CONQUERING MOUNT EVEREST

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1928, Page 3

CONQUERING MOUNT EVEREST

VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE GAINED,

PROSPECTS OF NEXT VENTURE

“1 am convinced the summit oi Alount Everest will some day he readied, because the knowledge gained from every attempt will make final success easier.” This is the option of Air E. O. Shebbeare, conservator of forests. Darjeeling, who, with Air J. Bruce, was in charge of transport for the 192-1 Alount Everest expedition, which came near to success.

Two young Englishmen, Ahillory and Irvine, perished in the final dash to the summit. I hey were last seen as two black specks by their comrades below. I he members of the expedition returned to civilisation.dispirited, but confident that success was possible. The expedition comprised 12 Englishmen and 55 porters, later augumented by a number oi Tibetans, who acted as porters, and in addition to Ahillory and Irvine, Nopah, assistant cobbler, and a GlnirKa non-com missioned officer lost their lives i lie former as the result of a frost bite. “Our job was to look after transport.” said Air .Shebbeare.- “I am not a climber, but we got to a camp at a height of 21,000 feet—B*7oo feet from the summit. The transport was one of the main problems, and all the gear was taken to a base camp, 16,800 foot lip, by pack animals. Thereafter, the carrying was done by native sherpas and Tibetans.”

Of the fate of Irvine and Ahillory, Air Shebbeare had little to say. Blizzards raged two days before they miiTle the attempt, but suitable conditions prevailed on the day they set out. “Two or three days before the final hurst. Irvine and Ahillory took part in one of the most daring pieces of rescue work,” Afr Shebbeare continued. “With two others, they rescued some native porters, and probably this effort exhausted them, and they might not have been as fit as they should have boon. Their final camp could not have been mistaken by them, because it was in a prominieint position. Probably they lay down to sleep from sheer exhaustion. and never woke again.’’

If permission could be obtained from the Government of Tibet for another expedition. Air Shebbeare has not the slightest doubt a further attempt would bo made. There were plenty of people willing to provide the money, and plenty willing to take part in the venture. He mentioned General Younghusband as a man who would always be eager to organise an expe-rtitfon.

“The matter is a political one now.” lie said. “There lias been a change of Government in Tibet, and they do not want foreigners in their country. There is a superstition about Alount Everest, but I think that, above all. the Tibetans are afraid that someone will discover some of their mineral deposits. The next attempt may succeed, or maylie tlie one after that.” He added that several things had been learned from the last expedition that would assist tlie next.