THE MOUNT EVEREST FILM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18754, 6 January 1923, Page 4

THE MOUNT EVEREST FILM

VIEWS TAKEN AT 27,000 FEET. At a joint meeting of tlie Royal Geographical Society and tho Alpine Club, hold at Westminster, in November, | there was shown for the first time tho film record of tho Mount Everest Expedition. This film describes the adventures of the party in considerable detail, and is almost essential to a complete understanding of the difficulties and dangers they wore called on to taco. Captain J. B. L. Noel, tho photographer, has performed his part so well that n very fine film has been produced (says The Times). He had enormous difficulties to surmount. Ho carried his film camera thousands of feet liigher than such a camera had ever gone before, and to obtain certain views ho stayed for four days at a height of 23,00bft. Tho films were developed ns the expedition proceeded, partly in a tent, by tho Eongbuk Glacier, at a h:ight of 16.500 ft, and partly in an improvised dark room in an old fort at Gyantse. The frost and dryness of the atmosphere were both liable to affect the films, and in tho high wind it was impossible to keep dust from them.Wo aro shown the start of the journey from Darjeeling, with 400 mules and 1500 packages, tho trek through the Julep Pass (with tho first views cf Mount Everest, 100 miles away), and tho progress on to Kampa. Drong, where Dr Kellas died during tho expedition of last year. Wo are then taken to tho Rongbuk Valley at the foot of the great mountain, and shown a wonderful series of views of tho Rongbuk Monastery, which is tho highest situated building of its kind in the world. Tho chief lama of this monastery is especially sacred, because ho is believed to be the incarnation of a god, and pilgrims conic from all over Tibet to pay homage to him. In this part of tho film there is a most interesting record of the sacred ceremonies and dances that take place at , the monastery. These include “Devil Dances,” and dances representing the human passions, “Cemetery Ghouls,” and “Tho God of Anger.” The lama treated the members of tho expedition very kindly indeed, and personally gave his blessing to all the porters. Thou the ascent of tho mountain begins. We arc shown the base camp, 16,000 ft above eea level, and the subsequent camps at heights of HI, 500 ft, 21,000 ft, 25,000 ft, and 27,000 ft respectively. There are some remarkable views of the journey up tho mountain, of tho mountain itself, and of tho summit. These are followed by pictures taken with n telephoto lens of a rmrtv returning to a lower camp after an attempt to climb the mountain and some interesting views of Hie effect of the hitter wind on tho mountain slopes. The snow is blown to and fro wlf.n such velocity and in such volume that it looks like dense smoke.