EVEREST EXPEDITION

Evening Star, Issue 18022, 17 July 1922, Page 4

EVEREST EXPEDITION

ENDS IN TRAGEDY.

SEVEN PORTERS KILLED.

BUEIEO BY SHOWFALL

MOUNTAIN REMAINS UNCONQUERED.

Press Association— By Telegraph—Copyright,

LONDON, July 15. _ In connection with tho Everest expedition, General Bruce reported on July 11 as follows :

While making a further' attempt on the mountain from tho north col, snow swept ten porters over a crevasse and buried them deep in the snow. Three were rescued alive, tho remaining seven being dead when recovered.—' limes.

THE LEADER'S NARRATIVE,

HOW THE PORTERS DIED

SWEPT INTO A CREVASSE,

LONDON, July 15,

(Received July 17, at 9.5 a.m.) General Bruce,- the leader of tho Everest expedition, in a despatch from Rongbuk Glacier base carap,_ gives a graphic story ot the terrible experience ending in tragedy by which seven porters lost their lives. He states that it was decided that the final attempt on Mount Everest should be made on Juno 7, as the monsoon was approaching, and little time was left. Struth, Longstaffe, and Moorshcad had been obliged to return to Darjeeling, and Norton and General Bruce himself were forced, for reasons of health, to go to a lower altitude. However, six Englishmen were available, and these were organised so as to evacuate the camps in conjunction with the climb. Mallory, Somervell, and. Finch, with Wakefield, Crawford, and Norris as assistants, left tho main base camp in threaten-, ing weather. It snowed for thirty-six hours, and they wore compelled to return to the base camp. On Juno 7, being confident that tho slopes leading to the north col were in a trustworthy condition, it was decided to evacuate the col and have a further try at the mountain. ‘Mallory, Somervell, and Crawford joined to assist in step-cutting and pathmaking to tho north col, hoping to relieve the others for greater exertions. Later they were followed' by fourteen coolies, roped together, laden with food and tho oxygen plant, which was intended for use in tho later stages. The lower slopes of tho north col were firm, but halfway up tho snow began to slide. Those on the leading rope load slipped, and Mallory, Somervell, Crawford, ajid one porter were carried down. After sliding for 150 ft, by the greatest luck the slide was checked, and all were extricated unharmed. Looking around for the rest of tho caravan, they saw men on tho snow below. They climbed'down, and found that tho second rope porters had stopped on the edge of an ice cliff 60ft deep, with a great crevasse at tho foot. The other two rope-loads had boon swept over the cliff into the crevasse. They wore able to rescue three men, but tho remainder were buried in a dee]) crevasse with an avalanche ot snow on top of them. All hands worked for hours, but they were obliged to relinquish their efforts after recovering all tho men but one. The six who were recovered wore all dead. Prospects for future expeditions.

General Bruce adds: “In this tragic manner ends the first attempt to conquer the greatest mountain in the world. From the experience gained this year there is no reason to believe that a future effort will fail.” General Bruce concludes : “ Tho weather lias broken. Where we once walked on dry ice there are now torrents of water. We were lucky in completing the evacuation of tho camps as wo did. “ Everest is a terrible enemy. The chances against those attacking it are of tho greatest. The mountain visits the smallest error of judgment with terrible punishment.”—‘ Times.’