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Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Is keen to know what she and everyone at home thinks about the German Note and wants to see the English newspapers and describes how it is being reported in the Continental press. He thinks the journalists misunderstand the German and particularly the Prussian psychology which he sets out.

He wants to know what her father thinks of it all and asks her to tell him what he [George] thinks.

Was finding G. Young's Balkans amazingly good and was studying Othello.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

The mess was very quiet. He had been very sleepy all day after an exciting night. Although he was never away from the old battle area the spirit of autumn was everywhere and there was nothing like the healing power of nature especially trees.

He thought much about Charterhouse and imagined teaching and dealing with boys there again and the prospect was pleasing in many ways.

That afternoon he had been to A. [Arras] and had explored the outlying parts. Some of the buildings had been damaged but very few in the south west of the town had been seriously damaged. He had talked to more than one lot of refugees. He had returned with a good supply of vegetables - cabbages, brussel sprouts, onions and celery, in his rucksack.

The post was unreliable because they didn’t have their own censorship stamps as they should and the letters had to pass through so many different and changing hands that he feared she would never receive some of his letters.

He hadn’t yet thought deeply about the latest German Note although it didn’t strike him as satisfactory. It was evident democratic opinion didn’t yet control Germany and they had to wait for that but he felt that miracle would happen.

He wanted very much to see Clutton-Brock’s book and asks her to order him a copy and send it out to him. He had almost finished George Young’s book about the Balkans which was very interesting. He had recently read George Eliot’s Silas Marner which was a very pretty story which she would like.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Responds to her letter by setting out his views on the failures of the Passchendaele offensive and on religion. He was delighted she was taking trouble about her religious life and didn’t mind if they differed. Didn’t think he would have much use for outward forms of Christian ritual but had no objection to her or anyone else valuing them. He worshipped in his own way in places other than in a Church setting.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

His stay had come to a sudden end as Trafford had been called away to take command in the absence of the Colonel.

Had a good solitary walk and played football on the previous day and his ankle held up. In the evening they went to Amiens to dine. Had an amusing evening and got the Mayor of Amiens to sing two songs. The waitresses as well as themselves sang and they toasted until after 10pm and he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

The unstrafed country was pleasant and he wished the battery would move back to the place they first stayed in after landing in Calais. The constraint of unmitigated shellholes and barbed wire was deadening to ones faculties.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Was glad she was recovering [from pneumonia]. Wishes he could be home with her. The King was going to Paris on 29th which was the same day he would go if he got leave.

He had a heavy cold yesterday so hadn’t written to her as he was too tired after dinner. Looked forward to living with her and being happy in their home. She must be patient with him and they would learn to live with one another and be happy.

They had not yet moved but he expected they would that day. They had to give up most of their trucks which would be very annoying.

He was delighted her father had begun to walk again. Hopes he will be strong again.

He was reading Tess of the d’Urbevilles which had wonderful descriptions of dairy farms in the Frome Valley and she would love it although it was another tragedy.

It was still very cold but bright and he had walked into Arras to buy stuff for the mess. The car was out of action as the rear axle was broken. When it broke the wheel came off and careered down the road nearly upsetting a despatch rider.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Was staying with Trafford on his was back from Paris. He had completed his purchases of books and was on the way to the library when he went back to look at a picture in a shop he had seen the day before. The artist arrived while he was still in the shop. He was a young man injured in the leg during the war and he arranged to go and visit his studio. Describes the painting and whether they should buy it. Asked the artist to paint Clare if were to come to England.

Letter to Ruth Mallory written from France

Was staying with Trafford and had been taken up in a Bristol by one of the pilots. Describes the stuns they did in the plane. Refused to let the pilot loop the loop because he wasn’t strapped in and the pilot had a reckless face.

Pemberton had been fetched from near Calais and was going to stay for some days.

Still no news about his return. It had been four weeks since his application had gone in and he was getting anxious.

Had received a letter from Brother Giles who had suffered an enteric fever [typhoid fever] and maleria and was now at the base with views of Kenia [Kenya] and Kilimanjaro. She could pass this on to Allen and Hoenni if she saw them. The Hoennis would be very glad to see her.

He was glad to be with his brother officers again and the sweet air was very pleasant after Paris. He had received a note from David after his visit to Westbrook who said she was ravishingly beautiful.

Letter from George to Ruth Mallory written from France

She was keeping up their correspondence better than him in the circumstances. He was still hoping every day for news of his release. Was trying to write his lecture [on civics] but it was too vast a subject. Was glad the Head Master had been to see her. He had heard from Allen who had no hopes for a speedy release and who said the Head Master showed no interest in the subject.

What plans did she have for moving into the Holt? Thinks he will need some bookcases. Had his case arrived from Paris?

Letter to Ruth Mallory, written from ‘Kampa Dzong’ on ‘Mount Everest Expedition’ Letterhead

Brief Description
Dr Kellas had been buried. Raeburn was declared unfit and had returned to Sikkim and so there was no-one left with experience of climbing in the Himalayas. Describes Bullock, Wheeler and Herron and outlines their plans. Talks about the food they eat. Describes his first view of Everest from 100 miles away.

Detailed Summary
Dr Kellas had been buried in sight of the three great peaks he had climbed Pahonri [Pauhunri], Kinchenjan [Kinchenjhau] and Chomiomo [Chomo Yummo]. Raeburn had been pronounced unfit to proceed and Wollaston had taken him to a place in Sikkim to recover. Wollaston had then returned to reach Tinki Dzong. This was a disaster as they were are now left without anyone who had experience in the Himalayas. Morshead had limited experience and Mallory had criticisms of Raeburn. They planned to see the N.E. side of Everest and hoped to see the N.W. side to solve a big problem of topography. He was still hopeful of attacking Everest that year with Bullock and Morshead, but that goal seemed a very long way off. Evaluates Bullock, Wheeler, and Herron. Kampa Dzong had been pleasant change. They had supplemented their food with sheep, gazelle, gammon, goose, fish, and half-cooked vegetables. Hoped to find eggs at their high elevation of about 15,000 ft.

He was feeling extraordinarily fit and was much moved by the prospect of a nearer approach to Everest. He describes his first view of the mountain from 100 miles away, ‘It is colossal even at this distance - a great blunty pointed snow peak…with a much steeper north face than people have made out’. He thinks that the N.W. side of the mountain, facing the Arun river, up which the monsoon cloud came had the bigger snowfall. He describes the landscape of the Arun valley and that he was sorry they wouldn’t see the east side of the mountain.

[Letter continues later] - It had been a jolly day. He now had a better mule after giving his up to Raeburn. He and Bullock were surveying the country.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, written from Trenkye [Tinki] Dzong, on ‘Mount Everest Expedition’ Letterhead

Responds to contents in her letters from 6-10 May mentioning the Hodges, Clare, Bridget’s son, Mary Ann and Stephen. He was feeling happier. He had been nailing the porter's boots. He had planned a two day expedition with Bullock to climb up to about 20,000 ft and see the N. E. face of Everest and had avoided telling Howard-Bury. Morshead had now joined the group. Describes a hill walk and a fragrant flower which he enclosed in the letter hoping it still had some of its scent.

He planned to take photos of the mountain range as they were now in a country which no European had previously visited. The rest of the party were quite cheerful. The food provisions were not proving expensive. Tells her not to be hopeless about the expedition as they may yet do very well. He would think of her on her birthday tomorrow.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, from the S.S. Caledonia [P. & O. S. N. Co. Letterhead]

Brief Summary
Life on board ship - pass times of sport and reading. Finch demonstrated oxygen apparatus. Opinion of colleagues.

Detailed Summary
Describes daily life on board. Members of the expedition party were happy smiling company with plenty of easy conversation.

Every morning George Finch gave a demonstration of the oxygen apparatus and they practised adjusting the valves.

Describes the old ship and his cabin in a smelly corner. He had finished Keynes’s book, mentions exercise and shares thoughts on his colleagues. Deck tennis had so far provided some amusement – Wakefield and Somervell were both keen. Finch rigged up punch-ball and was behaving very well so far. He was liking the bunch very well and not least Noel who has done quite a lot of lonely wandering and is reserved and interesting about his experiences. He had written an article for the Blackie Encyclopaedia which he doubted was what they wanted but said the important thing was that they should send a cheque for £10.

The following day they were due in Port Said. He planned to send the letter from there along with the book Night and Day, asking her to try and read it. Asks if there was a big gap now he had gone and hoped she could put away the loneliness as she had the children with her. He hated the fact they weren't together. He had been thinking again about going to America and she must go with him if he did.

He had a photograph of her and of the children with him and asks that if anyone takes new ones then she should send them on to him.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, from Chevremont Darjeeling.

Brief Summary
Journey across India from Bombay to Calcutta and the Darjeeling. Norton in hospital. Plans to travel onward. Finch and Crawford to stay behind and wait for delayed oxygen cylinders. Looking forward to seeing flowers in Sikkim.

Detailed Summary
Journey across India passed well enough. Describes the heat, dust, dry plains, and that about half the trees were green, either a sombre green or the brightest imaginable sort. There was much that was worth seeing but they were glad to get to Calcutta.

Their baggage weighed 2 ¼ tons plus a lot of personnel in the train and they paid over 600 rupees to Calcutta and 150 more for handling at Bombay. They were met in Calcutta by the A + N Stores agent who did everything for them. The stores and railway fares cost about £200 from Bombay to Darjeeling.

Norton was in hospital in Calcutta with bad piles after riding but it was not necessary to operate. Norton planned to go with them to join Strutt but he hoped that Norton would be persuaded to join them later.

They next travelled in a rail motor which was a much cleaner ride than the train. They got to near Darjeeling quicker than expected and met Bruce coming up the road in a car who made great cheer at seeing them. The country looked very different now to how he had left it being much browner due to the weather being particularly dry which he thought was a good thing for them.

Immense quantities of stores were on their way to or already at Phari. It was possible to save a march to Kalimpong, which was the second stage on the journey the year before, as they were going by a special train, a journey of 5 to 6 hrs to Kalimpong which they could do quite easily in a day.

After Kalimpong they planned to split into two parties. He would be in the first party going to Phari. Then an advance party of about 8 of them (himself, G. Bruce, Strutt, Longstaff, Wakefield, and Noel) would go onwards taking a limited amount of stores with them while the rest would follow gradually behind. Finch was staying with Crawford to bring the oxygen when it arrived [the cylinders hadn't yet reached Calcutta].

He was looking forward to seeing the earlier flowers in Sikkim [he was here about a month earlier in the year then he was in 1921] and details magnolias in full bloom. He compares the expedition leaders Howard-Bury (1921) and the current leader General Bruce and says he read the proofs of Howard-Bury’s chapters coming up from Calcutta which were worse than he had expected. Morshead would also be joining the expedition which he was very glad about [Mallory and Morshead were the only two returning from the 1921 Everest Reconnaissance Expedition].

Realises Ruth may be in Wales and sends his best wishes to the party.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, from 'Kalimpong’.

Brief Summary
Split into 2 groups. Plan to beat height record without using oxygen. Training by Finch on use of oxygen. 40 men selected which wasn't enough. Travelled by train up the Teesta Valley. Finch and Crawford left behind to wait for delayed oxygen cylinders. Description of flowers.

Detailed Summary
They had split into two parties with himself in the first group and travelled to Phari following the previous year’s march. General Bruce had wanted to travel all together with 300 animals. Describes Bruce and the management of the advance party moving stores, fixing camps, and he expected to share his opinion about the condition of the snow when the time came. During the expedition they planned that a party of three would try to beat the height record without using oxygen. They had been provisionally selected - Morshead, Norton, and young Bruce.

Finch was insisting on oxygen training and had declared that a man should have a fortnight’s training with the apparatus and that unless he had it he wouldn’t be responsible for anyone’s safety when using it. Thinks two days would be ample training. If this rule held good the three he named were excluded from the possibility of getting to the top with oxygen, because there wouldn’t be a fortnight to spare for training them. He didn’t expect the plan would work out exactly according to intention as he thought General Bruce wouldn’t be rigid on the matter.

There were only 40 porters in the party which was quite inadequate. They were good men selected from 150 Nepalese and among them were 14 who had climbed with him the previous year. He reckoned they would have to make about four journeys to the North Col and two journeys up from there to 25,000 ft which he thought was asking too much. Bruce had been short on time and couldn’t gather more men worth taking or equip them. He planned to save them as much as possible on the journey and possibly gather a few Tibetans.

He was enjoying the venture hugely as it wa the jolliest of parties and everything was well arranged. General Bruce, Wakefield, Strutt, Noel and himself were going down to Siliguri while, ‘young Bruce’ had gone ahead to look after the luggage. He had returned after dinning in the station to find their beds already set up and arranged with mosquito nets which he thought was the proper way to travel, although the net wasn’t very effective and he was bitten and had to use iodine and prophylactic quinine. He hoped to escape fever.

They had travelled up the Teesta Valley to railhead with General Bruce putting his head out of the window most of the time, brimming over with joy and waving his handkerchief at passers-by, and Noel had used his cinema apparatus [film camera]. He describes the heat, and of arranging stores before going up to Teesta Bridge. From there the General walked up about 4,000 ft.

They came round by train to save 300 rupees but the rest preferred to start early that morning motoring out from Darjeeling about 8 miles and then walking. His companions from there would be Bruce, Norton, Longstaff, and Noel. Finch remained behind at Darjeeling with Crawford to bring the oxygen. They would probably be about 10 days behind them which he felt was rather hard luck for them. That night he was sharing a room with Longstaff and he thought they would get on together very nicely.

He would describe his time in Darjeeling, but it would be largely of idleness. He had been walking with Wakefield, Norton, and Somervell but the mountains were not at their best. Describes specific flowers and their glorious colours, but thinks they were not as loveable as English blossoms. Everything seemed to be in waiting for the first rain showers. He did not expect to see as many flowers in Sikkim until they came to the rhododendron zone.

He had ordered Curtis to give her a book which should be useful in identifying wild flowers and thought perhaps she could collect some flowers with Clare.

Letter from to Ruth Mallory, from ‘Tinkeye Dzong’.

Brief Summary
Delayed because Longstaff had been unwell. Photographed Gyanka mountains with Morshead and Somervell but it was cloudy. Finch gave oxygen demonstrations. Details of evening routine. No thought had been put into how they were to carry oxygen cylinders up and down. Outlined their plans for camps when they reached Everest.

Detailed Summary
Wonders what she is climbing with their good friends at Pen y Pass and is annoyed that he won’t know for a long time due to the time it takes for the mail to reach them.

Their journey had passed happily enough in warmer weather but they had to stay a second day because Longstaff was unwell. Thought Longstaff was ‘alarmingly frail’ but looked better today. He liked Longstaff very much but he didn’t have the physique for this job although he did carry it all through with his tremendous spirit.

The repetition of aesthetic experiences was not very stimulating. The march in sun and wind and the camp had a somnolent effect and he felt too much like an animal. However these two days had been full enough.

He had gone on a little expedition with Morshead and Somervell to photograph the Gyanka mountains but the clouds had spoilt the plan which was a disappointment and after the previous four days which had been marvellously clear (could distinguish details on Everest with the naked eye from Kampa Dzong over 100 miles away). He put on an amusing show when teaching the porters how to use the rope by tumbling down a little slope and pretending to fall into crevasses. He walked nearly an hour to visit some rocks where they had a strenuous little climb.

Finch gave oxygen demonstrations after tea largely for the benefit of the novices which showed up several weaknesses which had developed in the apparatus which they had used for practice on board the S.S. Caledonia. It could be adjusted but showed how many chances were against its working perfectly.

The evening routine consisted of dinner which was always an early meal (not later than 7pm) and they usually sat talking until 8.30pm when the party began to break up and he was usually in bed by 9pm or soon after. He was trying to learn a little Gurkali - enough to get on in some simple fashion with the porters, a matter which may be of some importance when they come to fix a camp on the North Col.

They talked a lot about the organisation for climbing Everest. General Bruce was under orders to try the oxygen but it was an interesting result of the haste in which the expedition had been equipped that no calculations had been made as to how they were to carry the whole weight of the oxygen cylinders and apparatus (8-900 lbs) up and down. He and Longstaff had been going into the question of organisation as General Bruce wanted to be ready with a plan when they fixed the base near the Rongbuk Glacier. From his past experience Longstaff knew more about this sort of thing than anyone else and he was very glad to find they were in agreement.

Thought it would take a fortnight to establish a camp on the North Col (my mid May) which would leave a month for operations. That sounded good but it would take another fortnight to get the oxygen to the North Col and they would also have to consider the next stage to a camp at about 25,000 ft. Thought the main trouble was a shortage of men to take supplies up to the different camps. They would also be hampered by insufficient tents and sleeping sacks and wouldn’t be able to leave them in the established camps and would have to carry the sleeping sacks at lease up and down. Didn’t want her to pass on this criticism of the equipment as he thought it had been remarkably well done.

Thinks he may have provided details which she would find difficult to follow. He wasn’t pessimistic. He wouldn’t write much more as the ink was trying to freeze. The party was getting on very well but he found Finch rather tiresome as he was always talking about science as practiced in his laboratory or about photography.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, from ‘Camp III’.

Brief Summary
Description of his and Somervell's recconnaisance to find a route from the North Col to Everest.

Detailed Summary
It was 7.30 am on a bright and almost windless morning and he was sitting on a box outside of the tent awaiting breakfast - tea had just come. Still freezing in the shade but the sun was trying to be warm. Explains why he was up so early and that they had eaten their evening meal early for the sake of their cook, and had been lying in the tent ever since. He and Somervell had slept well.

He had The Spirit of Man, a volume of Shakespeare and a pack of cards so there was no real difficulty about passing the time agreeably. He had found Will’s pamphlet from last mail in his pocket. Gives his thoughts on it.

On 10th they left Base Camp and slept at Camp I and on the two succeeding days came on to Camp III quite easily. Most of the porters were to go straight back to No. 1 Camp, rest for a day, and then bring up more loads again. They were expected that day. Two porters and a cook had remained with them. First objective was to establish a route to the North Col. Did this on 13th which was an interesting day. Problem was to get up without cutting lots of steps in hard ice. All the lower part of last year’s route was ice. Hard work to make a staircase and that route would have been unsatisfactory for porters as most were untrained. Instead they chose a route to the left, straight up to the point where they had to cross a very steep snow slope. Was very hard work with a lot of chipping and kicking of steps. One porter came with them (the other was sick). Took ice pegs and rope and the porter carried a Mummery tent, which was the first tent to reach the North Col. Almost midday when they reached the snow shelves below the edge. Wind was blowing up the snow and the great broken cubes of ice above them were wonderfully impressive. He and Somervell proceeded along the shelf intending to reach the lowest point of the col and look over the other side, just as he, Bullock, and Wheeler had last September.

They were roped together and afraid of the wind. Their way was blocked by a crevasse just too wide to jump. The main edge joining Everest to the North Peak was on the other side of this gap not more than 10 ft wide. There seemed to be a way to the left but a few moments later they were up against an obstacle not to be climbed without a ladder and there was no alternative. Faced the prospect of a longer job than anticipated they. They ate four sweet biscuits and some mint cake. Saw a gap where a steep ice slope came down from the North Peak. Continued along the shelf in that direction, turned the flank of an ice gendarme and were able to work up steep snow to the ridge and look out over the westward view. Everest was still to be traversed. The true North Col up on which the N. Arete of Everest springs up was at the south end of that ridge. The slopes on the west side were fearfully precipitous and they had to expect broken ground. They had to leap two crevasses in the first 50 yards. Then found it easy going and reached a minor snow summit. The view to the west was opening out and they sat down to look at it and for a time they completely forgot their quest. Started again and saw a clear way ahead, so they can get to Everest by way of the North Col. The distance of Chang La [North Col] from this camp was not as great as it appeared on the map or on a photo taken from Lhakpa La [high mountain pass] last year. The only trouble was the labour of getting up to the pass but this would be easier now the steps were prepared. They were back in camp about 5.30 pm, each with a bad height headache and too tired to eat a meal.

The porters arrived that day with Crawford, hopefully with enough rations to allow a party of them (8 to 12) to stay there. If so they planned to take a first lot of loads up to Chang La [North Col] tomorrow 16th. Rest on 17th, to Chang La [North Col] with 8 porters, and sleep there 19th, to the highest point we can get loads, say 25,000, with 3 or 4 loads on the 19th, porters returning here, others sleeping again at Chang La [North Col], and then on 20th or 21st up to their highest camp and on next day.

Letter to Ruth Mallory from Camp 3.

Full Transcript

I write to you on the eve of our departure for the highest we can reach - just because I shall feel happier in case of difficulties to think that I have sent you a message of love. The difficulties will be such as we know in all human probability; our endurance and will to go on taking precautions are less known factors - but with such good people as these are I feel sure that we shall all be anxious to help each other and that after all, provided competent mountaineers is the great safeguard.

I have very good hopes with the coolies fit and cheerful that we shall establish a camp well above Chang La [North Col] the day after to-morrow- you realise I except that Norton and Morshead who came up the day I wrote to you last have joined S. [Somervell] and me, the four of us will be sleeping at the North Col to-morrow night and we hope about 25,000 the following night – and then!

I can’t say that I feel stronger for the days here (since the 12th) or weaker either for that matter. S [Somervell] says he went better up to Chang La [North Col] yesterday than on the 13th. Well it’s all on the knees of the gods and they are bare cold knees. We shan’t get to the top; if we reach the shoulder at 27400 it will be better than anyone here expects.

Dearest one, you must know that the spur to do my best is you and you again - in moments of depression or lack of confidence or overwhelming fatigue I want more than anything to prove worthy of you. All my love to you. Many kisses to Clare and Beridge, and John. Ever Your loving, George.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, from Base Camp

Brief Summary
First summit attempt without oxygen and waiting to hear about Finch and Young Bruce’s summit attempt with oxygen.

Detailed Summary
Had received mail from her and read news of Pen y Pass. Four of his fingers on the right hand had been touched by frost bite but only the top joint of the third finger gave him any trouble and he didn’t think there was any danger of losing any part of it. Poor Morshead was a very different case and they didn’t yet know what the damage would be. Thought it was stupid or careless of them to be caught out as it was easy enough to keep hands warm with gloves if you weren’t doing too much with them. He took the lead over from Morshead and cut the steps as quickly as possible for fear the porters would be done in by the cold and refuse to continue. Morshead was insufficiently clothed and didn’t know his fingers were caught until the following night. He had wrecked himself cutting the steps and when they were pitching tents hardly had the strength to lift a stone. The night at 25,000 ft was miserable and he didn’t expect to go on.

Somervell was the reserve man all through and was particularly useful in cooking at the high camp. Norton went first on the final day and was very nearly done at the end and was climbing very slowly. They could have gone further but turned back to allow time for the descent. On a fine morning they would have started 2 hrs earlier and reached the N. E. shoulder.

He lead on the descent except where they had to cut steps. He and Norton shared the cutting as he judged he would be quicker than the others. He felt pretty strong on the descent. The slip was nearly a bad business. He hadn’t realised how shaky Morshead was and had cut rather poor steps. Norton and Somervell must have been caught napping. He didn’t have the rope belayed round his waist as he was on the point of cutting a step. Hearing something wrong behind drove in his pick and belayed and was ready in plenty of time when the strain came. Morshead must have made a very fine effort coming down the steps of the snow slope as he appeared to tread quite safely; but the moment they were on easier ground he collapsed. He didn’t like the idea of being out after dark above 23,000 ft. It was a very trying and anxious time.

Next morning there was a lot of hard work cutting steps down from Chang La [North Col] and they weren’t down to Camp 3 until after noon. They walked down to Base the next day and were a very tired party, and all except Somervell, had remained tired. The rest of the party were very pleased with their performance. Thought that the three of them were out of it now. Norton’s ear and his finger were frostbitten and Longstaff wouldn’t hear of them going up again until they were healed. It was annoying as he wanted to make one more try from a camp at 26,000 ft.

They were a perfectly happy party at Camp 3. Apart from the anxiety he had enjoyed it tremendously.

Thinks he won’t have answered all her questions. Says he is still feeling stupid and it was a great effort making a narrative for the press. Wonders what people at home think of them.

[Continues later] - Had just received 3 letters from her and also letters from all his family. Comments on her time in North Wales and hopes she is better for her holiday. Of Pen y Pass he says he knows nowhere that one comes away from feeling so strong. Had a very nice letter from David [Pye] about Pen y Pass. It was almost certain that they would be leaving Everest on her birthday and should be in Darjeeling about 7 July at latest, and hoped to be home by early August. Thought he might take a week to travel through India and then take another week coming round by sea to London. He hoped for one spell of walking with her before October, mentioning the good places they still had to visit together, Teesdale in late spring, a Yorkshire dale, golden in September, and Derbyshire, or the west country again.

[Continues later] - He had been dictating to Morris [General Bruce’s secretary] while he typed up a narrative of their climb. He had worked out she ought to get news of their climb very near the date of her birthday and this letter should reach her on 4 July, and on the same day he should arrive in Darjeeling.

Details future travel plans as he wants to see something more of the world. He may see the Bullocks on his way home as he had heard from him the other day full of questions about the expedition. They had both been ill and asks Ruth to write to Mrs Bullock as she would be glad to hear from her. He had written a note to his mother and had received one from his sister Avie and hoped she was really better.

He had been thinking of a plan for them to meet in the Alps on his way home but felt she wouldn’t come because of the expense, but if she did it would be easy for him to meet her there. He didn’t know whether Geoffrey Young had secured the Tyndall chalet but if so they could go there which would make a great difference. Tells her how to get there and what costs would be involved.

[Continues later] - they were waiting for news of Finch and G. Bruce’s attempt to summit using oxygen. Thinks they would certainly break their record as they have had very good weather but he didn’t expect them to have reached the top at the first attempt. It all depended on whether they succeed in dumping cylinders ahead of them. He didn’t feel jealous of any success they may have. Getting up with oxygen was so different from their attempt that the two hardly enter into competition. He chaffed because his finger kept him in camp and Longstaff had no idea how bad it was. It was extremely sensitive to cold and if he went up again he would get a real bad frostbite so he had to be patient.

Norton was responsible for collecting flowers with Longstaff’s help. As Longstaff had to go back in a hurry Norton had asked him [Mallory] for help and what they found the previous year. He could easily do this without much loss of time but would be a week later reaching Darjeeling. The idea of seeing seeing the early flowers between there and Kharta and near Kharta too attracted him.

Letter to Ruth Mallory

Brief Summary
Most of the party was ill or injured with frostbite. Feeling in the camp was more discontented. He, Finch and Somervell were contemplating a third summit attempt. Thought Finch would annoy him. Opinion on what went wrong with 2nd attempt. Weather was worsening. If they did make a 3rd attempt he would be delayed in coming home.

Detailed Summary

Wishes he could be enjoying the first blush of early summer with her. Has been re-reading her letters and says her time in Wales sounds full of enjoyment and so unlike this. The North Col was a wonderful place for a camp as it was sheltered from the west wind behind great battlements of ice.

He finds a difficulty in writing to her because she will have heard of events that have not yet happened before she receives his story. She will know the results of their final attempt, which they will begin tomorrow or the next day. Despite mixed feelings about another venture it would have been unbearable for him to be left out. Until yesterday morning he felt there was no chance of going up. Longstaff felt they were all ill since they came down and strongly believed the Expedition had done enough and had better shut up shop. Longstaff reported him medically unfit due to his finger and his heart. However, Wakefield had made a careful examination yesterday and pronounced his heart perfectly sound and he trusted his judgement. He did risk getting a worse frostbite by going up again but felt the game was worth a finger and he would take care.

Norton had not been fit since they came down [from 1st summit attempt] and there was no question of his going up again. For Wakefield and Crawford the limit was the North Col and Geoffrey Bruce’s feet would require a month to recover. Only Finch, Somervell, and himself were left. Finch appeared done when he came down in spite of the liberal use of oxygen, but was fit enough. He was afraid Finch would get on his nerves a lot before they were done, but hoped they would manage the climb without serious friction [anticipating 3rd attempt in 1922].

The weather was getting steadily worse which would settle the affair. It seemed much windier than last year. He feared getting caught on the ridge in a bad gale. Finch and Bruce had made a strong effort on the last day but in some ways managed very badly. Assessing the 2nd summit attempt he felt it was an initial mistake to go to a fresh camp at 25,500 ft instead of moving to the one they had established and they had put it on the wrong side of the ridge exposed to the wind. By some mismanagement there was a shortage of supplies both at the North Col and 25,500 ft. Porters were sent up from the North Col at 4 pm and they did well to get back there at 11 pm. The idea of porters wondering about up there in the dark with none of us to look after them filled him with horror. The story of the Gurkha orderly was pretty bad too. The plan was to take him on from 25,500 ft carrying 6 cylinders of oxygen for 1,000 ft of 1,500 ft by which time it was supposed he would be exhausted. He was to then sent down by himself drinking oxygen from one cylinder. Finch seemed to have a different standard of caring for the porters than him. He was determined they would run no risks with their lives during the next venture.

The new attempt would impact plan for his return journey. Strutt, Longstaff, and Morshead would be going back to Darjeeling as soon as animals arrive, in 4 or 5 days. Norton and General Bruce would be going over to Kharta at the same time (he was to have gone with them). The main body would follow to Kharta after they had finished with the mountain. He would aim at catching the Treista boat from Bombay on 1 August but she wasn’t to count on that.

[Continues later] - He had escaped from the camp to write the letter. In the past 3 or 4 days it had seemed to be a less serene, rather a discontented place. Morshead suffered from his fingers continually and he [Mallory] feared he would lose the first joint of six of them. He bore it well but was not a cheerful figure. Norton was even more depressed. Strutt was more than usually full of curses. Crawford and Wakefield who were last down from the mountain were not very pleased with the prospect of going up again so soon. Longstaff was far from well with indigestion and sleeplessness and was at present in one of his moods of bustling activity, when he became tiresome, interfering, and self-important. The General, who had been tied to camp almost the whole time by a sore foot, showed a better temper than anyone. Bruce and Strutt both hated the wind and they had had no more than one windless hour.

Letter to Ruth Mallory, from ‘Kharta'.

Brief Summary
Describes flowers seen by him and Norton. Comments on a copy of the Everest book which he had received.

Detailed Summary
Had received two letters from her. Correspondence had been more difficult this year.

Had found two new white primulas. Describes the scene of his discovery in detail which was so beautiful he nearly fell down and wept. Detailed description of the flower. Hoped the seedlings they were bringing back would survive. Had also found another flower which was a much more starry flower. The flowers had been wonderful over the last few days. He and Norton had explored a side valley going down to the Arun. They had the loveliest of walks, trees, shrubs, and all were at their best in broken sunlight and showers - perhaps the best of all that blue-purple iris blooming freely in patches the size of our garden.

Had received a copy of the Everest book but was bored with having to find a place for it in his baggage. Thought it was well got up and looked the money but was disappointed with the reproductions. Was amused to find that the Morning Post was his most favourable reviewer. Thought the other reviews she had sent were remarkably dull, but the Times seemed pretty favourable.

They were to start back the day after to-morrow. He didn't expect to be able to catch a boat before 5th August and would probably save money by sailing right on to London. Younghusband had written to him and had said about the book, ’ ‘Yours was a splendid contribution and I am glad I resisted efforts to have it broken up and subdivided . Wonders whose wanted to subdivide the book and wondered if it was Howard-Bury out of jealousy.

Had received a letter from Edith Stopford and mentions the political situaion in Ireland. Wonders if it’s possible for civil war to be avoided. Edith said everyone expected it be and no one seemed much concerned.

He was very glad she has been to London. Asks her to congratulate Ursula on her concert.

Letter from George to Ruth Mallory written from onboard ship on Anchor Line, T.M.S. California letter headed paper.

Full Transcript

My dearest Ruth,

We shall be at Port Said tomorrow and its time I were writing to you again. It is being a voyage particularly without incident, as we shall land only once, for a short time, before reaching Bombay. But one unforgettable thing has happened – the approach to Gibraltar. I was fortunate enough to wake before sunrise and went on deck. We were steaming due East and straight ahead was the orange glow streaming over the sky. Towards the centre of it the long dim lines of land on either converged and left a gap – quite a small gap between little lumps of land, for the straits were 20 miles away or more. We were aiming straight for this little hole in the skyline where the light was brightest, and I had to most irresistible feeling of a romantic world; we had only to pop through the hole like Alice through the garden door to reach a new scene or a whole kingdom of adventures.

The other important thing that has happened to me is that I have in some way strained my left hip in the gymnasium about 5 days ago. It gave me considerable pain for two days like sciatica, a pain in some important nerve all down the leg – the sciatic nerve I understand is in the back of the leg and this one was in the side. The leg is much better, though not yet well. I ran ten times round the deck this morning; but that doesn’t prove as much as you might think, because it is rather the lifting movements that are weak. However I have a fortnight, nearly, to Darjeeling and I’ve little doubt the hip will be all right by then.

I have finished reading Maurois’ Ariel [Andre Maurois’ Life of Shelly or Ariel] with much interest. I knew the early life in Hogg and the last scenes in Trelawney’s Recollections which I think you have read, a charming book, but I have never before read a connected account of the whole life. Shelley certainly had an extraordinary gift of love, and love of a very pure and sublimated kind. Maurois makes out that he had lost his love for Mary Shelley and was in love with Anne Williams at the end. But he shows at the same time that his relations with Mary remained of a very tender sort and he was very thoughtful on her behalf, and as they lived in the same house with Williams, it is a little difficult to make out that he preferred Anne to Mary. It is an interesting story because in so far as Shelley’s relations with Mary were impaired it was simply by the friction of everyday life; he was the most unselfish of men but the glamour of Mary wore off a bit when he saw her as a housewife. She certainly had little enough of his society when he was making poems; but I’m inclined to think that she had Shelley all the time. It might interest you sometime to read the book which is translated into English (my copy is in French); or you might get Dowden’s Life from the London Library [The Life of Percy Bysche Shelley by Edward Dowden].

I have many thoughts of you dearest one, and I think reading Shelley’s life had made me think about you very particularly. I fear I don’t make you very happy. Life has too often been a burden to you lately and it is horrid when we don’t get more time and talk together. Of course we have both had too much to do and I have hated thinking that it must fall upon you to do the car for instance which has often been an unpleasant grind, when you might otherwise have been painting china, or one thing or another more profitable to your soul. Somehow or another we must contrive to manage differently; to have some first charge upon available time for our life together. What with a car and a stove and our new house altogether we seem to have got terribly stuck with material considerations and how often we talk of nothing but what has to be done to the ball rolling as though it were so much business to be transacted! I think we might get that better perhaps by resolving together to value the perfection of everyday home life and trying to feel that little arrangements belong to our ideals. There is a satisfaction if not enjoyment to be got from just arranging things well, and certainly in doing things themselves unpleasant or indifferent provided the end in view is sufficiently present to the mind.

I don’t mind in the least seeing you as a housewife; I like it and I like the way you carry it through and I like the pleasant relationships which you make about you. But I don’t want you materialised by housewifery – you have to control the business and not allow it to control you – as indeed you do; but keep a watch on yourself.

I much hope you somehow find time for painting china this summer dear one, it is so good for you and makes you so nice. Don’t think you must spend hours of time knitting knicker for John etc; if that must be thought of from a money point of view you could probably sell the china for the extra money you would pay for getting a large part of such work done for you or by buying things ready made; and anyway put the spiritual sort of thing first. You’ll be occupied I know a great deal in the garden. I think by the by you should get a roller before long – and how would it be to get a boy to come and roll every Sat. afternoon – or some such scheme?

Dear love it makes me happy to be writing to you and thinking of you now. It won’t be so very long after you get this before you go away from Cambridge. I do hope you will have a good change – do what you like, enjoy yourself, and be free from worries – why shouldn’t you spend a few days in London and see plenty of people, it would be good for you.
I shall hear in your first letter how you enjoyed the Greek Play and whether Northfield has begun building the walls. How I wish I could hear from you at Port Said tomorrow.

I have told you almost nothing about my activities on board or about my companions. I read and write and play a certain amount of deck tennis; and about every other evening Bridge. We have got up an oxygen apparatus from the baggage room and have been playing about with it. Irvine finds fault with it, but if it is all sound and doesn’t leak in spite of the desperate haste with which it was put together it should do well enough – I’m bound to say I think it a big if.

Things have got to the tiresome stage when people I have never spoken come up to me and begin asking questions about the expedition – some of course have heard me lecture – or ask leave to take my photo – consequently I tend to be unsociable at one extremity of or other of the boat, where one can usually get away from the crowd.

The weather has been perfect though hardly warm enough except the first day in the Mediterranean. I can’t believe it will be hot even in the Red Sea but I suppose it will.

It was very jolly seeing the Sierra Nevada again and also a long stretch of the African mountains, though Mt. Atlas didn’t clear.
I’m awfully bad about writing odds and ends of new about life round me aren’t I. I suppose I ought to tell you about deck competitions; but they don’t interest me and I entered for none except – Irvine it was, persuaded me to go in for a spoon and potato race in which I had a brilliant success and was only knocked out in the final where one potato was really impossible.

I long for some news of the great world; we hear a few snippets of wireless – this morning I learned that a Frenchman murdered his aunt; I suppose she was impossible.

Well my darling Ruth, I will take leave of you. With great love from your loving, George.

Letter from George to Ruth Mallory from ‘Sedongchen’.

Full Transcript

My dearest Ruth,

The mail has come backwards from Yatung whither it was forwarded by the Anchor Line Agents in Bombay. I was very glad to get your letter, & an envelope with enclosures also met me here. It is wretched for you having such a cold March - I see later news of snow again. I am sorry Blunt has not turned up; he must be offended in some way though I can’t see why he should be; I only wrote asking him if a different day would suit him in one particular week.

Dearest one, you needn’t worry that you haven’t been an angel every day of your life. We went through a difficult time together in the autumn; but though we were both conscious that we saw too little of one another last term it seemed to me we were very happy & I often thought how cheerful & pleasant you were when life was not being very agreeable. I’m quite sure we shall settle down to enjoy our home in Cambridge & I will try not to be concerned so much simply with efficiency, which is useful but not a god.
I’m very glad you find people inclined to be kind; I’m sure they will be. I only wish I had had time to see something of our near neighbours with you before I went away.

I will enclose if I can find it a 5/- stamp which came out on an expedition parcel & may amuse some small boy.

This letter will get posted tomorrow from Gnatong & will have a good chance of catching the same mail as the one I wrote yesterday.
We had a good thunderstorm yesterday & the air was delightfully fresh & clear as we came up today. The sun seemed fully hot again like the plains of India, almost.

A great deal of love to you dearest one.
Ever your loving George.

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 from George to Ruth Mallory, ’One march from Phari'

Full Transcript

My dearest Ruth,

I stupidly didn’t write from Phari – not realising that I should probably have no chance of sending a letter back on the way to Kampa. But it happens there may be a chance tomorrow so I will write a few lines in bed tonight. It isn’t easy to write because the site of my tent dips slightly towards the head of my bed & no amount of propping seems quite to overcome the difficulty. If I had my bed the other way round my head would be at the mouth of the tent & this would create a difficulty about light; besides it is snowing slightly & may snow more & though I don’t mind having my feet snowed upon for the sake of fresh air I am unwilling to have my head snowed upon during the night. As it is my tent is a wonderfully comfortable spot. The little table made for me by our friend in Maid’s Causeway is at my bedside & on it my reading lamp; I expect I shan’t always be able to have oil for this, but so long as I can I shall burn it. Did I tell you about the Whymper tents? We each have one to himself they have two poles /\ at each end a much more convenient plan than the other with single poles, a ground sheet is sewn into the sides so that draught & dust are practically excluded if one pitches in the right direction; and a great blessing, the tent has plenty of pockets; moreover it is by no means small – 7 ft square or very near it. The men’s tent also is a great improvement on last year’s; there is ample headroom & the men servants can pass round without hitting one on the head with the dishes the tables are wooden (3 ply wood varnished) & it is supposed that messes will be wiped off without difficulty; and they fit conveniently round the poles, the lamps which burn paraffin vapour (assisted by some clockwork arrangement inside) are also good & an enormous improvement or the dim hurricane lamps used last time. In short a certain amount of care & forethought (chiefly Norton’s) has made us much more comfortable with me spending a great deal of money.

I must tell you dearest one how wonderfully fit I have been here last days, much better at this stage I’m sure than either in ’21 or ’22. I feel full of energy & strength & walk up hill here already almost as in the Alps; I sleep long & well; my digestion is good & in short I haven’t a trouble physically, unless one may count my ankle of which I’m often conscious but the leg seems perfectly strong & I’m sure it won’t let me down.

The General’s trouble has been an irregular pulse & he & Hingston are both nervous about the effects of these altitudes on his heart – consequently he is not coming with us to Kampa Dzong (last year’s route but in 6 days instead of 4) but by another way which will allow him to camp lower. It is difficult to know how much to make of this trouble (don’t mention it) I think it is 10 to 1 he will be all right.
I can’t write much more in this position & my arms are getting cold. I was going to tell you something about our plans but I will leave that until next letter. Tibet is much warmer this year though this afternoon was pretty cold.

Much love to all & many kisses to you dearest one.

Ever your loving
George

Letter from George to Ruth Mallory from Kampa Dzong

Full Transcript

My dearest one,

As I sit in my tent writing I have at my side a pot of grease into which I occasionally dip a finger & then rub a little onto the sorer parts of my face. The wind & sun between them have fairly caught us all these last three days. Norton says that he was accused by his people after the last expedition of having acquired a permanent dint in his nose & he is determined to prevent the same thing happening again – but how to do it? Personally I limit my desire in that direction to keeping my nose the same size as usual; I don’t like to feel it swollen with sunburn. Somervell who started with a complexion tanned by the Indian suns, is now exactly the colour of a chestnut, and, as he greases freely, no less shiny. Beetham so far has the best beard, but then he had a start as he didn’t shave after Kalimpong & I’m inclined to back Geoffrey Bruce against him in the long run, as his will be blacker. The face with greatest number of flaky excrescences and cervasses is undoubtedly that of Hazard, & the underlying colour in his case is vermilion.

In my last letter I told you how well I was. But I have not been altogether well since then – something wrong with my tummy – a slight colitis or something of the kind. Consequently I have felt very feeble & as I am strictly dieted have little to sustain me beyond biscuits & jam. We shall have two clear days here and I shall have time to get better, & in fact I am already much better & haven’t the least doubt I shall be perfectly strong again when we are on the move once more.

Though we have almost exactly followed our tracks of 1922 from Phari to Kampa, it has been a very different journey – not only different companions & incidents, but a rather different Tibet. The second march from Phari landed us ½ a mile beyond the Blizzard Camp of ’22; we had no blizzard this time but neither had we the bright high lights of Tibet. Chomulhari, a mountain which impresses one more each time one sees it, was veiled at first in thin grey mist & then apparently caught it properly from the North; we were continually threatened at the other side of the great Tuna Plain & had a nasty wind in our faces, but escaped worse. I can’t tell you how much I am interested by the weather – it’s so difficult to make out what causes it or what the signs may mean or how it is to be compared with what we experienced in ’21 & ’22. This day I’m talking of was more like a day during the monsoon; in the evening smoky grey clouds were clinging to the hillsides as though the air were laden with moisture; & yet all the weather reports from India have shown a deficiency of moisture in Bengal. One of the novelties this year is our mess tent, Norton’s special child. It goes on in advance on a mule so as to be ready for us when we arrive – at least that is the idea; on the night I’m speaking of some of us were the first to arrive in camp & set to work pitching our ample green marquee. The first procedure is to lay down a string in the chosen spot marking the perimeter of the pegs; a placed is marked on this string against which each peg has to be driven in – driving pegs into stony ground at these altitudes makes one puff; the floor a large sheet of green canvas is placed in the correct position with the line of pegs & upon this the tent is hoisted. I must say it is a great success. It has perpendicular sides about 4 ft high below the slant of the roof & consequently there is ample headroom. The floor dimensions I should guess at 18’ x 9’. The mess waiters have plenty of room to pass behind us. The tables which are none of your gim-crack canvas-topped X pattern or other, but pukka wooden tables, with three-ply wooden tops & screw in legs, are 2’ 6” square made to fold into half that size & are arranged in series down the middle of the tent - & then cunningest device of all, there is a piece to go round the pole in the centre & fitting on to two half tables so that no gap is left. We have no tablecloths, as it was thought that our tables duly wiped would prove a cleaner way.

On the night of the second march from Phari (i.e. April 8) having pitched our tent we lay about in it waiting the arrival of (1) the cooks (2) the yaks. The former whose business it is to go on ahead & have a meal ready if possible or as soon as may be had lost themselves on this occasion. The yaks are in very poor condition & go even slower than I remember; the men with them (about 300 beasts) were too few so that loading up was very slow (2 to 3 hrs) in the morning, & one could hardly expect the bulk of the animals at the end of a long march before nightfall. So there we sat or rather lay out of the wind in our green tent chatting – chaffing until gradually one by one nearly everyone had a snooze; & as they lay there snoozing with faces rendered ghastly by the green light they looked like a collection of corpses.

The night of the 8th was decidedly chilly, the wind got up from an unexpected direction & blew violently into our tents; the minimum temperature was 4°. I should have told you however that before we turned in we were cheered by a clear view of Chomulhari. The point of Chomulhari is the way it dominates the plain. The view of it from Dochen reproduced in The Reconnaissance gives you some idea of what I mean; but coming across this way to Kampa Dzong we don’t go so far north & the further you go from the mountain the more its great wall of rock presents itself as the barrier of the world in which you are. Goodbye to Chomlhari – I should like to have a whack at him one of these days.

The march of the 9th corresponded with that of 1922 except that we stopped about 4 miles short of our last time’s camp; but it was a bitter journey; the wind blew in our faces all day often very strongly & terribly cold, & the sky was white or overcast & the sun had no warmth. And I had a bad tummy; I walked almost the whole way to keep warm; & it was very tiring work under those conditions. We camped in a good spot looking up nullah to Pau Hunri. The wind died down in the evening; the stars were bright & the temperature fell to 2° below zero. Beetham was up 15 times in the night.

The 10th was supposed to be a short march & a comparatively short day. The yak men had had enough of it on the previous day & consequently we made a very late start 10.45 I think. It was supposed that if we didn’t stop in last time’s camp 4 or 5 miles further on we should be able to stop 3 miles further on again. However no water was met with for another 10 miles. We went on & on over the wide plain sloping upwards; in the distance at last we saw a little cloud of smoke & a little later some flash of bright green near it – the smoke was from our cook’s fire & the green spot was our mess tent, which we reached towards sundown; & then turning to look back towards the east I saw the black battalions of yaks still a long way off & beyond them in the distance once more across the plain, nearly 40 miles away the great wall of Chomolhari, appearing as though the spurs of Pau Hunri which we had crossed with so much labour had no existence.

A beautiful camp this one with a velvet sided hill to the south of us & to the north a long line of hills near at hand, while the sunny side of Chomiomo appeared through a gap; & a good night not so cold.

On the 11th to Kampa; a pleasant & easy march with much looking at snow mountains, Chomiomo and Kanchenjunga principally. Everest was not clear as we came down to Kampa though we could make out where it was.

April 14. Yesterday we had the news that the General is not coming on. The possibility had been in the back of our minds since Yatung. We are all very sorry for him naturally. It is difficult to size up in a moment how much difference his absence will make. I don’t think the difficulties of travelling through Tibet will be considerably increased. The General’s influence with the porters must go for something; but Norton thinks that Geoffrey Bruce with his more direct contact with a personal knowledge of them counts for more. I expect myself the porters will work as well this year as in 1922. Still we’ve lost a force, & we shall miss him in the mess, and also his absence from the Base Camp will be inconvenient.

Meanwhile Norton takes command & we couldn’t have a better commander, he will do it much better than I could have done had I been in his place if only because he can talk the lingo freely. He has appointed me second in command in his place & also leader of the climbers altogether. I’m bound to say I feel some little satisfaction in the latter position.

I’ve been very busy these last two days formulating a plan of attack to be discussed as a commentary on Norton’s plan & we have just been having a general pow wow about the two schemes. I don’t know whether I told you anything about this before. Roughly N [Norton] proposes (a) 2 without oxygen establish Camp V at 26,500 & sleep there. Next day they go on & get as near as possible to the summit partly by way of reconnaissance, partly by way of taking the chance if it exists of getting to the top. (b) The day they go on a party of 3 with oxygen come up to V & are there to receive the first 2 & themselves go on next day.

The valuable points in this scheme are (1) that the oxygen party should not this way be let down by their load failing to arrive at V (2) that one attempt supports the other. The weakness & I think fatal weakness is that you spend 2 men making an attempt without the best chances of success, the best chance gasless being with 2 camps above Chang La; from the point of view of making the best possible gasless attempt supposing the 1st gas attempt fails two men have been wasted.

My adaptation therefore supposes;-
(a) Day 1 two with gas establish camp at 26,500. Next morning (1) if they feel strong & it is windless they start for the top.
(2) otherwise they wait & melt snow.
(b) 2 with gas come up to V on the second day. If (1) they support 1st party & if they have failed themselves make an attempt next day. If (2) all 4 go on together next day, in two parties of 2, an ideal mountaineering arrangement.
This leaves 4 men unimpaired for gasless VI camp attempt. Or this last may come first.

We had a very useful & amicable discussion of various points arising from these two plans & hope to get something settled by Tinkye.

Please don’t circulate this exposé of plans though of course you may tell climbing friends in confidence.

We are on the eve of resuming our march. The worst news is about Beetham who has not yet properly recovered from dysentery & is a very weak man. It is not yet decided whether we shall send him down to Lachen tomorrow. If he comes on & gets bad & Somervell (in the absence of Hingston with Bruce) has to take him back we shall have lost two of the best & be left without a medical officer, a very serious position. B [Beetham] is just on the turn; but even if he is going to get better up here it might pay better to send him down at once with a fair prospect of his rejoining us at the B. C. [Base Camp] about May 8 to 10.

This letter is full of news & very impersonal. Now about myself. I was able to feel definitely this morning that my trouble has passed. The tenderness in my gut is no longer sensitive, like an old bruise rather. I feel strong & full of energy & myself & I haven’t the least doubt I shall remain fit. I shall take every care to do so.

The warm pleasant days here have done us all good.

I’m happy & find myself harbouring thoughts of love & sympathy for my companions. With Norton of course I shall work in complete harmony; he is really one of the best. I read little what with Hindustani words & Sherpa names to learn, but I have occasional hours with Keats’ letters or the Spirit of Man which give perhaps more pleasure here than at home.

I have had no mail since I last wrote. If the English mail had been sent off as soon as it reached Phari we should have received it b now; but the arrangement is for the runner to come through & return so as to fit the out mail to England (a very bad arrangement on the surface) & consequently we shan’t get our letters before we get to Tinkye.

I’ve written to no-one but you this time. Please so what you can – at all events write to my people.

Dearest I wanted you very much to comfort me when I wasn’t well & I want you very much now to be happy with (not that I have been depressed).

Many many kisses to you & the children.
Ever your loving,
George

Notifies him that she is sending him his thin socks. Hopes he is settling in well.

Tells him of the weather and her plans to start another china pattern. She has heard from Mildred about their trip. Tells him of her new routine of sleeping during the afternoon for the sake of the baby. Discusses her opinions about the diary of the Empress Dowager she has been reading. Hopes he will have a good time climbing with Ursula. Informs him that Mr Cauldicott has left for France. Discusses the potential affects Russia might have on the war. She hopes that he will be allowed to climb on Llewidd. Reminds him that she is leaving for Westbrook the next day. Encloses a letter for his mother.

Informs him that she has arrived at Westbrook and expects her father and Mildred later that day. Describes how she left their home. Tells him she has heard from Major Morgan and that he has asked for leave. Expresses her concern over the longevity of the war. Describes life at Westbrook so far. Tells him of her plans for the day.

Tells him of her trip to Guildford with Mildred. She has been informed by Aunt Beatrice that Olive’s baby has been born. She wishes Marjorie Waterhouse’s [old school friend] visit would be longer. Tells him of her morning activities: walking and painting china. Is looking forward to him coming home. Discusses the ending of Old Wives Tales.

Apologises for her tone in the last letter. Expresses her wish for Marjorie Waterhouse [old school friend, they attended Prior's Field School] to stay again. Describes the weather. Asks if she could accompany him to Yorkshire in the future. Discusses a suitable wedding present for Trafford and Doris. Intends to start reading the Dawn of Russia.

Describes why they were late arriving at Westbrook. Acknowledges his letter from His Majesties Service Commission. Send her apologies to his mother for not writing.