EVEREST ATTEMPT

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 251, 20 July 1934, Page 11

EVEREST ATTEMPT

Lone Climber Believed Dead PORTERS WAIT IN VAIN Return Made to Darjeeling After Month at Camp By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received July 20, 12.10 a.m.) Calcutta, July 19. Mr. Maurice Wilson, who slipped out of Darjeeling a few weeks ago to make a forbidden lone attempt to climb Mojujf Everest, has lost his life nearCamp 4, at a height of 22,990 ft., established by last year’s expedition. He was accompanied by only three porters, one of whom he left behind with dy-tentery. The remaining two went with hinj .to Camp 3. Wilson gave them instructions to' wait for a fortnight, and pressed on alone with a small tent, three loaves of bread, two tins of porridge and a camera. The porters waited a month and returned to Darjeeling. It is believed that Wilson perished in either a treacherous crevasse or an avalanche. An astonishing story of a man’s attempt to climb Everest alone was reported from Darjeeling on July 17. Maurice Wilson, an ex-Army captain, and member of the London Aero Club, aged 38, gained prominence in June, 1933, when he arrived in India in a second-hand Moth with the avowed intention of flying to Everest, and landing somewhere on the mountain side and placing the Union Jack on the summit. He was warned not to fly over Nepal under pain of arrest and heavy penalty, Wilson then sold the aeroplane, but expressed a grim determination to conquer Everest alone on foot. Wilson weeks later disappeared and was recently discovered at Darjeeling preparing for the venture. It transpired that he secretly recruited porters with whom he associated himself disguised as a porter, 'tie suddenly evaded official surveillance and set off along the Ruttledge Expedition’s route to Everest. Mr. Wilson, an Englishman, came to New Zealand with a brother about 12 or 14 years ago, and remained in Wellington until about three and a half years ago, when he returned to England and learned to fly.