Evening star., 1924-03-02


notable attempt to climb Mount
Everest 10 at once apparent In the
fact that this prodiEious mountain
rises to . height Of 2s.oo2 fetal
most six miIes-whiie the pinnacle OF
the Andes is but 23,2So feet (Mount
Aconcagua); the summit of North
America Mount Mckinley in Alaska),
10000 feet; the highest point In Africa
(Kibo psak), iS,32o. and In Europe
(Mont Ell Eruz of the Caucasus), 1S,-
465.
The battling inaccessibiIity Of Mount
Everest. in bleak. windswept Tibet
Central Asia, furthermore, Is clear
from the fact that there are no less
than nine other peaks In tho Hima-
layas exceeding $4,000 feet, and sew
oral hundred which rise above 10000.
While the object Of tho expedition
Of 1922. following the reconnaissance
expedition Of 1921, was the actual at
tack on the mountain In an attempt
to climb it, mo great mountain" OBJ
serves Gen. Bruce In THE Assault on
Mount Everest" has ever succumbed
to the first attempt on it, and there
fore 1t is almost inconceivable that 80
tremendous q problem as the ascent
of Mount Everest would succeed 1T
the very first effort. In fact. ] my
self, am more than satisfied, almost
astounded. at the extraordinary sue
cess attained by my companions in
this endeavor."
The expedition which approached
Mount Everest from India, besides
Cen. Bruce included Col L. l.. Strut,
as second in command; DR.. Longstaf,
official doctor and naturalist; Mr.. NAL
lory, DIR. Somervell, DR.. Wakefield,
Maj. Norton, Capt. ]. G. Bruce. Maj.
Morshead and Capt George Finch.
Other officers and assistants accom-
panied the expedition together with
fifty or sixty porters and camp en-
ployes. and more than 800 baggage
animals.
4 base camp was established on the
upper Rongbuk glacier at a height OF
$500 feet-higher than Mont Blanc,
tho Matterhorn or Mount Rainier;
then camp I, at three hours Journey
beyond, for pack animal, at a height
Of 1880 feet; camp ~, four hours up
the glacier, at height Of 1890 feet;
camp III, at the edge of the open
glacier below the Chang La. at a
height Of $1,000 feet.
After establishing camp III the
party under Mr.. Mallory moved on to
the more exacting and arduous estab.
Iishment Of camp w. at $4,000 feet.
From here the final scaling party of
four In the first attempt struggled
upward, and pitched camp for the
night on q still loftier ledge Of the
mountain.
The choice Of a site for a camp at
this elevation rather than one higher
up, although governed by expediency.
may. in the authors opinion, have had
a direct bearing upon the result of
tho first expedition. 1t Is at this point,
final dash for the summit, that Mr..
Mallory's present account begins.
This is the first of series of three
articles describing tho three assaults
upon the worlds greatest mountain.
ny GEORGE LEIGH.MALLORY.
TIME night, in spite. Of every
thing, was endurable. For dis
traction to pass the sleepless
intervals engaging thoughts
were not far to seek. We were able
to feel some little satisfaction In the
mere existence of this camp. the two
small tents perched there on the vast
rnountainside Of snow-bound rocks
and actually higher, at $4,000 feet,
than any climbing party had been be-
fore.
Hang it ALL" we cooed. 'It's not
so bad
do not propose to emphasize the
various agonies of an early morning
start or to catalogue all that may be
found for fumbling fingers to do, but
ono incident Is worth recording. A
rucksaek escaped US, slipping from
tho ledge where 1t was perched, and
went bounding down the mountain.
It contained our provisions. Our
breakfast was inside it.
From tho moment Of It's elusion I
gave 1t UP for lost. What could stop
its fatal career? What did stop 1t
unless IL were q miracle? Somehow
or another. IL was hung up on a ledge
100 feet below. Morshead volunteered
to 60 and get IL. BY slow degrees he
dragged UP the heavy load, and our
precious stores we're recovered intact.
At am. we were ready to start
and roped up. Norton first, followed
by myself, Morshead and Somervell.
We had moved upward only a few
steps when Morshead stopped.
II think I won't come with you any
only keep you back"
UA lAu
Of the remark. II Morshead said
that there could be. no longer ques-
ton Of his coming on, but we won
dered 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. Somervelps
Judgment as a doctor confirmed him,
and It was decided he should remain
in camp while we three went on with.
out him.
It was our intention naturally In
setting out this day to reach the sum.
nit Of Mount Everest. Provided we
were not stopped BY a mountaineer.
ing diflculty-and that was unlikely
tho 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 considera-
ton OF speed really covers that case,
for. provided one were capable Of
moving bis limbs at all. he would
presumably be able to crawl q few
steps, only so slowly that there would
DO no point in doing 50.
From the outset We were short OF
TINA Wa RhoUld hayA afa arfAA t~n