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GOING UP.

ASSAULT ON EVEREST, PROGRESS OF CLIMBERS. GREAT ENDURANCE FEATS. By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. London, June 17. General Bruce, leader of the Everest expedition, in a lengthy despatch from the base camp at Rongbuk, gives extracts from his diary covering the recent doings of the expedition. He states that Mr. Mallory and Dr. Somervel reached the north col on May l 17. Five members of the expedition and ■ a large number of porters established a camp there on May 2 at a height of 25,000 feet. Next day Messrs. Mallory Morshed and Morton climbed to 26,800 ■ feet without oxygen, and thereby ac- ’ complished the most successful and dar- I ing mountaineering feet yet recorded,! and one of the greatest feats of pure hu- . man endurance in any field of activity, i Since the last despatch was forwarded ' great efforts have been made to comI plete the lines of communication. General Bruce gives details of the establishing of three intermediate camps, one i at 17,800 feet, the second at 19,800 feet, the third at the foot of the north col, I 21,000 feet. Enormous difficulties were encountered, and the work was carried out in face of the stiffest moraines and glaciers and amid deep snow. The party was much hindered by crevasses, bad weather and the intense cold. The third camp formed the advanced base, where enough food was stored to supply ten Britons and many porters. Also full alpine kit and the bulky oxygen plant. All the camps are now completed and furnished with every necessity, including fuel. UNSETTLED WEATHER. While the establishment of the camps was being completed, Mr. Mallory and Dr. Somervel, as the advance guard, started to make a road up the north col The weather throughout the operations was unsettled, the thermometer ranging to 8 degrees below zero. The country was almost bare of fuel. The porters’ work was beyond praise, considering the • difficult country. In a, fortnight they transported sufficient supplies for 60 people for a whole month to a height, between 16,000 and 21,000 feet. This did not include the camp at 23,000 feet, and the camplet at 25,000 feet- The latter was quite unprecedent- | ed, as 24,600 feet was the previous highest record. How soon the whole force can be collected at the advanced base is a question of the supply of the elusive Tibetan coolies on whom the expedition is obliged to lean. These are. most difficult to obtain, owing to the season .of the year. However, the chief difficulties are now ended. The two main enemies are the shortness of time and the unsettled weather. Consequently Mr. Strutt, who has firstclass mountain knowledge, has been placed in charge of the advanced base. It was considered, advisable to take the first opportunity to make a reconnaissance before. the oxygen plant was ready, because it was felt that, if a camp could be established at 25,000 feet it would be of the greatest importance when the time came for the grand assault armed with oxygen. The weather did its best to annihilate this reconnaissance, Mallory’s party having to descend in desperate circumstances after one of the hardest struggles with the mountains ever made. A THRILLING DASH. Mallory adds an account of this dash, which reached a height of 26,800 feet. He tells of the difficulties encountered at the start owing to some coolies being overcome through sleeping in hermetically sealed tents. There were further difficulties as they mounted with the piercingly cold wind, the men slowly cutting steps in the frozen snow and ice. They camped at midday in the most uncomfortabe position, as it was necessary : to send back the porters before the weaj ther got worse, to prevent them getting frost-bitten. Three of Mallory’s fingers ■ and Norton’s ear were frost-bitten. MorsI head was badly chilled and unwell. Snow fell during the night, and the next morning Morshead stated he would not pro- ! ceed further, as his condition was such that ‘ it would only keep bis companions back. I The other two, pushing onward, were impelled by the snow, but found the travelling less difficult than they anticipated. The chief drawback was the difficulty of breathing, owing to the rarity of the air. With the aneroid registering 26,800 feet, they turned to descend and picked up Morshead. Soon a nasty slip occurred, and the three were held up by the rope belayed to a single ice-axe. They were more cautious afterwards, but were now racing against the darkness.

Morshead showed great pluck in descending, but was unwell and exhausted. Norton had to support him on his shoulder. After sunset the party had to cross a dangerous crevasse. They lit a candle and groped for the ice-axe. When ascending the candle burned out, and hope seemed extinguished, but, groping blindly, someone found the rope. They reached camp only to find the most essential of all things missing—a drink, for which their parched throats had yearned all day. They had relieved their thirst with a mixture of jam, frozen milk and snow. Morshead declared that thirst alone did him up. Mallory adds that, with a windless day, they might have had the summit within reach. The margin of safety was small, and three of them might have been out of action by frost-bite. They were not fortunate, put, in view of the severe conditions, not wholly unlucky.

A New Plymouth carrier was so troubled with two corns that he was unable to do his work without the greatest pain and inconvenience. A friend advised him to use Nipsem Corn Cure. This he did. Result: Corns removed without pain iu two days. He swears Nipsem is worth £2 a bottle. However, it is obtainable at all stores and chemists for 2s, or post free from 8.A.8. Co., Box 219, New Plymouth. Progandra cures corns quickly, 1/6. If you get a chill, with sore throat and tightening of chest, tackle it at once with Nazol. It grips quicker and. more effectively than most remedies.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19220620.2.45

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1922, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
999

GOING UP. Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1922, Page 5

GOING UP. Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1922, Page 5

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