halts, -and diminishing a little as we went up. It became clear -that if we could go no farther—and we couldn’t without -exhausting ourselves at once—we should still at the best -be struggling upwards after night had fallen again. We -were prepared to leave it to braver men to climb Mount -Everest by night.</p> - -<p class='c010'>By agreeing to this arithmetical computation we -tacitly accepted defeat. And if we were not to reach -the summit, what remained for us to do? None of us, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_207'>207</span>I believe, cared much about any lower objective. We -were not greatly interested then in the exact number of -feet by which we should beat a record. It must be remembered -that the mind is not easily interested under -such conditions. The intelligence is gradually numbed -as the supply of oxygen diminishes and the body comes -nearer to exhaustion. Looking back on my own mental -processes as we approached 27,000 feet, I can find no -traces of insanity, nothing completely illogical; within -a small compass I was able to reason, no doubt very slowly. -But my reasoning was concerned only with one idea; -beyond its range I can recall no thought. The view, for -instance—and as a rule I’m keen enough about the view—did -not interest me; I was not “taking notice.” Wonderful -as such an experience would be, I had not even the -desire to look over the North-east ridge; I would have -gladly got to the North-east shoulder as being the sort -of place one ought to reach, but I had no strong desire -to get there, and none at all for the wonder of being there. -I dare say the others were more mentally alive than I; -but when it came to deciding what we should do, we had -no lively discussion. It seemed to me that we should -get back to Morshead in time to take him down this same -day to Camp IV. There was some sense in this idea, -and many mountaineers may think we were right to make -it a first consideration. But the alternative of sleeping -a second night at our highest camp and returning next -day to Camp III was never mentioned. It may have -<span class='pageno' id='Page_208'>208</span>been that we shrank unconsciously from another night -in such discomfort; whether the thought was avoided -in this way, or simply was not born, our minds were not -behaving as we would wish them to behave. The idea -of reaching Camp IV with Morshead before dark, once -it had been accepted, controlled us altogether. It was -easy to calculate from our upward speed, supposing that -we could treble this on the descent, at what time we ought -to turn; we agreed to start down at 2.30 p.m., but we -would maintain our rate of progress as best we could -until that time approached.</p> - -<p class='c010'>At 2.15 we completed the ascent of a steeper pitch -and found ourselves on the edge of an easier terrain, where -the mountain slopes back towards the North-east shoulder. -It was an obvious place for a halt: we were in need of -food; and we lay against the rocks to spend the remaining -fifteen minutes before we should turn for the descent -according to our bond. None of us was altogether -“cooked”; we were not brought to a standstill because -our limbs would carry us no farther. I should be very -sorry to reach such a condition at this altitude; for one -would not recover easily; and a man who cannot take -care of himself on the descent will probably be the cause -of disaster to his companions, who will have little enough -strength remaining to help themselves and him. It is -impossible to say how much farther we might have gone. -In the light of subsequent events it would seem that the -margin of strength to deal with an emergency was already -<span class='pageno' id='Page_209'>209</span>small enough. I have little doubt that we could have -struggled up perhaps in two hours more to the North-east -shoulder, now little more than 400 feet above us. -Whether we should then have been fit to conduct our -descent in safety is another matter.</p> - -<p class='c010'>While we ate such food as we had with us, chiefly -sugar in one form or another, chocolate, mintcake, or -acid-drops, and best of all raisins and prunes, we now -had leisure to look about us. The summit of Everest, -or what appeared to be the summit (I doubt if we saw -the ultimate tip), lying back along the North-east ridge, -was not impressive, and we were too near up under this -ridge to add anything to former observations as to the -nature of its obstacles. The view was necessarily restricted -when Everest itself hid so much country. But -it was a pleasure to look westwards across the broad -North face and down it towards the Rongbuk Glacier; -it was satisfactory to notice that the North Peak which, -though perceptibly below us, had still held, so to speak, -a place in our circle when we started in the morning, -this same Changtse had now become a contemptible -fellow beneath our notice. We saw his black plebeian -head rising from the mists, mists that filled all the valleys, -so that there was nothing in all the world as we looked -from North-east to North-west but the great twins Gyachung -Kang and Chö Uyo; and even these, though they -regarded us still from a station of equality, were actually -inferior. The lesser of them is 26,000 feet, and we could -<span class='pageno' id='Page_210'>210</span>clearly afford to despise him; the greater Chö Uyo we had -to regard respectfully before we could be sure; his triangulated -height is 26,870, whereas our aneroid was -reading only 26,800; it seemed that we were looking -over his head, but such appearances are deceptive, and -we were glad to have the confirmation of the theodolite -later proving that we had reached 26,985 feet—higher -than Chö Uyo by 100 feet and more.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The beneficent superiority with which we now regarded -the whole world except Mount Everest no doubt helped -us to swallow our luncheon—or was it dinner?—a difficult -matter, for our tongues were hanging out after so -much exercise of breathing. We had no chance of finding -a trickle here as one often may in the blessed Alps; and -medical opinion, which knew all about what was good -for us, frowned upon the notion of alcoholic stimulant -for a climber in distress at a high altitude. And so, very -naturally, when one of us (Be of good cheer, my friend, -I won’t give you away!) produced from his pocket a flask -of Brandy—each of us took a little nip. I am glad to -relate that the result was excellent; it is logically certain -therefore that the Brandy contained no alcohol. The -non-alcoholic Brandy, then, no doubt by reason of what it -lacked, had an important spiritual effect; it gave us -just the mental fillip which we required to pull ourselves -together for the descent.</p> - -<div id='i210' class='figcenter id010'> -<img src='images/i210.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Summit of Mount Everest from the highest point of the first climb, 26,983 feet, 21st May, 1922.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Happily inspired by our “medical comfort,” I announced -that I would take the lead. Norton and I changed -<span class='pageno' id='Page_211'>211</span>places on the rope. I optimistically supposed that I -should find an easier way down by a continuous snow-slope -to the West of the ridge. Somervell, also moved -by inspiration, suggested that he should remain behind -to make a sketch and hurry down our tracks to catch -us up later. He says that I found it difficult to understand -that he would only require a few minutes, and that -I replied irritably. I can hardly believe that my tone -just then was anything but suave, but I have no doubt -I was glad to have him with us to be our sheet-anchor, -and particularly so a little later, for we were in difficulties -almost at once. We found more snow on this new line, -as I had supposed; but it was not to our liking; it lay -not on a continuous slope, but covering a series of slabs -and only too ready to slide off. We were obliged to work -back to the ridge itself and follow it down in our morning’s -tracks.</p> - -<p class='c010'>At 4 p.m. we reached our camp, where Morshead was -waiting. He was feeling perfectly well, he reported, and -ready to come down with us to Camp IV. After collecting -a few of our possessions which we did not wish to abandon -to the uncertain future, we roped up once more to continue -our descent. So far our pace going down had been highly -satisfactory. In the Alps one usually expects to descend -on easy ground twice as fast as one would go up. But -we had divided our time of ascent by 4, and in an hour -and a half had come down 2,000 feet. Under normal -conditions at lower altitudes even this pace would be -<span class='pageno' id='Page_212'>212</span>considered slow; it would not be an exceptionally fast -pace for going up these slopes; and yet the image that -stays in my memory is of a party coming down quite -fast. It is evident that the whole standard of speed is -altered. On the ascent, too, I had the sensation of moving -about twice as fast as we actually were. I imagine -that the whole of life was scaled down, as it were, that -we were living both physically and mentally at half, or -less than half, the normal rate. However that may be, -we had now to descend only 2,000 feet to Camp IV, and -with more than three hours’ daylight left we supposed -we should have no difficulty in reaching our tents before -dark.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Meditating after the event about the whole of our -performance this day, I have often wondered how we -should have appeared at various stages to an unfatigued -and competent observer. No doubt he would have noted -with some misgiving the gradually diminishing pace of -the party as it crawled upwards; but he would have -been satisfied, I think, that each man had control of his -limbs and a sure balance, and as we were moving along -together over ground where the rope will very easily be -caught under the points of projecting rocks and thereby -cause inconvenience and delay while it is unhitched, this -observer, watching the rope, would have noticed that in -fact it almost never was caught up. The party at all -events were “keeping their form” to the extent of managing -the rope as it ought to be managed. For a moment -<span class='pageno' id='Page_213'>213</span>when they were in difficulties after turning back, he -might have thought them rather shaky; but even here -they were able to pull themselves together and proceed -with proper attention and care. Whether he would have -noticed any difference when they started off again I -cannot say. A certain impetus of concentration, a gathering -of mental and physical energy, a reserve called up -from who knows where when they turned to face the -descent, had perhaps spent its force; and though the -party was a stage nearer to the end of the journey, it -was also a stage nearer to exhaustion and to that state -where carelessness so readily slips in unperceived. It -may be supposed we were a degree less alert, all the more -because we foresaw no difficulty; we had not exercised -the imagination to figure difficulties on the descent, and -we now came upon them unexpectedly.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The fresh snow fallen during the night had so altered -appearances that we could not be certain, as we traversed -back towards the ridge again, that we were exactly following -the line by which we had approached our camp -the day before. My impression is that we went too low -and missed it. We were soon working along broken ground -above a broad snow slope. Fresh snow had to be cleared -away alike from protruding rocks where we wished to -put our feet and from the old snow where we must cut -steps. It was not a difficult place and yet not easy, as -the slope below us was dangerous and yet not very steep, -not steep enough to be really alarming or specially to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_214'>214</span>warn the climber that a slip may be fatal. It was an -occasion when the need for care and attention was greater -than obviously appeared, just the sort to catch a tired -party off their guard. Perhaps the steps were cut too -hastily, or in one way and another were taking small -risks that we would not usually take. The whole party -would not necessarily have been in grave danger because -one man lost his footing. But we were unprepared. -When the third man slipped the last man was moving, -and was at once pulled off his balance. The second in -the party, though he must have checked these two, could -not hold them. In a moment the three of them were -slipping down and gathering speed on a slope where -nothing would stop them until they reached the plateau -of the East Rongbuk Glacier, 3,500 feet below. The -leader for some reason had become anxious about the -party a minute or two earlier, and though he too was -moving when the slip occurred and could see nothing -of what went on behind him, he was on the alert; warned -now by unusual sounds that something was wrong, he at -once struck the pick of his axe into the snow, and hitched -the rope round the head of it. Standing securely his -position was good, and while holding the rope in his right -hand beyond the hitch, he was able to press with the other -on the shaft of the axe, his whole weight leaning towards -the slope so as to hold the pick of the axe into the snow. -Even so it would be almost impossible to check the combined -momentum of three men at once. In ninety-nine -<span class='pageno' id='Page_215'>215</span>cases out of a hundred either the belay will give or the -rope will break. In the still moment of suspense before -the matter must be put to the test nothing further could -be done to prevent a disaster one way or the other. The -rope suddenly tightened and tugged at the axe-head. It -gave a little as it gripped the metal like a hawser on a -bollard. The pick did not budge. Then the rope came -taut between the moving figures, and the rope showed -what it was worth. From one of the bodies which had -slid and now was stopped proceeded an utterance, not -in the best taste, reproaching his fate, because he must -now start going up hill again when he should have been -descending. The danger had passed. The weight of -three men had not come upon the rope with a single jerk. -The two lengths between the three as they slipped down -were presumably not stretched tight, and the second -man had been checked directly below the leader before -the other two. Probably he also did something to check -those below him, for he was partly held up by projecting -rocks and almost at once recovered his footing. We -were soon secure again on the mountain-side, and—not -the least surprising fact—no one had been hurt.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I suppose we must all have felt rather shaken by an -incident which came so near to being a catastrophe. But -a party will not necessarily be less competent or climb -worse on that account. At all events we had received -a warning and now proceeded with the utmost caution, -moving one at a time over the snow-covered ledges. It -<span class='pageno' id='Page_216'>216</span>was slow work. This little distance which with fair conditions -could easily be traversed in a quarter of an hour -must have taken us about five times as long. However, -when we reached the ridge and again looked down the -snow where we had come up the day before, though it -was clear enough we must waste no time, we did not feel -greatly pressed. Our old tracks were, of course, covered, -and we looked about for a way to avoid this slope; but -it seemed better to go down by the way we knew, and we -were soon busy chipping steps. It was a grim necessity -at this hour of the day. I felt one might almost have -slipped down checking himself with the axe. We were -distinctly tempted. But after all, we were not playing -with this mountain; it might be playing with us. There -was a clear risk, and we were not compelled to accept -it. We must keep on slowly cutting our steps. The -long toil was shared among us until the slope eased off -and we had nothing more to fear. We looked down to -the North Col below us. No difficulty could stop our -descent. We had still an hour of daylight. After all, with -ordinary good fortune, we should be back in our tents -before dark.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I had been aware for some time that Morshead, though -he was going steadily and well, was more tired than the -rest of us. His long halt at our high camp can have -done him little good. He had not recovered. His strength -had just served to keep him up where it was urgently -necessary that he should preserve his balance; but it -<span class='pageno' id='Page_217'>217</span>was now exhausted; he had quite come to the end of his -resources, and at best he could move downwards a few -steps at a time. It was difficult to see what could be -done for him. There were places where we might sit -down and rest, and we should be obliged not only to stop -often for two or three minutes, but also to stay occasionally -for perhaps ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. Anything -like a longer halt must be avoided if possible, as the -air was already cold, and an exhausted man would be -particularly sensitive. Probably a longer rest would not -have helped him, and we proceeded as best we could, so -as to avoid delay as much as possible. One of us, and it -was usually Norton, gave Morshead the support of his -shoulder and an arm round his waist, while I went first, to -pick out exactly the most convenient line, and Somervell -was our rearguard in any steeper place. So we crawled -down the mountain-side in the gathering darkness, until -as I looked back from a few yards ahead my companions -were distinguishable only as vague forms silhouetted -against the snow. There were long hours before us yet, -and they would be hours of darkness. Occasionally the -flicker of lightning from distant clouds away to the West -reminded us that the present calm might sometime be -disturbed. Perhaps below on the col, or it might be -sooner, the old unfriendly wind would meet us once again. -For the present it was fortunate that the way was easy; -the great thing was to keep on the snow, and we found -that the edge of rocks by which we had come up, and where -<span class='pageno' id='Page_218'>218</span>it was now so much more difficult to get along, could -be avoided almost everywhere. With the same edge of -stones to guide us, we could not miss our way, and were -still stumbling on in the dark without a lantern when we -reached the North Col. But we had a lantern with us, -and a candle too, in Somervell’s rucksack, and we should -now require a light. I was reminded once again of the most -merciful circumstance, for the air was still so calm that -even with matches of a Japanese brand, continually -execrated among us, we had no difficulty in lighting our -candle.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Two hundred yards, or little more in a direct line, -now separated us from our tents, with the promise of -safety, repose, and warmth in our soft eiderdown bags. -Looking back, I never can make out how we came to spend -so long in reaching them. We had but to go along the -broken saddle of snow and ice where our tracks lay, and -then drop down to our camp on the shelf. But the tracks -were concealed, and not to be found; crevasses lay under -the snow waiting for us. With nothing to guide us, we -must proceed cautiously, and once among the confusing -shapes of white walls and terraces and monticules and -corridors, it was the easiest thing in the world to lose -our way. Somervell, who had covered the ground once -each way more often than any of us, held the helm, so to -speak, against a sea of conflicting opinions. Even he, now -our leader, was not always right, and we had more than -once to come back along our tracks and take a cast in -<span class='pageno' id='Page_219'>219</span>another direction. To avoid the possible trouble or disaster -of having two men at once in a crevasse, we were -obliged to keep our intervals on the ropes, so that Morshead -had now to take care of himself. Perhaps the lower -altitude had already begun to tell, for he was stronger -now, and came along much better than was to be expected. -At length we reached a recognisable landmark, a cliff of -ice about 15 feet high, where we had jumped down over -a crevasse on our first visit here in order to avoid a disagreeable -long step over another crevasse on an alternative -route. I was very glad we had come this way rather -than the other, for though, looking down at the dimly -lit space of snow which was to receive us, I boggled a -little at the idea of this leap, the landing-place was sure -to be soft, and it would be easy not to miss it.</p> - -<div id='i218' class='figcenter id011'> -<img src='images/i218.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>The First Climbing Party.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>I think each of us was just a little relieved when he -found himself safely down, and I dimly remember congratulating, -not Morshead, but Longstaff. I had already transposed -the names several times, and he now protested; but -it made no difference, as I could remember no other. “Longstaff” -became an <i>idée fixe</i>, and though the entity of Morshead -remained unconfused—I did not, for instance, give -him Longstaff’s beard—he was fixedly Longstaff until the -following morning.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The agreeable change of finding ourselves together in -that curious coign was hardly disturbed by Somervell’s -remark, “We’re very near the end of our candle.” We felt -we were all very near the end of our journey, for we had -<span class='pageno' id='Page_220'>220</span>dimly made out from the higher level we had just quitted -the neat rank of our tents still standing on the shelf below -and ready to welcome us. We had only to find the rope -which had been fixed on the steep slope below us and we -should be at the end of our troubles. But the rope was -deeply buried, and we searched in vain, dragging the snow -with our picks along the edge of the fall. We were still -searching when the last of our candle burnt out. In the end -we must do without the rope, and began the abrupt descent -tentatively, dubiously, uncertain that we had hit off just -the right place. The situation was decidedly disagreeable. -Suddenly someone among us hitched up the rope from -under the snow. It may be imagined we were not slow to -grasp it. The blessed security of feeling the frozen but -helpful thing firmly in our hands! We positively made -some sort of a noise; unrecognisable, perhaps, it would have -been to sober daylight beings who know how to produce the -proper effect, but if a dim bat of the night were asked what -this noise resembled, he might have indicated that distantly, -but without mistake it was like a cheer. A few minutes -more and then—then, at 11.30 p.m., and there on the good -flat snow as we fumbled at the tent-doors, then and there at -last we began to say, “Thank God.”</p> - -<p class='c010'>Had we known what was yet in store for us, or rather -what was not in store, we might have waited a little longer -for so emphatic an exclamation. We were in need of food, -and no solid food could be eaten until something had been -done towards satisfying our thirst. It was not that one -<span class='pageno' id='Page_221'>221</span>felt, at least I did not feel, a desire to drink; but the long -effort of the lungs during the day in a rarefied atmosphere -where evaporation is so rapid had deprived the body of -moisture to such an extent that it was impossible to swallow, -for instance, a ration biscuit. We must first melt snow -and have water. But where were the cooking-pots? We -searched the tents without finding a trace of them. Presumably -the porters whom we had expected to find here -had taken them down to Camp III in error. As we sat -slowly unlacing our boots within the tents, it was impossible -to believe in this last misfortune. We waited for a brainwave; -but no way could be devised of melting the snow -without a vessel. Still supperless, we wriggled into our -sleeping-bags. And then something happened in Norton’s -head. In his visions of all that was succulent and juicy -and fit to be swallowed with ease and pleasure there had -suddenly appeared an ice-cream. It was this that he now -proposed to us; we had the means at hand to make ice-creams, -he said. A tin of strawberry jam was opened; -frozen Ideal Milk was hacked out of another; these two -ingredients were mixed with snow, and it only remained to -eat the compound. To my companions this seemed an easy -matter; their appetite for strawberry cream ice was hardly -nice to watch. I too managed to swallow down a little -before the deadly sickliness of the stuff disgusted me. My -gratitude to Norton was afterwards cooled by disagreeable -sensations. In the last drowsy moments before complete -forgetfulness I was convulsed by shudderings which I was -<span class='pageno' id='Page_222'>222</span>powerless to control; the muscles of my back seemed to be -contracted with cramp; and, short of breath, I was repeatedly -obliged to raise myself on my elbows and start again -that solemn exercise of deep-breathing as though the habit -had become indispensable.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The last stage of our descent to Camp III had still to -be accomplished on the following morning of May 22. I -imagine that a fresh man with old tracks to help him might -cover the distance from Camp IV in about an hour and a -quarter. But no sign was left of our old tracks, and the -snow was deeper here than higher up. Only in the harder -substance below the fresh surface could new steps be cut -wherever the slope was steep; and as we began to understand -that the way would be long and toilsome, another -thought occurred to us—our sleeping-bags at Camp IV -would now be required at Camp III, and porters must be -sent to fetch them. Our tracks, therefore, must be made -safe for them. Half our labour was in hewing so fine a -staircase that the porters would be able to go up and down -unescorted without danger. The wearisome descent, which -began at 6 a.m., continued far into the morning; the sun -pierced the vapoury mists and the heat was immoderate -now as the cold had been higher up. The fatigued party -regarded the conventions until the first man reached the -snow at the foot of the final ice-slope. There, so far as I could -understand, the van became possessed of the idea that it -would be more companionable for all to finish together. -I found myself deliberately pulled from my steps and slid -<span class='pageno' id='Page_223'>223</span>about 80 feet down the ice until the pick of my axe pulled me -up at the foot of the slope. I could have borne the ignominy -of my involuntary glissade had I not found Finch at -the foot of the slope taking advantage of my situation with -a kodak.</p> - -<div id='i222' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i222.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Frostbitten climber being helped down to Camp II.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>The presence of Finch was easily explained. Reinforcements -had arrived at Camp III in our absence, and the -transport had worked with such wonderful speed that the -oxygen cylinders were already in action. Finch, whom we -had last heard of in bed with dysentery at the Base Camp, -had shown such energy that he was now testing the oxygen -apparatus with Wakefield and Geoffrey Bruce. They were -bound for the North Col with a party of porters, so the -return of our sleeping-bags was easily arranged. The lesser -injustices of fate are hard to forgive, and we regretted -labour that might have been left to others. However, -Wakefield now took us in charge, and at noon we were at -Camp III once more. Strutt and Morris had come out to -meet us. Noel had stayed in camp, and, like a tormentor -waiting for his disarmed victim, there we found the “movie” -camera and him winding the handle.</p> - -<p class='c010'>However, our welcome in camp is a pleasing memory. -The supply of tea was inexhaustible. Somervell confesses -to having drunk seventeen mugfuls; he can hardly have -been so moderate. Morshead probably needed to drink -more than any of us; he ascribed his exhaustion on the -mountain to want of liquid, and medical opinion was inclined -to agree with the suggestion. However that may be, the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_224'>224</span>night’s rest at a lower elevation had largely restored his -strength, and Morshead arrived at Camp III no more fatigued -to all appearances than the rest of us. But he bore the -marks of his painful ordeal. His condition had made him -a prey to the cold, and we only began to realise how badly -he had been frostbitten as we sat in camp while Wakefield -bound up the black swollen fingers.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_225'>225</span><span class='xxlarge'>THE ATTEMPT WITH OXYGEN</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xlarge'>By</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>CAPTAIN GEORGE FINCH</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_227'>227</span> - <h2 id='ch07' class='c004'>CHAPTER VII<br /> <br />THE SECOND ATTEMPT</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>With the departure of the last of our companions on -March 27, Crawford and I found ourselves left behind in -Darjeeling impatiently awaiting the arrival of the oxygen -equipment from Calcutta. A week elapsed before we were -able to set out for Kalimpong, where we picked up the -oxygen stores on April 4. On the evening of our second -march out from Kalimpong, suspicious rattlings were heard -in the cases containing the oxygen cylinders. On investigation, -it transpired that they had been packed metal to metal, -and the continual chafing caused by the rough mule transport -had already resulted in considerable wear in the steel. -This dangerous state of affairs, which, if not speedily remedied, -would undoubtedly soon have led to the bursting of -some of the cylinders, with consequent demoralisation of our -transport, let alone possible casualties, called for immediate -attention; so throughout the night of April 5–6, Crawford -and I, aided by our porters, worked steadily at grommeting -the cylinders with string and repacking them in such a -manner as would render impossible any recurrence of the -trouble.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On April 8, in a snowstorm, we crossed the Jelep -<span class='pageno' id='Page_228'>228</span>La; thence, proceeding viâ the Chumbi Valley and Phari, -we ultimately rejoined the main body of the Expedition -in Kampa Dzong on the 13th. The rest of our journey -across Tibet to the Base Camp has already been described -elsewhere, but perhaps I may be permitted to give a few of -my own impressions of the country and its inhabitants.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In recollection, the strange land of Tibet stretches itself -out before me in an endless succession of vast, dreary plains, -broken by chains of mountains that, in relation to the height -of their surroundings, sink into the insignificance of hills. -Arid and stony desert wastes, almost totally unblessed by -the living green of vegetation; interminable tracts of sand -that shift unceasingly under the restless feet of an ever-hurrying, -pitilessly cruel wind; bleak, barren, and unbeautiful -of form, but fair and of indescribable appeal in the -raiment of soft glowing rainbow hues with which distance, -as in compensation, clothes all wide open spaces. Sunsets -provided many a wondrous picture, while towards the South -a glistening array of white-capped excrescences marked the -main chain of the Himalaya. The honour of being the -most poignant of my memories of Tibet, however, remains -with the wind. It blew unceasingly, and its icy blasts -invariably met one straight in the face. The pre-monsoon -wind is westerly; the post-monsoon wind blows from the -East. Our journey towards the Base Camp led us towards -the West; homeward bound, during the monsoon, we -travelled East. Both going and returning, therefore, we -marched in the teeth of a wind, that gnawed even at our -<span class='pageno' id='Page_229'>229</span>weather-beaten, hardened skins, and was the most generous -contributor in the quota of discomforts that Tibet meted out -to us.</p> - -<p class='c010'>And what of the dwellers in these inhospitable plains? -Like all humankind, the Tibetans have their bad as well -as their good points. The former are easily told. If one -wishes to converse with a Tibetan, it is always advisable to -stand on his windward side. A noble Tibetan once boasted -that during his lifetime he had had two baths—one on the -occasion of his birth, the other on the day of his marriage. -Those of us honoured by his presence found the statement -difficult to believe. Apart from this rather penetrating -drawback, the Tibetans are a most likeable people; cheery, -contented, good-natured, and hard-working; slow to give -a promise, but punctilious to a degree in carrying it out; -truthful and scrupulously honest. As testimony of this -last-mentioned trait, be it said that during the whole of our -long wanderings through Tibet, when it was quite impossible -to keep a strong guard over our many stores, we never lost -so much as a single ration biscuit through theft. Old age -is seldom met with; it is exceptional to see a Tibetan whose -years number more than fifty-five or sixty. Presumably -living in so severe a climate, at an altitude of 14,000 feet -or more above sea-level, proves too great a strain upon the -human heart. The priests, or “Lamas,” as they are called -in Tibet, constitute the governing class. They represent -the educated section of the community; the monasteries -are the seats of learning, and, as such, are well-nigh all-powerful. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_230'>230</span>I regret to state that I did not like the priests as -much as the laity. The reason is not far to seek. If you -wish to hold converse with a Lama, it is advisable not only -to stand on his windward side, but also to take care that the -wind is exceptionally strong. The Lamas do not marry. -As two-fifths of the able-bodied population of Tibet lead a -monastic life, it will be readily understood that the odour -of sanctity is all-pervading. In other respects the monks -proved as attractive as their simpler countrymen. Inquisitive -with the direct and pardonable inquisitiveness of -children, they are nevertheless men of a distinctly high -order of intelligence. Kindly, courteous, and appreciative -of little attentions, they were always ready to lend assistance -and to give information concerning their religion and the -manners and customs of their country.</p> - -<p class='c010'>These few of the more lasting of my impressions would -be incomplete without mention of Tibetan music. On the -assumption that whatever is, is beautiful, Tibetan music is -beautiful—to the Tibetan. To the Western ear it is elementary -in the extreme, and, in point of view of sheer -ugliness of sound, competes with the jarring, clashing -squeaks, bangs, and hoots of the jazz-bands that were so -fashionable at home at the time of our departure for India.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On May 2, the day after our arrival at the Base Camp, -Strutt, Norton, and I were sent off by the General to -reconnoitre for a suitable first camping site near the exit -of the East Rongbuk Valley. Gaining the latter by the -so-called terrace route which leads over the tremendous -<span class='pageno' id='Page_231'>231</span>moraines on the right bank of the main Rongbuk Glacier, -we had no difficulty in finding on the right bank of the -East Rongbuk Stream, but a few hundred yards West of -the end of the East Rongbuk Glacier, a favourable position -for Camp No. I. We returned that afternoon, descending -down the snowed-over and frozen-up stream to the main -Rongbuk Glacier, making our way thence to the Base Camp -through the trough leading down between the glacier and -the moraines. With this little excursion my climbing -activities ceased for the time being. Soon afterwards I -was beset by a troublesome stomach complaint, which -had already claimed as victims the majority of the other -members of the Expedition, and it was not until May 16 -that I was sufficiently restored from the wearing effects of -my illness to resume climbing. In spite of this, my time -at the Base Camp was fully occupied. Frequent oxygen -drills were held, and all the oxygen stores overhauled and -tested. Various members of the Expedition were instructed -in the use of Primus stoves. There were many small repairs -of different natures to be done, and in my leisure moments -I was kept busy with matters photographic. In addition, -Mount Everest and the weather conditions prevalent thereon -became objects of the keenest study and interest. The -remark, “I suppose Mont Blanc would be absolutely -dwarfed into insignificance by Mount Everest,” has frequently -been made to me in one form or another, and, to -my questioners’ amazement, my answer has always been a -decided “No.” As a matter of fact, Mont Blanc, as seen -<span class='pageno' id='Page_232'>232</span>from the Brévant or the Flégère, excels in every way any -view I have ever enjoyed of Mount Everest. It is true that -I have seen the latter only from a tableland which is itself -from 14,000 to 16,000 feet above sea-level, and that I know -nothing of the wonderful sight that Mount Everest probably -presents to the observer from the Southern (Nepalese) side. -The grandeur of a mountain depends very largely upon the -extent to which it is glaciated. Mont Blanc is nearly 16,000 -feet high, and its glaciers descend to within 4,000 feet of -sea-level—a vertical zone of 12,000 feet of perpetual ice and -snow. Those glaciers of Mount Everest which flow North, -and thus the only ones with which we are concerned, descend -to a point about 16,500 feet above sea-level—a vertical -zone of 12,500 feet of perpetual ice and snow. Thus it is -evident that, from the point of view of vertical extent of -glaciation, there is little difference between the monarch -of the Alps and the Northern side of the highest summit in -the world. From the point of view of beauty there can be -no comparison. Seen from one quarter, Mont Blanc rises -in a series of snowy domes piled one against the other in -ever-increasing altitude to a massive yet beautifully proportioned -and well-balanced whole. From another side we -see great converging granite columns, breathing the essence -of noble purpose, proudly supporting and lifting aloft to -the sun the gleaming, snowy-capped splendour of the -summit dome. Another view-point, though revealing perhaps -a less beautiful Mont Blanc, lacking much of the -graceful symmetry and strong, purposeful design of the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_233'>233</span>other views, is redeemed by the fact that the observer is -forced in so close to the mountain that the rattling din of -stonefalls and the loud crash of the ice-avalanche are always -in his ears. Mont Blanc asserts her authority with no -uncertain voice. In the Mount Everest as we of this -Expedition know it, revealed in the full glare of the tropical -sun, all this is lacking. Symmetry and beauty cannot -truthfully be read out of the ponderous, ungainly, ill-proportioned -lump which carries, as if by chance, on its Western -extremity a little carelessly truncated cone to serve as a -summit. Avalanches are neither seen nor heard. Falling -stones there are without doubt, but one is too far off to hear -them. Yet Everest had her moments. Diffused with the -borrowed glory of sunrise or sunset, and clad in a mantle -of fresh snow, the harsh clumsiness of her form would be -somewhat softened and concealed; bathed in the yellow-blue -light of dawn, as yet unkissed by the sun, but whipped -into wakefulness by a driving westerly wind that tore from -head and shoulders the snowy veil which she had donned -during the night, rending it into long, spun-out living -streamers, no beholder could gainsay her beauty.</p> - -<div id='i232' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i232.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Mount Everest from Base Camp.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Weather conditions naturally proved of the greatest -interest. On consulting my diary, I find that during the -period from May 1 to June 5, there were two days when -the weather was fine and settled, and that these two -days succeeded snowstorms which had thickly powdered -the mountain with fresh snow. On both days the -sky was cloudless, or nearly so, and, judging from the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_234'>234</span>absence of driven snow-dust about the summit, Mount -Everest appeared to be undisturbed by wind. Apart from -these two occasions, however, the weather was never absolutely -fine. Cloudless skies there were, but the great -streamers of snow smoking away from the highest ridges of -the mountain testified to the existence of the fierce and -bitter wind against which a mountaineer would have to -fight his way. On four occasions there were periods of -snowstorms lasting from but a single night to three days -and three nights.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On May 10, Mallory and Somervell set out for Camp -III, to make ready for a first attempt to climb Mount -Everest. I had practically recovered from my stomach -trouble, and expected to be able to leave the Base in the -course of a day or two, in order to follow up the first attempt -with a second attack, in which oxygen was to be used. -Norton was to be my companion. Unfortunately, however, -I suffered a relapse, and Strutt, Norton, and Morshead left -to join Mallory and Somervell, whereas I had to resign -myself to several more days at the Base. At length, on -May 15, I was ready and eager to think about doing -something. My climbing companions were Geoffrey Bruce -and Lance-Corporal Tejbir, the most promising of the -Ghurkas. Wakefield was to accompany us as far as Camp -III, in order to give us a clean bill of health from there -onwards. Leaving the Base on the 16th, we proceeded to -Camp I, where the following day was spent attending to our -oxygen apparatus and transport arrangements. Soon after -<span class='pageno' id='Page_235'>235</span>midday on the 18th, we arrived at Camp II, where the -greater part of the afternoon was devoted to giving Geoffrey -Bruce, Tejbir, and several of the porters, a lesson in the -elements of mountaineering and of ice-craft. On the 19th -we reached Camp III, where we learned from Colonel -Strutt that Mallory, Norton, Somervell, and Morshead had -gone up to the North Col in the morning. Geoffrey Bruce -and I immediately set about overhauling our equipment, -in particular our oxygen stores, and as we worked we could -see the first party making their way through the séracs, -and climbing the ice-cliffs of the lofty depression of the -North Col.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The cylinders containing our oxygen were found to be -in good condition; but the apparatus—through no fault of -the makers, who had, indeed, done their work admirably—leaked -very badly, and to get them into satisfactory working -order, four days of hard toil with soldering-iron, hacksaw, -pliers, and all the other paraphernalia of a fitter’s shop were -necessary. Our workshop was in the open. The temperature -played up and down round about 0° F., but inclined -more to the negative side of that irrational scale. The masks -from which the oxygen was to be breathed proved useless, -but by tackling the problem with a little thought and much -cheerfulness a satisfactory substitute was eventually evolved, -making it possible to use the oxygen apparatus in an efficient -manner. Without this new mask no real use could have -been made of our oxygen supplies; oxygen would have been -misjudged as being useless, and the solution of the problem -<span class='pageno' id='Page_236'>236</span>of climbing Mount Everest would have been as distant as -ever.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Preparatory to embarking on the climb itself, we went -for several trial walks—one over to the Rapiu La, a pass -21,000 feet high, at the foot of the North-east ridge of -Everest, from which we hoped to obtain views of the country -to the south. But only part of the North-east ridge showed -hazily through drifting mists. Towards the north and -looking down the East Rongbuk Glacier, views were clearer, -though partially obscured by rolling banks of cloud. Colonel -Strutt and Dr. Wakefield, unoxygenated, accompanied -us on this little expedition, and oxygen at once proved -its value, so easily did Bruce and I outpace them. On -May 22, acting on instructions from Colonel Strutt, -Geoffrey Bruce, Wakefield, Tejbir, and I, with a number of -porters, set out for the North Col to meet and afford any -required assistance to the members of the first climbing -party who were on their way down from the mountain. It -was also our intention to bring stores up into the North Col -as well as give the oxygen apparatus a final severe try-out -prior to embarking upon an attack upon Mount Everest -itself. We met the first climbing party just above the foot -of the final steep slopes leading up to the North Col. They -were more or less in the last stage of exhaustion, as, indeed, -men who have done their best on such a mountain should be. -After supplying them with what liquid nourishment was -available, and leaving Wakefield and two porters to see them -back to Camp III, we carried on up to the North Col. In -<span class='pageno' id='Page_237'>237</span>the afternoon we returned to Camp III. There had been -a considerable amount of step-cutting, for fresh snow had -fallen, compelling us to deviate from the usual route; but -even so, oxygen had made a brief Alpine ascent of what is -otherwise a strenuous day’s work. We took three hours up -and fifty minutes down, with thirty-six photographs taken -<i>en route</i>.</p> - -<div id='i236' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i236.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>East Rongbuk Glacier near Camp II.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>On May 24, Captain Noel, Tejbir, Geoffrey Bruce, and I, -all using oxygen, went up to the North Col (23,000 feet). -Bent on a determined attack, we camped there for the night. -Morning broke fine and clear though somewhat windy, and -at eight o’clock we sent off up the long snow-slopes leading -towards the North-east shoulder of Mount Everest, twelve -porters carrying oxygen cylinders, provisions for one day, -and camping gear. An hour and a half later, Bruce, Tejbir, -and I followed, and, in spite of the fact that each bore a load -of over 30 lb., which was much more than the average -weight carried by the porters, we overtook them at a height -of about 24,500 feet. They greeted our arrival with their -usual cheery, broad grins. But no longer did they regard -oxygen as a foolish man’s whim; one and all appreciated -the advantages of what they naïvely chose to call “English -air.” Leaving them to follow, we went on, hoping to pitch -our camp somewhere above 26,000 feet. But shortly after -one o’clock the wind freshened up rather offensively, and it -began to snow. Our altitude was 25,500 feet, some 500 feet -below where we had hoped to camp, but we looked round -immediately for a suitable camping site, as the porters had -<span class='pageno' id='Page_238'>238</span>to return to the North Col that day, and persistence in -proceeding further would have run them unjustifiably into -danger. This I would under no circumstances do, for I felt -responsible for these cheerful, smiling, willing men, who -looked up to their leader and placed in him the complete -trust of little children. As it was, the margin of safety -secured by pitching camp where we did instead of at a -higher elevation was none too wide; for before the last -porter had departed downwards the weather had become -very threatening. A cheerful spot in which to find space to -pitch a tent it was not; but though I climbed a couple -of hundred feet or so further up the ridge, nothing more -suitable was to be found. Remembering that a wind is felt -more severely on the windward side of a ridge than on the -crest, a possible position to the West of the ridge was -negatived in favour of one on the very backbone. The -leeside was bare of any possible camping place within -reasonable distance. Our porters arrived at 2 p.m., and at -once all began to level off the little platform where the tent -was soon pitched, on the very edge of the tremendous -precipices falling away to the East Rongbuk and Main -Rongbuk Glaciers, over 4,000 feet below. Within twenty -minutes the porters were scurrying back down the broken, -rocky ridge towards the snow-slopes leading to the North -Col, singing, as they went, snatches of their native hillside -ditties. What splendid men! Having seen the last man -safely off, I looked to the security of the guy-ropes holding -down the tent, and then joined Bruce and Tejbir inside. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_239'>239</span>It was snowing hard. Tiny, minute spicules driven by the -wind penetrated everywhere. It was bitterly cold, so we -crawled into our sleeping-bags, and, gathering round us all -available clothing, huddled up together as snugly as was -possible.</p> - -<p class='c010'>With the help of solidified spirit we melted snow and -cooked a warm meal, which imparted some small measure -of comfort to our chilled bodies. A really hot drink was not -procurable, for the simple reason that at such an altitude -water boils at so low a temperature that one can immerse -the hand in it without fear of being scalded. Over a <i>post-prandium</i> -cigarette, Bruce and I discussed our prospects of -success. Knowing that no man can put forward his best -effort unless his confidence is an established fact, the trend -of my contribution to the conversation was chiefly, “Of -course, we shall get to the top.” After sunset, the storm -rose to a gale, a term I use deliberately. Terrific gusts -tore at our tent with such ferocity that the ground-sheet -with its human burden was frequently lifted up off the -ground. On these occasions our combined efforts were -needed to keep the tent down and prevent its being blown -away. Although we had blocked up the few very small -openings in the tent to the best of our powers, long before -midnight we were all thickly covered in a fine frozen -spindrift that somehow or other was blown in upon us, -insinuating its way into sleeping-bags and clothing, there -to cause acute discomfort. Sleep was out of the question. -We dared not relax our vigilance, for ever and again all -<span class='pageno' id='Page_240'>240</span>our strength was needed to hold the tent down and to keep -the flaps of the door, stripped of their fastenings by a gust -that had caught us unawares, from being torn open. We -fought for our lives, realising that once the wind got our -little shelter into its ruthless grip, it must inevitably be -hurled, with us inside it, down on to the East Rongbuk -Glacier, thousands of feet below.</p> - -<p class='c010'>And what of my companions in the tent? To me, who -had certainly passed his novitiate in the hardships of mountaineering, -the situation was more than alarming. About -Tejbir I had no concern; he placed complete confidence in -his sahibs, and the ready grin never left his face. But it -was Bruce’s first experience of mountaineering, and how the -ordeal would affect him I did not know. I might have -spared myself all anxiety. Throughout the whole adventure -he bore himself in a manner that would have done credit -to the finest of veteran mountaineers, and returned my -confidence with a cheerfulness that rang too true to be -counterfeit. By one o’clock on the morning of the 26th -the gale reached its maximum. The wild flapping of the -canvas made a noise like that of machine-gun fire. So -deafening was it that we could scarcely hear each other -speak. Later, there came interludes of comparative lull, -succeeded by bursts of storm more furious than ever. During -such lulls we took it in turn to go outside to tighten up -slackened guy-ropes, and also succeeded in tying down the -tent more firmly with our Alpine rope. It was impossible -to work in the open for more than three or four minutes -<span class='pageno' id='Page_241'>241</span>at a stretch, so profound was the exhaustion induced by -this brief exposure to the fierce cold wind. But with the -Alpine rope taking some of the strain, we enjoyed a sense of -security which, though probably only illusory, allowed us -all a few sorely needed moments of rest.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Dawn broke bleak and chill; the snow had ceased to -fall, but the wind continued with unabated violence. Once -more we had to take it in turns to venture without and -tighten up the guy-ropes, and to try to build on the windward -side of the tent a small wall of stones as an additional -protection. The extreme exhaustion and the chill produced -in the body as a result of each of these little excursions were -sufficient to indicate that, until the gale had spent itself, -there could be no hope of either advance or retreat. As the -weary morning hours dragged on, we believed we could -detect a slackening off in the storm. And I was thankful, -for I was beginning quietly to wonder how much longer -human beings could stand the strain. We prepared another -meal. The dancing flames of the spirit stove caused me -anxiety bordering on anguish lest the tent, a frail shelter -between life and death, should catch fire. At noon the -storm once more regained its strength and rose to unsurpassed -fury. A great hole was cut by a stone in one side of -the tent, and our situation thus unexpectedly became more -desperate than ever.</p> - -<p class='c010'>But we carried on, making the best of our predicament -until, at one o’clock, the wind dropped suddenly from a -blustering gale to nothing more than a stiff breeze. Now -<span class='pageno' id='Page_242'>242</span>was the opportunity for retreat to the safety of the North -Col camp. But I wanted to hang on and try our climb on -the following day. Very cautiously and tentatively I -broached my wish to Bruce, fearful lest the trying experience -of the last twenty-four hours had undermined his keenness -for further adventure. Once again might I have spared -myself all anxiety. He jumped at the idea, and when our -new plans were communicated to Tejbir, the only effect -upon him was to broaden his already expansive grin.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was a merry little party that gathered round to a -scanty evening meal cooked with the last of our fuel. The -meal was meagre for the simple reason that we had catered -for only one day’s short rations, and we were now very much -on starvation diet. We had hardly settled down for another -night when, about 6 p.m., voices were heard outside. Our -unexpected visitors were porters who, anxious as to our -safety, had left the North Col that afternoon when the -storm subsided. With them they brought thermos flasks -of hot beef-tea and tea provided by the thoughtful Noel. -Having accepted these most gratefully, we sent the porters -back without loss of time.</p> - -<div id='i242a' class='figcenter id012'> -<img src='images/i242a.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Oxygen Apparatus.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div id='i242b' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i242b.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Captain Noel kinematographing the ascent of Mount Everest from the Chang La.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>That night began critically. We were exhausted by our -previous experiences and through lack of sufficient food. -Tejbir’s grin had lost some of its expanse. On the face of -Geoffrey Bruce, courageously cheerful as ever, was a strained, -drawn expression that I did not like. Provoked, perhaps, -by my labours outside the tent, a dead, numbing cold was -creeping up my limbs—a thing I had only once before felt -<span class='pageno' id='Page_243'>243</span>and to the seriousness of which I was fully alive. Something -had to be done. Like an inspiration came the thought -of trying the effect of oxygen. We hauled an apparatus and -cylinders into the tent, and, giving it the air of a joke, we -took doses all round. Tejbir took his medicine reluctantly, -but with relief I saw his face brighten up. The effect on -Bruce was visible in his rapid change of expression. A few -minutes after the first deep breath, I felt the tingling sensation -of returning life and warmth to my limbs. We connected -up the apparatus in such a way that we could breathe -a small quantity of oxygen throughout the night. The result -was marvellous. We slept well and warmly. Whenever the -tube delivering the gas fell out of Bruce’s mouth as he -slept, I could see him stir uneasily in the uric, greenish -light of the moon as it filtered through the canvas. Then -half unconsciously replacing the tube, he would fall once -more into a peaceful slumber. There is little doubt that -it was the use of oxygen which saved our lives during -this second night in our high camp.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Before daybreak we were up, and proceeded to make -ready for our climb. Putting on our boots was a struggle. -Mine I had taken to bed with me, and a quarter of an hour’s -striving and tugging sufficed to get them on. But Bruce’s -and Tejbir’s were frozen solid, and it took them more than -an hour to mould them into shape by holding them over -lighted candles. Shortly after six we assembled outside. -Some little delay was incurred in arranging the rope and -our loads, but at length at 6.30 a.m., soon after the first -<span class='pageno' id='Page_244'>244</span>rays of the sun struck the tent, we shouldered our bundles -and set off. What with cameras, thermos bottles, and -oxygen apparatus, Bruce and I each carried well over 40 -lb.; Tejbir with two extra cylinders of oxygen shouldered -a burden of about 50 lb.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our scheme of attack was to take Tejbir with us as far -as the North-east shoulder, there to relieve him of his load -and send him back. The weather was clear. The only -clouds seemed so far off as to presage no evil, and the breeze, -though intensely cold, was bearable. But it soon freshened -up, and before we had gone more than a few hundred feet -the cold began to have its effect on Tejbir’s sturdy constitution, -and he showed signs of wavering. Bruce’s eloquent -flow of Gurumuki, however, managed to boost him up to -an altitude of 26,000 feet. There he collapsed entirely, -sinking face downwards on to the rocks and crushing beneath -him the delicate instruments of his oxygen apparatus. I -stormed at him for thus maltreating it, while Bruce exhorted -him for the honour of his regiment to struggle on; but it -was all in vain. Tejbir had done his best; and he has -every right to be proud of the fact that he has climbed to -a far greater height than any other native. We pulled him -off his apparatus and, relieving him of some cylinders, -cheered him up sufficiently to start him with enough oxygen -on his way back to the high camp, there to await our return. -We had no compunction about letting him go alone, for the -ground was easy and he could not lose his way, the tent -being in full view below.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_245'>245</span>After seeing him safely off and making good progress, we -loaded up Tejbir’s cylinders, and, in view of the easy nature -of the climbing, mutually agreed to dispense with the rope, -and thus enable ourselves to proceed more rapidly. Climbing -not very steep and quite easy rocks, and passing two -almost level places affording ample room for some future -high camp, we gained an altitude of 26,500 feet. By this -time, however, the wind, which had been steadily rising, -had acquired such force that I considered it necessary to -leave the ridge and continue our ascent by traversing out -across the great northern face of Mount Everest, hoping by -so doing to find more shelter from the icy blasts. It was -not easy to come to this decision, because I saw that between -us and the shoulder the climbing was all plain sailing and -presented no outstanding difficulty. Leaving the ridge, we -began to work out into the face. For the first few yards the -going was sufficiently straightforward, but presently the -general angle became much steeper, and our trials were -accentuated by the fact that the stratification of the rocks -was such that they shelved outward and downward, making -the securing of adequate footholds difficult. We did not -rope, however. I knew that the longer we remained -unroped, the more time we should save—a consideration of -vital importance. But as I led out over these steeply -sloping, evilly smooth slabs, I carefully watched Bruce to -see how he would tackle the formidable task with which he -was confronted on this his first mountaineering expedition. -He did his work splendidly and followed steadily and confidently, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_246'>246</span>as if he were quite an old hand at the game. Sometimes -the slabs gave place to snow—treacherous, powdery -stuff, with a thin, hard, deceptive crust that gave the -appearance of compactness. Little reliance could be placed -upon it, and it had to be treated with great care. And -sometimes we found ourselves crossing steep slopes of -scree that yielded and shifted downwards with every tread. -Very occasionally in the midst of our exacting work we were -forced to indulge in a brief rest in order to replace an empty -cylinder of oxygen by a full one. The empty ones were -thrown away, and as each bumped its way over the precipice -and the good steel clanged like a church bell at each impact, -we laughed aloud at the thought that “There goes another -5 lb. off our backs.” Since leaving the ridge we had not -made much height although we seemed to be getting so near -our goal. Now and then we consulted the aneroid barometer, -and its readings encouraged us on. 27,000 feet; -then we gave up traversing and began to climb diagonally -upwards towards a point on the lofty North-east ridge, -midway between the shoulder and the summit. Soon -afterwards an accident put Bruce’s oxygen apparatus out -of action. He was some 20 feet below me, but struggled -gallantly upwards as I went to meet him, and, after -connecting him on to my apparatus and so renewing his -supply of oxygen, we soon traced the trouble and effected a -satisfactory repair. The barometer here recorded a height -27,300 feet. The highest mountain visible was Chö Uyo, -which is just short of 27,000 feet. We were well above it -<span class='pageno' id='Page_247'>247</span>and could look across it into the dense clouds beyond. The -great West Peak of Everest, one of the most beautiful -sights to be seen from down in the Rongbuk Valley, was -hidden, but we knew that our standpoint was nearly 2,000 -feet above it. Everest itself was the only mountain top -which we could see without turning our gaze downwards. -We could look across into clouds which lay at some undefined -distance behind the North-east shoulder, a clear indication -that we were only a little, if any, below its level. Pumori, -an imposing ice-bound pyramid, 23,000 feet high, I sought -at first in vain. So far were we above it that it had sunk -into an insignificant little ice-hump by the side of the -Rongbuk Glacier. Most of the other landmarks were -blotted out by masses of ominous, yellow-hued clouds -swept from the West in the wake of an angry storm-wind. -The point we reached is unmistakable even from afar. We -were standing on a little rocky ledge, just inside an inverted -V of snow, immediately below the great belt of reddish-yellow -rock which cleaves its way almost horizontally -through the otherwise greenish-black slabs of the mountain. -Though 1,700 feet below, we were well within half a mile of -the summit, so close, indeed, that we could distinguish -individual stones on a little patch of scree lying just underneath -the highest point. Ours were truly the tortures of -Tantalus; for, weak from hunger and exhausted by that -nightmare struggle for life in our high camp, we were in no -fit condition to proceed. Indeed, I knew that if we were -to persist in climbing on, even if only for another 500 feet, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_248'>248</span>we should not both get back alive. The decision to retreat -once taken, no time was lost, and, fearing lest another -accidental interruption in the oxygen supply might lead to -a slip on the part of either of us, we roped together. It was -midday. At first we returned in our tracks, but later found -better going by aiming to strike the ridge between the -North-east shoulder and the North Col at a point above -where we had left it in the morning. Progress was more -rapid, though great caution was still necessary. Shortly -after 2 p.m., we struck the ridge and there reduced our -burdens to a minimum by dumping four oxygen cylinders. -The place will be easily recognised by future explorers; -those four cylinders are perched against a rock at the head -of the one and only large snow-filled couloir running right -up from the head of the East Rongbuk Glacier to the ridge. -The clear weather was gone. We plunged down the easy, -broken rocks through thick mists driven past us from the -West by a violent wind. For one small mercy we were -thankful—no snow fell. We reached our high camp in -barely half an hour, and such are the vagaries of Everest’s -moods that in this short time the wind had practically -dropped. Tejbir lay snugly wrapped up in all three sleeping-bags, -sleeping the deep sleep of exhaustion. Hearing the -voices of the porters on their way up to bring down our kit, -we woke him up, telling him to await their arrival and to -go down with them. Bruce and I then proceeded on our -way, met the ascending porters and passed on, greatly -cheered by their bright welcomes and encouraging smiles. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_249'>249</span>But the long descent, coming as it did on the top of a hard -day’s work, soon began to find out our weakness. We were -deplorably tired, and could no longer move ahead with our -accustomed vigour. Knees did not always bend and unbend -as required. At times they gave way altogether and forced -us, staggering, to sit down. But eventually we reached the -broken snows of the North Col, and arrived in camp there -at 4 p.m. A craving for food, to the lack of which our -weakness was mainly due, was all that animated us. Hot -tea and a tin of spaghetti were soon forthcoming, and even -this little nourishment refreshed us and renewed our strength -to such an extent that three-quarters of an hour later we -were ready to set off for Camp III. An invaluable addition -to our little party was Captain Noel, the indefatigable -photographer of the Expedition, who had already spent four -days and three nights on the North Col. He formed our -rearguard and nursed us safely down the steep snow and ice -slopes on to the almost level basin of the glacier below. -Before 5.30 p.m., only forty minutes after leaving the col, -we reached Camp III. Since midday, from our highest -point we had descended over 6,000 feet; but we were quite -finished.</p> - -<div id='i248' class='figcenter id013'> -<img src='images/i248.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>The British Members of the Second Climbing Party.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>That evening we dined well. Four whole quails truffled -in <i>pâté-de-foie gras</i>, followed by nine sausages, left me asking -for more. The last I remember of that long day was going -to sleep, warm in the depths of our wonderful sleeping-bag, -with the remains of a tin of toffee tucked away in the crook -of my elbow.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_250'>250</span>Next morning showed that Bruce’s feet were sorely -frostbitten. I had practically escaped; but the cold had -penetrated the half-inch-thick soles of my boots and three -pairs of heavy woollen socks, and four small patches of -frostbite hampered me at first in my efforts to walk. Bruce -was piled on to a sledge, and I journeyed with him as his -fellow-passenger. Willing porters dragged us down until -the surface of the glacier became so rough as to impose too -great a strain on our slender conveyance with its double -burden.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our attack upon Mount Everest had failed. The great -mountain with its formidable array of defensive weapons -had won; but if the body had suffered, the spirit was still -whole. Reaching a point whence we obtained our last -close view of the great unconquered Goddess Mother of the -Snows, Geoffrey Bruce bade his somewhat irreverent adieux -with “Just you wait, old thing, you’ll be for it soon!”—words -that still are expressive of my own sentiments.</p> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_251'>251</span> - <h2 id='ch08' class='c004'>CHAPTER VIII<br /> <br />CONCLUSIONS</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>Geoffrey Bruce and I arrived back at the Base Camp -early in the afternoon of May 29. The next few days -were spent in resting, and I then underwent the same experience -as the members of the first climbing party; -that is, instead of recovering my strength rapidly during -the first three or four days, if anything a further decline -took place. However, as the weather appeared fine, and -there seemed promise of a bright spell prior to the breaking -of the monsoon, it was decided to make another attempt -on the mountain. Of the remaining climbing members -of the Expedition, Somervell was undoubtedly the fittest, -with Mallory a good second. Both had enjoyed some ten -days’ rest since their first assault upon Mount Everest, -and therefore had a chance of recovering from the abnormal -strain to which they had been submitted. Medical opinion -as to my condition after so brief a rest was somewhat -divided, but in the end I was passed as sufficiently fit to -join in the third attempt. On the 3rd of June we left -the Base Camp. The party consisted of Wakefield as -M.O., Crawford, and later Morris, as transport officers, -Mallory, Somervell and myself as climbers. The attempt -<span class='pageno' id='Page_252'>252</span>was to be made with oxygen, and I was placed in command. -It required a great effort for me to get as far as -Camp I, and I realised there that the few days’ rest which -I had enjoyed at the Base Camp had been quite insufficient -to allow of my recuperation. During the night the weather -turned with a vengeance and it snowed heavily, and I -knew that there could be no object in my proceeding -farther. After giving Somervell final detailed instructions -regarding the oxygen apparatus, I wished them all the -best of luck, and on the 4th returned to the Base Camp. -As Strutt, Longstaff, and Morshead were leaving next day -for Darjeeling, I was given, and availed myself of, the -opportunity of accompanying them.</p> - -<p class='c010'>That return journey constitutes one of the most -delightful experiences of my life. Within a week of -leaving the Base Camp, I had entirely regained my -strength, although a certain tenderness in the soles of my -feet made itself felt for some considerable time. For the -most part the weather was warm, and everywhere the -eye feasted on the riotous colouring of blossoms such as -we had never before seen. The only fly in the ointment -was the ever-present sense of defeat coupled with the -knowledge that with only a little better luck we should -have won through.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In spite of our failure, however, I felt that we had -learnt much; and perhaps the most important lesson of -all was that we had been taught the real value of oxygen. -Prior to the formation of the 1922 Expedition, the oxygen -<span class='pageno' id='Page_253'>253</span>problem had already been the subject of much discussion -round which two distinct schools of thought had arisen. -The first, headed by Professor G. Dreyer, F.R.S., Professor -of Pathology at the University of Oxford, was staunch -to the belief that, without the assistance of a supply of -oxygen carried in containers on the back of the climber, -it would be impossible for a man to reach the summit of -Mount Everest. The second body of scientific opinion -held that, not only would it be possible for a man to -attain the summit of Everest unaided by an artificial -supply of oxygen, but that the weight of such a supply -would only hamper the climber in his efforts, and thus -completely counterbalance any advantages likely to accrue -from its use. To arrive at an impartial conclusion as to -the correctitude of these two divergent opinions, it is -only necessary to give careful consideration to the results -achieved on the two high climbs of May 22 and May 27 -respectively. The former was made without an artificial -supply of oxygen, the latter with. The first climbing party, -consisting of Mallory, Morshead, Norton, and Somervell, -left the North Col at 7 a.m. on the 20th of May, and that -afternoon, at an altitude of 25,000 feet above sea-level, -pitched a camp just off the great North ridge leading -down from the shoulder. Morshead had suffered from -the cold and was evidently unwell. One of Norton’s -ears had been badly frostbitten, and Mallory had frostbitten -finger-tips. Somervell alone was, to all intents and -purposes, as yet untouched. Snow fell during the night, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_254'>254</span>but they were untroubled by wind. At eight o’clock -next morning they left their camp—all save Morshead, -who, apparently at the end of his tether and unable to -go farther, had to remain behind. After over six hours’ -climbing, Mallory, Norton, and Somervell succeeded in -reaching an altitude of 26,985 feet; so that, since their -departure from their high camp, they had gained a vertical -height of 1,985 feet at a rate of ascent of 330 feet per -hour. The point at which they turned back lies below -the shoulder on the great North ridge, and is, in horizontal -distance, about 1⅛ miles from the summit, and rather -over 2,000 feet below it in vertical height. They began -to retrace their steps at 2.30 in the afternoon, and regained -their high camp at four o’clock; their rate of descent -therefore was 1,320 feet per hour. Shortly after 4 p.m., -accompanied by Morshead, they started on the return -journey to the North Col, where they arrived at 11.30 -that night, a rate of descent of 270 feet per hour. We -had seen them on their way down from their high camp, -and acting on instructions from Colonel Strutt, we went -up towards the North Col on the 23rd to render them -assistance. We met them just above the foot of the steep -slopes leading up the col. They were obviously in the -last stages of exhaustion, as, indeed, men should be who -had done their best on a mountain like Mount Everest.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On the 25th of May the second party, consisting of -Geoffrey Bruce, Tejbir and myself, left the North Col. -Our porters, who did not use oxygen, left at eight o’clock; -<span class='pageno' id='Page_255'>255</span>we, using oxygen, left at 9.30 a.m., and in an hour and a -half succeeded in overtaking them at an altitude of 24,500 -feet, where, somewhat fatigued with their three hours’ -effort, they paused to rest. A moment’s calculation will -show that we had been climbing at the rate of 1,000 feet -per hour. Leaving the porters to follow, we eventually -gained an altitude of 25,500 feet, where, owing to bad -weather, we were constrained to camp. It was not until -two o’clock in the afternoon that the porters rejoined us, -despite the fact that our own progress had been hindered -by the necessity for much step-cutting. That night in -our high camp was a night of trial and no rest, and the -following day, the 26th, was little better; in addition, -our supply of food was exhausted. Then followed a second -night, when the advantages of using oxygen to combat -fierce cold were strikingly evident. At six o’clock on the -morning of the 27th, having had practically no rest for -two nights and a day, half starved and suffering acutely -from hunger, we set out from our high camp in full hopes -of gaining the summit of Mount Everest. Half an hour -later, at an altitude of 26,000 feet, Tejbir broke down—an -unfortunate occurrence that may be largely attributed -to his lack of really windproof clothing. On arriving at -a height of 26,500 feet we were forced to leave the ridge, -so violent and penetratingly cold was the wind to which -we were exposed. The thousand feet from our camp up -to this point had occupied one and a half hours, some -twenty minutes of which had been employed in re-arranging -<span class='pageno' id='Page_256'>256</span>the loads when Tejbir broke down. Our rate of progress, -therefore, had been about 900 feet per hour, in spite of -the fact that we each carried a load of over 40 lb. After -leaving the ridge we struck out over difficult ground -across the great North face of the mountain, gaining but -little in altitude, but steadily approaching our goal. -Eventually we decided to turn back at a point less than -half a mile in horizontal distance from, and about 1,700 feet -below, the summit. Thus, although we had climbed in -vertical height only some 300 feet higher than the first -party, nevertheless we were more than twice as close to -the summit than they had been when they turned back.</p> - -<p class='c010'>To summarise the two performances. The first party -established a camp at an altitude of 25,000 feet, occupied -it for one night, and finally reaching a point 26,985 feet in -height, and 1⅛ miles from the summit, returned without -a break to the North Col. The second party established -a camp at an altitude of 25,500 feet, occupied it for two -nights and almost two days, and eventually reaching a -point of 27,300 feet high and less than half a mile from -the summit, returned without a break to Camp III. The -weather conditions throughout were incomparably worse -than those experienced by the first party. The difference -between the two performances cannot be ascribed to -superior climbing powers on the part of the second party, -for the simple reason that all the members of the first party -were skilled and proven mountaineers, while Geoffrey -Bruce and Lance-Corporal Tejbir, though at home in the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_257'>257</span>hills, had never before set foot on a snow and ice mountain. -No matter how strong and willing and gallant an inexperienced -climber may be, his lack of mountaineering -skill and knowledge inevitably results in that prodigality -of effort—much of it needless—which invariably and -quickly places him at a grave disadvantage when compared -with the trained mountaineer. The strength of a climbing -party is no greater than that of its weakest member. -Judged on this basis the second party was very weak -compared with the first, and the superior results obtained -by the former can only be ascribed to the fact that they -made use of an artificial supply of oxygen.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The contention, therefore, that the disadvantages of -its weight would more than counterbalance the advantages -of an artificial supply of oxygen, may be dismissed as -groundless, and the assumption may be made that on -any further attempt upon Everest oxygen will form a -most important part of the climber’s equipment. The -question next arises as to the exact stage in the proceedings -at which recourse should be made to the assistance of -oxygen. The strongest members of the Expedition felt -fit and well, and recuperated readily from fatigue, at -Camp III, 21,000 feet above sea-level, but at the North -Col this was no longer the case. Thus it would seem that -the upper level of true acclimatisation lies somewhere -between 21,000 and 23,000 feet. I would therefore advocate -commencing to use oxygen somewhere between these -two levels, preferably at the foot of the steep slopes leading -<span class='pageno' id='Page_258'>258</span>up to the North Col. The use of small quantities would -allow the climber to reach the Col without unduly tiring -himself. From the North Col to a high camp situated -at an altitude of about 26,500 feet, a slightly increased -quantity of oxygen would suffice to enable the climber to -progress almost as rapidly as he would in the much lower -levels of the Alps. We know from experience that a camp -at the above-mentioned altitude can be readily established, -and in all except the worst of weather conditions a party -can make its way down again. Between the camp and -the summit there would be a vertical height of only 2,500 -feet, and it is conceivable that with a full supply of oxygen -this distance could be covered in as little as four hours. -I am strongly of the opinion that only one camp should be -used between the North Col and the summit. No matter -what precautions are taken, man’s strength is rapidly -sapped during the stay at these great altitudes, and the plan -of campaign most likely to ensure success would appear -to be leisurely and comfortable progress as far as the -North Col, the establishment of a high camp at 26,500 feet, -and a final dash to the summit. This last part of the programme, -however, would not be feasible unless a small -dump of oxygen were made at a height of about 27,500 feet. -To do this it would be necessary for a specially detailed -party to spend one night at the high camp, and on the -following day employ their strength in making a dump -somewhere above the shoulder. This done, they would -then be able to return to the North Col with the satisfaction -<span class='pageno' id='Page_259'>259</span>of knowing that they had made it possible for the -actual climbing party to win through.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It is by no means yet certain which is the best line of -approach to the North Col. The route hitherto followed, -viâ the East Rongbuk Glacier, is tedious and roundabout, -but it has the advantage of being well sheltered from the -wind, and, except for the final steep slopes beneath the -col, safe under any conditions. Much more direct, however, -and probably less arduous, is the approach from over the -main Rongbuk Glacier. The line of ascent thence to the -summit of the col presents no real difficulty, and, provided -it is not found to be too exposed to the wind, is undoubtedly -much safer, even after heavy snowfalls, than -that previously followed. In the light of past experience -one can hardly hope to count on good weather as an ally; -adequate protection in the form of windproof clothing will -enable the climber to face all but actual snowstorms.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Climbing parties making the final assaults on the -summit should be small, consisting of two men and no -more. In the event of one man collapsing, his comrade, -if at all up to scratch, should be able to get him down in -safety. By so limiting the size of the parties, a number -of attacks, each one as strong as if effected by a large -and cumbersome team of, say, four, could be carried out. -Again, in the case of small parties as suggested, mutual -attention to each other’s oxygen outfit is possible and any -necessary repair or adjustment more expeditiously made.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The type of climber who should go farthest on Mount -<span class='pageno' id='Page_260'>260</span>Everest would appear to be similar to that which best -suits the Alps. Of the physical attributes necessary, the -following points, in addition to what is usually termed -perfect physical fitness, may be emphasised. In the -rarefied atmosphere of high altitudes the larger the vital -capacity the better. By the term “vital capacity” is -meant the maximum amount of air an individual is able -to expel from the lungs by voluntary effort after taking -the deepest possible inspiration. Compared with the -lean, spare type of individual, the thickset, often musclebound -man, though possibly equal to an immense effort -provided it is of short duration, is, as a rule, at a great -disadvantage. The Expedition has also shown beyond -all possible doubt that the tall man is less prone to become -fatigued than one of shorter stature. Again, as is well -known amongst mountaineers, the long-legged, short-trunk -type of body is immensely superior to the short-legged, -long-trunk type.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Perhaps more important than perfect physical fitness -to the would-be conqueror of Everest is the possession of -the correct mentality. Absolutely essential are singleness -of aim, namely, the attainment of the summit, and unswerving -faith in the possibility of its achievement. Half-heartedness -in even one member of the attacking party -spells almost certain failure. Many a strong party in the -Alps has failed to reach its objective through the depressing -effect of the presence of one doubting Thomas. Like an -insidious disease, a wavering, infirm belief is liable to spread -<span class='pageno' id='Page_261'>261</span>and cause the destruction of the hopes of those who come -into contact with it. The man who cannot face Mount -Everest without at the same time proclaiming that the -mountain has the odds in its favour would do better by -himself and others to leave the proposition severely alone. -Of almost equal importance is the possession of what -may be called mental energy or will power, or simply -“go.” Mountaineers may be divided into two classes -according to their behaviour when, tired and well-nigh -exhausted, they are called upon to make yet one more -supreme effort. There are those who, lacking the will -power necessary to force their jaded bodies on to still -further action, give in; others, possessed of an almost -inexhaustible fund of mental energy, will rise to the occasion, -not once, but time and again. Physical pain is the -safety valve which nature has provided to prevent harm -being done to the body by exhaustion. But nature’s -margin of safety is a wide one. On Everest, this margin -must be narrowed down, if necessary, to vanishing-point; -and this can only be done by the climber whose fund of -mental energy is sufficient to drive his body on and on, -no matter how intense the pains of exhaustion, even to -destruction if need be.</p> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_262'>262</span> - <h2 id='ch09' class='c004'>CHAPTER IX<br /> <br />NOTES ON EQUIPMENT</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>Our recent experiences having shown that the greatest -altitude at which acclimatisation takes place is about -22,000 feet above sea-level, it may be reasonably assumed -that, from the climber’s point of view, high altitude on -Mount Everest begins at that height. Incidentally, also, -on approaching the North Col over the East Rongbuk -Glacier, the snow and ice conditions met with up to this -level approximate very closely to summer conditions in -the Alps. Above 22,000 feet, however, such conditions, -particularly the state of the snow, resemble those met -with in the Alps in mid-winter. This high-altitude zone -may be further divided into two sub-zones—the first, -from 22,000 feet (the foot of the steep snow and ice slopes -leading up to the North Col) to 23,000 feet, in which -climatic conditions are by no means severe, as the North -Col affords protection from the prevailing west wind; and -the second, from 23,000 feet onwards, of which extreme -cold and strong wind are the predominant characteristics.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It is therefore evident that the climber must be -equipped according to the zone in which he finds himself. -In the first zone clothing somewhat warmer than that -<span class='pageno' id='Page_263'>263</span>used in the Alps in the summer is practically sufficient. -Owing to the marked intensity of the sun’s rays, however, -it is advisable to cover the trunk with at least one -layer of sunproof material, such as a sunproof shirt with -spine pad, while a solar topee and suitable snow-glasses -constitute the best form of headgear. Crookes’ glasses of -smoke-blue colour proved superior to other varieties; they -afford complete protection from glare and do not cause eye-strain -and subsequent headache. As sunburn, even very -superficial and involving only a small area, is invariably -followed by conditions of feverishness which must impair -one’s fitness, a veil should be worn over the face and gloves -on the hands. Oxygen should be employed from the -foot of the North Col slopes onwards, for no useful purpose -can be served by tiring oneself through not using it, when, -as we have seen elsewhere, full recovery from fatigue is -no longer possible at 23,000 feet. The second zone (from -23,000 feet onwards), where a radical change in climatic -conditions is manifest, demands more complicated preparation. -Wind is seldom absent, and the degree of intensity -of the cold is comparable with that met with at -the Poles, and indeed probably often exceeds it. Also, -owing to the rarefied state of the atmosphere, the cold -is felt much more severely than would be the case at sea-level. -A far greater volume of air is expelled from the -climber’s lungs, and this air, at blood heat and under a -low pressure approximating to one-third of an atmosphere, -is saturated with moisture drawn from the body viâ the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_264'>264</span>lungs. The result is a proportionately far greater loss of -animal heat. Further, the partial pressure of oxygen -contained in a normal atmosphere becomes so low at -altitudes over 23,000 feet that, unless the climber has -recourse to a supply of oxygen carried by himself, his -climbing efficiency is enormously reduced. The climbing -equipment of the mountaineer in this second zone of -high altitude should therefore include, firstly, a supply -of oxygen; secondly, warm and windproof clothing and -foot-gear; thirdly, plenty of food and drink, as the use of -oxygen has a most stimulating effect upon the appetite.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The oxygen equipment has already been fully described -by Mr. Unna in the <i>Alpine Journal</i>, vol. xxxiv., page 235. -The apparatus is, in principle, quite simple. It consists -of a frame carried on the shoulders of the climber, at -whose back, in a rack attached to the frame, are four steel -cylinders filled with oxygen compressed to 120 atmospheres. -From the cylinders the oxygen is taken by -means of copper tubes over to an instrument arm in front -of the climber. This instrument arm, also attached to -the frame, carries the pressure gauges and so forth which -indicate how much oxygen the climber is left and how -rapidly the supplies are being used up. Close to the -instrument arm and readily accessible are the valves -necessary for controlling the rate of flow of oxygen from -the apparatus. From the instrument arm the oxygen -passes through a flexible rubber tubing up to a mask -covering the face of the climber. The two types of mask -<span class='pageno' id='Page_265'>265</span>supplied to the Expedition proved useless, partly owing to -their stifling effect upon the wearer, and partly to the fact -that saliva and moisture collected rapidly under them and -froze. Both, therefore, had to be discarded, but fortunately -I was able to make a substitute which functioned successfully. -This mask consists of a rubber tube into which is let -a rubber bladder by means of a glass -<span class="sans">T</span>-piece, or by means -of two straight pieces of glass tube let in at opposite ends -of the bladder. One end of the rubber tube is fastened -to the tube of the apparatus out of which the oxygen -flows, the other end being held in the climber’s mouth. -On exhaling, the climber closes the rubber tube by biting -upon it, and the oxygen issuing from the apparatus, instead -of being wasted, is stored up in the rubber bladder. -On inhaling, the pressure of the teeth is released sufficiently -to allow the rubber tube to open, thus permitting the -oxygen stored up in the bladder to flow into the climber’s -mouth, whence, mixing with the air exhaled, it is drawn -into the lungs. The chief advantages of this mask are -that, firstly, it economises oxygen to the greatest possible -extent, and secondly, the swelling and the shrinking of the -bladder during each exhalation and inhalation respectively -give the climber a fair idea as to how rapidly the oxygen -is flowing from the apparatus, and thus enables him to -keep a check upon the readings of the flow-meter, or -instrument which indicates the rate of flow of gas. In -actual practice it was found that in the space of a few -minutes the climber used the mask quite automatically. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_266'>266</span>The biting upon and closing the rubber tube and subsequent -opening were performed without mental effort.</p> - -<p class='c010'>A certain amount of breathing takes place viâ the -pores of the skin. As, however, the best clothing for a -climber on Mount Everest is windproof, there is a likelihood -of the air surrounding the body becoming stale, in -which case the process of skin-breathing is seriously impeded. -This difficulty could be easily surmounted by -flushing out the stale air by means of a tube inserted -inside the climber’s clothes, the flushing-out process being -done at intervals by temporarily fixing this tube to the -orifice of the oxygen apparatus. It is not known definitely -whether the advantage gained would be worth the -trouble, but there is every reason for believing so. In -any case it is a matter which might well be critically -tested on the next Expedition.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Cigarette-smoking proved of great value at high altitudes. -Geoffrey Bruce, Tejbir, and I, after pitching camp -at 25,500 feet, settled down inside our little tent about -2.30 in the afternoon. From then until seven o’clock -the following evening we used no oxygen at all. At first -we noticed that unless one kept one’s mind on the question -of breathing—that is, made breathing a voluntary -process instead of the involuntary process it ordinarily -is—one suffered from lack of air and a consequent feeling -of suffocation—a feeling from which one recovered by -voluntarily forcing the lungs to work faster than they would -of their own accord. There is a physiological explanation -<span class='pageno' id='Page_267'>267</span>for this phenomenon. At normal altitudes human blood -holds in solution a considerable quantity of carbon dioxide, -which serves to stimulate the nerve centre controlling -one’s involuntary breathing. At great altitudes, however, -where, in order to obtain a sufficiency of oxygen, the -climber is forced to breathe enormous volumes of air, -much of this carbon dioxide is washed out of the blood, -and the nerve centre, no longer sufficiently stimulated, -fails to promote an adequately active involuntary breathing. -A voluntary process must be substituted, and this -throws a considerable strain upon the mind, and renders -sleep impossible. On smoking cigarettes we discovered -after the first few inhalations it was no longer necessary -to concentrate on breathing, the process becoming once -more an involuntary one. Evidently some constituent of -cigarette smoke takes the place and performs the stimulating -function of the carbon dioxide normally present. -The effect of a cigarette lasted for about three hours. -Clothing is a most important matter. It would be difficult -to exaggerate the intensity of the cold encountered at -high altitudes on Mount Everest. Several layers—the -innermost of which should be of silk, the others wool of -moderate weight—form a much better protection against -cold than one or two heavy layers. The chief item of -clothing, however, should consist of a jumper and trousers -made of windproof material. Two of these windproof -suits should be worn one above the other, and every precaution -taken to reduce the circulation of the air to the -<span class='pageno' id='Page_268'>268</span>smallest possible extent. The hands must be protected -in accordance with the same principles, and the head. -I used a R.N.A.S. pattern flying helmet and found it -most satisfactory. Helmet and snow-glasses should completely -cover the head and face, leaving no skin exposed. -Boots were a source of trouble to all, but fortunately we -had so many different designs which we could test out -thoroughly that we are now able to form a very shrewd -idea as to which kind is the most suitable. Leather conducts -heat too well for reliance to be placed upon it for -the preservation of warmth. The uppers of the boots -should be of felt, strengthened where necessary to prevent -stretching, by leather straps covered by duroprened -canvas. Toe and heel caps must be hard and strong, -and the former especially should be high, so that the toes -are given plenty of room. The sole of the boot should -be composed of a layer of thin leather attached to a layer -of three-ply wood, hinged in two sections at the instep. -A thin layer of felt should form the inside of the sole. -The boots should be large enough to accommodate in -comfort two pairs of thick socks, or, even better still, -two pairs of thin socks and one pair of thick socks. Nails -used in the boots should penetrate through the leather -into the three-ply wood, but not through the latter.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In conclusion, I should like to thank the Governing -Body of the Imperial College of Science and Technology -for granting me the necessary leave to enable me to take -part in the 1922 Mount Everest Expedition, and also for -<span class='pageno' id='Page_269'>269</span>granting me facilities for carrying out a considerable -number of investigations in the laboratory of the Department -of Chemical Technology upon questions relating, -amongst others, to oxygen equipment, fuels, and vacuum -flasks. These last were required in order to enable us to -keep foods liquid at heights over 23,000 feet, and the -flasks obtained on the market proved quite useless for -this purpose in view of the fact that they had not been -sufficiently well evacuated.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_270'>270</span><span class='xxlarge'>THE THIRD ATTEMPT</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xlarge'>By</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>GEORGE LEIGH-MALLORY</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_273'>273</span> - <h2 id='ch10' class='c004'>CHAPTER X<br /> <br />THE THIRD ATTEMPT</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>The project of making a third attempt this season was -mooted immediately on the return of Finch and Geoffrey -Bruce to the Base Camp. There in hours of idleness we -had discussed their prospects and wondered what they -would be doing as we gazed at the mountain to make out -the weather on the great ridge. We were not surprised -to learn when they came down that the summit was still -unconquered, and we were not yet prepared to accept -defeat. The difficulty was to find a party. Of the six -who had been already engaged only one was obviously -fit for another great effort. Somervell had shown a recuperative -capacity beyond the rest of us. After one day at -the Base he had insisted on going up again to Camp III in -case he might be of use to the others. The rest were more -or less knocked out. Morshead’s frostbitten fingers and -toes, from which he was now suffering constant pain, -caused grave anxiety of most serious consequences, and the -only plan for him was to go down to a lower elevation as -soon as possible. Norton’s feet had also been affected; -he complained at first only of bruises, but the cold had -come through the soles of his boots; his trouble too was -<span class='pageno' id='Page_274'>274</span>frostbite. In any case he could not have come up again, -for the strain had told on his heart and he now found -himself left without energy or strength.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Geoffrey Bruce’s feet also were so badly frostbitten that -he could not walk. Finch, however, was not yet to be -counted out. He was evidently very much exhausted, -but an examination of his heart revealed no disorder; it -was hoped that in five or six days he would be able to start -again. My own case was doubtful. Of my frostbitten -finger-tips only one was giving trouble; the extremity above -the first joint was black, but the injury was not very deep. -Longstaff, who took an interest which we all appreciated -in preventing us from doing ourselves permanent injury, -pointed out the probability that fingers already touched -and highly susceptible to cold would be much more -severely injured next time, and was inclined to turn me -down, from his medical point of view, on account of my -fingers alone. A much more serious matter was the condition -of my heart. I felt weak and lazy when it was a -question of the least physical exertion, and the heart was -found to have a “thrill.” Though I was prepared to -take risks with my fingers I was prepared to take none -with my heart, even had General Bruce allowed me. -However, I did not abandon hope. My heart was -examined again on June 3, no thrill was heard, and -though my pulse was rapid and accelerated quickly with -exertion it was capable of satisfactory recovery. We at -once arranged that Somervell, Finch, and I, together -<span class='pageno' id='Page_275'>275</span>with Wakefield and Crawford, should set forth the same -day.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was already evident that whatever we were to do -would now have to wait for the weather. Though the -Lama at the Rongbuk Monastery had told us that the -monsoon was usually to be expected about June 10, and -we knew that it was late last year, the signs of its -approach were gathering every day. Mount Everest -could rarely be seen after 9 or 10 a.m. until the clouds -cleared away in the evening; and a storm approaching -from the West Rongbuk Glacier would generally sweep -down the valley in the afternoon. Though we came to -despise this blustering phenomenon,—for nothing worse -came of it than light hail or snow, either at our camp or -higher,—we should want much fairer days for climbing, -and each storm threatened to be the beginning of something -far more serious. However, we planned to be on -the spot to take any chance that offered. The signs were -even more ominous than usual as Finch and I walked up -to Camp I on the afternoon of June 3; we could hardly -feel optimistic; and it was soon apparent that, far from -having recovered his strength, my companion was quite -unfit for another big expedition. We walked slowly and -frequently halted; it was painful to see what efforts it -cost him to make any progress. However, he persisted -in coming on.</p> - -<p class='c010'>We had not long disposed ourselves comfortably within -the four square walls of our “sangar,” always a pleasant -<span class='pageno' id='Page_276'>276</span>change from the sloping sides of a tent, when snow began -to fall. Released at last by the West wind which had -held it back, the monsoon was free to work its will, and -we soon understood that the great change of weather had -now come. Fine, glistening particles were driven by the -wind through the chinks in our walls, to be drifted on the -floor or on our coverings where we lay during the night; -and as morning grew the snow still fell as thickly as ever. -Finch wisely decided to go back, and we charged him -with a message to General Bruce, saying that we saw no -reason at present to alter our plans. With the whole day -to spend confined and inactive we had plenty of time to -consider what we ought to do under these conditions. -We went over well-worn arguments once more. It would -have been an obvious and easy course, for which no one -could reproach us, to have said simply, The monsoon -has come; this is the end of the climbing season; it is -time to go home. But the case, we felt, was not yet -hopeless. The monsoon is too variable and uncertain to -be so easily admitted as the final arbiter. There might -yet be good prospects ahead of us. It was not unreasonable -to expect an interval of fine weather after the first -heavy snow, and with eight or ten fair days a third attempt -might still be made. In any case, to retire now if -the smallest chance remained to us would be an unworthy -end to the Expedition. We need not run our heads into -obvious danger; but rather than be stopped by a general -estimate of conditions we would prefer to retire before -<span class='pageno' id='Page_277'>277</span>some definite risk that we were not prepared to take -or simply fail to overcome the difficulties.</p> - -<p class='c010'>After a second night of unremitting snowfall the -weather on the morning of June 5 improved and we -decided to go on. Low and heavy clouds were still flowing -down the East Rongbuk Glacier, but precipitation -ceased at an early hour and the sky brightened to the -West. It was surprising, after all we had seen of the -flakes passing our door, that no great amount of snow was -lying on the stones about our camp. But the snow had -come on a warm current and melted or evaporated, so -that after all the depth was no more than 6 inches at -this elevation (17,500 feet). Even on the glacier we went -up a long way before noticing a perceptible increase -of depth. We passed Camp II, not requiring to halt -at this stage, and were well up towards Camp III before -the fresh snow became a serious impediment. It was still -snowing up here, though not very heavily; there was -nothing to cheer the grey scene; the clinging snow about -our feet was so wet that even the best of our boots -were soaked through, and the last two hours up to Camp -III were tiresome enough. Nor was it a cheering camp -when we reached it. The tents had been struck for the -safety of the poles, but not packed up. We found them -now half-full of snow and ice. The stores were all buried; -everything that we wanted had first to be dug out.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The snow up here was so much deeper that we -anxiously discussed the possibility of going further. With -<span class='pageno' id='Page_278'>278</span>15 to 18 inches of snow to contend with, not counting -drifts, the labour would be excessive, and until the snow -solidified there would be considerable danger at several -points. But the next morning broke fine; we had soon -a clear sky and glorious sunshine; it was the warmest -day that any of us remembered at Camp III; and as -we watched the amazing rapidity with which the snow -solidified and the rocks began to appear about our camp, -our spirits rose. The side of Everest facing us looked -white and cold; but we observed a cloud of snow blown -from the North Ridge; it would not be long at this rate -before it was fit to climb. We had already resolved -to use oxygen on the third attempt. It was improbable -that we should beat our own record without it, for the -strain of previous efforts would count against us, and we -had not the time to improve on our organisation by -putting a second camp above the North Col. Somervell, -after Finch’s explanation of the mechanical details, felt -perfectly confident that he could manage the oxygen -apparatus, and all those who had used oxygen were convinced -that they went up more easily with its help than they -could expect to go without it. Somervell and I intended to -profit by their experience. They had discovered that the -increased combustion in the body required a larger supply -of food; we must arrange for a bountiful provision. Their -camp at 25,000 feet had been too low; we would try to -establish one now, as we had intended before, at 26,000 feet. -And we hoped for a further advantage in going higher than -<span class='pageno' id='Page_279'>279</span>Finch and Bruce had done before using oxygen; whereas -they had started using it at 21,000 feet, we intended to go -up to our old camp at 25,000 feet without it, perhaps use -a cylinder each up to 26,000 feet, and at all events start -from that height for the summit with a full supply of -four cylinders. If this was not the correct policy -as laid down by Professor Dryer, it would at least be a -valuable experiment.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Our chief anxiety under these new conditions was to -provide for the safety of our porters. We hoped that -after fixing our fifth camp at 26,000 feet, at the earliest -three days, hence on the fourth day of fine weather, the -porters might be able to go down by themselves to the -North Col in easy conditions; to guard against the -danger of concealed crevasses there Crawford would -meet them at the foot of the North Ridge to conduct them -properly roped to Camp IV. As the supply officer at -this camp he would also be able to superintend the descent -over the first steep slope of certain porters who would -go down from Camp IV without sleeping after carrying up -their loads.</p> - -<p class='c010'>But the North Col had first to be reached. With so -much new snow to contend with we should hardly get -there in one day. If we were to make the most of our -chance in the interval of fair weather, we should lose no -time in carrying up the loads for some part of the distance. -It was decided therefore to begin this work on the following -day, June 7.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_280'>280</span>In the ascent to the North Col after the recent snowfall -we considered that an avalanche was to be feared only in -one place, the steep final slope below the shelf. There we -could afford to run no risk; we must test the snow and be -certain that it was safe before we could cross this slope. -Probably we should be obliged to leave our loads below it, -having gained, as a result of our day’s work, the great advantage -of a track. An avalanche might also come down, we -thought, on the first steep slope where the ascent began. -Here it could do us no harm, and the behaviour of the -snow on this slope would be a test of its condition.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The party, Somervell, Crawford, and I, with fourteen -porters (Wakefield was to be supply officer at Camp III), -set out at 8 a.m. In spite of the hard frost of the previous -night, the crust was far from bearing our weight; we sank -up to our knees in almost every step, and two hours were -taken in traversing the snowfield. At 10.15 a.m., Somervell, -I, a porter, and Crawford, roped up in that order, began to -work up the steep ice-slope, now covered with snow. It was -clear that the three of us without loads must take the lead -in turns stamping out the track for our porters. These men, -after their immense efforts on the first and second attempts, -had all volunteered to “go high,” as they said once more, -and everything must be done to ease the terrible work of -carrying the loads over the soft snow. No trace was found -of our previous tracks, and we were soon arguing as to -where exactly they might be as we slanted across the slope. -It was remarkable that the snow adhered so well to the ice -<span class='pageno' id='Page_281'>281</span>that we were able to get up without cutting steps. Everything -was done by trenching the snow to induce it to come -down if it would; every test gave a satisfactory result. -Once this crucial place was passed, we plodded on without -hesitation. If the snow would not come down where we -had formerly encountered steep bare ice, a fortiori, above, -on the gentler slopes, we had nothing to fear. The thought -of an avalanche was dismissed from our minds.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It was necessarily slow work forging our way through the -deep snow, but the party was going extraordinarily well, and -the porters were evidently determined to get on. Somervell -gave us a long lead, and Crawford next, in spite of the -handicap of shorter legs, struggled upwards in some of the -worst snow we met until I relieved him. I found the effort -at each step so great that no method of breathing I had -formerly employed was adequate; it was necessary to pause -after each lifting movement for a whole series of breaths, -rapid at first and gradually slower, before the weight was -transferred again to the other foot. About 1.30 p.m. I -halted, and the porters, following on three separate ropes, -soon came up with the leading party. We should have been -glad to stay where we were for a long rest. But the hour -was already late, and as Somervell was ready to take the -lead again, we decided to push on. We were now about -400 feet below a conspicuous block of ice and 600 feet below -Camp IV, still on the gentle slopes of the corridor. Somervell -had advanced only 100 feet, rather up the slope than across -it, and the last party of porters had barely begun to move up -<span class='pageno' id='Page_282'>282</span>in the steps. The scene was peculiarly bright and windless, -and as we rarely spoke, nothing was to be heard but the -laboured panting of our lungs. This stillness was suddenly -disturbed. We were startled by an ominous sound, sharp, -arresting, violent, and yet somehow soft like an explosion of -untamped gunpowder. I had never before on a mountain-side -heard such a sound; but all of us, I imagine, knew -instinctively what it meant, as though we had been accustomed -to hear it every day of our lives. In a moment I -observed the surface of the snow broken and puckered -where it had been even for a few yards to the right of me. -I took two steps convulsively in this direction with some -quick thought of getting nearer to the edge of the danger -that threatened us. And then I began to move slowly -downwards, inevitably carried on the whole moving surface -by a force I was utterly powerless to resist. Somehow I -managed to turn out from the slope so as to avoid being -pushed headlong and backwards down it. For a second or -two I seemed hardly to be in danger as I went quietly -sliding down with the snow. Then the rope at my waist -tightened and held me back. A wave of snow came over me -and I was buried. I supposed that the matter was settled. -However, I called to mind experiences related by other -parties; and it had been suggested that the best chance of -escape in this situation lay in swimming. I thrust out my -arms above my head and actually went through some sort -of motions of swimming on my back. Beneath the surface -of the snow, with nothing to inform the senses of the world -<span class='pageno' id='Page_283'>283</span>outside it, I had no impression of speed after the first -acceleration—I struggled in the tumbling snow, unconscious -of everything else—until, perhaps, only a few seconds later, -I knew the pace was easing up. I felt an increasing pressure -about my body. I wondered how tightly I should be -squeezed, and then the avalanche came to rest.</p> - -<p class='c010'>My arms were free; my legs were near the surface. After -a brief struggle, I was standing again, surprised and breathless, -in the motionless snow. But the rope was tight at my -waist; the porter tied on next me, I supposed, must be -deeply buried. To my further surprise, he quickly emerged, -unharmed as myself. Somervell and Crawford too, though -they had been above me by the rope’s length, were now quite -close, and soon extricated themselves. We subsequently -made out that their experiences had been very similar to -mine. But where were the rest? Looking down over the -foam of snow, we saw one group of porters some little distance, -perhaps 150 feet, below us. Presumably the others -must be buried somewhere between us and them, and -though no sign of these missing men appeared, we at once -prepared to find and dig them out. The porters we saw -still stood their ground instead of coming up to help. We -soon made out that they were the party who had been -immediately behind us, and they were pointing below them. -They had travelled further than us in the avalanche, presumably -because they were nearer the centre, where it was -moving more rapidly. The other two parties, one of four -and one of five men roped together, must have been carried -<span class='pageno' id='Page_284'>284</span>even further. We could still hope that they were safe. -But as we hurried down we soon saw that beneath the -place where the four porters were standing was a formidable -drop; it was only too plain that the missing men had been -swept over it. We had no difficulty in finding a way round -this obstacle; in a very short time we were standing under -its shadow. The ice-cliff was from 40 to 60 feet high -in different places; the crevasse at its foot was more or -less filled up with avalanche snow. Our fears were soon -confirmed. One man was quickly uncovered and found to -be still breathing; before long we were certain that he -would live. Another whom we dug out near him had been -killed by the fall. He and his party appeared to have struck -the hard lower lip of the crevasse, and were lying under the -snow on or near the edge of it. The four porters who had -escaped soon pulled themselves together after the first -shock of the accident, and now worked here with Crawford -and did everything they could to extricate the other bodies, -while Somervell and I went down into the crevasse. A -loop of rope which we pulled up convinced us that the other -party must be here. It was slow work loosening the snow -with the pick or adze of an ice-axe and shovelling it with -the hands. But we were able to follow the rope to the -bodies. One was dug up lifeless; another was found upside -down, and when we uncovered his face Somervell thought -he was still breathing. We had the greatest difficulty in -extricating this man, so tightly was the snow packed about -his limbs; his load, four oxygen cylinders on a steel frame, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_285'>285</span>had to be cut from his back, and eventually he was dragged -out. Though buried for about forty minutes, he had survived -the fall and the suffocation, and suffered no serious -harm. Of the two others in this party of four, we found -only one. We had at length to give up a hopeless search -with the certain knowledge that the first of them to be -swept over the cliff, and the most deeply buried, must long -ago be dead. Of the other five, all the bodies were recovered, -but only one was alive. The two who had so marvellously -escaped were able to walk down to Camp III, and were -almost perfectly well next day. The other seven were -killed.</p> - -<p class='c010'>This tragic calamity was naturally the end of the third -attempt to climb Mount Everest. The surviving porters who -had lost their friends or brothers behaved with dignity, -making no noisy parade of the grief they felt. We asked -them whether they wished to go up and bring down the -bodies for orderly burial. They preferred to leave them -where they were. For my part, I was glad of this decision. -What better burial could they have than to lie in the snow -where they fell? In their honour a large cairn was built -at Camp III.</p> - -<p class='c010'>A few words must be added with regard to this accident. -No one will imagine that we had pushed on recklessly -disregarding the new conditions of fresh snow. Three -members of the Alpine Club, with experience of judging -snow for themselves, chiefly, of course, in the Alps, had -all supposed that the party was safe. They had imagined -<span class='pageno' id='Page_286'>286</span>that on those gentle slopes the snow would not move. -In what way had they been deceived? The fact that the -avalanche snow came to rest on the slope where they were -proves that their calculation was not so very far wrong. -But the snow cannot all have been of the quality that -adhered so well to the steep ice-slope lower down. Where -the avalanche started, not from the line of their steps, but -about 100 feet higher, it was shaded to some extent by a -broken wall of ice. There, perhaps, it had both drifted more -deeply and remained more free and powdery, and the weight -of this snow was probably sufficient to push the other down -the slope once its surface had been disturbed. More experience, -more knowledge might perhaps have warned us not -to go there. One never can know enough about snow. But -looking up the corridor again after the event, I wondered -how I ever could be certain not to be deceived by appearances -so innocent.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The regret of all members of the Expedition for the -loss of our seven porters will have been elsewhere expressed. -It is my part only to add this: the work of carrying up our -camps on Mount Everest is beyond the range of a simple -contract measured in terms of money; the porters had -come to have a share in our enterprise, and these men -died in an act of voluntary service freely rendered and -faithfully performed.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_287'>287</span> - <h2 id='ch11' class='c004'>CHAPTER XI<br /> <br />CONCLUSIONS</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>It might be supposed that, from the experience of two -expeditions to Mount Everest, it would be possible to deduce -an estimate of the dangers and difficulties involved and to -formulate a plan for overcoming the obstacles which would -meet with universal approval among mountaineers. But, -in fact, though many deductions could hardly be denied, I -should be surprised to find, even among us of the second -party, anything like complete agreement either in our -judgment of events or in our ideas for the future. Accordingly, -I must be understood as expressing only my personal -opinions. The reader, no doubt, will judge the book more -interesting if he finds the joint authors disagreeing among -themselves.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The story of the first attempt to climb the mountain in -1922 will have no doubts on one point. The final camp -was too low. However strong a party may be brought to -the assault, their aim, unless they are provided with oxygen, -must be to establish a camp considerably higher than our -camp at 25,000 feet. The whole performance of the porters -encourages us to believe that this can be done. Some of -them went to a height of 25,000 feet and more, not once only, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_288'>288</span>but thrice; and they accomplished this feat with strength -to spare. It is reasonable to suppose that these same men, -or others of their type, could carry loads up to 27,000 feet. -But it would be equally unreasonable to suppose that they -could reach this height in one day from the camp on Chang -La at 23,000 feet. No one would be so foolish as to organise -an attempt on this assumption. Two camps instead of one -must be placed above the Chang La; another stage must be -added to the structure before the climbing party sets forth -to reach the summit.</p> - -<p class='c010'>But how exactly is this to be done? It is to this question -that one would wish to deduce an answer from the -experience of 1922. It is very unlikely that any future -party will find itself in the position to carry out any ideal -plan of organisation. Ideally, they ought to start by considering -what previous performances might help or hinder -the aim of bringing the party of attack in the fittest possible -condition to the last camp. What ought they to have done -or not to have done, having regard to acclimatisation? It -is still impossible to lay down the law on this head. After the -first Expedition, I supposed that the limit of acclimatisation -must be somewhere about 21,000 feet. It now seems probable -that it is higher. One of the physiologists who has been -most deeply concerned with this problem of acclimatisation -considers that it would probably be desirable, from the -physiological point of view, to stay four or five days at -25,000 feet before proceeding to attempt the two last stages -on consecutive days. Those of us who slept at Camp V for -<span class='pageno' id='Page_289'>289</span>the first attempt would certainly be agreed in our attitude -towards this counsel. The desire to continue the advance -and spend another night at a higher elevation, if it persisted -at all for so long a time at 25,000 feet, would be chilled -to tepidity, and the increasing desire to get away from -Camp V might lead to retreat instead of advance. The -conditions must be altogether more comfortable if the -climbers are to derive any advantage from their rustication -at this altitude. It would not be impossible, perhaps, if -every effort were concentrated on this end, to make a happy -home where the aspiring mountaineers might pass a long -week-end in enjoyment of the simplest life at 25,000 feet; -it would not be practicable, having regard to other ends to -be served by the system of transport. But it might be well -to spend a similar period for acclimatisation 2,000 feet lower -on the Chang La. There a very comfortable camp, with -perfect shelter from the prevailing wind and good snow to -lie on, can easily be established. Noel actually spent three -successive nights there in 1922, and apparently was the -better rather than the worse for the experience.</p> - -<p class='c010'>No less important in this connection is the effect of -exertions at high altitudes on a man’s subsequent performance. -We have to take into account the condition of the -climbing parties when they returned to the Base Camp after -reaching approximately 27,000 feet. With one exception, -all the climbers were affected in various degrees by their -exertions, to the prejudice of future efforts. It would seem, -therefore, that they cannot have had much strength to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_290'>290</span>spare for the final stage to the summit. But there was a -general agreement among the climbers that it was not so -much the normal exertion of climbing upwards that was -in itself unduly exhausting, but the addition of anything -that might be considered abnormal, such as cutting steps, -contending with wind, pushing on for a particular reason at a -faster pace, and the many little things that had to be done -in camp. It is difficult from a normal elevation to appreciate -how great is the difference between establishing a camp -on the one hand and merely ascending to one already established -on the other. If ever it proves possible to organise -an advanced party whose business it would be to establish -at 25,000 feet a much more comfortable camp than ours in -1922, and if, in addition, a man could be spared to undertake -the preparation of meals, the climbers detailed for the -highest section of all would both be spared a considerable -fatigue and would have a better chance of real rest and -sleep.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The peculiar dangers of climbing at great altitudes were -illustrated by the experience of 1922. The difficulty of -maintaining the standard of sound and accurate mountaineering -among a party all more or less affected by the conditions, -and the delays and misfortunes that may arise from -the exhaustion of one of the party, are dangers which might -be minimised by a supporting party. Two men remaining -at the final camp and two men near Camp V watching the -progress of the unit of assault along the final ridge, and -prepared to come to their assistance, might serve to produce -<span class='pageno' id='Page_291'>291</span>vital stimulants, hot tea or merely water, at the critical -moment, and to protect the descent. It is a counsel of perfection -to suggest providing against contingencies on this -lavish scale; but it is well to bear in mind the ideal. And -there is, besides, a precaution which surely can and will -be taken: to take a supply of oxygen for restorative purposes. -The value of oxygen for restoring exhausted and -warming cold men was sufficiently well illustrated during the -second attempt in 1922.</p> - -<div id='i290' class='figcenter id014'> -<img src='images/i290.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Chang La and North-east Shoulder of Mount Everest</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>The question as to whether the use of oxygen will otherwise -help or hinder climbers is one about which opinions -may be expected to disagree. Anyone who thinks that it -is impossible to get up without oxygen can claim that -nothing has shown it to be impossible to get up with its -aid. For my part, I don’t think it impossible to get up -without oxygen. The difference of atmospheric pressure -between 27,000 feet and the summit is small, and it is safe -to conclude that men who have exerted themselves at -27,000 feet could live without difficulty for a number of -hours on the summit. As to whether their power of progress -would give out before reaching 29,000 feet, it is impossible -to dogmatise. I can only say that nothing in the experience -of the first attempt has led me to suppose that those last -2,000 feet cannot be climbed in a day. I am not competent -to sift and weigh all the evidence as to whether, how much, -and with what consumption of gas it was easier to proceed -up the slopes of Mount Everest with oxygen so far as Finch -and Bruce went on that memorable day. But I do venture -<span class='pageno' id='Page_292'>292</span>to combat the suggestion that it is necessarily easier to -reach the top in that manner. I think no one will dispute -the statement that the final camp for the second attempt -was too low, as it had been for the first, to enable the oxygen -party to reach the summit. With the same apparatus it -will be necessary in this case also to provide a second camp -above the North Col. And the question for the moment -will ultimately be, is it possible to add to that immense -burden of transport to 27,000 feet the weight of the oxygen -cylinders required?</p> - -<p class='c010'>The weather in all probability will have something to -say to this problem. The Expedition of 1922 was certainly -not favoured by the weather. There was no continuous -spell of calm fine days, and the summer snows began a week -earlier than the most usual date. One wonders what sort -of weather is to be expected with the most favourable -conditions on Mount Everest. It is conceivable that a -series of calm fine days sometimes precede the monsoon. -But when we consider the perpetual winds of Tibet at all -seasons, it seems unlikely that Mount Everest is often -immune from this abominable visitation. It is far more -likely that the calm day is a rare exception, and only to be -expected when the north-westerly current is neutralised by -the monsoon from the South-east. The ill-luck of 1922 may -probably be computed as no more than those seven days by -which the monsoon preceded expectation. With so short -a time for preparations and advance, we were indeed unfortunate -in meeting an early monsoon. And it is hardly -<span class='pageno' id='Page_293'>293</span>possible considerably to extend the available time by -starting earlier. There was only the barest trickle of water -at the Base Camp on May 1, 1922, and the complications involved -by the necessity of melting snow for water, both here -and at all higher stages, for any considerable time, would -be a severe handicap. But it must be remembered that -the second attempt was made a week before the monsoon -broke. Time appeared short on the mountain chiefly from -the threat of bad weather and the signs showing that the -majority of days were, to say the least, extremely disagreeable -for climbing high on the mountain. If others are -confronted by similar conditions, they too will probably feel -that each fine day must be utilised and the attack must be -pressed on; for the fine days past will not come back, and -ahead is the uncertain monsoon.</p> - -<p class='c010'>A final question may now be asked: What advantages -will another Expedition have which we did not have in -1922? In one small and in one large matter the next -Expedition may be better equipped. It was disappointing, -after so much time and thought had been expended upon -the problem of foot-gear, that nothing was evolved in 1922 -which succeeded in taking the place of Alpine boots of well-known -patterns. The great disadvantage of these sorts of -boot is that one cannot wear crampons with them at these -high altitudes, for the strap bound tightly round the foot -will almost certainly cause frostbite; either different boots -or different spikes must be invented if the climbers are to -have crampons or their equivalent. It is essential that they -<span class='pageno' id='Page_294'>294</span>should be so equipped to avoid the labour of step-cutting, -and the lack of this equipment might well rob them of -victory on the steep final slopes below the summit. This -matter of foot-gear is not so very small, after all. But a still -more important one is the oxygen apparatus. It is conceivable, -and I believe by no means unlikely, that a different -type of cylinder may be used in the future, and capable of -containing more oxygen, compared with the same weight, -than those of 1922. A 50 per cent. improvement in this -direction should alter the whole problem of using oxygen. -With this advantage it might well be possible to go to the -top and back with the four cylinders which a man may be -expected to carry from a height of 25,000 feet or little -higher. If a second camp above the North Col becomes -unnecessary in this way, the whole effort required, and -especially the effort of transport, will be reduced to the scale -of what has already been accomplished, and can no doubt -be accomplished again.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The further advantage of a future Expedition is simply -that of experience. It amounts to something, one cannot -say how much. In small ways a number of mistakes may -be avoided. The provision of this and that may be more -accurately calculated according to tried values. The whole -organisation of life in high camps should be rather more -efficient. Beyond all this, the experience of 1922 should -help when the moment comes towards the making of a right -plan; and a party which chooses rightly what to do and -when to do it, and can so exclude other possibilities as to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_295'>295</span>be certain that no better way could be chosen, has a great -advantage. But, when all is said as to experience and -equipment, it still remains true that success requires a -quality. History repeats itself, perhaps, but in a vague and -general fashion only where mountains are concerned. The -problem of reaching the summit is every time a fresh one. -The keen eye for a fair opportunity and resource in grave -emergencies are no less necessary to the mountaineer everywhere, -and not least upon Mount Everest, than determination -to carry through the high project, the simple will to -conquer in the struggle.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_296'>296</span><span class='xxlarge'>NOTES</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xlarge'>By</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>T. HOWARD SOMERVELL</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='large'>on</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xxlarge'>ACCLIMATISATION AT HIGH</span></div> - <div><span class='xxlarge'>ALTITUDES</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xxlarge'>COLOUR IN TIBET</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xxlarge'>TIBETAN CULTURE</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_299'>299</span> - <h2 id='ch12' class='c004'>CHAPTER XII<br /> <br />ACCLIMATISATION AT HIGH ALTITUDES</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>The Everest Expedition of 1922 had no preconceived -programme of scientific investigation, and was first and -foremost an attempt to get up the mountain; though, -as I had been connected with physiological research for some -years, I was naturally anxious to make observations on -the effect of altitude on the human frame. These observations -were rather subjective, and were unaccompanied -by any accurate data—in other words, the reader will be -relieved to hear that there are no tables of figures to be -reproduced. Barcroft and others were in the course of -their Expedition to the Andes, and I knew full well their -results would supply more accurate information on the -exact process of acclimatisation at high altitudes than -anything we could do with our simpler apparatus. We -left it to this other Expedition, therefore, to supply the -figures, while our observations were exclusively on the -practical side; that is to say, we observed the rapidity -and effect of acclimatisation, while not investigating -exactly how it is brought about.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The first effect of altitude, in such moderate degree -as we encountered it on the plains of Tibet, was almost -<span class='pageno' id='Page_300'>300</span>entirely a mere breathlessness, which limited our rate of -walking, and increased the popularity of our uncomfortable -Tibetan saddles when travelling uphill. A few of -us had severe headaches from time to time; at the modest -height of 17,000 feet I noticed Cheyne-Stokes respiration -at night when lying down, though never when sitting or -standing; and I remember being distinctly amused at -the fact that one was unable to control it.<a id='r7' /><a href='#f7' class='c011'><sup>[7]</sup></a> A few of the -party had a single attack of vomiting, but no permanent -effect was noticed, and by the time we had lived on the -Tibetan Plateau for a few weeks we had lost all ill effects -save only breathlessness, which, of course, persisted to -some extent until we reached comparatively low elevations. -Further effect at these heights was not noticed save in -the case of some of the older members of the party, who -suffered from a considerable loss of appetite while at the -Base Camp at 16,000 feet; this effect on appetite did -not improve as time went on.</p> - -<div class='footnote c012' id='f7'> -<p class='c013'><span class='label'><a href='#r7'>7</a>. </span>For the benefit of the non-medical reader, Cheyne-Stokes breathing -is the gradual alternation of shallow and deep respirations: usually -about ten shallow breaths are followed by respirations which get gradually -deeper; then by three or four really deep ones, which become -shallower until the cycle recommences.</p> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>It was when we began the more serious work on the -mountain that we made the most interesting observations -on acclimatisation, and proved both its rapidity (which -was known before) and its persistence to great heights. -Scientists of various schools had, before the start of the -Expedition, predicted that acclimatisation would be impossible -<span class='pageno' id='Page_301'>301</span>above the height of 20,000 feet. Why they had -done so will always remain a mystery to me; but possibly -they were misled by the fact that so many climbing expeditions -in the past have failed somewhere in the region -of 23,000 feet above sea-level. We were enabled, however, -to prove conclusively that acclimatisation does go on to -greater heights; in fact, I do not see a theoretical limit -to it at any elevation below the top of Mount Everest. -Our observations were largely subjective, but for that -reason they are perhaps all the more to be appreciated -by the general reader; and in view of their subjective -nature I may perhaps be pardoned in substituting “feelings” -for figures and putting information in the form of -a personal experience.</p> - -<p class='c010'>When Mallory and I arrived at Camp III and established -it on the site chosen by the reconnaissance party, our -first concern was the preparation of another camp at the -North Col. I shall never forget our first ascent up that -accursed slope of snow and ice, each step a hardship, -every foot a fight; until at last we lay almost exhausted -on the top. After a day or two at Camp III below, we -went up again to the col, this time with Strutt and Morshead, -and I think Norton. The ascent of the col this time -was hard work, but not more than that; and after the col -had been reached Morshead and I were sufficiently cheerful -to explore the way leading up to Everest. A day or two -later we again ascended the North Col, and never really -noticed more discomfort than was occasioned by breathlessness. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_302'>302</span>Though not possessing the scientific data which -explained this change in our condition, yet in those few -days of life at 21,000 feet we had become acclimatised to -our altitude to a very remarkable degree; what had previously -been a hard struggle had now become a comparatively -easy job. By this rapid change in our constitution -we had not only proved the predictions of scientists -to be wrong, but had gained the physical power which -took us without artificial oxygen supply to 27,000 feet, -and we had determined that acclimatisation is not only -possible but is also quite rapid at these high altitudes.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Thus, by sojourn and exercise for a week above 20,000 -feet, we obtained the physiological equipment necessary -for an attempt on the mountain, and at this point some -personal experiences may be of interest, though possibly -of no great importance. We found that, as we ascended, -we fell into an automatic rate of breathing; Mallory -preferred to breathe slowly and deeply, while rapid and -shallower respirations appealed to me; but we all walked -upwards at almost exactly the same rate at any given -height. Below the North Col, I took three breaths to a -step, while at 26,000 feet I was taking five complete -respirations; but as long as I was walking slowly enough -I experienced no distress or discomfort. If one hurried -for a short distance, one was forced to rest for a few -seconds—a rest was imperative, and one felt it were -impossible to do without it; but as long as an even pace -was kept up, one had no desire to stop, nor to make one’s -<span class='pageno' id='Page_303'>303</span>admiration of the landscape an excuse for delaying one’s -comrades. At the height of 26,000 feet, I took my pulse -(which was 180) and my respirations (which were 50 to -55 to the minute); but withal one felt perfectly comfortable -even though these abnormal physiological conditions -were present. No doubt the heart must be young to stand -this rate of beating for many hours; yet not too young, -or it will easily become enlarged and permanently damaged.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In view of our experiences it seems justifiable to predict -that acclimatisation at 23,000 feet will be sufficient -for the attainment of the summit of Mount Everest, if -indeed a sojourn at 21,000 feet is insufficient—which is -to my mind more than doubtful. The other important -practical observation we made is less encouraging: namely, -that we all varied in our rate of acclimatisation, and in -fact some of our number (especially the older ones among -us) actually seemed to deteriorate in condition while -staying at a great height. But I think we proved that it -is possible to climb to the summit of Everest without the -use of oxygen, though the selection of men who are able -to do so is very difficult until those heights are actually -reached at which acclimatisation becomes established. -Personally I felt perfectly well at 27,000 feet, and my -condition seemed no different at that height from what -it had been at 25,000 feet, or even lower; and I have no -doubt there are many people, if only they can be found, -who can get to the top of Everest unaided save by their -own physiological reaction to a life at 21,000 feet for a few -<span class='pageno' id='Page_304'>304</span>days. If a number of such people were allowed to live -at a height corresponding to our Camp III for a fortnight -or so, making perhaps a few minor excursions to 23,000 -or 24,000 feet, then I have no doubt from the physiological -point of view that they will be able to climb Mount -Everest, provided the weather is fine and the wind not -too violent. Without allowing time for acclimatisation -to take place, it is probable that nobody—that is, unless -some <i>lusus naturæ</i> exists—will reach the summit; if -artificially supplied oxygen be used, the acclimatisation -may not be necessary; but the danger of an attempt -by non-acclimatised men with oxygen apparatus is that -a breakdown of the apparatus might lead to serious consequences, -while a fully acclimatised man is probably -just as capable of standing a height of 29,000 feet, unaided, -as you or I would be able to stand the height of -Mount Blanc to-morrow. When the Expedition of 1922 -started I was personally of opinion that nobody could -exist at a height about 25,000 or 26,000 feet without -oxygen; but since we have proved that this can be done, -it seems that the chances of climbing the mountain are -probably greater if oxygen be not used. For the apparatus, -and the spare cylinders required, necessitate the use of a -large number of coolies; while in an attempt without -oxygen only three or four coolies are required for the -camping equipment and the food at the highest camp. -Therefore it seems that the best chance of getting to the -top of Mount Everest lies in the sending out of some -<span class='pageno' id='Page_305'>305</span>nine or ten climbers, who can remain at a high camp, -become thoroughly acclimatised, and then make a series -of expeditions up the mountain, three or so at a time, -as continuously as weather conditions will allow. By -adopting these tactics the number of possible attempts -up the mountain can be increased; and it seems to me -that the chances of climbing to the summit lie in the -multiplicity of possible attempts rather than in any other -direction. It were better to prepare for a number of -attempts each by a small but acclimatised party, rather -than to stake all on one or two highly organised endeavours, -in which oxygen, and a large number of coolies, are used. -It is only a small proportion of coolies who can get up -to the heights of 25,000 or 27,000 feet, and they should -be used for any one attempt as sparingly as possible. -During the war we all had our ideas of how it should -be run, and they were generally wrong; the above plan -is the writer’s idea of how to climb Mount Everest, and -may or may not be right, but is enunciated for what it is -worth.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Among subsidiary effects of extreme altitudes, were -those upon appetite, temper, and mental condition generally. -Most of us will admit a good deal of peevishness and -irritability while at a level of 22,000 feet and more; for -the altitude undoubtedly makes one lose to some extent -one’s mental balance, and the first way in which this appears -on the surface is by a ruffling of the temper. In addition, -one has a certain lack of determination, and when at a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_306'>306</span>height approaching 27,000 feet I remember distinctly that I -cared very little whether we reached the top of Everest or -not. A good instance of this altered attitude of mind is -provided by the fact that Finch and Bruce took a camera -with them on their ascent, and forgot to take any photographs -of their last day’s climbing.</p> - -<p class='c010'>I have mentioned the deleterious effect of altitude on -the appetite of some of our older members; but the same -was to some extent true of us all. I have the most vivid -recollection of distaste for food during our first few days at -Camp III, and especially of the way one had almost to -push a prune down one’s throat on the way up to the North -Col; but with the majority of us this distaste for food -(especially for meat and the slowly-digested foods) diminished -during our sojourn at great heights, though our -appetites never became quite normal until we reached one -of the lower camps. Those who had oxygen reported that -they had large appetites above the North Col; and there -is no doubt that it is the rarefaction of the air that causes -this alteration of the appetite. One may perhaps be -justified in assuming that the secretion of gastric juice is -diminished while air that is poor in oxygen is inhaled, -though it is rather hard to understand how this is brought -about.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Although acclimatisation is not entirely connected with -the actual increase in the number of blood corpuscles (as -has been proved by Barcroft in 1922), yet this is still -recognised as one of the important factors in its production. -<span class='pageno' id='Page_307'>307</span>But this increase in the concentration of the blood must be -associated with a great increase in its viscosity, and when -that is combined with intense cold with its accompanying -constriction of all the smaller blood-vessels, there are present -all the conditions necessary for the production of frostbite. -Therefore acclimatisation with all its benefits probably -increases the risk of frostbite; hence one who is acclimatised -must be especially careful of feet and hands and their -coverings. It is hard to put on too many clothes at a -great altitude, and very easy to put on too few.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The chief point still remaining to be mentioned concerns -the after-effects of the climbing of Everest; but these -varied so much that they give us little or no scientific -information. Some of us were tired for twenty-four hours -only, some for many days; some were reported to have -enlarged hearts, while in some the heart was normal; some -were incapacitated by frostbite, though their general -physical condition was very probably good. One therefore -cannot generalise about after-effects, but as a medical man -I felt strongly (by observation on myself and my companions -on the Expedition) that if one is to “live to fight another -day” and to require the minimum recuperation period after -an attempt on the mountain, it is essential during the -attempt to keep oneself well within one’s powers. One is -tempted to go too hard, and to exert one’s strength to its -limits; but it is just the last few ounces of strength which -call forth the greatest effort and make the maximum demands -on one’s resources; and if these resources are to be used to -<span class='pageno' id='Page_308'>308</span>their full extent they should be continuously conserved by -an avoidance of definite hurry. Personally I am of opinion -that exercise before the climbing begins is of great value. -Mallory and I were the only ones whom Longstaff allowed -to make two attempts on Everest; and we were probably -rendered fit in this way by the subsidiary expeditions we -had made on the way to Mount Everest and by our preliminary -work in getting the camp ready on the North Col. -It is, however, hard to generalise on a point like this, but -each man knows the idiosyncrasies of his own constitution, -and it should be left to individuals to a great extent to see -that their condition on arrival at the foot of the mountain -is the best that is possible.</p> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_309'>309</span> - <h2 id='ch13' class='c004'>CHAPTER XIII<br /> <br />COLOUR IN TIBET</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>In order to bring before the reader a vivid picture of -Tibet, and especially of the region around Mount Everest, -a comparison between Tibet and other better-known -countries is almost inevitable. The Expedition of 1922 took -with them no official artist, or no doubt he would have been -deputed to write this section of the book; there were, -however, two people who tried to paint pictures of the -country, Major Norton and myself; and though I realise -how inadequate our efforts were, perhaps those of an official -artist might have been almost as bad. However, as one -who looks on the world with an eye for its beauty, although -lacking the ability to transfer that beauty to canvas, one -may perhaps be pardoned for endeavouring to describe -certain general impressions of the scenery encountered by -the Expedition.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In the course of our journey we passed through a great -variety of landscape; in Sikkim, for instance, we found a -land of steep slopes and dense forests, while Tibet is almost -a desert country. We experienced the clear air of the -winter, and the mists and storm-clouds of the monsoon. -While we were on the rolling plains of the Tibetan Plateau, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_310'>310</span>only a few miles away were the snow-covered summits of -the highest mountains in the world.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Sikkim is a country of deep valleys and of luxurious -vegetation; the air is generally damp and the skies cloudy, -and there is often a beautiful blue haze that gives atmosphere -to the distance. Sikkim is not unlike the Italian side of -the Alps, in many ways. True, its scale is larger, and it -possesses some of the most beautiful and impressive peaks in -the world (for no Alpine peak can vie with Siniolchum or -Pandim for sheer beauty of form and surface), but on the -whole the scenery of Sikkim is of the same general build as -the valleys and peaks of Northern Italy. In this sense -Sikkim did not offer to the new-comer anything entirely -different from what he had seen before. But Tibet and -Everest certainly did; and the difference between Sikkim -and Tibet is twofold—first, Tibet is almost uniformly over -13,000 feet above sea-level, and therefore bears no trees at -all; second, Tibet is almost free from rainfall and is, in -consequence, a desert country. One’s eye travelled, for -mile after mile, over red-brown sand and red-brown limestone -hills, finally to rest on the blue and white of the -distant snows. The air, before the monsoon commences, -is almost always clear—clear to an extent unimagined by -a European, clearer even than the air of an Alpine winter. -So peaks and ridges 30 or 40 miles away are often almost in -the same visual plane as the foreground of the landscape. -In some extensive views, such as we had from the hills above -Tinki Dzong, one came to look upon hills 30 miles away as -<span class='pageno' id='Page_311'>311</span>the middle distance of one’s picture, while the background -was formed of mountains a hundred miles from the point of -view. It is this lack of atmosphere which makes pictorial -representation of these Tibetan scenes so very difficult; the -pictures I made on the course of the Expedition have all had -one criticism from many different people—“there is no -atmosphere.” Many as are the demerits of these pictures, -this is the one merit they have; and if they had an “atmosphere” -they would cease to be truthful. In the Alps one -has often seen mountains with extreme clearness at a great -distance, but I never remember having viewed an Alpine -landscape in which there was practically no effect of distance, -and practicably no blueness of the more distant -shadows. Yet that is precisely what obtains in Tibet -before the month of June. And then, with startling suddenness, -comes the monsoon, with its damp air; for some -months the landscape is entirely altered, and also much -beautified. The blue haze of the monsoon converts the -distant shadows from their crude purple-brown to the most -magnificent and sometimes brilliant blue. Once or twice -one looked in vain on one’s palette for a blue of sufficient -brilliance and intensity to reproduce the colour of the -shadows 20 or 30 miles away. Then the monsoon brings -clouds and rain-storms, all of which tend to give variety -to the scene, and to endue the distant peaks with that effect -of mystery which renders them so alluring and so beautiful.</p> - -<p class='c010'>As far as the scenery among the higher mountains is -concerned, the comparison of photographs of the Everest -<span class='pageno' id='Page_312'>312</span>group of peaks with those of the Alps will give one more idea -of the differences between the two districts than can a mere -verbal description, save in the matter of scale and colour. -In colour, the Alps are more varied and the rock is, as a rule, -a darker brown; the snow-shadows are more blue and the -outlines less clear; while Alpine foregrounds so often -contain trees which are totally absent from the foregrounds -of Tibet. There both rocks and stones, scree and valley-bed -are of a light reddish-brown, almost uniform in tone from -near foreground to extreme distance; Makalu, for example, -is a colossal rock-pyramid of quite a light ochre colour; -the rocks of Everest are of a light amber brown relieved in -the neighbourhood of 27,000 feet by a lighter yellowish band -of quartzite. The snow of the range on its northern side -resembles that of Alpine peaks, but on the southern face -the festoons and grooves of ice, so well known to many -from photographs of Himalayan mountains, decorate the -much steeper and more uncompromising slopes. Most of -the higher peaks are swept by continual gusts of wind -which whirl clouds of snow from the topmost ridges into the -sky.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_313'>313</span> - <h2 id='ch14' class='c004'>CHAPTER XIV<br /> <br />TIBETAN CULTURE</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>The Tibetans are a very simple folk, though not without -a very definite civilisation of their own. Art and music -exist in all nations, if the art be merely the fashioning of -utensils, and the music be the crudest of rhythms played on -a tom-tom. Yet in Tibet the rudimentary music and art -associated with so many Eastern races is carried a stage -farther, and what is in wilder people merely natural -instinct has become in Tibet a definite culture. For I -presume that culture is merely organised art, and certainly -on that criterion the Tibetan is to some extent cultured.</p> - -<p class='c010'>He is a fine architect, and many of his houses have a -simple stateliness which raises them in artistic value high -above the average dwelling-house of most other Oriental -countries, to say nothing of our own garden suburbs. The -Monasteries of Tibet are still more imposing, and some of -them are real objects of beauty, for the dignified simplicity -of the buildings themselves is combined with an elaborate -and often beautiful decoration of windows and cornices. -The Tibetans have learned the true principles of decoration—they -do not cover the surfaces of their buildings with -unnecessary ornament, but reserve the wooden parts alone -for elaboration. The cornices are often intricate in workmanship, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_314'>314</span>but throughout the great principle of design is -carried to perfection—the principle that all ornament -should be founded on utility. Thus economy in the use of -scrolls is combined with the multiplication of brackets, -supports, and rafter-ends, so that the whole is satisfying to -the eye as being beautiful, rather than useless. Considerable -Chinese influence is shown in their decorative art, but -the Tibetans have a personal, or rather national, touch which -distinguishes their work in all branches of art from the -Chinese. In painting, too, the influence of China, and very -occasionally of India, is felt: though through it all the -refined austerity of the better-class Tibetan shines unmistakably. -The older pictures, nearly always of sacred -subjects, are drawn with consummate skill, coloured with -great taste, and in the matter of design rank much higher -than the contemporary art of India. But, alas! the story -of painting in Tibet is the same as it is everywhere in this -commercial world of ours; the modern Tibetan picture is -worthless, careless and meretricious. No doubt the demand -for “native art” at the bazaars of Darjeeling and other -places around has caused this deterioration of what was -once a fine and noble art; pictures which used to be the -life-work of devoted lamas and conscientious hermits are -now “dashed off” to satisfy the capacious maw of the -tasteless traveller. Though Tibet is still in measure “The -Forbidden Land,” yet the tentacles of commercialism cannot -but penetrate between its bars, and the same thing is now -happening to Tibet as happened to Europe last century and -<span class='pageno' id='Page_315'>315</span>produced oleographs and official artists. It seems almost -as if man by nature does bad work only when he is working -for reward.</p> - -<div id='i314' class='figcenter id004'> -<img src='images/i314.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Religious Banners in Shekar Monastery.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>This is a mere flashlight sketch of the art of Tibet, for -details of which other books must be consulted; but the -music of Tibet will be described more fully, for two reasons—first, -that no accurate record of it has to my knowledge been -obtained until now, and second, that the writer is himself -particularly fond of music, which he believes to be the -highest of the arts.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Just as in Europe to-day we have both the traditional -folk-song and the highly organised orchestral music, so in -Tibet both these forms of the art exist. The two are also -more or less interdependent in Tibet, while in Western -nations each often goes its own way without the other.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The airs sung by the Tibetan people are usually simple, -short, and oft-repeated. They are nearly always in the -pentatonic scale, represented best to the general reader by -the black notes of the piano. Most isolated races evolve -this scale at some time during their history, and the tunes -of the Highlands of Scotland, the Forests of Central Africa, -the Appalachians of America, and the Tibetans are all in -this scale.<a id='r8' /><a href='#f8' class='c011'><sup>[8]</sup></a></p> - -<div class='footnote c012' id='f8'> -<p class='c013'><span class='label'><a href='#r8'>8</a>. </span>Sir Walford Davies has pointed out that, starting (on the black -notes) from A flat, and using only the perfect fifth, this scale is very soon -developed. From A flat one gets E flat and D flat, each a fifth away; -from D flat one obtains G flat, a fifth down, and from E flat a fifth upwards -gives us B flat. Thus we get the five notes of the scale by a simple -series of fifths, the fifth being the most perfect interval in music, and the -one which will appeal most readily to a primitive people.</p> -</div> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_316'>316</span>A typical well-known pentatonic tune is “Over the Sea -to Skye.” Those who know, for instance, the songs of the -Western Highlands, will be able to appreciate the cheerful -and non-Oriental character of the tunes of Tibet, which are -more akin to those of Russia and Eastern Europe than to -the music of China or India. This general spirit of the -music which the Tibetans play or sing points to a common -origin of the folk-tunes of Tibet and Russia. It seems -probable that in Turkestan was the real origin of this music, -which very likely spread eastwards into Tibet and westwards -into Russia; or if Turkestan is not the country of origin of -the music, it may be the musical link between Russia and -Tibet. The tunes of Nepal, as sung by our coolies, are many -of them of a similar nature to those of Tibet, though more -often the whole major or minor scale is used, giving them -often a strangely European sound; some of the Nepalese airs -have a jolly lilt and swing; others in the minor key have -quite a haunting beauty; and they too are quite unlike the -music of the plains of India with its rather pointless wailing -characteristics.<a id='r9' /><a href='#f9' class='c011'><sup>[9]</sup></a></p> - -<div class='footnote c012' id='f9'> -<p class='c013'><span class='label'><a href='#r9'>9</a>. </span>A more technical article on the subject of Tibetan Music, with -musical quotations, will be found in the <i>Musical Times</i> for February 1, -1923.</p> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>In Tibet, then, the folk-tunes are simple, short, and -emphatically not such “good tunes” as the airs of Nepal. -But, in addition to the songs of the peasants and beggars, -there is the more highly-organised and orchestrated music -of the monasteries. This is usually played with three -<span class='pageno' id='Page_317'>317</span>groups of instruments—first and foremost the percussion; -drums of all sizes from those made of a human skull to others -3 and 4 feet in diameter, and cymbals of great resonance -and good tone, coming often from China. The cymbals are -taken very seriously, and each different way of clashing -them has a special name and a special religious significance. -The hard-worked percussion department keeps up a continuous -rhythm throughout the performance of a devil-dance -or other musical festival; and to its strenuous and -often sinister efforts are added from time to time the sounds -of the two groups of wind instruments. The first of these, -playing airs which often possess great charm, are the -double-reed oboes, about twice as long as our European -oboe, and very often provided with equidistant holes, -rendering them incapable of playing save in the scale of -whole tones (or a close approximation to it). The second -and larger wind instrument is the long straight trumpet, 8 -to 12 feet long, of which the fundamental note is almost -continuously blown. Most monasteries have two of these, -about one tone apart in pitch; but as the longer of the two -is blown so as to play its first overtone, while the fundamental -note is played on the other, a drone bass of a minor -seventh is the resulting sound. This adds to the sinister -impressiveness of the music, and provides an effective -accompaniment to the quaint tunes of the oboe-like instruments. -At a devil-dance performance, the orchestra plays -for a whole day, or perhaps two, almost without rest either -for itself or for its listeners.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_318'>318</span>In addition to these instruments, a fairly civilised violin -is used in Tibet, especially by wandering beggar minstrels. -This is about two-thirds as long as our violin, and has four -strings, tuned A,D,A,D, in that order. The bow has two -hanks of hair, one of which passes between the first and -second strings, while the other goes between the third and -fourth. Thus, by pressing the bow in one direction the two -A strings are sounded, producing a reinforced note (i.e. two -notes in unison); by pressing the bow in the other direction -the sound of the D strings is obtained. The strings converge -towards the top of the instrument, so that they can all be -fingered at once. The Tibetans become very agile with -their fingers, and I have heard very skilful performances of -rapid, jolly dance-tunes by wandering minstrels; these -tunes, like the songs of the peasants, are usually in the -pentatonic scale.</p> - -<p class='c010'>One more instrument must be mentioned—the trumpet -made from a human thigh-bone. This is not very commonly -used in the larger monasteries, but occasionally sounds a -note in the ritual of the worship of smaller villages.</p> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c002'> - <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_320'>320</span><span class='xxlarge'>NATURAL HISTORY</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='large'>By</span></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xlarge'>T. G. LONGSTAFF, M.D.</span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c002' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_321'>321</span> - <h2 id='ch15' class='c004'>CHAPTER XV<br /> <br />NATURAL HISTORY</h2> -</div> -<p class='c005'>Previous experience of the conditions of Tibetan travel -had taught me that collection and observation was a task -requiring complete immunity from other duties; but to the -doctor of such an Expedition this condition was not attainable. -In the collection of specimens we were, however, -fortunate in obtaining the assistance of several other -members of the Expedition. But it is especially to Major -Norton that the thanks of the Everest Committee are due, -for in addition to his other duties, he took over the whole -of the botanical work and worked equally with myself in -all other branches of Zoology. His gift of painting was -particularly valuable in leading to the certain identification -of birds in districts where collecting was prohibited. At the -time of writing he is on duty at Chanak, and the following -notes lose half their value through lack of his promised -collaboration, which I had anticipated with particular -pleasure.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In his absence I must omit all reference to botany, for -personally, owing to the wintry conditions during our -outward march and to the speed of my journey back with -the invalids, I saw nothing that has not been already better -<span class='pageno' id='Page_322'>322</span>described by Wollaston. But Norton, with our Lepcha -collector Rumoo, obtained some 350 flowering plants in -Kharta, and we also sent back samples of agricultural -seeds.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It must be remembered that it was the constant aim of -General Bruce to render it easier for any subsequent party to -pass through the country. The objection of the Tibetans -to the taking of any wild life is almost universal amongst -the clerics and is devoutly shared by the lay population -in certain localities. These considerations unfortunately -applied particularly to the districts of Tengkye, Shelkar -Dzong and Rombuk, where the killing of even domestic -animals is prohibited.</p> - -<p class='c010'>There are, however, other parts of Tibet where the same -restraint is unnecessary, and even where hunting is habitually -practised by the semi-nomadic population. This -immunity in our case applied especially to the Chumbi -Valley and the country round Phari, and in consequence we -have been able to bring back some material which it is hoped -will add to the value of the larger collections brought back -last year by Dr. Wollaston.</p> - -<p class='c010'>That portion of Tibet visited by the Expedition, and -indeed it is typical of most of its provinces, is a region of -bare uplands and naked mountains. Such physical conditions -combine with a violent type of radiation in the thin -dry air to evolve a daily strife of winds, ceaselessly seeking -to rectify the balance of atmospheric stability; this continual -wind is indeed the foundation of the traveller’s -<span class='pageno' id='Page_323'>323</span>discomfort and the worst enemy of the mountaineer.</p> - -<div id='i322a' class='figcenter id015'> -<img src='images/i322a.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Romoo, the Lepcha Collector, who assisted<br />Dr. Longstaff and Major Norton.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div id='i322b' class='figcenter id015'> -<img src='images/i322b.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p><span class='sc'>Karma Paul, the Expedition’s Interpreter.</span></p> -</div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>Owing to its aridity, due to the intervention of the rain-catching -Himalaya, the country is practically treeless. -Distant open views prevail over vast landscapes, lit by -strong lights in an atmosphere devoid of fogs or softening -mist effects. Usually nothing can move without being -visible from a great distance. Hence, though it is not a -region particularly rich in life, yet those forms which do -prevail are not easily overlooked. Concealment is only to -be obtained by burrowing underground, or by immobility -combined with protective coloration.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Nowhere is this more obtrusively shown than on the -great stony uplands, at an altitude of from 14,000 to 17,000 -feet East and South of Khamba Dzong. Here we were in -constant sight of bands of wild asses, gazelle, and sheep: -from a distance of a couple of miles a prowling wolf was -easily discerned. The ground is nowhere here covered by -a continuous carpet of grass or herbs, but each plant is -several yards from the next. Hence even a small herd of -game will cover the ground with innumerable tracks, -suggesting to the uninitiated a far greater number of individuals -than really exist. To watch a flock of Tibetan -sheep or goats grazing seems like watching a migration, for -the herd moves at a smart walk, often breaking into a run, -each individual racing for the next mouthful a few yards -ahead. They move on a wide front, with the shepherd and -his wolf-dog well in evidence. On one occasion we came -on a wolf devouring a lamb: 50 yards away lay the guardian -<span class='pageno' id='Page_324'>324</span>dog, waiting apparently for any scraps the robber might -leave.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It might be supposed that as in the Arctic the birds and -animals would turn white in winter. But two sufficient -reasons against this necessity have already been indicated. -Firstly, the snow line is so high, probably between 19,000 -and 20,000 feet, that vegetation does not extend up to it: -even the predatory beasts are dependent on vegetation for -the pasture of their prey. Secondly, evaporation is so -rapid that the country is never snow-clad for long even -during the winter season.</p> - -<p class='c010'>But some modification of habit to meet the hostility of -winter, under conditions of life already so severe, is to be -looked for. Of Marmots we saw nothing during the journey -to Everest; probably they were still hibernating. Norton -found them later in Kharta and obtained a welcome specimen. -Yet Hares were very common at 16,000 to 17,000 -feet, several haunting the old moraines of the Rongbuk -Glacier even above our Base Camp. Here also, at 17,000 -feet, was a small herd of Bharel, or Blue Sheep, which having -some familiarity with the hermit monks permitted a fairly -close approach.</p> - -<p class='c010'>More interesting are the Mouse-hares, or Pikas, of several -varieties, small friendly creatures which live in colonies, -mainly (<i>Ochotona curzoniæ</i>) on the open plains, where even -their small burrows sometimes undermine considerable areas -so that one must ride with care. They are quick and lively -in their movements, darting from hole to hole with extreme -<span class='pageno' id='Page_325'>325</span>rapidity, and peeping from their burrows at the stranger with -obvious amusement. They are often first seen sitting up -on their hind-legs. They lay in stores of grass for winter -use, though the evidence all goes to prove that they do not -regularly hibernate. They frequently utter a nearly inaudible -high-pitched whispering call, a sort of subdued whistle, -from which no doubt comes the (Shoka) Bhotia name of -<i>shippi</i>, “The Whisperer,” which I obtained in Gnari -Khorsum in 1905. Certain birds, as will be subsequently -noted, live in association with these small rodents, and add -a further note to the charm of their colonies. It appears -impossible to trap them, and as their skulls are usually -damaged by shooting, a good series of skins, in both summer -and winter pelage, of the different species, is still much -wanted for study in our museums.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The collection of small mammals is always difficult, and -under the circumstances already detailed our collection of -skins was necessarily a very small one. Geoffrey Bruce, -however, obtained a perfect specimen of the Panda (<i>Ailurus -fulgens</i>) from the forests on the Chumbi side of the Jelep La. -This curiously aberrant animal, sometimes called the Bear-Cat, -is about the size of a fox, and has rich thick fur of a -chestnut colour on the back, black below, and with a thick -bushy ring-marked tail; in appearance it resembles somewhat -the badgers, the bears, and the cats. Its relative, the -Great Panda of Tibet, is one of the rarest of large mammals, -owing to its very circumscribed distribution.</p> - -<p class='c010'>A Hamster and a few Pikas of three varieties were caught -<span class='pageno' id='Page_326'>326</span>at night in our tents. A Weasel (<i>M. temon</i>) shot in Sikkim, -with another Weasel and a Marmot from Kharta, complete -our list of mammal skins. We are much disappointed at -our failure to see or obtain any specimens from 20,000 feet, -where Wollaston’s Pika was actually handled last year—the -greatest known altitude for resident mammals.</p> - -<p class='c010'>As to the birds, we were fortunate in having been able to -go over Dr. Wollaston’s collection with Mr. Norman B. -Kinnear of the Natural History Museum, who provided us -in addition with a series of careful notes by which we could -identify those likely to be met with in localities where we -could not shoot. It is hoped that our material will be found -sufficient for Mr. Kinnear to publish a supplement to his -recent paper in the <i>Ibis</i> on last year’s collection.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Dr. Percy R. Lowe, Keeper of Birds of the Natural -History Museum, was particularly anxious for us to obtain -for him a specimen of the Himalayan or Ibis-billed Curlew -(<i>Ibidorhynchus struthersi</i>) in the flesh, for purposes of dissection, -nothing being known of its anatomy up to the present. -Luckily this bird haunts the Chumbi Valley, and Norton and -I were able to spend a day in its pursuit. It is of the form -of a small curlew, of a general french-grey hue with bold -dark markings, and coral red beak and legs. There were -several of these birds, not yet (April 3) paired, about Yatung -in the Chumbi Valley, but they were very wary. They -utter a high-pitched wader-like note not at all resembling -our curlew. They always flew directly over the main river, -whence we never could have retrieved them. The shores -<span class='pageno' id='Page_327'>327</span>of this river are fringed by beaches of large round grey -pebbles, and resting amongst these the birds were invisible. -Eventually I lay up under the bank and Norton succeeded in -driving a bird on to an island in mid-stream, where I shot -it. With an outward display of truly scientific eagerness we -divested ourselves of our nether garments and waded waist -deep through the torrent. We came near quarrelling as to -whether the water or the air was the coldest. But at any -rate we retrieved our bird, and what is more brought it, -duly preserved in spirits, through all the trials of travel and -climate, safely back to Dr. Lowe.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In the Chumbi Valley also we obtained the Great or -Solitary Snipe (<i>Gallinago solitaria</i>), an addition to last year’s -list. But my favourite family, the Redstarts, were the -most interesting. The beautiful White-capped Redstart -(<i>Chimarhornis leucocephalus</i>), mostly widely distributed in -the Himalaya, was still with us. The Plumbeous Redstart -(<i>Rhyacornis fuliginosus</i>) and the Blue-fronted Redstart -(<i>Phœnicurus frontalis</i>) we had already obtained in Sikkim. -These also were present at the beginning of April in the -Chumbi Valley. We obtained in addition the beautiful -Blue-tail or Red-flanked Bush-Robin (<i>Tarsiger rafiliatus</i>). -I understand that the three latter species have not been -previously recorded from this locality. The Blue-tail -frequents dense bushes over marshy spots and is very quiet -and furtive in its habits, while the Redstarts are the most -obtrusive of birds, as to me they are one of the most beautiful -of families. At Phari I luckily obtained a specimen of -<span class='pageno' id='Page_328'>328</span>what I thought was the Indian Redstart, but the bird in the -hand proved again to be the Blue-fronted sort. At 17,000 -feet, above the Base Camp over the snout of the main -Rongbuk Glacier, I saw a cock-bird of Güldenstadt’s Redstart -(<i>Phœnicurus erythrogaster grandis</i>), fortunately a very -easily recognisable bird, and one I had previously seen in -Nubra and the Karakoram country.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Although I had previously become somewhat familiar -with bird-life in Tibet, I was not prepared to see the teeming -flocks of finches, buntings, and larks which we met with on -the bare stony uplands at every old camping ground or -village we encountered. A portion of this swarming bird -population appears to have been due to the spring migration -being at its height. Of this we had evidence before and -during our passage of the Jelep La, from Sikkim into the -Chumbi Valley. At Phari and at Khamba Dzong especially, -the birds appeared not yet to have dispersed in pairs to their -breeding territory, but, though actually arrived at their -destination, to be still collected in migration flocks. Yet -this condition of things may be more apparent than real, -for neither Norton nor I ever managed to find any evidence -of nesting behaviour in such an extremely common bird -as Brandt’s Ground Linnet. It is conceivable that the -inimical climatic conditions of Tibet are such as to condemn -a larger proportion than usual of the bird population to a -celibate existence, a condition which is at least by no means -rare even in the British Isles. A small piece of evidence is -that the only four nests of larks and wagtails which I found -<span class='pageno' id='Page_329'>329</span>contained only three eggs each, as if the altitude had reduced -the number of eggs laid. It is to be noted that in each -case the eggs were incubated, and so the clutches were presumably -complete. But as an exception to this rule, at -Chushar, on June 13, I found a nest of the Eastern Desert -Wheatear with a normal clutch of five eggs.</p> - -<p class='c010'>In writing of nesting, it may be recorded that we obtained -the eggs of the Tibetan Snow Cock (<i>Tetraogallus tibetanus</i>) -from nearly 17,000 feet on the Pang La. At the Base Camp -(16,500 feet), a Brown Accentor (<i>Prunella f. fulvescens</i>) -commenced building its nest in a crevice between a stack of -provision boxes in the middle of the camp on May 16. -Laying did not commence till May 25—a long period of -delay—and was completed with the third egg on the 27th. -The hen commenced to sit at once, and no more eggs were -laid. Norton observed Alpine Choughs and Rock Doves -nesting in the cliffs above the Base Camp at an altitude of -17,000 feet. Besides the usual Ravens, and the species -already named, the Base Camp was visited by Brandt’s -Ground Linnet (<i>Leucosticte brandti</i>), a Sparrow, a Snow -Finch, the Ground Chough (<i>Podoces humilis</i>), and the Shore -Lark (<i>Otocorys alpestris elwesi</i>).</p> - -<p class='c010'>Noel, during his vigil on the Chang La (23,000 feet), saw a -small bird fly above him, borne on the Westerly gale. But -Wollaston’s Lammergeyer maintains still the first place in -altitude with a record of over 24,000 feet.</p> - -<p class='c010'>At Trangso Chumbab, on June 11, I had the opportunity -of observing the habits of Blandford’s Mountain-Finch -<span class='pageno' id='Page_330'>330</span> (<i>Chionospiza blandfordi</i>). This bird seems to live in amity with -the Pikas (<i>Ochotona curzoniæ</i>) in their burrows. I marked -the birds bringing food to a Pika burrow, and wishing -to see what the young in down were like, Finch and I commenced -to dig out the hole. It proved, however, beyond our -powers in the sun-baked ground, so I fell to watching again. -We had laid open the burrow for about 2 feet. The hen-bird -at once returned with food, but alighting at the spot -where the burrow formerly commenced, began immediately -to tunnel into the ground, quite oblivious of the true opening -in full view only 2 feet away. What would our nature -writers say to such a lapse of intellect? The bird burrowed -with its beak, diving its head into the ground and boring -with a very rapid jerky twist so that the sand was scattered -in a small cloud. This was repeated several times and on -several visits. I then filled up the trench, leaving the -nesting hole open. On the next visit the bird flew down -the hole, which I then stopped with loose earth. In the -morning the burrow had been completely cleared and the -birds were busily feeding their young again. This seems to -point to the conclusion that these birds are naturally ground-dwellers, -and are fully capable of making their own tunnels, -but that the abundance of Pika burrows has induced lazy -habits. Mandelle’s Snow-Finch (<i>Montifringilla mandelli</i>), -not obtained by last year’s Expedition, was shot by us at -Pika warrens at Phari (April 7), and seen, always associated -with Pikas, on the following days.</p> - -<p class='c010'>On June 11, also, we were witnesses to what must be a -<span class='pageno' id='Page_331'>331</span>common tragedy. A family of small Brahminy ducklings—the -Ruddy Sheldrake of Europe—were making their noisy -way down from some nesting site on the steppe to the headwaters -of the Arun—and safety. The parent birds may -have taken fright at our camp, through which the ducklings -scuttled fearlessly. The loathsome Ravens, gathered, as -always, for carrion or camp refuse, swooped down and -attacked the hapless family, bolting a whole duckling at -each mouthful. Surely a gun would have done no harm -here.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Norton made the interesting discovery that the Meadow -Bunting (<i>Emberiza cia godlewskii</i>) breeds in the Kama Valley, -thus extending its breeding range far to the South. It may, -indeed, be expected that several species now believed to -breed only in Siberia may in fact be found nesting on the -Northern slopes of the Himalaya, and even in other highland -regions of Tibet. For here altitude comes to the assistance -of latitude to produce an arctic type of climate, flora, and -fauna; though it must be admitted that the aridity of Tibet -must produce very different climatic conditions to those -obtaining in the far North. In Gnari Khorsum, 400 miles -West of Everest, I had obtained specimens, with young in -down, of the Large Eastern Sand Plover (<i>Cirripedesmus -mongolicus atrifrons</i>), which previously was only known as -a breeding species from much farther North; and again, the -day we left Tibet, at 17,000 feet, on the Serpo La, I found -another pair of these Dotterel, from their behaviour obviously -nesting, so to speak, at the very gates of India, for -<span class='pageno' id='Page_332'>332</span>10 miles further on we had left everything Tibetan behind -us—landscape, flowers, birds, beasts, and insects were all -different. Nowhere else in the world can there be a sharper -natural division than between the Tibetan Highlands and -the true Himalayan Zone.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The physical and climatic conditions prevailing in this -part of Tibet produces an environment hostile to reptilian -and amphibian life. The single Toad obtained last year -was quite new to science, and Norton’s capture of a second -specimen is a great piece of luck. Miss Joan B. Procter, -F.Z.S., of the Natural History Museum, has described and -named it (<i>Cophophryne alticola</i>). It is remarkable by having -the toes fully webbed. She also writes that the Toad, -together with the Frog (<i>Nanorana pleskei</i>) and the Lizard -(<i>Phrynocephalus theobaldi</i>), are all devoid of external ears, -the tympanum itself being absent in the Toad. This -unusual modification is attributed to the effect of altitude, -but it has also been suggested that the absence of ears is -due to inherited atrophy following generations of frost-bite—an -interesting subject for the followers of Weissman!</p> - -<p class='c010'>The fish, rejoicing in the name of <i>Schizopygopsis stoliczkæ</i>, -is stated by Mr. Norman never to have been previously -obtained from such an altitude.</p> - -<p class='c010'>With the Molluscs we drew blank, in spite of Norton’s -energetic dredging of tarns and pools at Kharta. Nor did -any member of the Expedition produce a single snail-shell, -though all were armed with pill-boxes and on the look out -for them.</p> - -<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_333'>333</span>It is probably only among the various families of insects -that any important biological results may be hoped for -from this Expedition. Our collection from the Base Camp, -greatly due to the assistance received from Morris, of more -than 300 beetles of a dozen or more species, may be sufficient -to show some evidence of the effect of environment. A -number of them are new to science, and, with one or two -exceptions, were not obtained last year. There are already -described over 100,000 kinds of beetles, and under these -circumstances it is obvious that even such a modest collection -as ours will take some time to work out. Mr. K. G. -Blair, of the Natural History Museum, has it in hand, and, -with the assistance of Mr. H. E. Andrewes and Dr. G. A. K. -Marshall, will certainly make the most of it. His preliminary -note gives 160 specimens of four or perhaps five kinds of -Ground Beetles (<i>Carabidæ</i>) belonging to genera of Palæarctic -distribution. Of the Tenebrionids there are 140 specimens -belong to six species, probably all new, but characteristic -of the mountainous regions of Central Asia. Of the Weevils -there are only seventeen specimens, but they appear to -belong to seven new species. Two of these were kindly -collected by Norton’s Toad.</p> - -<p class='c010'>Mr. B. P. Uvarov is working out the Orthoptera, and -writes that our Stick-Insect (Phasmid) is of great interest -because the family is essentially a sub-tropical group and -has never been recorded from any such high altitude before. -We were lucky, also, in getting three more specimens of -Wollaston’s curious new Grasshopper (<i>Hypernephia everesti</i>, -<span class='pageno' id='Page_334'>334</span>Uvarov). At the same time, my old specimens from Purang -have been elevated into the type of a new species of a new -genus (<i>Hyphinomos fasciata</i>). Future visitors are earnestly -requested to collect every grasshopper-like insect they meet -here, for the orthopterous fauna of High Asia is wholly -unexplored.</p> - -<p class='c010'>It must be remembered that we constantly passed -through localities in which it was inadvisable to show even -a butterfly-net. When recrossing the Pang La (17,000 feet), -I lagged behind and spent a laborious hour collecting disconcertingly -quick-flying, woolly-bodied flies; these and -others are being worked out by Major E. E. Austen, D.S.O.</p> - -<p class='c010'>There is also a Burrowing Bee (<i>Ammophia sp.</i>), the most -interesting insect I met. It is of a repellent ant-like aspect, -of an evil black and red pattern. It flies astonishingly fast, -and can only be netted by careful stalking when it lands -to burrow in the sand. It is preparing a tomb for a paralysed -grub in which it will lay its own egg; on hatching, the -bee grub will feed on the living corpse of its entertainer. -I first observed it by noticing, as I rode along the banks -of the Phung Chu, tiny jets of sand being shot violently -upwards from the ground, the insect itself being quite -invisible. My pony, a true Tibetan, loathed the sight of a -butterfly-net; I had no companion to hold him, and the -pursuit of science was attended by more than the usual -trials.</p> - -<p class='c010'>A series of small Moths was obtained at the Base Camp, -and Norton collected more in Kharta. These are being -<span class='pageno' id='Page_335'>335</span>worked out by Mr. W. H. T. Tams, but in the case of Moths, -identification is a particularly lengthy and laborious -business.</p> - -<p class='c010'>The Butterflies are naturally few in such an environment; -nor does the constant wind make their breathless -capture any easier. Captain N. D. Riley is working them -out, and tells me that in general they resemble our English -butterflies, with other Alpine families. On a recent visit -to the Museum, I was excusing the scantiness of our collection, -explaining that, as a rule, I had only been able to collect -while crossing high passes. Indicating a series of small dark -brown “Ringlets,” rather the worse for wear, I said -that that was all I saw above 16,000 feet. “Why -that,” said Riley, “is a new species of a new genus!” -So may our successors seize every opportunity that -offers of collecting even the least and most inconspicuous-looking -insects in the endeavour to assist our research -workers in adding some particle to the sum of our -knowledge of nature.</p> - -<div id='i336' class='figcenter id016'> -<span class='pageno' id='Page_336'>336</span> -<img src='images/i336-1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /> -<div class='ic002'> -<p> <span class='sc'>Sketch-map of Mount Everest and the Rongbuk Glaciers.</span><br />From surveys by Major Wheeler, with Route and Camps of the 1922 Expedition added by Colonel Strutt.<br /><i>London: Edward Arnold & Co.</i></p> -</div> -</div> - -<div id='i367' class='figcenter id004'> -<span class='pageno' id='Page_337'>337</span> -<a href='images/i336-2lg.jpg'><img src='images/i336-2.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /></a> -<div class='ic002'> -<p>The Route of the<br />MOUNT EVEREST EXPEDITION 1922<br /><span class='sc'>CHUMBI to MT. EVEREST</span><br /><i>Published by Edward Arnold & Co. for the Mount Everest Committee</i> <i>from maps prepared by the Royal Geographical Society.</i><br /><span class='small'>(Click on map for larger version.)</span></p> -</div> -</div> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<div class='chapter'> - <span class='pageno' id='Page_338'>338</span> - <h2 id='index' class='c004'>INDEX</h2> -</div> -<ul class='index c003'> - <li class='c016'>Abruzzi, Duke of, the, <a href='#Page_115'>115</a></li> - <li class='c016'><a id='Acclimatisation'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>Acclimatisation, <a href='#Page_77'>77</a>–<a href='#Page_78'>78</a>, <a href='#Page_126'>126</a>–<a href='#Page_240'>240</a>, <a href='#Page_288'>288</a>–<a href='#Page_289'>289</a>, <a href='#Page_299'>299</a>–<a href='#Page_308'>308</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Altitude, zones of, <a href='#Page_262'>262</a> <i>ff.</i>; - <ul> - <li>effects of, <a href='#Page_305'>305</a>.</li> - <li><i>See</i> <a href='#Acclimatisation'>Acclimatisation</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Ammu Chu valley, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Army and Navy Stores, <a href='#Page_21'>21</a></li> - <li class='c016'><a id='arun'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>Arun river, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_43'>43</a>, <a href='#Page_82'>82</a>–<a href='#Page_87'>87</a>, <a href='#Page_97'>97</a>; - <ul> - <li>gorges of, explored, <a href='#Page_98'>98</a>–<a href='#Page_102'>102</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Avalanche on Mount Everest, <a href='#Page_69'>69</a>, <a href='#Page_282'>282</a>–<a href='#Page_285'>285</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Base Camp, the, <a href='#Page_49'>49</a>–<a href='#Page_51'>51</a>, <a href='#Page_124'>124</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Bhong Chu, river, (= Arun, <a href='#arun'><i>q.v.</i></a>)</li> - <li class='c016'>Bride Peak (Baltistan), <a href='#Page_115'>115</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Brown, Mr., <a href='#Page_21'>21</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Bruce, Captain J. G., <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>, <a href='#Page_33'>33</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>, <a href='#Page_325'>325</a>; - <ul> - <li>in second attempt on Mount Everest, <a href='#Page_61'>61</a>–<a href='#Page_62'>62</a>, <a href='#Page_116'>116</a>–<a href='#Page_117'>117</a>, <a href='#Page_236'>236</a>–<a href='#Page_249'>249</a>, <a href='#Page_254'>254</a>–<a href='#Page_257'>257</a>;</li> - <li>leaves Base Camp for Kharta, <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>, <a href='#Page_80'>80</a>, <a href='#Page_85'>85</a>, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a>–<a href='#Page_90'>90</a>, <a href='#Page_95'>95</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Bruce, General C. G., <a href='#Page_4'>4</a>–<a href='#Page_6'>6</a>, <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>, <a href='#Page_19'>19</a>–<a href='#Page_20'>20</a>; - <ul> - <li>author of the <i>Narrative of the Expedition</i>, <a href='#Page_17'>17</a>–<a href='#Page_118'>118</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>, <a href='#Page_143'>143</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Bullock, Mr. G., <a href='#Page_139'>139</a>, <a href='#Page_156'>156</a>, <a href='#Page_162'>162</a></li> - <li class='c003'><a id='Camp-IV'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>Camp IV (on North Col.), <a href='#Page_57'>57</a>; - <ul> - <li>route to, from E. Rongbuk glacier, <a href='#Page_125'>125</a>, <a href='#Page_153'>153</a>–<a href='#Page_159'>159</a>, <a href='#Page_173'>173</a>–<a href='#Page_175'>175</a>;</li> - <li>from main Rongbuk glacier, <a href='#Page_259'>259</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Camp V (above North Col), <a href='#Page_288'>288</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Camps, problem of, <a href='#Page_141'>141</a>, <a href='#Page_258'>258</a>, <a href='#Page_287'>287</a>, <a href='#Page_291'>291</a>–<a href='#Page_292'>292</a></li> - <li class='c016'><a id='Camps'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>Camps I, II, and III on E. Rongbuk glacier, <a href='#Page_52'>52</a>, <a href='#Page_54'>54</a>–<a href='#Page_56'>56</a>, <a href='#Page_145'>145</a>–<a href='#Page_152'>152</a>, <a href='#Page_231'>231</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chang La (= North Col, <a href='#North-Col'><i>q.v.</i></a>), <a href='#Page_289'>289</a>, <a href='#Page_329'>329</a></li> - <li class='c016'><span class='pageno' id='Page_339'>339</span>Changtse, mountain, <a href='#Page_158'>158</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chey La, <a href='#Page_105'>105</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chiu, camp, <a href='#Page_108'>108</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Cho Uyo, mountain, <a href='#Page_72'>72</a>, <a href='#Page_158'>158</a>, <a href='#Page_209'>209</a>, <a href='#Page_246'>246</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chobu village, <a href='#Page_104'>104</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chodzong, camp, <a href='#Page_43'>43</a>, <a href='#Page_79'>79</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chog La, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a>–<a href='#Page_90'>90</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chokarbo, camp, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a>–<a href='#Page_90'>90</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chomolhari, mountain, <a href='#Page_28'>28</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chomolonzo, mountain, <a href='#Page_91'>91</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chomolungmo (= Mount Everest), <a href='#Page_123'>123</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chongay, tent-mender, <a href='#Page_21'>21</a>, <a href='#Page_31'>31</a>, <a href='#Page_92'>92</a>–<a href='#Page_94'>94</a>, <a href='#Page_103'>103</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chongay La, agent of the Shekar Dzongpen, <a href='#Page_42'>42</a>, <a href='#Page_53'>53</a>, <a href='#Page_57'>57</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chongray, Tibetan deity, <a href='#Page_45'>45</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chotromo, camp, <a href='#Page_98'>98</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chumbi valley, <a href='#Page_27'>27</a>, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>–<a href='#Page_30'>30</a>, <a href='#Page_38'>38</a>, <a href='#Page_105'>105</a>, <a href='#Page_111'>111</a>, <a href='#Page_326'>326</a>–<a href='#Page_327'>327</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Chushar, <a href='#Page_329'>329</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Cigarette-smoking, effects of, <a href='#Page_266'>266</a>–<a href='#Page_267'>267</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Clothing, <a href='#Page_186'>186</a>–<a href='#Page_188'>188</a>, <a href='#Page_262'>262</a>, <a href='#Page_307'>307</a>. - <ul> - <li><i>See</i> <a href='#Wind-proof'>Wind-proof clothing</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Cooks, <a href='#Page_23'>23</a>, <a href='#Page_56'>56</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Crampons. <i>See</i> <a href='#Foot-gear'>Foot-gear</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Crawford, Mr. C. G., <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>, <a href='#Page_38'>38</a>, <a href='#Page_227'>227</a>–<a href='#Page_228'>228</a>; - <ul> - <li>at Camp III, <a href='#Page_168'>168</a>–<a href='#Page_169'>169</a>;</li> - <li>in third attempt on Mount Everest, <a href='#Page_275'>275</a>, <a href='#Page_280'>280</a>–<a href='#Page_284'>284</a>;</li> - <li>return to Darjeeling, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>–<a href='#Page_97'>97</a>, <a href='#Page_114'>114</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c003'>Dalai Lama, the, <a href='#Page_85'>85</a>, <a href='#Page_118'>118</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Damtang, village, <a href='#Page_92'>92</a>, <a href='#Page_103'>103</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Darjeeling, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>, <a href='#Page_114'>114</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Dasno, Mallory’s porter, <a href='#Page_153'>153</a>, <a href='#Page_159'>159</a></li> - <li class='c016'><span class='pageno' id='Page_340'>340</span>Donka La, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a>, <a href='#Page_111'>111</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Doya La, <a href='#Page_66'>66</a>, <a href='#Page_81'>81</a>–<a href='#Page_82'>82</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Dra, village, <a href='#Page_105'>105</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Dreyer, Professor G., <a href='#Page_253'>253</a>, <a href='#Page_279'>279</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Dzakar Chu, river, <a href='#Page_43'>43</a>, <a href='#Page_81'>81</a>, <a href='#Page_104'>104</a></li> - <li class='c003'>East Rongbuk glacier, <a href='#Page_51'>51</a>, etc. - <ul> - <li><i>See</i> <a href='#Camps'>Camps I, II, III</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'><a id='Everest'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>Everest, Mount, <a href='#Page_18'>18</a>, <a href='#Page_114'>114</a>, <a href='#Page_125'>125</a>; - <ul> - <li>compared with Mont Blanc, <a href='#Page_231'>231</a>–<a href='#Page_233'>233</a>;</li> - <li>first attempt on, <a href='#Page_58'>58</a>–<a href='#Page_60'>60</a>, <a href='#Page_182'>182</a>–<a href='#Page_224'>224</a>, <a href='#Page_253'>253</a>–<a href='#Page_254'>254</a>, <a href='#Page_256'>256</a>;</li> - <li>second attempt, <a href='#Page_61'>61</a>–<a href='#Page_62'>62</a>, <a href='#Page_227'>227</a>–<a href='#Page_250'>250</a>, <a href='#Page_254'>254</a>–<a href='#Page_257'>257</a>;</li> - <li>third attempt, <a href='#Page_66'>66</a>–<a href='#Page_70'>70</a>, <a href='#Page_273'>273</a>–<a href='#Page_286'>286</a>;</li> - <li>weather conditions, <a href='#Page_18'>18</a>, <a href='#Page_170'>170</a>–<a href='#Page_171'>171</a>, <a href='#Page_233'>233</a>–<a href='#Page_234'>234</a>, <a href='#Page_275'>275</a>, <a href='#Page_292'>292</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c003'>Farrar, Captain J. P., <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>–<a href='#Page_10'>10</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Father William, <a href='#Page_84'>84</a>, <a href='#Page_104'>104</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Finch, Captain George, <a href='#Page_6'>6</a>, <a href='#Page_10'>10</a>, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>; - <ul> - <li>joins main body at Kamba Dzong, <a href='#Page_38'>38</a>, <a href='#Page_227'>227</a>–<a href='#Page_228'>228</a>; <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_58'>58</a>, <a href='#Page_59'>59</a>;</li> - <li>to site of Camp I, <a href='#Page_230'>230</a>–<a href='#Page_231'>231</a>;</li> - <li>at Base Camp, <a href='#Page_231'>231</a> <i>ff.</i>,</li> - <li>to Camp III, <a href='#Page_234'>234</a>–<a href='#Page_235'>235</a>;</li> - <li>second attempt on Mount Everest, <a href='#Page_61'>61</a>–<a href='#Page_62'>62</a>, <a href='#Page_116'>116</a>–<a href='#Page_117'>117</a>, <a href='#Page_237'>237</a>–<a href='#Page_250'>250</a>, <a href='#Page_254'>254</a>–<a href='#Page_257'>257</a>;</li> - <li>starts on third attempt, but returns, <a href='#Page_66'>66</a>–<a href='#Page_67'>67</a>, <a href='#Page_251'>251</a>–<a href='#Page_252'>252</a>;</li> - <li>return to Darjeeling, <a href='#Page_67'>67</a>, <a href='#Page_252'>252</a>.</li> - <li>Author of Chapters <a href='#ch07'>VII</a>, <a href='#ch08'>VIII</a>, and <a href='#ch09'>IX</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Food, <a href='#Page_177'>177</a>–<a href='#Page_180'>180</a></li> - <li class='c016'><a id='Foot-gear'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>Foot-gear, <a href='#Page_197'>197</a>, <a href='#Page_268'>268</a>, <a href='#Page_293'>293</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Fuel, <a href='#Page_51'>51</a>, <a href='#Page_52'>52</a>, <a href='#Page_93'>93</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Gembu (= headman), <a href='#Page_100'>100</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Gnatong, bungalow, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>, <a href='#Page_27'>27</a>, <a href='#Page_112'>112</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Gurkhas, <a href='#Page_5'>5</a>, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Gyachang Kang, mountain, <a href='#Page_72'>72</a>, <a href='#Page_158'>158</a>, <a href='#Page_209'>209</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Gyaljen, sardar, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a>–<a href='#Page_33'>33</a>, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Gyamda, pony, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>, <a href='#Page_80'>80</a>, <a href='#Page_82'>82</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Gyang’ka-nangpa, camp, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_133'>133</a>, <a href='#Page_136'>136</a>–<a href='#Page_137'>137</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Gyantse, town, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>, <a href='#Page_110'>110</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Hats, Homburg, as gifts, <a href='#Page_42'>42</a>, <a href='#Page_85'>85</a></li> - <li class='c016'><span class='pageno' id='Page_341'>341</span>Head-gear, <a href='#Page_263'>263</a>, <a href='#Page_268'>268</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Howard-Bury, Colonel, <a href='#Page_3'>3</a>, <a href='#Page_4'>4</a>, <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>, <a href='#Page_17'>17</a>, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a>, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Hung Zungtrak, camp, <a href='#Page_36'>36</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Hurké Gurung, naik, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Jelep La, <a href='#Page_27'>27</a>, <a href='#Page_38'>38</a>, <a href='#Page_112'>112</a>, <a href='#Page_131'>131</a>, <a href='#Page_227'>227</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Jelep valley, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Jykhiop, camp, <a href='#Page_107'>107</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Kalimpong, <a href='#Page_21'>21</a>, <a href='#Page_22'>22</a>, <a href='#Page_27'>27</a>, <a href='#Page_227'>227</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Kama valley, <a href='#Page_88'>88</a>–<a href='#Page_89'>89</a>, <a href='#Page_93'>93</a>, <a href='#Page_171'>171</a>, <a href='#Page_331'>331</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Kanchenjunga, <a href='#Page_112'>112</a>, <a href='#Page_114'>114</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Karma Paul, interpreter, <a href='#Page_24'>24</a>, <a href='#Page_45'>45</a>, <a href='#Page_47'>47</a>, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a>, <a href='#Page_79'>79</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Kehar Sing, cook, <a href='#Page_80'>80</a>, <a href='#Page_92'>92</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Kellas, Dr., <a href='#Page_38'>38</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Khamba Dzong, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a>, <a href='#Page_37'>37</a>, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_109'>109</a>, <a href='#Page_228'>228</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Kharta valley, <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>, <a href='#Page_83'>83</a></li> - <li class='c016'><a id='Kharta'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>Kharta Shika, <a href='#Page_83'>83</a>, <a href='#Page_87'>87</a>–<a href='#Page_89'>89</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Khartaphu, mountain, <a href='#Page_158'>158</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Khombu La, <a href='#Page_54'>54</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Kosi river, <a href='#Page_97'>97</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Kyamathang, village, <a href='#Page_97'>97</a>, <a href='#Page_99'>99</a>–<a href='#Page_100'>100</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Kyishong, camp, <a href='#Page_106'>106</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Laden La, Mr., <a href='#Page_27'>27</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Lal Sing Gurung, lance-naik, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Leeches, <a href='#Page_113'>113</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Lhakpa La, <a href='#Page_158'>158</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Lhakpa Tsering, boy, <a href='#Page_38'>38</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Lhotse, <a href='#Page_126'>126</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Longstaff, Dr. T. G., <a href='#Page_19'>19</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>; - <ul> - <li>first reconnaissance to site of camp III, <a href='#Page_51'>51</a>–<a href='#Page_53'>53</a>, <a href='#Page_64'>64</a>;</li> - <li>return to Darjeeling, <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>, <a href='#Page_252'>252</a>.</li> - <li>Author of Chapter <a href='#ch15'>XV</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Lumeh Camp, <a href='#Page_104'>104</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Lungdo, village, <a href='#Page_100'>100</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Lungtung, village, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>, <a href='#Page_113'>113</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Macdonald, Mr. John, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>–<a href='#Page_30'>30</a>, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a>, <a href='#Page_72'>72</a>, <a href='#Page_106'>106</a>, <a href='#Page_111'>111</a>, <a href='#Page_113'>113</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Makalu, mountain, <a href='#Page_152'>152</a>, <a href='#Page_171'>171</a>, <a href='#Page_312'>312</a></li> - <li class='c016'><span class='pageno' id='Page_342'>342</span><a id='Mallory'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>Mallory, Mr. G. L., <a href='#Page_4'>4</a>, <a href='#Page_6'>6</a>, <a href='#Page_9'>9</a>, <a href='#Page_19'>19</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>; - <ul> - <li>attempt on Sangkar Ri, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_133'>133</a>–<a href='#Page_137'>137</a>;</li> - <li>ascends 21,000 ft. peak near Base camp, <a href='#Page_140'>140</a>;</li> - <li>to Camp I, <a href='#Page_144'>144</a>;</li> - <li>Camp II, <a href='#Page_146'>146</a>;</li> - <li>Camp III, <a href='#Page_148'>148</a>;</li> - <li>to North Col and back, <a href='#Page_57'>57</a>, <a href='#Page_152'>152</a>–<a href='#Page_160'>160</a>, <a href='#Page_301'>301</a>;</li> - <li>at Camp III, <a href='#Page_160'>160</a>–<a href='#Page_168'>168</a>;</li> - <li>establishes Camp IV, <a href='#Page_169'>169</a>–<a href='#Page_174'>174</a>, <a href='#Page_300'>300</a>;</li> - <li>first attempt on Mount Everest, <a href='#Page_56'>56</a>–<a href='#Page_59'>59</a>, <a href='#Page_175'>175</a>–<a href='#Page_224'>224</a>;</li> - <li>third attempt, <a href='#Page_273'>273</a>–<a href='#Page_286'>286</a>, <a href='#Page_308'>308</a>;</li> - <li>return to Darjeeling, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>–97.</li> - <li>Author of Chapters <a href='#ch04'>IV</a>–<a href='#ch06'>VI</a>, <a href='#ch10'>X</a> and <a href='#ch11'>XI</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Monsoon, the, <a href='#Page_18'>18</a>, <a href='#Page_50'>50</a>, <a href='#Page_58'>58</a>, <a href='#Page_68'>68</a>, <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>, <a href='#Page_275'>275</a>–<a href='#Page_276'>276</a>, <a href='#Page_292'>292</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Morris, Captain C. G., <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>, <a href='#Page_21'>21</a>, <a href='#Page_33'>33</a>; - <ul> - <li>establishes Camp I, <a href='#Page_52'>52</a>;</li> - <li>meets party of second attempt on Everest at Camp III, <a href='#Page_223'>223</a>;</li> - <li>conducts evacuation of Camps I–III, <a href='#Page_66'>66</a>–<a href='#Page_71'>71</a>;</li> - <li>explores the Arun gorges, <a href='#Page_95'>95</a>, <a href='#Page_98'>98</a>–<a href='#Page_102'>102</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Morshead, Major, <a href='#Page_4'>4</a>, <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>; - <ul> - <li>on first reconnaissance to site of Camp III, <a href='#Page_51'>51</a>–<a href='#Page_52'>52</a>;</li> - <li>arrives at Camp III, <a href='#Page_168'>168</a>;</li> - <li>establishes Camp IV, <a href='#Page_169'>169</a>–<a href='#Page_175'>175</a>;</li> - <li>to 25,000 ft. camp on first attempt on Mount Everest, <a href='#Page_56'>56</a>–<a href='#Page_59'>59</a>, <a href='#Page_175'>175</a>–<a href='#Page_203'>203</a>, <a href='#Page_211'>211</a>–<a href='#Page_224'>224</a>;</li> - <li>return to Darjeeling, <a href='#Page_64'>64</a>–<a href='#Page_65'>65</a>, <a href='#Page_252'>252</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Mules, <a href='#Page_27'>27</a>, <a href='#Page_31'>31</a>, <a href='#Page_34'>34</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Nepal, Maharajah of, <a href='#Page_75'>75</a>, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>, <a href='#Page_103'>103</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Nepalese language, <a href='#Page_33'>33</a>; - <ul> - <li>sheep, <a href='#Page_91'>91</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Ngangba La, <a href='#Page_54'>54</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Noel, Captain J. B., <a href='#Page_8'>8</a>, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>, <a href='#Page_23'>23</a>, <a href='#Page_85'>85</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>; - <ul> - <li>at Base Camp, <a href='#Page_50'>50</a>, <a href='#Page_73'>73</a>–<a href='#Page_74'>74</a>;</li> - <li>to North Col with the party of second attempt on Everest, <a href='#Page_237'>237</a>;</li> - <li>spends three nights there, <a href='#Page_249'>249</a>, <a href='#Page_289'>289</a>, <a href='#Page_329'>329</a>;</li> - <li>explores the Arun gorges, <a href='#Page_95'>95</a>, <a href='#Page_98'>98</a>–<a href='#Page_102'>102</a> (his own account);</li> - <li>leaves the main body and goes to Gyantse, <a href='#Page_110'>110</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'><a id='North-Col'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>North Col, <a href='#Page_55'>55</a>; - <ul> - <li>camp on, <a href='#Page_57'>57</a>.</li> - <li><i>See</i> <a href='#Camp-IV'>Camp IV</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'><span class='pageno' id='Page_343'>343</span>Norton, Major E. F., <a href='#Page_6'>6</a>–<a href='#Page_7'>7</a>, <a href='#Page_19'>19</a>, <a href='#Page_24'>24</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>, <a href='#Page_131'>131</a>; - <ul> - <li>to site of Camp I, <a href='#Page_230'>230</a>–<a href='#Page_231'>231</a>;</li> - <li>on first reconnaissance, <a href='#Page_51'>51</a>–<a href='#Page_52'>52</a>;</li> - <li>first attempt on Mount Everest, <a href='#Page_58'>58</a>–<a href='#Page_59'>59</a>, <a href='#Page_173'>173</a>–<a href='#Page_224'>224</a>;</li> - <li>leaves Base camp for Kharta valley, <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>, <a href='#Page_84'>84</a>, <a href='#Page_86'>86</a>;</li> - <li>joins the main body, <a href='#Page_87'>87</a>, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a>, <a href='#Page_95'>95</a>;</li> - <li>botanical and zoological work, <a href='#Page_321'>321</a>–<a href='#Page_322'>322</a>, <a href='#Page_326'>326</a>, etc.</li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c003'>Oxygen, <a href='#Page_9'>9</a>–<a href='#Page_10'>10</a>, <a href='#Page_52'>52</a>, <a href='#Page_60'>60</a>, <a href='#Page_69'>69</a>, <a href='#Page_115'>115</a>–<a href='#Page_117'>117</a>, <a href='#Page_231'>231</a>, <a href='#Page_235'>235</a>–<a href='#Page_237'>237</a>, <a href='#Page_243'>243</a>, <a href='#Page_252'>252</a>–<a href='#Page_259'>259</a>, <a href='#Page_263'>263</a>–<a href='#Page_266'>266</a>, <a href='#Page_291'>291</a>, <a href='#Page_294'>294</a>, <a href='#Page_303'>303</a>–<a href='#Page_305'>305</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Pang La, <a href='#Page_43'>43</a>, <a href='#Page_334'>334</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Pangli, camp, <a href='#Page_105'>105</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Pawhunri, mountain, <a href='#Page_36'>36</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Phari Dzong, <a href='#Page_30'>30</a>–<a href='#Page_31'>31</a>, <a href='#Page_33'>33</a>, <a href='#Page_111'>111</a>, <a href='#Page_131'>131</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Pharmogoddra La, <a href='#Page_108'>108</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Popti La, <a href='#Page_92'>92</a>, <a href='#Page_103'>103</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Porters, <a href='#Page_5'>5</a>, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a>, <a href='#Page_94'>94</a>, <a href='#Page_117'>117</a>, <a href='#Page_286'>286</a>, etc.</li> - <li class='c016'>Pou, a cook, <a href='#Page_151'>151</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Primus stoves, <a href='#Page_151'>151</a>, <a href='#Page_176'>176</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Pumori, mountain, <a href='#Page_158'>158</a>, <a href='#Page_247'>247</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Rapiu La, <a href='#Page_152'>152</a>, <a href='#Page_168'>168</a>, <a href='#Page_171'>171</a>, <a href='#Page_236'>236</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Rawlinson, Lord, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Richengong, Camp, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Rongbuk monastery, <a href='#Page_43'>43</a>, <a href='#Page_73'>73</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Rongbuk Lama, <a href='#Page_45'>45</a>–<a href='#Page_47'>47</a>, <a href='#Page_74'>74</a>–<a href='#Page_75'>75</a>, <a href='#Page_78'>78</a>, <a href='#Page_275'>275</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Rongli Chu, <a href='#Page_26'>26</a>, <a href='#Page_112'>112</a>, <a href='#Page_114'>114</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Rumoo collector of plants, <a href='#Page_322'>322</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Sakiathang, Camp, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a>–<a href='#Page_91'>91</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Sakia Chu, <a href='#Page_102'>102</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Samchang La, <a href='#Page_89'>89</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Sangkar Ri, mountain, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_133'>133</a>–<a href='#Page_137'>137</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Sarabjit Thapa, lance-naik, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Sedongchen, Camp, <a href='#Page_113'>113</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Serpo La, <a href='#Page_331'>331</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Shekar Dzong, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>–<a href='#Page_41'>41</a>, <a href='#Page_105'>105</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Sherpas, <a href='#Page_33'>33</a>, <a href='#Page_54'>54</a>, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Shika. <i>See</i> <a href='#Kharta'>Kharta Shika</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Shiling, plain, <a href='#Page_107'>107</a>, <a href='#Page_136'>136</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Shing (= fuel), <a href='#Page_52'>52</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Sikkim, <a href='#Page_25'>25</a>–<a href='#Page_28'>28</a>, <a href='#Page_110'>110</a>, <a href='#Page_113'>113</a>, <a href='#Page_309'>309</a>–<a href='#Page_310'>310</a></li> - <li class='c016'><span class='pageno' id='Page_344'>344</span>Snow-glasses, <a href='#Page_263'>263</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Somervell, Dr., <a href='#Page_7'>7</a>, <a href='#Page_10'>10</a>, <a href='#Page_19'>19</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>, <a href='#Page_167'>167</a>; - <ul> - <li>attempt on Sangkar Ri, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_133'>133</a>–<a href='#Page_137'>137</a>;</li> - <li>ascends a <a href='#Page_21'>21</a>,000 ft. peak near Base camp, <a href='#Page_140'>140</a>;</li> - <li>first attempt on Mount Everest (<i>see</i> <a href='#Mallory'>Mallory</a>), <a href='#Page_56'>56</a>–<a href='#Page_59'>59</a>, <a href='#Page_144'>144</a>–<a href='#Page_224'>224</a>, <a href='#Page_301'>301</a>–<a href='#Page_302'>302</a>;</li> - <li>third attempt, <a href='#Page_273'>273</a>–<a href='#Page_286'>286</a>, <a href='#Page_308'>308</a>;</li> - <li>return to Darjeeling, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>–<a href='#Page_97'>97</a>, <a href='#Page_114'>114</a>.</li> - <li>Author of Chapters <a href='#ch12'>XII</a> to <a href='#ch14'>XIV</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Strutt, Colonel E. L., <a href='#Page_6'>6</a>, <a href='#Page_19'>19</a>; - <ul> - <li>fixes site of Camp I, <a href='#Page_230'>230</a>–<a href='#Page_231'>231</a>;</li> - <li>leader of first reconnaissance, <a href='#Page_51'>51</a>–<a href='#Page_53'>53</a>;</li> - <li>returns to Camp III and visits North Col, <a href='#Page_56'>56</a>–<a href='#Page_58'>58</a>;</li> - <li>return to Darjeeling, <a href='#Page_65'>65</a>, <a href='#Page_252'>252</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c003'>Tang La, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a>, <a href='#Page_34'>34</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Tashilumpo, Lama of, <a href='#Page_85'>85</a>, <a href='#Page_118'>118</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Tatsang, village, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_110'>110</a>; - <ul> - <li>nunnery, <a href='#Page_37'>37</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Tea, <a href='#Page_177'>177</a>, <a href='#Page_223'>223</a>; - <ul> - <li>Tibetan tea, <a href='#Page_46'>46</a>, <a href='#Page_78'>78</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Tejbir Bura, lance-naik, <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>, <a href='#Page_32'>32</a>, <a href='#Page_58'>58</a>; - <ul> - <li>in second attempt on Everest, <a href='#Page_62'>62</a>, <a href='#Page_234'>234</a>–<a href='#Page_244'>244</a>, <a href='#Page_248'>248</a>, <a href='#Page_254'>254</a>–<a href='#Page_256'>256</a>, <a href='#Page_78'>78</a>, <a href='#Page_81'>81</a>, <a href='#Page_85'>85</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Teng, village and camp, <a href='#Page_82'>82</a>–<a href='#Page_85'>85</a>, <a href='#Page_96'>96</a>–<a href='#Page_97'>97</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Tibet, <a href='#Page_228'>228</a>, <a href='#Page_323'>323</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Tibetan architecture, <a href='#Page_313'>313</a>–<a href='#Page_314'>314</a>; - <ul> - <li>atmosphere, <a href='#Page_79'>79</a>–<a href='#Page_80'>80</a>, <a href='#Page_311'>311</a>;</li> - <li>colour, Chap. <a href='#ch13'>XIII</a>;</li> - <li>coolies, <a href='#Page_53'>53</a>–<a href='#Page_54'>54</a>, <a href='#Page_63'>63</a>;</li> - <li>fauna, Chap. <a href='#ch15'>XV</a>;</li> - <li>food, <a href='#Page_44'>44</a>;</li> - <li>music, <a href='#Page_230'>230</a>, <a href='#Page_315'>315</a>–<a href='#Page_318'>318</a>;</li> - <li><span class='pageno' id='Page_345'>345</span>painting, <a href='#Page_314'>314</a>;</li> - <li>wind, <a href='#Page_165'>165</a>, <a href='#Page_228'>228</a>, <a href='#Page_332'>332</a>–<a href='#Page_333'>333</a>;</li> - <li>weather, <a href='#Page_170'>170</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Tinki Dzong, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_107'>107</a>–<a href='#Page_108'>108</a>; - <ul> - <li>pass, <a href='#Page_107'>107</a>, <a href='#Page_132'>132</a>, <a href='#Page_310'>310</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Training, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_118'>118</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>. - <ul> - <li><i>See</i> <a href='#Acclimatisation'>Acclimatisation</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Trangso Chumbab, camp, <a href='#Page_329'>329</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Transport, <a href='#Page_143'>143</a>, <a href='#Page_168'>168</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Trateza, camp, <a href='#Page_82'>82</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Tsanga, waterfall, <a href='#Page_100'>100</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Tzampa (= flour), <a href='#Page_100'>100</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Unna, Mr. P. J. H., <a href='#Page_10'>10</a></li> - <li class='c003'>Wakefield, Dr., <a href='#Page_7'>7</a>, <a href='#Page_19'>19</a>, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_130'>130</a>; - <ul> - <li>meets the party of the first attempt on Everest, <a href='#Page_223'>223</a>, <a href='#Page_236'>236</a>;</li> - <li>to Camp III with party of third attempt <a href='#Page_70'>70</a>, <a href='#Page_252'>252</a>, <a href='#Page_275'>275</a>, <a href='#Page_280'>280</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'>Weatherall, Mr., <a href='#Page_20'>20</a>–<a href='#Page_21'>21</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Wheeler, Captain E. O., <a href='#Page_4'>4</a>, <a href='#Page_147'>147</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Wind, <a href='#Page_165'>165</a>, <a href='#Page_172'>172</a>, <a href='#Page_186'>186</a>. - <ul> - <li><i>See</i> <a href='#Everest'>Everest, Tibet</a></li> - </ul> - </li> - <li class='c016'><a id='Wind-proof'></a></li> - <li class='c016'>Wind-proof clothing, <a href='#Page_59'>59</a>, <a href='#Page_62'>62</a>, <a href='#Page_117'>117</a>, <a href='#Page_255'>255</a>, <a href='#Page_259'>259</a>, <a href='#Page_264'>264</a>, <a href='#Page_266'>266</a>–<a href='#Page_267'>267</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Wollaston, Dr. A. F. R., <a href='#Page_322'>322</a>, <a href='#Page_326'>326</a>, etc.</li> - <li class='c003'>Yaru, river, <a href='#Page_39'>39</a>, <a href='#Page_107'>107</a>, <a href='#Page_138'>138</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Yatung, <a href='#Page_29'>29</a>, <a href='#Page_131'>131</a>, <a href='#Page_326'>326</a></li> - <li class='c016'>Yulok La, <a href='#Page_102'>102</a></li> -</ul> -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> -<div class='nf-center c003'> - <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_346'>346</span><i>Uniform with “Mount Everest: The Assault.”</i></div> - <div class='c000'><span class='xxlarge'>MOUNT EVEREST.</span></div> - <div><span class='xlarge'>The Reconnaissance, 1921.</span></div> - <div><span class='large'>By <span class='sc'>Lieut.-Colonel</span> C. K. HOWARD-BURY, D.S.O.,</span></div> - <div><span class='large'><span class='sc'>And other Members of the Expedition</span>.</span></div> - <div><span class='large'><i>With 33 full-page illustrations and maps. Medium 8vo.</i></span></div> - <div><span class='large'><b>25<i>s.</i> net.</b></span></div> - <div><i>Also a Limited Large Paper Edition, with additional plates</i></div> - <div><i>in photogravure. Quarto, each copy numbered.</i></div> - <div><span class='large'><b>£5 5<i>s.</i> net.</b></span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<p class='c010'>“A remarkable contribution to the long and glorious story of British -endeavour in the high places of the earth. The whole is a splendid record of -clever and courageous enterprise.”—<i>The Times.</i></p> - -<p class='c010'>“The book under review tells the tale of the doings of last year’s journey, -and a notable tale it is, well told, finely illustrated with wonderful photographs, -and excellently printed. The accompanying maps enable us for the -first time to describe the articulation of the whole mountain region and to -replace the vaguely guessed indication of culminations and connexions by -a labyrinth of glaciers and ridges, full of meaning to geographers and those -for whom the actual shape of the surface of the earth has interest.”—<i>Sir -Martin Conway, M.P.</i>, in the <i>Manchester Guardian</i>.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“Mr. Leigh-Mallory, who led the climbing party of the Everest expedition, -has written in ‘The Reconnaissance of the Mountain’ an epic of mountaineering -which deserves to be an abiding possession for all those who have -ventured themselves into the silence and desolation of the high peaks.”—<i>Morning -Post.</i></p> - -<p class='c010'>“The book put together by the members of last year’s expedition, more -especially the maps and illustrations, makes us envious. Colonel Howard -Bury has told his story simply, with evident enjoyment. Mr. Leigh Mallory, -who gives us the story of the reconnaissance, is terse and human and never -tedious. He tells us exactly what we want to know.”—<i>Mr. Edmund Candler</i> -in the <i>Nation</i>.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“The story of the journey and the climbing adventure as told separately -by the leader and Mr. Mallory combine to make a narrative of singular variety -which sustains its interest to the end, and is agreeably supplemented by the -chapters of ‘Natural History Notes,’ contributed by Dr. Wollaston.”—<i>Mr. -Douglas Freshfield</i> in the <i>New Statesman</i>.</p> - -<p class='c010'>“As fascinating and picturesque as it is valuable. It will rank with the -best of its kind, and is assured of a success that is exceptionally well deserved. -It will satisfy both the expert and the casual reader, and there can be nothing -but praise for all concerned in it.”—<i>Illustrated London News.</i></p> - -<p class='c010'>“The book is admirably and enthusiastically written, very finely illustrated, -and in every way an ideal record of what will always be considered a -classical example of exploration in its first stage.”—<i>Country Life.</i></p> - -<p class='c010'>“Quite apart from its intrinsic interest it will be of the greatest value to -everybody who wishes to appreciate the attempt which is now being made -to continue the work and reach the absolute summit of the highest mountain -in the world.”—<i>Westminster Gazette.</i></p> -<hr class='c017' /> - -<div class='nf-center-c0'> - <div class='nf-center'> - <div><span class='large'><span class='sc'>London: EDWARD ARNOLD & CO.</span></span></div> - </div> -</div> - -<div class='pbb'> - <hr class='pb c003' /> -</div> -<p class='c010'> </p> -<div class='tnbox'> - - <ul class='ul_1 c003'> - <li>Transcriber’s Notes: - <ul class='ul_2'> - <li>Abbreviated index entries for page ranges (e.g. 12-4 or 127-9) were expanded to allow - links to the appropriate pages to be generated for the HTML and ePUB versions. - </li> - <li>Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected. - </li> - <li>Typographical errors were silently corrected. - </li> - <li>Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only when a predominant - form was found in this book. - </li> - </ul> - </li> - </ul> - -</div> -<p class='c010'> </p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Assault on Mount Everest, 1922, by -Charles Granville Bruce - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ASSAULT ON MOUNT EVEREST, 1922 *** - -***** This file should be named 61083-h.htm or 61083-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/0/8/61083/ - -Produced by Tim Lindell, Barry Abrahamsen, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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