THE EVEREST TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19218, 8 July 1924, Page 7

THE EVEREST TRAGEDY

WAS THE SUMMIT ATTAINED* MR ODELL’S BELIEF. DETAILS OF FATAL CLIMB, Press Association—-By Telegraph—Copyright,' LONDON, July 6. Mr Odell’s narrative adds: “Messrs Mai lory and Irvine sent back five porters, wbc accompanied them to a height of 27,000 ft, carrying provisions and the oxygen appa ratus. They brought an optimistic note from the two men saying that they.had used a minimum of oxygen, and th« weather was perfect.” When Odell saw the two men moving on the snow they were moving with considerable alacrity, evidently realising that not much daylight remained in which' to reach the summit and return to the camp. It was remarkable that they were so late in getting t$ where ho saw them. Mr Mallory anticipated reaching it several hours earlier; Possibly they encountered bad going, though this is unlikely, as a close scrutiny with binoculars showed easy climbing. Mr Odell went up to camp No. 6, arriving as the blizzard started, and prepared food for the climbers on their return. He whistled and yodelled through ,the driving sleet to give them a correct direction, but he soon realised it was a useless task, The blizzard passed within two hours, and asleep after a late return to camp. Odell searched the crags with his glasses and made signals, hut he saw no sign of the climbers. Next day, assuming that they were stih started at 6 a.m. from camp No. ■£ (where he had slept the night) for camp No. 6, carrying oxygen and provisions. Ht found the tent exactly as he had left it. Mr Odell worked along the face of the mountain seeking a duo, but as evening approached -he reluctantly abandoned the search, closed up the_ tent, and left it there with tho last relics of his lost coni' panions. Mr Odell concludes: “Has Everest been climbed? is a question that will ever be a mystery. Considering the circumstance* and the position reached, I am personally of opinion that Messrs Mallory and, Irvin* reached the summit.’’—The Times. • MEMBERS EXHAUSTED. FURTHER CLIMBING FORBIDDEN. LONDON, July 6.Colonel Norton, in a despatch front R-ongbuk base camp, dated June 14,' Sayß: “Every one of Live surviving members o) the expedition has shot his bolt. 1 nav? before me a medical report showing that each man has a more or less dilated neart, besides various minor disabilities. , Hk trouble will right itself in the lower alth tudes to which we are bound, but it.jH’otuo probably be permanent if further _higxj climbing were attempted. This Dr Hing l ston definitely forbids.” ' , Colonel Norton, like Mr Odell,. ;is ol opinion that Messrs Mallory and Irww actually reached tho summit and perisneo while descending.—Tire Times. * ' ’