CLIMBING EXPEDITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21018, 6 May 1930, Page 9

CLIMBING EXPEDITION

ASCENT OF KINCHINJUNGA. TRANSPORT DIFFICULTIES. . NEPALESE PORTERS DESERT. ' # (United Press Association.) ' r(By Electric Telegraph— Copyright.) / LONDON, May 4, (Received May 5, at 8 p.m.). The Kinchinjunga explorers reached Khuuza by three easy marches from the foot of the mountain. They .sent a: despatch to say that the transport diffi-; cnlties had been greater than the climbing owing to the late winter, there being snowstorms on the low levcl&j The party reached Khunza only througa.'.thc.efforts of Mr Wood Johnson and; tho faithfulsirdars and porters. ' Fifty ■-Nepalese' deserted after a /serious- blizzard ;; at Dzongri on April 20, foreing_the, abandon-, ment of many loads in order to traverse the 7000-foot Kang Pass, the elevation of which, though 11,000 feet less than Kinchinjunga, had a considerable effect on the lungs and caused.many severe headaches. Moreover, it forced a double march owing to • the possibility of another snowstorm. It was a severe test on the porters, who were not provided with boots; which had not been deemed neces-sary,-and many hours of trudging in the snow .damaged even their leathery feet. Hderlin and Schneider climbed the 19,000foot Gang Peak, which is probably l the first ascent of this summit. Their fine performance heartened the'weary porters.’ many of .whom stumbled into the camp in darkness, being snowblind, despite the wearing of goggles. One old man, though bis feet: were frost-bitten, refused to yield np his load until exhausted. The performance of these men was wonderful carrying 801 b apiece; Some porters who were with Hannah at the Tseratp camp refused to march until provided with boots, and all the available boots were Sent to them. : Later the -coolies, seeing the'show;clad peaks of Margir Pass, over which they must go, threatened to strike, but Mr Wood Johnson' quelled an ugly disturbance. »It was discovered that the trouble.- was due l to ‘ agitators, who. were weeded out and sent back to Darjeeling. The porters have no grievance and receive good food daily, .with. an issue of cigar-; ettes,, and since the agitators’ departure tl](ey,;haye been cheerful, - The Maharajah of Nepal sent a subadhar, whose arrival ended many troubles.'- -He told the porters that the Maharajah was personally interested in the expedition and trouble makers would be*, arrested. The subahdar rilsp provided 50. local coolies and disciplined the headroan of Khunza into promising to prdvido food for the incoming , porters. With plentiful food supplies and. the equipment essential for an; attack on Kinchinjunga the , leaders of the have now more confidence,. as they, feel that many important stores, including rum and whisky, will arrive from the lower levels, where they have been delayed., Colonel Tobin has arrived at Yoksah with 75 .mule loads of food, hut whether he can get them over, the .KangrMargir.-Pass remains to-be seen. .:. ■ ~ , , The expedition is camped amid the magnificent scenery’ of' giant’ peaks?. During the marches they had a very fine view ’up the unexplored Yamatari Valley, at the head of- which amazing nameless peaks dominated the 25,300-foot Jaann. They looked hopelessly inaccessible except: to the gods who are,reputed to dwe)J on thoir fairydike summits. Mr Wood Johnson is a tea planter at Darjeeling and an experienced Himalaya!) mountaineer. '<] s ''