Evening star., 1932-07-03
EXPEDITION ARRIVES
At MANGA PARDAT
Himalayan Party Prepares to
Scale 26,630- Foot Noun
tain Peak.
,eeialDispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
TEMPORARY BASE CAMP. MANGA
PARBAT. Kashmir. June rs tN.ANA),
(By runner to Astor), July Fittings
have been moving fast with our eXpedi-
tion the last few days.
We have established a temporary
base camp. We have lost nine loads
Of irreplaceable equipment and l,l00
rupees. We have weathered hunger
strike by the coolies. And finally We
have made a good start in our attack
on Manga Parbat, that 26,630-foot peak
we hope to conquer. II the summit
is reached that viii set a world record
in mountain climbing.
Just a week ago Peter ASchenbrsnner
and our photographer, Herbert Kunigk,
returned from a scouting expedition to
determine the best method Of attack,
They reported a promising looking
route to the summit from the foot OF
Rakiot Valley.
Winding Route.
This is a very long, winding route,
swinging to the left, or southeast under
Manga Parbats precipitous north face,
up glaciers and gradual snow slopes
along two fiat terraces, where camps
may be placed, then back up a long
ridge ard over the steep rocks OF Raklot
peak to the main summit.
SO far as one can tell from below
this route is feasible, but great diff
culties certainly will be encountered
in getting over or around Rakiot peak.
Our present temporary base camp is
near Rakiot Glacier, on the edge OF
the tree line. 1t is q beautiful place.
The meadows are covered with forget
me-nots and clumps of white blrcnes
and cedars. The altitude is only
little more than 10000 feet.
Moving Base Camp.
The day before yesterday Rand Her
ron and Kunigk set out with seven
coolies to launch the assault on Manga
Parbat That night they camped on
the rocks at the edge Of the glacier at
height Of about 10000 feet. Follow
ing their advice, we are gradually
moving our supplies there to make it q
base camp for the present. We wish
to be as high as possible.
Yesterday HerrCn and Kunigk, trav-
cling alone, left the rocks and went on
up the mountain investigating possible
routes Today second attacking
party composed of Fritz Wiessner and
Felix Simon left this camp for the
camping place Of Heron and Kunigk
in the rocks, arriving there just in time
to see Heron and Kunigk returning
down the snoW-covered, rocky slopes.
After two strenuous days on the
mountain with little food these two
were SO exhausted that they staggered
and fell once or twice as they came In.
They had spent the night on the gla-
cier at about 10000 feet. They report
ed having found a practicable way for
long distance up the glacier among
towers Of ice. But they had to be con-
Stantly on the watch to keep out Of
the range of tremendous avalanches
falling about every 80 minutes from
tie north face of Nanea Par5sE
Falls Into Crevasse.
While on the march Heron, who was
leading, fell into a creyaSse, but he
was held up by Kunigk
Tomorrow Wiessner and Simon plan
, to follow this route up the glacier with
nine coolies carrying tents and food to
establish a higher camp as far up as
possible.
I spoke of the loss of equipment.
When we checked over our loads upon
arrival at this temporary camp We dis
covered our misfortune The loads
missing contained clothes and equip
ment for the porters, as well as Wiess-
ner'S personal bag and the 1,100 rupees
in coin which had been distributed
among the loads.
The Hunza and Balti headmen, with
groups of picked men under them, were
Immediately sent cut to search for the
missing loads, but no trace of them
was found. 1t is most likely they were
stolen IN the night by Chilas shepherds.
Incites Strike.
While the Hunza headman was away
cn this search a l0ud-voiced black
mustachcd Hunza, who from the start
has tried to be a troublemaker, per-
suaded the Hunzas into hunger strike
as a protest against the amount Of ra-
tionS they had accepted as completely
satisfactory all these days. And yes
terday this malcontent induced his
followers to leave us completely and
trudge of back in the direction of
HunZa. Today most of them reap
peared, full of repentance and begging
to be forgiven and taken back. We shall
keep them, of course.
Miss Elizabeth ,Knowlton of Boston
and Springfield, Mass, is one Of the
two American members of this expe-
dition. The other American is Rand
Heron of New York. The conquering
Of Manga Parbat will be a formidable
task Thirty-seven years ago, in the
first and only serious attempt up TO
now to reach the summit A. F.
Mummery and two coolies periShed.
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