THE MOUNT COOK DISASTER.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15022, 17 July 1914, Page 8

THE MOUNT COOK DISASTER.

PROPOSED MEMORIALS THEREFOR.

GUIDES' CAIRN AND DUNEDIN ALPINISTS' HUT.

(bt ora srrci.r. n.porter.) Last February, New Zealand was thrilled by the story of the disaster whicli overwhelmed the English Alpinism, Mr Sydney L. King, -and the guides. David ("Darby") Thomson and Jock Richmond, who. alter iTsuccessful ascent of Mount Cook, were killed hy a hug. avalanche on tho Upper Linda Glacier, a second avalanche Fubfoquently revealing Richmond's battered borly by cutting off the top of the first. The other two bodies still lie under many hundreds of tons of ice. to be revealed on tho Hochs totter Glacier eighteen tears hence, when the slow but irresistible ice-river has ground it. way so far. .Mr Kin. was a man greatly liked among alpinist.. both in Europe and here, and the guides were very popular with all who had come into contact with them, and especially with their brotherguides- who determined to erect a cairn to their memory. At this stage Mr James Denntstoun, of Peel Forest, wrote to the chief guide, Mr Peter Graham, telling him that ho was going to send up, at his own cost, a commemorative obelisk to the gallant climbers whose careers had been so tragically ended. Tho guides formed themselves in to a committee, with Mr Cook, manager of the Hermitage, acting with them, and Mr Graham as chairman, and wrote to Mr Dennistoun that they considered it their duty and privilege to erect n memorial te their comrades • that they thought a cairn built of rough stone on tho crown of Foliag. . Hill would be more appropriate than an obelisk, and saying that they would be glad if Mr Dennistoun and any other frieiids of the three victims would join them. This Mr Dennistoun fell in with. Subsequently, a number of Dunedin alpinists considered that a more useful monument would bo a "memorial hut" at the "Bivouac" on the Haast Ridge, where climbers who contemplate conquering Cook from the Tasman side spend tbo night before their attempt. The hut would contain "a comtnomor. tive slab." This decision was communicated te Mr Graham by Mr E. A. Duncan, tho hon. secretary of the movement. The guides, however, did not liko the itlea. There is much sentiment among climbers. They felt that tho memory of their comrades' fate would always" be sufficiently with them without their sleeping.tho night before following in their steps in what would bo virtually a tomb, and waking to seethe slab that might forecast their own fate. They had felt deoply tho loss of thoir comrades, they remembered the crushed semblance of humanity which they had with infinite risk and labour carried down that very precipitous ridge, and those other crushed bodies that still lay under the ice. While believing, also, that a bivouac was desirable at this place—in fact they had already secured the material for it from tho did not think that they should seek tho greater comforts of a hut on such 'a pretext, so they wrote te tho Dunedin committee, expressing these views, and stating these convictions, and adding that not one in a/hundred who.visited the Hermitage could ever _co the suggested memorial hut, which could only bo reached by the comparatively fow high-cliuibors, while a cairn such as they proposed on the conical .Foliage Hill, facing Mount Cook and the Hermitage, would bo seen by every visitor and would have the most appropriate possible setting. The Dunedin committee, however, determined to go on with its project, and issued a circular asking for subscription., for the eroction of "a hut with commemorative slab on tho Haast Ridge" "as tho most fitting tribute." Tho circular stated that "the English Alpine Club ; may make a substantial donation," and "the Government will most certainly subsidise £t for £1 any amount" raised." It also stated that "the guides at the Hermitage wish to eroct, on their own account, a cairn on Foliage Hill as a guides' tribute." To this-last statement "tho guides took exception as misleading, since they had ' informed tho D_nedin committee that it was not irierely. "on their own account," but on the. account, also, oi many relatives, friends, and admirers of the lost mountaineers, that they were proceeding with the cairn, and that they had received maby letters conveying assistance . and sympathy with the movement. The position, therefore, is, that the guides' committee, is going on with its cairn, though it would much havo liked tho co-operation of the Dunedin alpinists. They will do tho building of the cairn thomselves, with tho monetary assistance of friends in regard to the bronze work, memorial slab, etc. The cairn of picked rough boulders cemented together-will top the hill. Tho base will bo 7ft 9in square by 3ft high, carrying a granito slab upon which will be cut deep In Memory of Sydney L. King, -_C. Rickmansworth, England David Thomson Jock Richmond . Guides Hermitage, who, after ascending Mt. Cook, were overtaken by an avalanche on the Upper Linda Glacier, Sunday, February 22nd, 1914. Erected Comrades and Friends. On this base will be a pillar of the .same stones, tapering from 6ft square to 18in at 3ft, and surmounted by the emblems of tho JUpinist—ice-axe, rope, and ruck-sack, in bronze. The wort will begot under weigh betoro the opening of tho next season. It is regrottablo that a difference should havo arisen where each desires to honour the dead. Apart from the question of sentiment referred te, practical difficulties are pointed out in connexion with tho Dunedin scheme. The proposed site of the memorial hut is at 6600 ft, 3300 ft above the Ball Hot, up a steep arrete. All 'tho materials for the hut would have to Ibe packed on horses to tho Ball Hut, which could only be done in summer, and then carried on men's backs up the j steep and rough ridge to the site. This ; could only be done by climbers, which would probably resolve itself into the guides.-liaving't© do it. and that they certainly could not do during their busy season. Ordinary workmen could not do it The guides', estimate for the cost of such a hut is £300. and our Dunedin representative ascertained from Mr Duncan yesterday that the Dune-Tin committee has so far collected £65 towards this. Materials for two bivouacs, of wood and corrugated iron, 10 x 8, with 3ft Gin walls and 6ft ridge, have been at the Hermitage for two years waiting a chance of erection, ono of them to be for the Haast Ridgo. Up-till ;pow there has not been an opportunity of erecting them, and the Guides' committee thinks the chances of erecting a hut of tho type contemplated by the Dunedin committee would therefore be remote. The incident suggest* the desirability of reviving tho New Zealand Alpine Club, which would then be a recognised body to consider this or apy other matter "that might arise.