BOOK REVIEWS

1. EVEREST KANGSHUNG FACE.
2. FEEDING THE RAT.
3. AT THE SHARP END.
4. SEVEN SUMMITS.
5. TALES OF MANY MOUNTAINS.
6. MOUNTAINEER.
7. THIN AIR.
8. DUST AND SNOW.
9. THE MAKING OF A MOUNTAINEER.
10. NORMAN COLLIE.
11. MOUNTAINEERING IN INDIA.
12. THROUGH TIBET TO EVEREST.
13. KAMET AND ABI GAMIN; 'A GUNNER ODYSSEY'.
14. CZECHOSLOVAK SPELEOLOGICAL EXPEDITION TO NEPAL HIMALAYA '85.
    KRAS v. NEPALE.
15. BATURA MUSTAGH.

 

 

 

EVEREST KANGSHUNG FACE. By Stephen Venables. Pp. 236, 59 colour and 27 black and white illustrations, 9 sketch maps, drawings and photo-diagrams, 1989. (Hodder and Stoughton, London, £14.95).

For about two decades starting in the mid-fifties the 'expedition' book proliferated — and almost brought that genre of writing into disrepute. For want of a better classification this book is also about an expedition, but in spite of the need to follow a familiar pattern : preparations, the initial travelogue, the build-up, the ascent, the return — its qualities make it stand apart as an impressive documentary. I would list those qualities as integrity, the human touch, perceptiveness, and a sympathetic view of people and events. Also, not least of all, the fact that it relates the story of a remarkably bold and successful venture, the opening of a new route on Everest by 4 climbers, the smallest party ever to do so. There is no attempt, nor is there need, to add poetic language or frills. The writing is simple, factual and graphic. The four climbers. New Zealand, Canada, the USA and the UK, integrated exceptionally well.

Their struggles on the east side of the mountain took place alongside and in stark contrast to the heavily media involved NE-SW traverse carried out by the largest ever Everest expedition. Not that this small expedition was in any way spartan or under-privileged. Generous sponsorship, raised by professional PR skills, ensured that the climbers were lavishly equipped and victualled. In a revealing throwaway line on p. 125 the author states the need to complete the 'new route which sponsors had paid us nearly $ 200,000 to climb.' The availability of surplus food and other material was fully vindicated in the closing stages of the adventure. Apart from a strong determination to succeed, present in everyone of the four climbers, the main elements that contributed to success were competence, involving meticulous preparation of a complex and dangerous route : prudence, paradoxical as it may seem physical and physiological limits were never breached : and good acclimatisation, brought about by almost equivalent periods of work and rest during the various phases of the climb above Advance Base. I have not mentioned the other indispensable element, luck. During the 4 days spent above 8000 m and the desperately slow oxygen - starved pace during the ascent and descent from the South Col, the sudden onset of stopns or crippling winds could have wiped out the fragile physical reserves of the party.

The final climb from ABC and back occupied a total of 10 days. Robert Anderson and Ed Webster reached the South summit, the author alone rearhed the summit. All 3 returned almost from the dead, totally drained and variously frostbitten, testifying to the seriousness of the route. This was united team, adopting the classic style of mostly roped climbing. Thus when Paul Teare fell sick on the South Col, there was never any doubt in the minds of the other three that one of them would accompany him down, losing his place in the summit attempt, until Teare announced that he Intended to descend alone starting at once. He reached ABC safely 7 hours later. Above the South Col and on the final descent from it each man proceeded mostly by himself driven to the extremity of his reserves and dangerously close to disaster. The author's highly subjective account of his solitary climb to the top and of his night out at 8600 m glows with an intense realism. One is reminded of Hermann Buhl alone on Nanga Parbat in 1953, and of Messner's epic descent of the same mountain in 1970: the former has left a strangely moving account, the later is brief and practical refusing to reveal any hint of emotion.

Most of the colour reproductions with which the book is copiously illustrated are of superb quality. In addition numerous black and white pictures are positioned alongside features alluded to in the text. The map spread on pg 62-3 places the Western Cwm north of its real position, and it shows BC about 10 km above the foot of the Kangshung glacier rather than 16 km (p. 71). News of the expedition's success and of the author's personal triumph was released in London on 2 June 1988 the 35^th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation and of the announcement of the first ascent of Everest.

Trevor Braham

 

 

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FEEDING THE RAT. Profile of A Climber. By Al Alvarez. Pp. 152, 12 illustrations, 1988. (Bloomsbury, London, £ 11.95).

Julian (Mo) Anthoine is well-known to readers of the Himalayan Journal for modern classics such as the climb of Roraima, the amazing descent of the Ogre and an attempt on the NE ridge of Everest. This book his biography, effortlessly retains one's interest in the life of this extraordinary person.

Mo Anthoine started climbing at the age of nineteen, and soon after led a peripatetic life, reaching New Zealand ('to see what the ice-climbing was like') on his second attempt, managing the trip on hitched rides and odd, and often dubious, jobs. On his return, he trained as a teacher deciding that this occupation would give him the necessary free time to climb. In his twenties, he climbed several major routes in the Alps, and earned a reputation as a wild person but a talented, prolific and' safe climber. After his second marriage, the construction of his house in Wales was the continuing epic of their married life' and he joined Joe Brown in manufacturing safety helmets.

His first expedition was to.El Toro in the Andes, in 1970 whete the team's failure to reach the summit by a rope-length earned their sponsor's ire. Mo reiterated Don Whillan's aphorism that 'a good mountaineer is a live one' His attitude to climbing is clear: that it is pleasurable only in the company of friends.

'Of course, as you get older, you kid yourself that its not the hardness of the route that matters, but the people, the feelings. You make any excuse rather than say that the big thing is to do the hardest routes you are capable of with people you like.'

1972 saw him return to South America to put a new and very difficult route on Mt. Fitzroy in Patagonia. The next year, he was on the well-publicised climb of Mt. Roraima, during sticky portions of which his consolation was that 'its better than de-scaling a boiler in Sheffield.'

Apropos the title, it's his expression 'for what drives him — and most other climbers — to court discomfort'. He elucidates:

'. . . . every year you need to flush out your system and do a bit of suffering. . . . That's why I like feeding the rat. . . . The rat is you, really. It's the other you, and it's being fed by the you that you think you are. And they are often very different people. But when they come close to each other, that's smashing, that is. Then the rat's had a good meal and you come away feeling terrific.'

Mo Anthoine fed his rat amply during the descent of the Ogre in 1977, where his role in ensuring the evacuation of Bonington and Scott is not widely known, perhaps because of his aversion to publicity. The rodent had hearty repasts on the Trango Towers, Gasherbrum IV, in the Langtang Himal, and four meals on Thalay Sagar, besides being fed regularly on British rock. The gourmet fare was provided by doing stunts as a stand-in for Jeremy Irons in the famous movie 'The Mission' in the Amazonian jungles and for Sylvester Stallone in the (alas, also famous) movie 'Rambo III'.

Mo Anthoine ran a successful mountaineering equipment manufacturing concern, Snowdon Mouldings, aided by his wife Jackie. His untimely death in 1989 leaves one of his ambitions unfulfilled, namely to 'die at the age of eighty-six, shot by an outraged husband, and then have his ashes flushed down the whistling loo at the Alpine Club in South Audley Street.'

If Mo Anthoine emerges not just as a talented climber but as an extraordinary man, credit is due to Al Alvarez. He has written on subjects ranging from suicide to Donne and North Sea oil, with poetry thrown in for good measure. His comparison of climbing to the 'deep play' so disapproved of by Jeremy Bentham is interesting. Alvarez combines his professional abilities as a writer with his close association with Mo Anthoine, on and off climbs, to give us a book which has well-earned a wide readership.

M. H. Contractor

 

 

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AT THE SHARP END. By Paul Nunn. Pp. 201. 92 black and white illustrations, 1988. (Unwin Hyman, London, £ 14.95).

This is a book for those long, long months when the flesh is willing but the purse is weak : for those times when one wants to get away from the heat and the dust but is bound to the monotonous and the horizontal for reasons of career and commitments.

Paul Nunn is a climber with a long and varied experience : from his local Peak District crags, the Scottish Highlands in summer and winter, through some exciting Alpine adventures to some very fine efforts in the Karakoram and the Himalaya : notably on Latok II, Gasherbrum III and Barnaj II. This volume is a compendium of narratives, book reviews, accounts of film making in the climbing environment, expeditions, obituaries, comments on climbing trends, et al. Through this assortment runs a common thread of understated humour, a fine prose style and a sense of climbing history and tradition : all served up in short, delectable morsels one can dip into occasionally. The black and white photographs accompanying the text are generally of a high quality, though one wishes for some good colour pictures, covering especially his escapades in the Alps, the Caucasus, the Karakoram and the Himalaya.

So if your friends are wondering what to give you on your birthday, gently suggest that this book makes an ideal gift for the active and not-so-active climber.

Aloke Surin

 

 

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SEVEN SUMMITS. By Dick Bass, Frank Wells and Rick Ridgeway. Pp. 336, 1986 (Pan Books, London and Sydney, £4.50).

On 30 April 1985 Dick Bass broke the record of Chris Bonington being the oldest man on top of the roof of the world, Everest, within seven days of its being created. More important he, also, completed the goal set up by himself and Frank. Wells of climbing the highest summits of each of the seven continents within one calendar year. The fact that they could not finish the entire job in twelve months or that Wells had to opt out of the final assault on Everest as he had to then choose between Everest and his wife in no way takes away any credit from their commendable efforts.

Dick Bass and Frank Wells both in their early fifties, high level executives, in their own fields thought independently of seven summits dream on their initial executive climbing adventures. Though their dreams were identical, their styles and ways of approaching their goals were quite different. Bass was very methodical and practical, whereas Wells was casual and idealistic. Their common goal brought them very close to each other. They planned to overcome their lack of mountaineering experience with their brashness, executive skills and money power. It was not long before they realised that these company boardroom strategies were insufficient to solve all the riddles of the seven summits and the call upon the unknown reserves of physical and mental strength to a much larger extent was inevitable. The success had to be won by hard physical labour, devotion, and a strong determination towards their cherished goal. The journey through their dream predictably altered their perspectives, natures and attitudes towards their own lives. Frank Wells had started the project motivated by achieving things that could be measured objectively, but now had learned that the real goal was to achieve subjective things that could not be measured finitely at all.

They began the odysscy by rubbing their noses against Elbrus, Aconcagua and the north ridge of Everest. Though Bass could reach the summits of Elbrus and Aconcagua they had to pay a heavy price on the Everest trip by losing Marty Hoey, one of their earlier guides and spiritual force to Bass. However, as they gathered experience bit by bit, as their determination grew from strength to strength and as they started getting a real insight into themselves and their goal, success could notion-ger be denied to them. Starting from Aconcagua in 1983 they climbed McKinley with the help of a dog team, Kilimanjaro through five climatic zones, Elbrus with an assortment of lingerie to lure Russians, in quick succession. The summit of Vinson in Antarctica was reached in November, 1984 but not without anxious moments in solving near impossible logistic problems and many a heart-flutters during in and out flights to the base of Vinson in atrocious weather conditions. Comparatively Koscinsko was a walk in the park, which had to be made interesting for the sake of a movie camera by hiking up to the side over some of the boulders. The real nut to crack was, of course, Everest. After finishing Aconcagua, on their second trip to Everest on the southeast route Wells had reached the South Col, whereas Bass was able to launch one unsuccessful summit attempt from the camp at the South Col. After Koscinsko Bass returned to Nepal and directed all his efforts and guile in trying to obtain quick permits for Everest without any success. He even tried to latch on to other climbing teams going to Everest without proper climbing permits for his group but was defeated on each occasion by human barriers. Ultimately a Norwegian leader agreed to include him and Breashears in his team. (As a third summit team of the successful expedition they reached the summit with Sherpa Ang Phurba.) But it set him back by $ 75,000 towards the cost of obtaining permits and use of the Norwegian's route on the mountain. In addition they were also responsible for all their food, equipment and Sherpas.

proof of a mountaineering book well written that it keeps one entrapped from the start to the end, though it contains no mountaineering thrills and some of the climbs are just routine 'executive climbs' including one of McKinley, which boasts of forty-four dogs among the list of summiters.

Arun Samant

 

 

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TALES OF MANY MOUNTAINS. By Norman Croucher. Pp. 279, 31 illustrations, 2 sketch-maps, 1989. (Amanda Press, London, S. 11)

It Is very natural (at least it happened in my case) to approach this book with a certain degree of disbelief and pity (the author, despite having lost both his legs yet went on to climb many peaks). However, as one begins to read the book, one's disbelief is immediately replaced by sheer admiration and one's pity by empathy. It is next to impossible to pity the man because he doesn't do so himself.

What comes to fore immediately is not his disability but his unrelenting passion for climbing and his persistence despite the odds. Odds in terms of not only mountaineering obstacles but manoeuverability with artificial legs and his initial frustrations in convincing guides that he could indeed climb.

As he says, 'The presence of a handicap meant that for each individual the circumstances in which he or she took part had to be carefully chosen. ... I believe that anyone with a physical handicap needs to avoid injury more carefully than an able-bodied counterpart, because an additional handicap, even temporary may affect him or her more.' But on the other hand, he rightly feels that 'life could be wasted by climbing carelessly and it could be wasted in another sense by not climbing at all!

This book is good to read for it certainly reaffirms life itself.

As the author says 'Under the influence of a seemingly bizarre motivation, we flirt with death and hope to come back alive, and sometimes climbers are said to have a death wish. That may be true of some but mostly, I think, the reverse is the case. It may at first seem anomalous, but they risk their lives to a greater or lesser extent because life is too precious to waste in appalling dreariness. Through climbing, I have discovered my personal path to fulfilment, and feel extremely privileged to have done so.'

After A Man and His Mountains (his first book) Croucher continues in this book with climbs in the Alps, South America, Kashmir and on Muztagh Ata. It is a triumph of a man for whom the sky is the limit.

Sabina Contractor

 

 

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MOUNTAINEER. Thirty years of climbing on the world's great peaks. By Chris Bonington. Pp. 192, 422 colour illustrations, 1989. (Oadem-Hodder and Stoughton, London, £ 17.95).

Perhaps I should not be reviewing this book, for-1 am a confirmed admirer of the author, having followed his expeditions closely, sometimes 'brushed' with it. Ian Clough spent a long week with us at Bombay in 1970 on his way to the Annapurna South Face, or meeting Bonington and Fotheringham on their way to Shivling Southwest in 1983 or following little behind his expedition to Changabang in 1974. All these memories come alive with the magnificent pictures in this book.

Apart from this, one has always read about the pioneering efforts of climbing the South Face of Annapurna I, Soutwest Fare of Everest, Bonington's own personal climbs, accidents and tragedies on his expeditions. All these complete a great 'mountaineer' and much more.

This is a strong visual book telling you about: 'The sheer scale and majesty of the surroundings in which the adventures have taken place....'. (p. 7). It gives you a complete visual treat about all his climbs and companions. There were many personalities involved in these expeditions, many sadly died on his expeditions. Bonington accepts this as a matter of fact ' I have to accept the fact that a high proportion of the expeditions I have led have had casualties. It's a burden I do not bear lightly and yet it is one that I can accept, since the risks involved were something that the entire team accepted in their desire to achieve success on the mountain.' (p. 100). But at the same time there is sadness. Each who has died is paid a visual tribute.

There are very few persons who have actively climbed for three decades. Hence this book portrays the different attitudes that have prevailed over the years. The early historic climbs in the Alps, seige tactics, introduction of the big wall climbing in the Himalaya, small climbs and tackling a mountain the hard way. In all these developments, Bonington has played no mean role.

For such a variety of climbs of different styles, he has attracted climbers of different temperament and handled them well. This is the credit very few leaders can take. Bonington had the advantage that he was also a climber. 'My effectiveness as leader was helped by the fact that I was climbing at around the same standard as my peers. It is hard for a leader to run an expedition from the Base Camp.....the best position for the leader of a large expedition is at the camp immediately below that of the lead climbers.' (p. 99)

In between the large expeditions Bonington snatches climbs on small peaks, in a small team: 'Quite apart from the satisfaction of reaching virgin summits, you can actually enjoy yourself, (p. 126) It is with these small teams that he enjoyed best in the later years of life. It brings out the sensitive climber in him: 'The small team that is compatible, that each of its member is equally self -reliant and yet prepared to support the others if necessary, has natural strength of its own. Its very isolation on mountains far from any external help increases the sense of self-sufficiency and makes the experience more profound.' (p. 129)

After the early years he decided to live on climbing, writing, adventure -journalism, photo-journalism, and lecturing. He is successful at this, like his climbs, and it portrays the determination and devotion. And make no mistakes, B.or>ington has had his critics, who sometimes almost ridiculed him, and there was opposition. In fact this makes the man complete You may not agree with him, you may criticise him, hate his guts but you cannot deny the greatness due to him.

With all the experiences, finally still there is Everest which he climbed at the age of 50 years : 'Almost every climber, I suspect, dreams in his heart of hearts of standing on the summit of Everest', (p. 188) But it is the humility that is resonant after the climb of Everest. And far from being satisfied he looks ahead : 'There is still much to be done. Mountaineering in all its forms sustains a deep and satisfying challenge which, for me, is as fresh today as when I started, over thirty years ago’ (p. 189).

Not many would be as hungry for the mountains after three decades of climbing, achievements and laurels. But perhaps the experience of this nature draws someone like him, more to the mountains — almost like an addiction. What he has experienced is evident from the excellent pictures (kudos to Hodder and Stoughton!). After going through this book you are drawn to know more about Bonington, the climber, the man, to read his books and to share his experiences. One can almost say about this book what the bard said for Cleopatra : 'She satisfies most where she creates hunger.'

Harish Kapadia

 

 

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THIN AIR. Encounters in the Himalayas. By Greg Child. Pp. 192, 55 illustrations, 1 map, 1988. (Patrick Stephens Ltd., Northamptonshire, England, £ 12.95).

This is a book about Greg Child's different expeditions to the Himalaya (why this jarring use of Himalayas in the sub-title ? In rest of the book, mercifully, it is the correct Himalaya — without the ' s'). He has described his co-climbers in great detail and manages to bring out the excitement and exhilaration of climbing new and difficult routes in the Himalaya. Descriptions of inter-personal relationships with his various climbing companions, which include the legendary Don Whillans, Doug Scott and others highlight the intensity of these relationships on the expeditions. Touches of humour make the book enjoyable.

Particularly the comments by Don Whillans are classic and even portray the different generations : 'I failed on Masherbrum (in 1957) Buhl died on Chogolisa, and you were born'.

Generously sprinkled historical notes of the areas visited as well as climbing histories of different peaks add good reference value to the book. Particularly an end-section of photographs of different, peaks with the different climbing routes marked on it is likely to prove very informative. Other photographs are excellent too.

The book is divided into three main parts.

The first section deals with climbs in Garhwal. The team intending to climb new routes in the Gangotri area were saddled with Indian climbers, not much to their liking and without their full knowledge: 'But when we read that we were to split up and spend our time in India as advisors to eight Indian-led climbing teams, our jaws dropped., one incredulous face turned to another, and unprintable utterances emanated from the group. This plan bore no resemblance to any plan of ours, and the idea of leading a team of unproven Indian climbers with Everest - fever had the sound of an accident waiting to happen.'

However, the party ultimately climbed a new and difficult route on Shivling. Days of difficult sustained climbing and bivouacks in adverse weather get them to the summit.

In the second part he describes an expedition to the Western Karakorams, where they first climb the difficult Lobsang Spire. On the very same expedition some of them climb Broad Peak. Greg Child narrowly misses the summit himself, but tragically his climbing partner Dr Pete Thexton loses his life on the mountain. ('It's always the good blokes that go'). Finally he describes the ascent of the difficult NW ridge of Gasherbrum IV.

A runner up for the Boardman — Tasker award this book makes highly enjoyable reading. From this book it is evident that Greg Child is a brilliant mountaineer and writer. One can look forward to reading more about his future exploits in the Himalaya.

Thank God he doesn't literally follow the quote from Don Whillans, mentioned in the book : ' Never write anything. You' 1! only regret it.'

MONESH DEVJANl

 

 

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DUST AND SNOW. Half a lifetime in India. By C. Reginald Cooke. Pp. 337, 62 illustrations, 4 drawings, 1 map, 1988. (Privately published, Saffron Walden, Essex, £15).

The book presents a very vivid autobiographical account of the author's life in two countries — India and England. Born in Mussoorie in 1901, after spending an early childhood in India, Cooke was educated in England. Paternal ties brought him back to India in 1925, where he remained until after the country's partition, pursuing a career with the Indian Post and Telegraph.

Conrad Reginald Cooke was one of the founder members of the 'Mountain Club of India'. later to be known as 'The Himalayan Club'. This book, which contains record of the author's own exploits in the Knshmir and Sikkim Himalaya, discusses several aspects of mountaineering typical to the first haif of the century.

Dust and Snow is filled with the author's various amusing and curious experiences which are told in a frank, narrative style. Crocodile hunts, schoolboy pranks, shooting tigers, close shaves with death, his private aircraft, a motorcycle ride within 'The Wall of Death', earthquakes in Assam, 'rock-climbing' in a bathroom and of course, mountaineering all these make enormously interesting reading.

Cooke's specialization in electrical engineering was the result of the toss of a coin when, in college, he used this method to decide between the various fields of engineering. He soon became interested in amateur (ham) radio and wireless; this was one of his lifelong passions. Among his technical achievements was the setting up of the first India — Burma wireless link. During the course of his employment with the Indian P. & T., he travelled extensively in North India on assignments and field trips.

His first exposure to mountaineering was on Kolahoi in the Pir Panjal range of the Kashmir Himalaya. In later chapters of the book. Cooke describes, in considerable detail, his mountaineering in the Himalaya and, to a lesser extent, in the Alps. In 1935 he achieved on Kabru (Sikkim Himalaya) a record for the highest solo ascent which he held for nearly eighteen years. His attempt to reach Kangchenjunga's north col and finding a route through the Umaram valley make exciting reading.

The book is available as a hard-bound edition from the author.

Ajay Tambe

 

 

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THE MAKING OF A MOUNTAINEER. By George Ingle Finch with a Memoir by Scott Russell. Pp. 340, 62 illustrations, Reprint 1988. First published 1924. (J. H. Arrowsmith Ltd. Bristol, £ 19.95).

George Ingle Finch was a scientist by profession and a mountaineer of great distinction. The Making of a Mountaineer written by him was first published in 1924. It was not only a record of outstanding mountaineering achievement but also succeeded in inspiring youth with its joys. For Finch, mountains and mountaineering were full of challenge, excitement and romance — and yet, he was the true professional. He inspired youth to safe and skilled cfimbing. While Finch's scientific work brought him recognition, it is his contribution to mountaineering that interests us here. His championing of the use of oxygen at high altitudes and his work on the development of an apparatus for mountaineers to use oxygen were great contributions — and enabling factors — for the subsequent success on a large number of Himalayan peaks including Everest.

The Making of a Mountaineer, has been republished in 1988, the year of Finch's birth centenary. The volume is enriched by an excellent memoir by Scott Russell, where he uses new material to throw light on the controversies surrounding the early Everest expeditions and Finch's own part in them. Since Finch himself chose to say rather less on these issues than he might have, Scott Russell's memoir helps to bring the issues within their correct perspective and even to set the record straight. The memoir also describes Finch's distinguished career as a scientist.

George Finch was born in August 1988 near Orange, a small town in New South Wales, Australia, on a sheep and cattle farm. His early years with his father were important in developing a love of the outdoors — and the fascination of the mountains which in his words, '....was to colour and broaden my whole life'. At the age of twelve, George and his brother Max were brought to Europe and were then educated mainly by private tutors in France and Switzerland. This was also the beginning of their distinguished climbing career in the Alps. George moved to England just before the first World War and served in the army during the War. In 1921 he was selected to join the expedition to Everest but was then dropped on 'medical' grounds. In 1922, he did join the Everest expedition and was responsible for the oxygen equipment. He reached 27,325 ft, then a record. However, an extended period of very bad weather had exhausted his climbing partners and this led to an abandoning of the attempt.

George's problems with the establishment led to his exclusion from the Everest expedition of 1924-. There were of course no further expeditions to Everest for many years. George continued climbing in the Alps. His climbing career ended prematurely as a result of a major illness and surgery in 1931.

Unconventional, outspoken, brought up in Australia, France and Switzerland, certainly not impeccably English, George Finch was never quite accepted by the British mountaineering establishment. In 1921, having first been selected to be on the Everest team; he was dropped just two weeks before the team sailed, following a medical examination, the results of which cast some doubt on his fitness. Had George been more acceptable to the establishment, he would probably have been on the team, given an opportunity to improve fitness on the trek to base camp.

In 1922, George was selected to be on the Everest team and assigned the task of looking after the oxygen equipment and carrying out drills to train the climbers in its use. Ge®rge must have been a lonely man on that expedition — never quite accepted. His belief in the necessity of using oxygen was not shared by the team members who found the ‘oxygen drills' tiresome. General Bruce, the team leader gave no encouragement and Hinks as Secretary of the Everest Committee wrote that it would be a good thing if climbers could not tolerate the oxygen apparatus as it was not legitimate mountaineering. Oxygen was not used on the first attempt made by the expedition. Mallory and Somervell led the first attempt. It had been arranged that George Finch and Norton would make the second attempt with oxygen. However, in a change of plan, Strutt, Moreshead and Norton left to join Mallory and Somervell for an attempt without oxygen. George Finch was thus left without any experienced climber to accompany him on the second attempt.

Rigging together a team with inexperienced Geoffrey Bruce and Tejbir, George set off to replenish stores in the North Col camp, provide assistance to the first climbing party and to try out the oxygen apparatus. They met the first party on their way down. The first party had reached 26, 800 ft but the cold and altitude exhausted them and theyTiad to return. The oxygen supply seemed to make a dramatic improvement1 in the pace George and his party could maintain. However, a storm that held them up at 25,500 ft for two nights took its toll. Tejbir had to turn back at 26,000 ft. Geoffrey and George continued, reaching 27300 ft until Geoffrey's condition made further progress difficult and unsafe. As George writes, 'Never for a moment did I think we would fail; progress was steady, the summit was there before us; a little longer, and we should be on the top. And then — suddenly, unexpectedly, the vision was gone.'

Given the vindication of Finch's belief in artificial oxygen, his being dropped from the 1924 Everest expedition was unfortunate. It can only be ascribed to his lack of acceptance in the British climbing establishment. At the time, it was probably still necessary to be 'British' and a gentleman' — not only a climber of merit. This also meant that George I inch had lost his last chance to climb Everest.

The Making of a Mountaineer and the memoir by Scott Russell are nn excellent read. The pictures by George Finch reflect his ability to bring excellence to his interests outside his profession. As Scott Russell says at the conclusion of his memoir, '.......I do not think he would have had any wish to be among the forefront of present day climbers. That now demands making climbing one's occupation. He did not disapprove of those who did so, but it was not for him. The thought of sacrificing his scientific career for climbing never entered his mind. Despite his preoccupation with Mount Everest, mountaineering was the dominating relaxation of his leisure — no more. Enjoyment came from taking it very seriously.'

NAREN NANDA

 

 

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NORMAN COLLIE. A life in two worlds. Mountain explorer and Scientist 1859-1942. By Christine Mill, Pp. 197, 59 illustrations, 4 maps, 1987. (Aberdeen University Press, Aberdeen, £ 14.95).

J. Norman Collie lived through the century when mountaineers had to cut trees to get to their climbs, alpine guides were in vogue, the gas neon was unknown as were the use of X-rays for medicine. This remarkable man, scientist, mountaineer and explorer lived from 1859 till 1942, was involved with major scientific discoveries as well as the first attempt at Nanga Parbat and explorations and mappings of Canada and also of his loved Island of Skye.

Norman Collie was born of well to do parents but as his father's business ran into hard times he was required to use his degree in chemistry not' only to research but also teach and earn a living doing so. His love was clearly in research and he proved an avid practical chemist, publishing first in 1879 at a time that research had to be paid for by the scientist himself. No big funding helped these discoveries as no big houses came forward to subsidize the research.

Collie's interest in mountains grew together with his science. During a vacation in the Island of Cloud, he witnessed 'two mountaineers. . . . climbing on the rock face of one of the pinnacles. Hundreds of feet above me, on what appeared to be rocks as steep as the walls of a house, they moved slowly backwards and forwards, but always getting higher until they reached the summit'. This was sufficient for his sensitive mind to start a long affair with the hills of Skye which during his life he climbed and mapped, and in which he finally was laid to rest.

This 'Wandering Scholar Artist' joined Mummery in an attempt at Nanga Parbat in 1895 and together with Bruce reached 20,000 ft while trying to get to grips with the mountain. Mummery got lost and was never found, the very first of the depressingly long list of deaths on this killer that was only finally climbed 58 years later.

After India it was Canada where Collie took part in major explorations, mappings and climbs. Mosquitos, fallen tree trunks so deep that the explorers walked on them 12 ft above ground, no trails, no food except that which could be killed made these trips far more different than the quick month long climbs that are possible now. Despite the difficulties these groups mapped and explored, climbed and named and had rivallries that fuelled even further expeditions to untrodden lands.

It was not all mountains. This man of two worlds was closely associated with the discovery of Helium and Argon, while working as an assistant to Ramsay. Neon too, but Ramsay and Travers got there when Collie was no longer with them, despite Collie often claiming that it was he who got it first. No doubts however about the first X-rays for medical purposes neatly illustrated in this book .with his photographs. Nor about the use of Neon in a glowing lamp, nor about the many organic chemical reactions that he published through his sixthtieth year.

Christine Mill has delved deeply iqfo this Scottish life and produced a book about one who would otherwise be forgotten save by those closely associated with Skye. For a trip into the past with a man larger than the ordinary this book deserves reading.

So clearly prescient, his letter to the organiser of arj Everest expedition looking for money, 'Go to Lord Leverhulme and say, give us £ 10,000 and we will take a large cake of Sunlight Soap and a flag also with Sunlight Soap emblazoned on it, and we will plant them on top of Everest, then he will be able to say:

1. Sunlight Soap beats the record 29,002 tablets sold hourly.

2. Sunlight Soap towers aloft and dominates the kingdoms of the earth.

3. Avoid worry — use Sunlight Soap and for Ever-rest'.

Anil K. Nehru

 

 

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MOUNTAINEERING IN INDIA. By Capt. M. S. Kohli. Pp. 258, 84 illustrations, 1989. (Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, price not mentioned).

At the outset it may be clarified that the title of the book is somewhat misleading. It is not about mountaineering in India in general as much as about Indian mountaineering in particular. An account of mountaineering in India would have to scan the activity as a whole regardless of nationality. However, this is not the case, although the author was eminently placed to undertake such a wider task, being at the centre stage of official activity in the sphere for over three decades. Indeed the author has now become the President of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, a body responsible to formulate and administer Government policy regarding this sport. Indeed the book mainly deals with the expeditions, sponsored by I.M.F. and in some of them the author participated as a member or a leader and made significant contribution to the development on Indian mountaineering. It is a pity that the author could not cover 'quite a few smaller and equally important expeditions to difficult peaks', for reason not specified.

As a starter, an interesting background is given to the early explorations of the Himalayan ranges by Indian members of the survey parties, and some early foreign pioneers. The birth of Indian mountaineering is credited to Doon School through the active guidance of English masters ,at the School. The lead was then taken by the Indian teachers who also inculcated the sport to the students. Setting up the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in 1954 was indeed a landmark in promoting Indian mountaineering. The H.M.I, was the first to sponsor expeditions In the form of 'advance courses' to mountains like Kamet (1955), Saser Kangri (1956) and Nanda Devi (1957). It was the expedition to Cho-Oyu next year which, led to the establishment of the I.M.F. This body ultimately became the major instrument in sponsoring Government financed expeditions in the years to come. It trained a cadre of Indian climbers who participated in these expeditions, which finally led to the ascent of Everest in 1965, when under Capt. Kohli's leadership nine members stood atop the summit, a creditable achievement after three Indian attempts in six years. A good 37 pages are devoted to these three expeditions participated by the author. However, one is surprised not to find a photograph of Everest, showing the routes and camps, which would have added interest and promoted insight for the benefit of the lay readers. Indeed the selection and display of 84 photographs leave much to be desired. It gives an impression of a scrapbook photo collection of climbers with politicians and administrators, who gave patronage rather than illustrating the many facets of the mountains the Indians have climbed or attempted. A photo of Rimo I and II range is printed in reverse (true print H.J. 42 cover). Another photo of Chiring We is also reverse. Similarly, lack of a single map of expedition areas in the book has reduced its reference value.

Activities of post-Everest era briefly described in the book include expeditions to Saser Kangri, Shivling, Kangchenjunga and Hardeol, all from the Services. A chapter is devoted to Indian women's participation in this sport, a few with overseas counterparts and sponsored by the I.M.F. The- book also contains information on other joint ventures, activities amongst the armed forces including I.T.B.P. A chapter catches up with expeditions during 1985-87 and ends with nine appendices (45 pages) of reproductions from various official publications of material useful to climbers and others. There is a bibliography.

The book takes one down the memory lane of Capt. Kbhli, with personal reminiscences and his encounters with the mountains and the ' men that made these possible.

Jagdish Nanavati

 

 

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THROUGH TIBET TO EVEREST. By Captain J.B.L. Noel. Pp. 302, 10 illustrations, 4 sketches, reprint 1989. Originally published 1927. (Hodder andStoughton, London, £ 8.95).

'This account of great enterprises is written primarily for those who are not ordinarily interested in mountaineering and Himalayan exploration. In it I have tried to tell of the lure which led men to adventure in the fascinating forbidden lands, and to the lofty summits of the world's highest mountain !' Captain J. B. L. Noel writes in his foreword to the I book.

Captain Noel has been successful in his purpose for writing the book, though it is also interesting reading for those who are interested in mountaineering and Himalayan exploration. In his account of the discovery and exploration of Everest from Tibet, he has brought out the true sense of adventure and courage in those who had attempted to discover Everest. An account of his own journey through Tibet to within forty miles of Everest is interesting. He has also described the cultural aspect of Tibet in those days. Their customs, beliefs, superstitions and ways of life.

His account of the exploration expedition, the first climbing expedition and the second climbing expedition describes the first attempts on Everest which contributed greatly to the success achieved in 1953. He has described the organisation and strategy used for the attempts and has as far as possible given the reasons for their decisions.

He has also described in detail the disappearance of Irvin and Mallory on the mountain and also attempted to analyse the reasons for the same. The question of whether Irvin and Mallory reached the summit or not may never be answered but Captain Noel's record of the events both in his book and by way of his filming them form an important part of the history of Everest. One wishes to see his photograph of Irvin and Mallory when they were last seen approx. 600 ft below the summit.

Captain Noel being the photographer on the expedition and also having taken such great pains to film both the climbing expeditions, one expects more photographs of the expeditions to be published as it would have added to his gripping description of the expedition.

Divyesh Muni

 

 

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KAMET AND ABI GAMIN; 'A GUNNER ODYSSEY'. By Maj M. S. Gill and Maj H. S. Mann. Pp. 96", 11 black and white illustrations, 1 sketch map. (Lancer international, New Delhi, Rs. 115).

A Gunner Odyssey is an unexciting account of the ascent of Kamet and Abi Gamin by a 'Mega' Regiment of Artillery expedition (is it 47 or 49 members ?) The first half of the book goes on to describe, at length, the birth of the idea to climb Kamet and Abi Gamin, the preparations, selection of the team, the training of the team in Nasik and in Garhwal and approach to the base camp at Vasudhara Tal. The latter half tells a verbose story of the actual ascent by the Meade's col route and the brute force tactics applied to put 17 members atop Abi Gamin and 4 members atop Kamet. The photographs are rather uninteresting. The poems by Sravan a team member are lyrical and are the best part of the book.

Ravi Mariwala

 

 

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CZECHOSLOVAK SPELEOLOGICAL EXPEDITION TO NEPAL HIMALAYA '85. 'By V. Cilek et.al.Pp. 12, maps and illustrations. (Prague, NPS).
KRAS v. NEPALE. By V. Cilek. Pp. 112. (Czechoslovensky Kras. (Prague, NPS)
(Available from: RNDr. V. Cilek, Trojmezni 63, Praha 9, 190 00 Czechoslovakia)

It is clear from the pages of the Himalayan Journal that tourism In the Himalaya has been big business for some years, and that this trend can be expected to become worse. Although the caves of the Indian sub-continent are not exactly overcrowded, they are attracting increasing numbers of visitors from Europe.

The latest report to come to my attention is that of the August — November 1985 Czechoslovak Speleological Society expedition to Nepal, whose seven members reconnoitered en route In Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. They confined their efforts to the Annapurna, Cobhar, Pokhara and Trisull Bazaar areas; and discovered three previously unknown karst areas, containing sixteen new caves of which twelve, were surveyed.

As is to be expected, none of these caves is particularly large — the longest in Nepal being only 3 km. However, some of them are of archaeological and bio-speleological Importance; and the expedition geologist believes that further study of the Himalayan karst will help to 'decipher the Quaternary history of the greatest and youngest mountain range in the world'.

S. A. Craven

 

 

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BATURA MUSTAGH. By Jerzy Wala. Orographlcal sketch map of the Batura Wall, Pasu Sar, Shlspare Sar. Three monochrornlc sheets 40 x 30 cms. Edited by The High Mountain Club 'Trojmlasto' Gdansk 1988.

The noted Polish Himalayan expert and mountain cartographer, Jerzy Wala, published a sketch map at the scale of about 1; 115,000 covering an area of some 1150 sq km between Pasu In the east and Baltar glacier in the west (Western Karakoram), with the Batura massif In the centre. Thel0x25 cm map is drawn without contour lines but the orography of the mountains Is extremely clear. An Important supplement are two sheets containing 13 panoramas interpreting the landscape of the mountains. The late Anders Bollnder from the Himalayan Club who was the best authority on the Batura section of the Karakoram was consulted for the manuscript.

Based on most reliable sources, the map is a first class compilation and an indispensable guide to all prospective visitors of this exciting high Mountain area, abounding in unclimbed peaks with the Ultar Sar (7388 m) and the Muchu Chhish (7453 m) among them.

The address of the author: '31-452 Krakow (Poland). Jerzy Wala, ul. P.' Wodkowica 4/57.

JOZEF NYKA

 

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