Pièce 9 - Letter from George to Ruth Mallory, 7 April 1924

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

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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