Pièce 12 - Letter from George to Ruth Mallory, 19-24 April 1924

Letter from George to Ruth Mallory from Chiblung

Full Transcript

My dearest Ruth,

I don’t know whether you will easily find this place on the map. We have come north from Tinkye, avoiding unpleasant customers at Chushar and Gyanka Nampa & this valley is divided from that in which Rongkon lies by a low range of hills - we are encamped just at the corner of the Chiblung Chu; Sanko Ri & the ridge where Somervell & I climbed in 1922 is our view to the west.

Today – at last – an English mail has reached us. I have had a very nice long letter from you and also a picture of the children enclosed with the photos from my American friend Schwab illustrating his expedition to Mt Clemenceau (did you notice the one of Mt Farrar & Mt Mallory?). I’m very glad to have the children’s picture, but you don’t send one of yourself naughty girl. Nor do you send me any cuttings this mail, nor the Nation which I hoped you would be sending – though really European affairs are so far away & news is so old that I’ve not much enthusiasm about them. Karma Paul who brought our mail also brought news of the General, whom he left in Phari; he must be pretty ill still as he was unable to walk and was to be carried down to Chumbi; Hingston will accompany him to Ganktok & should rejoin us at the B.C. [Base Camp] about the middle of May. Meanwhile Beetham gets on slowly & can’t be said to have got rid of dysentery yet let alone picking up after it - however I think he’s on the mend.

I heard from Mary today with news of the weather in Colombo & it looks as if the earliest breath of the monsoon is a fortnight early! But that doesn’t necessarily mean much. The bad sign is the weather here which is distinctly more unsettled than in ’22 & these last two nights have been unhealthily warm. Today we have been in a regular storm area though no rain or snow has actually fallen here.

April 24 at Shekar Dzong.

I’ve left it rather late to go on with this letter – that is partly because one way or another I have been spending a good many spare moments on the elaboration of our plans. The difficult work of allotting tasks to men has now been done – N [Norton]& I consulted & he made a general announcement after dinner 2 days ago. The question as to which of the first two parties should be led by Somervell & which by me was decided on two grounds (1) on the assumption that the oxygen party would be less exhausted & be in the position of helping the other it seemed best that I should use oxygen & be responsible for the descent (2) it seemed more likely on his last year’s performance that Somervell would recover after a gasless attempt to be useful again later. It was obvious that either Irvine or Odell should come with me in the first gas party. Odell is in charge of the gas, but Irvine has been the engineer at work on the apparatus – what was provided was full of leaks & faults & he has practically invented a new instrument using up only a few of the old parts & cutting out much that was useless & likely to cause trouble; moreover the remaining parties had to be considered and it wouldn’t do to make Irvine the partner of Geoffrey Bruce as they would lack mountaineering experience; & so Irvine will come with me. He will be an extraordinarily stout companion, very capable with the gas & with cooking apparatus; the only doubt is to what extent his lack of mountaineering experience will be a handicap; I hope the ground will be sufficiently easy.

Norton if he is fit enough will go with Somervell or, if he seems clearly a better goer at the moment, Hazard. Beetham is counted out, though he’s getting fitter. Odell & Geoffrey Bruce will have the important task of fixing Camp V at 25,500.

The whole difficulty of fitting people in so that they take a part in the assault according to their desire or ambition is so great that I can’t feel distressed about the part that falls to me. The gasless party has the better adventure, and as it has always been my pet plan to climb the mountain gasless with two camps above the Chang La it is naturally a bit disappointing that I shall be with the other party. Still the conquest of the mountain is the great thing & the whole plan is mine & my part will be a sufficiently interesting one & will give me perhaps the best chance of all of getting to the top. It is almost unthinkable with this plan that I shan’t get to the top; I can’t see myself coming down defeated. And I have very good hopes that the gasless party will get up; I want all 4 of us to get there, & I believe it can be done. We shall be starting by moonlight if the morning is calm & should have the mountain climbed if we’re lucky before the wind is dangerous.

This evening 4 of us have been testing the oxygen apparatus, and comparing the new arrangements with the old. Irvine has managed to save weight, 4 or 5 lbs, besides making a much more certain as well as more convenient instrument. I was glad to find I could easily carry it up the hill even without using the gas, & better of course with it. On steep ground where one has to climb more or less the load is a great handicap & at this elevation a man is better without it. The weight is about 30 lbs, rather less. There is nothing in front of one’s body to hinder climbing & the general impression I have is that it is a perfectly manageable load. My plan will be to carry as little as possible, go fast & rush the summit. Finch & Bruce tried carrying too many cylinders.

I’m still very fit & happy. Tibet is giving us many beautiful moments. With these abnormal weather conditions it is much warmer than in ’22 & the whole journey is more comfortable. It is nice having one’s own poney – mine is a nice beast to ride, but he’s not in good condition, & today has had a nasty attack of colic; however he’ll have a long holiday to come soon & I hope he’ll fatten up & arrive fit & well in Darjeeling were I shall sell him. Only 4 marches, starting tomorrow morning to the Rongbuk monastery! We’re getting very near now. On May 3 four of us will leave the Base Camp & begin the upward trek & on May 17 or thereabouts we should reach the summit. I’m eager for the great event to begin.

Now dearest I must say Good Night to you & turn into my cosy sleeping bag, where I shall have a clean nose sheet tonight, one of the two you made to fix with patent fasteners. Considering how much grease my face requires & gets that device has been very useful.

Great love to you always.

The telegram announcing our success if we succeed will precede this letter I suppose; but it will mention no names. How you will hope that I was one of the conquerors. And I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Ever your loving
George