Evening star., 1924-03-16

we're soaked through, and the last
two hours up to camp were tiresonie
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 dis
cussed the possibility OF going far
ther. With fifteen to eighteen inches
Of snow to contend with, not count
ing drifts, the Tabor would be excess
sive. 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 giori-
Gus sunshine. 1t was the warmest
day that any Of us remembered at
camp 8, and as we watched the
amazing rapidity with which the
snow solidiaed and the rocks began
to appear about our camp our spirits
rose.
The side of Everest facing us
looked white and cold, but we OBJ
served a cloud OF snow blown from
the north ridge. 1t would not be long
at this rate before IT was At to climb.
We had already resolved to use oxy-
gen 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 q second camp above the
North Col.
+. Somervell, after Finch's explana-
perfectly confident that he could
manage tho oxygen apparatus. and all
those who had used oxygen were con-
WINGED that they went UP more easily
with its help than they could expect
to 90 without It Somerveil and I
intended to profit by their expert
ence.
They had discovered that the in
creased combustion in the body re-
Quired a larger supply Of food. We
must arrange for a bountiful provi-
sion. Their camp at 2s,eo0 feet had
been too low. We would try to es-
tablish one now, as we had intended
before, 1t $1,000 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,ooo
feet. we intended to 60 UP to our old
camp At $4,000 feet without it. per-
haps use 4 cylinder each up to $4,000
feet, and at all events start from
that height for the summit with a
full supply Of four cylinders II this
was not the correct policy. as laid
down by Prof. Dryer, 1t would at
least be a valuable experiment.
Our chief anxiety under these new
. safety Of our porters. We hoped
that after fixing our NTH camp at
$500 feet, at the earliest three days
hence, on the fourth day OF fine
weather the porters might be able to
90 down BY themselves to the North
Col in easy conditions. To guard
against the danger OF concealed Gre
vases there Crawford would meet
them at the foot Of the north ridge
to conduct them, properly roped, to
camp 4. As tho supply officer at
this camp. he would also be able to
superintend the descent over the first
steep slope Of certain porters who
would 60 down from camp 4 with
out 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. II We were to make
the most Of our chance In the inter-
val Of fair weather. We should lose
mo time In carrying up the loads for
some part Of the distance. It was
decided, therefore, to begin this work
on the following day. Juno Z.
=
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 slope
below the shelf. There We could af-
ford to run no risk We must test
the snow and b certain that it was
safe before We could cross this slope.
Probably We should be Obliged to
leave our loads below 1t, having
gained, a. . result Of our. days work,
the great advantage Of Z track. An
avalanche might alsp come down, we
thought. on the first steep slope
where the ascent began. Here II
could DO M. no harm, and the be-
havtor. Of tho snow on this Slope
would be = test Of its condition.
Tho party. gorhefveIl, Crawford
and I, with fourteen port4fs (waka-