WOMAN'S HEROISM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 30, 6 February 1933, Page 8

WOMAN'S HEROISM.

INJURED GUIDE SAVED AVALANCHES COME DOWN. DISASTER NARROWLY AVERTED. An extraordinary feat for a woman was performed by Miss Ida Corrie, an English climber, who brought an injured guide down after making the first ascent of Mount Goldsmith, over 9000 ft, as briefly mentioned in a telegraphic message last week. "Miss Corrie is the only woman I know who could have managed to get the injured guide down the mountain in the way she did; she was wonderful." In these words Mrs. Peter Graham, of Waiho, Franz Josef Glacier, paid tribute to the action of Miss Corrie, who was with Mr. Mark Lysons, a guide, svhen he broke his leg. "On several occasions the injured man and Miss Corrie narrowly escaped disaster, and it is clear that their journey will rank in alpine records as one- of the greatest achievements," said Mrs. Graham. The two had descended from the peak a few hundred feet, and Lysons broke his leg when, jumping a sft schrund, he broke through snow and struck rock. For a few minutes he was knocked out. Cutting a Ledge. Fortunately, he carried two pitons-— short pieces of wood; used in wedging between crevices or rock or into ice on which to belay rope when descending— in' his pack, which Miss Corrie used as splints for the leg.

Her method was to cut with her axe a ledge on which Lysons could sit. Then slid would descend to the full length of the rope to which each was attached, cutting large steps. At the end of the rope ehe- TTOuld ettt another ledge .for'

Lysons, after which she would cilmb back to the injured guide and hold him on the rope, while he hopped down on one leg, on which he wore a crampon, which is an iron frame with long spikes. They had to progress In this fashion for thousands of feet. Twice on the descent huge avalanches came down on either side of them, covering them with enow dust. The crampon worn by Lysons saved the lives of the two. Lysons slipped, and failed to grab his axe, with which he could have stopped himself by digging it into the snow. Miss Corrie caught it, and in doing so, missed her chance of forcing the handle of her axe into snow which would probably have held them, being roped together. Once off . the mountain, the worst of the danger was over, but for hours they toiled along the Neve of the Franz Josef Glacier. Most of the time Lysons used both ice axes as crutches, and swung

himself along. Fortunately, a recent fall of snow had. closed the worst crevasses. AvaiancTie of RocK; When passing Martenga, a peak they had climbed the previous day, a huge rock avalanche came down the top, striking terrifying showers of sparks as it came straight for them. Involuntarily, Lysons began to run and then found, lie could not, and they both spent some anxious moments, till the avalanche stopped, just a short distance from them. It was then apparently about mid- \ night. From the scene of the avalanche to the Teiclielman corner was a dreary journey; this corner is always tricky to get round, but at last it was managed. After going a little farther, as it was now broad daylight, Miss Corrie left Lysons in a safe position and went alone to the Aylmer Hut, getting there at 6 a.m., and finding there Guide Joe Fluerty, who at once returned with her, and carried Lysons back.