Evening star., 1924-03-09

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 un-
awares. from being torn open We
fought for our lives, realizing that
once the wind got our little shelter
into its ruthless grip II must in
evitably 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 pass
ed his novitiate in the hardshfps of
mountaineering, the situation was
more than alarming. About Tejbir
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 noun
taineering. and how the ordeal would
affect him I did not know.
l might have spared myself all
anxiety. Throughout the whole ad-
venture he bore himself in a manner
that would have done credit to the
finest Of veteran mountaineers and
fulness that rang too true to be coun-
terfeit.
By 1 o'clock, on the morning Of the
26th the gale reached its maximum.
The wild tapping of the canvas made
noise like that of a pachine gun
fire. So deafening was 1t that we
! could scarcely hear each other speak.
Later there came interludes OF COM
parative luli. succeeded by bursts Of
storm more furious than ever. Dur
ing such lulls we took il 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. 1t was impossible
to work in the open for more than
three or four minutes at a stretch. 50
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 en-
joyed a sense Of security which,
though probably only illusory, allow
ed US all a few soreIy needed mo-
ments Of rest.
Dawn broke bleak and chill. The
snow had ceased to fall, but the wind
continued with undated violence.
Once more we had to take 1t 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 pro-
lection. The extreme exhaustion and
the chill produced in the body as a
result Of each of these little excur-
sions 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 drag
ged on we believed we could detect a
slackening off in the storm. And was
thankful, for 1 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 situ-
alton became more desperate than
ever.
But we carried ON, making the best
of our predicament until. at o'clock,
the wind dropped suddenly from a
clustering gale to nothing more than
q stiff breeze. Now was the oppor-
tunity for retreat to the safety OF
the North Col camp. But I wanted to
hang on and try our climb on tha
following day Very cautiously and
tentatively ! broached my wish to
Bruce fearful lest. the trying expert
ence. OF thes!last twenty-four hours
had, undermined his keenness for, fur
ther, adveHture. Once again !. might
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 even
Ing meal cooked with the last. of our
fuel, The meal was meager for the
sinaple- reason that We had catered
for only one days short rations. and
we were now very much on starva-
tion. diet.
We, had hardly settled down for an
other nigh, when, about s pm. voices
were heaEu outside. Our unexpected
|visitors were porterss who, anxious as
to our safety. had left North Col that
afternoon when the storm snbsided.
With them they brought thermos
TASKS Of hot beef-tea and tea provid-
ed by the thoushtfafs Noel Having
accepted these most gratefully, we
sent the porters back without loss Of
time.
The night began critically. We were
exhausted by our previous experi-
ences and through lack Of sufficient
food. Tejbir's grin had lost some Of