THE NELSON INSTITUTE AND PUBLIC LIBRARY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 11 September 1937, Page 11

THE NELSON INSTITUTE AND PUBLIC LIBRARY

NOTES FOR READERS (Contributed) “Camo Six,” by F. S. Smylhc, is a personal account of the 1933 Everest Expedition—the fourth attempt, and the most nearly successful. Smythe himself was one of the three who reached a height of 29.0001't, just 1000 ft below the summit. The book begins with an account of the march from Darjeeling through Sikkim and Tibet, and the establishment of the base camp at the foot of the Rongbuk Glacier. On the following day Smythe set out to prospect for the site of Camp 1, and while there he saw "a liny silvery object in the sky, apparently very high, moving rapidly from west to east.’ He afterwards found out that a flight had been made that day over the mountain by the Houston-Ev-erest Flight.

He then describes how the next three camps were established, and then how they had to force a way up the North Col to pitch Camp 4. Part of the way was up almost vertical icc walls where steps had to be cut all the way, a difficult job at that altitude, where the slightest exertion caused breathlessness. All this time they were continually interrupted by blizzards and gales, but they managed to establish Camp 4 at about 25.700 ft. On the way up they passed Finch’s 1922 camp and found oxygen cylinders still containing oxygen. The atmosphere at Everest is so dry that after eleven years they were still unrusted

At Camp 5 they endured a three days’ blizzard and then were forced to descend. But after a few days the weather cleared, and they once more climbed to Camp 5. and went on to Camp f> which they established at 27.400 ft. Wyn T 1 arris and Wager were the first to attempt the final climb. They tried a route up the ridge but found it impossible and had to try the route across the yellow rocks which Horton and Somervell had followed in 1024. The climbing became more difficult, they were tired, and it was late. They had' to return. One of the interesting things about their attempt was the ice-axe which they found on the way. This must have belonged to Mallory or Irvine who never returned r rom their attempt in 1924. No one else had been there. The tollowing day Smvthe and Shipton were to make their attempt, but by dawn a gale was blowing and it began to snow, so they spent all day in ‘heir sleeping bags. The next morn:ng war calm, however, and they set out. Unfortunately Shipton became ill and had to stop. He said he would lol'ow slowly and Smythe went on alone. He describes his effort in detail, and very interesting it is, but he too had to turn back. That night he slept 1.1 hours, though a severe blizzard was raging at the time. That was really the final attempt. Later the weather became worse as the monsoon broke, and the expedition returned. This is a fascinating account of a most interesting expedition, and has caused at least one reader to turn to the other books on Everest expeditions, such as Bruce's -‘Assault on Everest, 1922.” and Ruttledge’s “Everest: 19.33.”