MOUNT KILIMANJARO

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 7, 3 October 1927, Page 8

MOUNT KILIMANJARO

4 I MISS MACDONALDS CLIMB DESCRIBED FIRST .ASCENT BY A. WOMAN Rugby, September 30. An account has just reached London of how Miss Sheila MacDonald, a 22-year-old London girl, climbed the great African mountain Kilimanjaro—the first time the feat has been accomplished by a-woman. Kilimanjaro has two peaks, Kibo and Mawenzi, the former being 19,720 feet high, and Mawenzi about 2000 feet\ lower. Miss Macdonald was accompanied by Mr. West, a member of the Alpine Club, and Major Lennox Browne, also a mountaineer of experience. Mr" West narrates that the -party arrived at Mombasa on July 21 and started for Kilimanjaro on July 2o He describes the great difficulties of the ascent of Mawenzi, the huge rock walls that had to be climbed, and then how thev found a remarkable and quite distinct ” natural rock staircase about two feet wide, which, with only occasional breaks, led almost to the top of a steep gorge. The party went back the wav thev had ascended and two davs later began the ascent ot Kibo Thev could find no shelter the first night 'until “our intrepid lady companion” found a cave where a short rest was enjoyed in comfort. Some more miles were covered next morning, but when they had reached a height of 19,000 feet Major Browne was overcome bv physical exhaustion, and was unable to continue. Miss MacDonald was undaunted, and pleaded to be allowed to finish the a ?c ent. I decided to carrv on.” says Mr West, “but it was Miss MacDonald who set the pace when we started off again. It was a hard climb for a girl, but she stuck to it with wonderful grit, and eventually we reached the summit. - British Official Wireless.