At Mt Everest

Hokitika Guardian, 17 July 1922, Page 3

At Mt Everest

EXPERIENCE OF CLIMBERS

SEVEN PORTERS KILLED.

" THE TIMES ” SERVICE

(Received this day at 9.50 a.m.)

LONDON,' July 15,

General Bruce, leader of the Everest expedition, in a. despatch from Rongliuk glacier base camp, gives a graphic stdry of a terrible experience ending in the tragedy by .which seven porters lost their lives. They decided on a final attempt on Everest to be made on June 7th as the monsoon was approaching and little time was left. Strutt, Bongstaffe and Morshend bad been obliged to return to Dnrjeling. Norton and Bruce himself were forced, for reasons of health, to go to it lower altitude. However, six Englishmen were available and these were organised so as to evacuate the camps in conjunction with the climb. Mjillory, Somervill and Finch, with Wakefield, Crawford and Norris as assistants, left the main base camp in threatening weather. ft snowed for thirty-six hours, and they were compelled to return to the base camp. Of! June 7th, being confident the slopes leading to the North Col were in a. trustworthy condition,, it was decided to evacuate the col and have a further try at the mountain. Mallory, Somervill and Crawford joined to cutting, and path making to the North Col, hoping to relieve the others for their greater exertions later. They were followed by fourteen coolies roped together, and laden with food and oxygen plant, which was intended for use in tne latter stage. The lower slopes of tile {forth Col were firm hut halfway ,up tc snow began to slide. Those on the leading rope toad slipped. Mallory. Somervill. Crawford and one porter were carried down, and lifter sliding one hundred and fifty feet, by the greatest luck the slide was cheeked, and all were extricated unbanned. | Looking round for the rest of the j caravan, they saw men on the snow lie-, low. They climbed down and found the ! second rope of jxirters had stopped on the edge of the ice cliff 60 feet deco, with if great crevasse at the foot. The 1 other two rope loads had been swept over the cliff into the crevasse, They were able to rescue three men, but the remainder were buried in a deep crevasse with an avalanche of snow on top of them. All hands worked [ " hours but were obliged to relinquish their efforts, after recovering aTi hut one. The six recovered wore all dead, i General Bruce adds—ln this tragic . manner ends the first attempt to eon- | quer the greatest mountain in the world. From the experience gained this year, there is no reason to believe that a future effort will fail. The i weather has broken. Where we once walked on dry ice, are now torrents of water. We were lucky in completing the evacuation of the camps as we did. Everest is a terrible enemy. The chances against those attacking'are ol the gren.te.st. The mountain visits the smallest error Of judgment with terrible punishments.