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Letter to Captain [J. P.] Farrar [copied by Ruth from George's original letter]

Everest was a colossal rock peak plastered with snow with faces as steep as he had ever seen.

He and Bullock were at 1st Advanced Base Camp and he describes the North ridge, the glacier and the slopes of the first peak beyond the col which were impossibly steep. He describes the west side of the cwm, and the difficulty in reading his and Bullock’s aneroid heights, giving a reading of 18,650 ft. He thinks the face of the mountain may be completely unassailable.

He describes the summit as rock at a moderately easy angle, and further details possible access points from different directions. He had the dimmest hope of reaching the top, but they would proceed as though they meant to get there.

He estimates his own fitness as well as that of Morshead, Bullock and others. They couldn't pretend they can go on as they did in the Alps. He had found the descents difficult and had been forced to adopt a deep breathing system going down as well as up. Any exertion beyond an even, balanced pace demanded more of one’s organs than they were inclined to give. Wondered how well they could acclimate at elevation. Sets out the plans for the following day and describes the sight of the glacier.

[Letter seems to end abruptly. There may have been another page which is not in the Archive]

Letter from George Mallory to David Cranage from Yatung, Tibet

Full Transcript

My dear Cranage,

I often cast a backward thought to Syndicate Buildings & wonder how you are progressing with arrangements for the Michaelmas Term & for the Summer Meeting. Before long I expect you will be planning a holiday, & I want you to feel quite certain about me; - it is going to be very difficult to get back for the beginning of the Summer Meeting because the Everest Committee took a return ticket for me by the City Line & I discover that their boats are very slow. However one way or another I will get back before the end of August, so that you won’t need to have any qualms about arranging to go away on the 20th or 21st.

Yatung in the Chumbi Valley is our first station in Tibet, and as arrangements have to be made with the trade agent here we have a day’s rest from marching. It is a curious interlude, between the steep sub-tropical forests of Sikkim & the tableland of Tibet; this is more like an Alpine valley; its sides are more or less covered with conifers which are showing spring green: two marches hence at Phari where we get up onto the high land above 14,000 ft there will not be a tree or a bush or a blade of any green thing to be seen; & we are not particularly pleased to hear that a few days ago 2 ½ ft of snow fell up there.

The past week as you may imagine has been enjoyable enough. After the confinement of the voyage & the dust & heat of the journey across India, & the tiresomeness of packing & ‘getting off’ from Darjeeling the real thing has begun; & the best of it is a very nice lot of companions. It is a very strong party this time & I’m glad to say I feel fitter than I was two years ago.

Noel, our photographer, was asking me today about lecturing on the expedition & I told him what he had arranged – that an occasional Saturday evening during term was the only chance at any distance for me to lecture outside our own centres & that I should want to combine a lecture of that sort with one at a centre; and then ten days at the beginning of January. The reason I revert to this now is that you will probably hear shortly from Christy asking which of our centres you want to reserve for me & in which other members of the Expedition may be free to lecture; & he will want to know whether I shall be lecturing for him or for the centres in January – but I daresay that ca wait until I return. I told Christy, by the way, that he would have to find out my engagements from Richford, so he may write to him.

Please give my salaams to Williams & Sewell & remember me also to Richford & Green. And can you give me news of Parry – he seemed so seedy when I left. I hope your knee is quite better long ago & that you & Mrs Cranage are both flourishing. All good wishes to you.

Yours ever,
George Mallory

Letter to Marjorie Turner [his sister-in-law], from Kharta

Thanks her for her jolly letter which she had written on 17 May and which he had received on 27 June. He was in lovely countryside walking with the General and Geoffrey Bruce and Norton when he received it. The last ten days had been a pleasure trip with collecting as an excuse. It had been a good time but the rain had spoilt the best plans. He describes the countryside and flowers including a white primula he had found which he hoped they could bring back and name after him.

Replies to the contents of her letter. He was looking forward to getting back to England at the end of August. He planned to go to Westbrook to eat fruit. Doesn't think he would collect much more on his way back but that day he had got a fine Tibetan fox-skin for Ruth although she would probably say she couldn't wear it. Hoped he would find waiting for him in Darjeeling some small square Tibetan mats for chairs.

Letter to Rupert Thompson, written from 2nd Advanced Camp, on ‘Mount Everest Expedition’ Letterhead

Thanks Rupert for helping with Franz. He thinks Rupert may be able to tell him why he embarked on this adventure. Describes the scene in his tent as he and Bullock wrote letters. Sometimes thought that the expedition was a fraud invented by the wild enthusiasm of one man - Younghusband – puffed up by the would be wisdom of certain pundits in the A.C. [Alpine Club] and imposed on the youthful ardour of himself.

He describes a precipice nearly 10,000 ft high and the prospect of an ascent in any direction was almost nil. He had to endure the discomforts of a camp at 19,000 ft and had trouble understanding the porters. He looked forward to his return home.

He planned to start at dawn with 250 ft of rope ready to slide down on the side of a great ice pinnacle. He had his compass, glasses, aneroid, alarm watch, and bed socks. He hoped the snow was a passing shower and that the peaks would be clear and glorious in the morning.

He wishes Rupert and David [Pye?], love and good stomachs for strange diets. Asks him to breathe a prayer of goog luck for them as they planned the great assault.

Letter to Ruth Turner, written from Charterhouse School [Ruth was in Ireland with her family]

It was a wonderful that she loved him and wanted to know him and that his letters had meaning to her.

She mustn’t depend too much on him as he might affect her growth and she his. There must be separate individual growths. He was not perfect and didn't wish to be because it would be very dull. She was so disturbing to his balance that he didn't now whether he was on his head or his heels.

He was reading Clutton-Brock’s book on William Morris whom he admired. Morris was the foundation of all their present revolt against the heritage of Victorian ugliness. He had also read two new sonnets by Keats which expressed exactly his own feeling. That was what the great poets did for us.

Letter to Ruth Turner, written from Charterhouse School on headed notepaper [Ruth was in Ireland with her family]

He had written to his mother but did not understand her reply until Mary [his sister] explained to him that it was usual for a bride-groom’s parents to provide house linen. He had slept out the previous night and felt glorious and now had to prepare his history lessons.

Letter to Ruth Turner, written from Charterhouse School [Ruth was in Ireland with her family]

Had finished reading William Morris and was delighted and much moved by it. He associated her family with William Morris and there was a very nice reference to her father’s work in the book. He would send the book on to her. He wanted to look up some of William Morris’s poetry as he knew very little of it.

He had been writing poetry but had to stop and go to the Headmaster’s house [Frank Fletcher]. He couldn't talk seriously to anyone as it was always time for tennis. Tennis was irritating because when he hit the ball hard it always went out.

His last letter was ridiculous which he didn't mind as it was good for her to have someone to laugh with as she appeared to be deliciously solemn at moments. He was much too conceited ever to envy a cricketer. He only envied the poets. He was glad that the sonnet he wrote [See: PP/GM/1/1/1914/2] meant something to her.

The boys were being jolly. He describes Miss Pollock by practising a literary parody of Henry James. He describes a thunderstorm which occurred during the night and was still on his mind as he read the great third act of King Lear to his Form. Explains his interest in Lear and asks her to read some of John Keats’ letters.

Was expecting his friend Lytton Strachey to arrive and stay the night. He was very queer to the world but not to him as they were friends but he must be very irritating to many people. He had a profound respect for his intellect and passion with which he held the doctrine of freedom. His love for him as a man of intense feeling and fine imagination helped him put up with much that he wouldn't tolerate in others.

He had borrowed a copy of Poems by the Way by William Morris from the Clutton-Brocks. He thought they should buy the same edition as a wedding present. He loved what she said about money but he had only been about 1% serious in his previous letter which she would have known if she could have seen him talking. Money was comic and wholly irrelevant to him.

Wonders what wedding presents they might receive. The idea of possessions didn’t interest him unless he had some part in producing a beautiful whole with them. Avie and Harry [his sister and her husband Harry Longridge] had received 300 wedding presents, and his sister Mary would receive more. He had suggested to Mary that she could have all the ones they received that they didn’t want but she had refused the offer so he would have to get her a present.