Pièce 21 - Letter from George Mallory to Rupert Thompson, 12 July 1921

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.