CLUB PROCEEDINGS

THE
HIMALAYAN JOURNAL
RECORDS OF THE HIMALAYAN CLUB
EDITED BY
KENNETH MASON

' To encourage and assist Himalayan travel and exploration, and to extend knowledge of the Himalaya and adjoin¬ing mountain ranges through science, art, literature, and sport.’

VOLUME VI
1934

OXFORD
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
LONDON : HUMPHREY MILFORD

THE HIMALAYAN CLUB
President:
H.E. SIR HERBERT EMERSON.

Vice-Presidents:
MR. E. O. SHEBBEARE.
MR. A. H. LLOYD.

Honorary Secretary:
CAPTAIN K. G. MCLEAN.

Honorary Local Secretaries:
KASHMIR. MR. F. LUDLOW.
CHAMBA. DR. J. HUTCHISON.
KUMAUN AND GARHWAL. GAPTAIN G. J. MORRIS.
DARJEELING. LT.-GOLONEL H. W. TOBIN.
EASTERN SECTION. MRS. H. P. V. TOWNEND.

Honorary Editor:
LT.-COLONEL KENNETH MASON.

Honorary Treasurer:
MAJOR F. B. WEBB.

Committee:

MR. J. G. ACHESON. MR. W. ALLSUP. MR. E. A. R. EUSTACE. DR. L. L. FERMOR. MR. G. B. GOURLAY.

DR. A. M. HERON. GOLONEL W. H. JEFFERY. THE RAJA OF JUBBAL. LT.- GOLONEL J. L. R. WEIR. MR. F. WILLIAMSON.

 

Additional Members of the Balloting Committee:

MR. F. BLOMFIELD. LT.-GOLONEL J. G. BRUCE. MAJOR J. R. FOY. CAPTAIN E. A. L. GUETERBOCK. LT.-COL. SIR S. HISSAM-UD-DIN. COLONEL R. H. PHILLIMORE.

MR. A. MARR. MAJOR H. R. C. MEADE. BRIGADIER A. L. M. MOLESWORTH. MR. H. NEWMAN. CAPTAIN G. H. OSMASTON.

 

Reprinted from the original edition published by Oxford University Press, Indian Branch, on behalf of the Himalayan Club by arrangement with the publishers.

 

The Annual General Meeting of the Himalayan Club was held at New Delhi at 9.30 a.m. on the 7th March 1934. The President, General Sir Kenneth Wigram, took the Chair.

The Report of the Honorary Secretary, Major-General W. L. O. Twiss, which is printed below, was read and adopted. The Club accounts for the year 1933 were confirmed. The Officers, Members of the Committee, and Additional Members of the Balloting Committee for 1934 were elected, and Messrs. A. F. Ferguson & Co. were reappointed Auditors to the Club.

Other points of interest decided or discussed were as follows:

1. It was decided to invest a further sum of Rs. 3,000, but it was considered that no large capital should be built up as long as there were items of expenditure justified in the interests of the members of the Club, such as the construction of huts in Sikkim.
2. The opinion of all the members present was unanimous that the present system, by which two negative votes shall exclude a candidate put up for election, out of a total of some 25 to 30, is unnecessarily severe and that a change is desirable. The members present were unanimously in favour of the proposed alteration to the effect that ^£one negative vote in six shall exclude⁵.
3. The question regarding the assumption by the Club of responsibility for the Himalayan Route-Books was fully discussed. It was decided to make further inquiries before undertaking any definite responsibility on behalf of the Club.
4. H.E. Sir Herbert Emerson, k.c.s.i., c.i.e., c.b.e., i.c.s., Governor of the Punjab, was unanimously elected President of the Club in succession to General Sir Kenneth Wigram. Captain J. G. McLean was elected Honorary Secretary, in succession to Major- General W. L. O. Twiss.³⁵

Report on the Work of the Club in the Year 1933

By the Honorary Secretary

Membership.—The steady increase in the membership of the Club has continued: 35 new members were elected during 1933, whilst there were 4 resignations and 4 deaths. The membership of the Club is now 360, of whom 6 are ladies. It is interesting to note that we have had 12 applications for membership in January 1934.

Among the new members we welcome H.H. the Mehtar of Chitral, and H.H. the Raja of Garhwal—Princes whose dominions include some of the finest mountains and best hill shooting in the world.

We should be glad to see more Indian gentlemen applying for membership. Up to the present, few Indians have shown keenness in mountaineering or on shooting expeditions in the Himalaya, and it is hoped that this apathy will gradually disappear.

Obituary.—We have to mourn the death of several valued members of the Club.

I have already, in my last year's Report, mentioned the death of Wing-Commander G. C. Durston, who was killed by a wild buffalo in January 1933.

'Mr. H. F. Montagnier, an American member of the Club resident in France, and a well-known mountaineer and explorer, died at Montreux, in Switzerland, on the 16th July 1933. He was a Founder Member of the Himalayan Club, of which he was a keen and active member. He also belonged to the Alpine Club and to the French, Italian, and American Clubs. He was the Central European correspondent of the Himalayan Club, and a generous friend of exploration whose death will be deeply and widely regretted.

The cause of mountaineering and exploration has suffered another serious loss in the death of H.R.H. the Duke of the Abruzzi, the most famous of Royal climbers and explorers.

The death of Mr. H. Hotz and the celebrated Swiss guide Franz Lochmatter on the Weisshorn was one of the saddest accidents of the past year. Mr. H. Hotz, who belonged to the well-known Hotz family, was a keen and expert mountaineer, and an active member of the Himalayan Club.

Obituary notices of these late members of our Club are included in this Journal.

Expeditions.—The great event of 1933 was the attempt on Mount Everest made by an all-British expedition under the leadership of Mr. H. Ruttledge, one of the Founder Members of the Himalayan Club. I have little to add to the excellent account published elsewhere in this Journal. It was undoubtedly the best-equipped expedition that has undertaken the conquest of Everest, whilst it was second to none in the matter of leadership and in the skill and determination of the members of the party. Its failure was entirely due to the abnormally bad weather and to the monsoon which burst nearly a month before its usual time. We all sympathize most deeply with Mr. Ruttledge and his gallant companions in their disappointment and at the failure, due to no fault of theirs, of an expedition which we all hoped would write a fresh and glorious page in the history of mountaineering and exploration.

In India everything possible was done to assist the expedition. H.E. the Commander-in-Chief very kindly lent two young officers and two non-commissioned officers of the Royal Corps of Signals to assist with the wireless arrangements, which were controlled by Mr. D. S. Richards. The two officers, Lieutenants Thompson and Smijth-Wyndham, did excellent work at the Base Camp, whilst the two non-commissioned officers remained with Mr. Richards at Darjeeling. This was the first time that wireless had been utilized with an Everest expedition, and it was most useful, though the information obtained from the Meteorological Department and transmitted to the front was unfortunately mainly of an unfavourable nature. From the military point of view valuable experience was gained, fully justifying the employment of the Army personnel.

H.E. the Commander-in-Chief also sanctioned the employment of 3 Gurkha non-commissioned officers with the expedition. These were all supplied by the 3rd QA..O. Gurkha Rifles, and are described by Mr. Ruttledge as having rendered invaluable services.

At the invitation of the Himalayan Club, Mr. Ruttledge, Mr. F. S. Smythe, and Dr. Raymond Greene paid an all too brief visit to Simla. On the 25th August Mr. Ruttledge gave an admirable lecture, illustrated by lantern slides, to the members of the Himalayan Club and the United Services Institution of India and some of their friends, and it was unfortunate that no hall in Simla is capable of holding anything like the number of people who would have given much to attend. Apart from the absorbing interest of this lecture, most of us were astonished to see the difficulties involved in the last part of the climb, which had not been generally realized; we have, I think, been under the impression that the last 1,600 feet or so present no serious obstacles from a mountaineering point of view and are mainly a test of endurance. Mr. Ruttledge's excellent photographs show that this is by no means the case.

The air attack on Mount Everest carried out by the Houston expedition was another event of great interest. It was well planned and organized, valuable assistance was given by the Royal Air Force, and the two flights over the great mountain were completely successful. We congratulate Air-Commodore Fellowes, Major Blacker, Lieut.-Colonel Etherton, Lord Clydesdale, and the other members of the party on their skill and enterprise. We had hoped it would be possible for Air-Commodore Fellowes or Major Blacker to give us a lecture in Simla, but, very much to our regret, they were obliged to return to England almost immediately after the completion of their flights.

I have just received a complimentary copy of First over Everest, the story of the Houston-Mount Everest expedition 1933, a most interesting book, illustrated by a large number of excellent photographs.

Mr. Auden and Captain Gregory carried out a journey to the Biafo glacier in the Karakoram, of which an account by Mr. Auden is published elsewhere in this Journal.

Another successful expedition was that undertaken by a party of climbers from Liverpool, under the leadership of Mr. Marco Pallis. As I stated in last year's Report, their main object was to explore the Gangotri glacier, and the party spent over a month on this task, climbing a number of peaks and collecting much valuable information. After the monsoon had broken, three members of the party, Messrs. Pallis, Nicholson, and Hicks, moved into eastern Bashahr, and on the 11 th August climbed Leo Pargial North peak, over 22,000 feet high. They report that the group of mountains near the North peak of Leo Pargial is 'marvellous', and that the Chango glacier is surrounded by glorious peaks, both snow and rock, rather similar to the Mount Blanc range.

An account of Lieut. Oliver's attempt to climb Dunagiri and of his ascent of Mount Trisul will be found in this Journal.

As usual, our Eastern Section has been very active, and has carried out a number of expeditions. The most important of these was an attempt by Messrs. G. B. Gourlay, W. Eversden, and J. S. Hannah to climb Chomiomo. Unfortunately Hannah fell ill, and had to return to Gangtok. In spite of unfavourable weather, Gourlay and Eversden, assisted by Pasang and Nima Dorje, men who had done excellent work on Mount Everest, made a gallant attempt to reach the summit (22,430 feet). Although Gourlay, with Nima Dorje, reached the summit ridge at a height of slightly over 22,000 feet, they were prevented by deep soft snow from traversing to the actual summit only some 600 yards away and some 400 feet higher. Had the conditions been good, the climb to the actual summit would have presented no serious difficulty.

Gourlay and Eversden subsequently spent nearly three weeks exploring the country in the vicinity of the Sebu La, Lachen, Lhonak, and the Zemu valley; one of the objects of this tour was to fix a site for the proposed hut or huts.

Touring in Sikkim is becoming more popular and, apart from many trips on the bungalow routes, several parties attempted more strenuous expeditions. H.E. the Governor of Bengal, accompanied by his daughter Miss Anderson, Dr. Irvine, and by Mr. Tyson, a member of the Himalayan Club, crossed the Donkya La (18,131 feet) on the 14th October. Lord Arthur Butler crossed the pass in June, but the unsuccessful attempts of other parties seem to show that the Donkya La is snowrbound from about the middle of October until the end of May.

The Club has made two very satisfactory arrangements with the officials of Darjeeling and Sikkim. Firstly, it has been agreed that Members of the Himalayan Club applying for passes to travel in Sikkim will be able to obtain these more promptly if they mention in their application that they are members of the Himalayan Club, thus obviating the delays which usually occur when the ordinary official procedure is followed. This will not, however, do away with the necessity of getting the consent of the Political Agent of Sikkim for more than fifteen days travelling in Sikkim, and, as from June till November he may be on tour anywhere in Sikkim or on a visit to Tibet, it will always be advisable to apply for these in good time.

Secondly, the rules governing the fees for dak bungalows in the Darjeeling district have been relaxed to this extent, that bona-fide travellers who have been touring off the bungalow routes and are not able to arrive at a particular bungalow on the day on which they have booked it, shall not be charged double fees as previously. Should any other party who have booked the bungalow for that night be in occupation, they will naturally have the prior claim to it. It is hoped that the Sikkim authorities will consent to a similar arrangement.

An expedition of considerable interest was undertaken by Captain Kingdon Ward and Mr. R. J. Kaulback, who set out from Sadiya in northern Assam at the end of February 1933, their objective being the Shiuden Gompa in eastern Tibet. Mr. Kaulback had to turn back before reaching the Shiuden Gompa, and made his way by a series of tremendous river gorges to Fort Hertz in northern Burma; he passed through Calcutta on the 26th November, en route to England, where he expects to lecture on his experiences.¹ Amongst other observations, Mr. Kaulback states that all the glaciers seen by them were retreating; also that he and his companions lived almost entirely on rice and milk, and were rarely able to obtain meat. Captain Kingdon Ward returned to India in January 1934, but I have not yet read any account of his experiences.

Captain B. Sherriff and Mr. F. Ludlow carried out a most interesting expedition, for natural history purposes, in Bhutan and Tibet, from May to October. After leaving Gangtok on the 5th May, they were unable to cross the Natu La owing to deep snow, and were forced to halt at Changu for a week, only reaching Yatung on the 14th May. They crossed the Ma-Sang Kyung-Du range by the Kyu La and Ha La, travelled eastwards to Bumtang, the summer residence of H.H. the Maharaja of Bhutan, via Ha Dzong, Paro, Punaka, and Trongsa; in the latter part of their journey they were joined by Mr. Williamson, our political officer to Sikkim, and his wife.

 

At Bumtang, which they reached on the 11th July, they were received in a most friendly and hospitable manner by H.H. the Maharaja. Throughout their stay in Bhutan the travellers met with a kindly welcome wherever they went. No trouble was deemed too great to ensure their comfort; at every stage a camp was prepared for their reception, and transport and supplies were always provided. The travellers will certainly always cherish the happiest memories of their visit to Bhutan, and of the very kind and genuine hospitality they received at the hands of H.H. the Maharaja and his subjects.

On the 18th July Captain Sherriff and Mr. Ludlow left Bumtang and continued their scientific researches in the course of somewhat extensive travels, of which a short description is published elsewhere in this year's Journal. They returned to India by the Gyantse-Phari road, reaching Phari on the 7th October.

A number of military officers travelled in upper Bashahr and Kanawar during the year, mainly on shooting trips. Mr. Eustace reports that it is a matter of surprise to him that more officers do not visit upper Bashahr, as the country is interesting, and many of the side valleys off the main Sutlej valley contain game. Travel in the main valley is comparatively easy owing to the excellence of the Hindustan-Tibet road with its P.W.D. bungalows at the various stages. It is hoped that this interesting country may receive more attention from travellers and shikaris in the future.

The Hindustan-Tibet road, which up to the present has ended at Poo, on the right bank of the Sutlej, 190 miles from Simla, has now been continued another 8 miles up to Namgia, on the left bank of the Sutiej, at the point where the Spiti river, a right bank tributary, joins the Sutlej. Namgia is only about 2 miles from the Tibetan frontier, and the road beyond it is still only a track.

During the year the P.W.D. have constructed a suspension bridge over the Spiti river at Dankar, which is on the route from the Bhaba pass, Kulu and Spiti, to Gartok, the summer trade mart of western Tibet.

Expeditions in 1934.-The most important expedition likely to be undertaken in 1934 is another attack on Mount Nanga Parbat by a party of German climbers under the leadership of Herr Merkl, of Munich, who made so gallant an attempt in 1932. The party will consist of twelve members, including three scientific experts and nine climbers. Herr Merkl has asked for the assistance of one or preferably two British officers, with a knowledge of Urdu and of Himalayan conditions. They propose.to employ Sherpa and Bhutia porters for the expedition, which is to last from May to September.

A number of applications have been received from British officers who are keen on joining the expedition, and Herr Merkl is anxious again to secure the services of Lieut. R. N. Frier, who rendered valuable assistance to the 1932 expedition.

We all wish Herr Merkl every success in his undertaking, the difficulties of which he will have learned to appreciate in 1932. The conquest of Nanga Parbat would be a great achievement, and would mean the establishment of a new record as regards the highest actual summit reached, now held by Mr. F. S. Smythe and his party when they made their successful ascent of Mount Kamet in 1931.

I also hear that M. Marcel Kurz, Dr. Dyhrenfurth, and Professor Dainelli are contemplating expeditions to the Baltoro glacier, in the Karakoram.

Eastern Section.-Some of the many activities of the Eastern Section have already been described.

On the 3rd August Mr. Ruttledge and six other members of the Mount Everest Expedition honoured the Members of the Eastern Section by dining with them on their return from their splendid attempt on Mount Everest. H.E. the Governor of Bengal graciously accepted an invitation to be present. The dinner was held at the Saturday Club, and was followed by a most interesting lecture, illustrated by lantern slides, by Mr. Ruttledge.

Mr. L. R. Fawcus has resigned the Honorary Secretaryship of the Eastern Section, and has been succeeded by Mrs. Townend, one of our latest and keenest members.

No decision has yet been reached regarding sites for huts in Sikkim; the question of building two huts is now under consideration.

Lectures.-In addition to the two lectures very kindly delivered by Mr. Ruttledge in Simla and Calcutta, Mr. Ph. C. Visser gave us another lecture on his Karakoram explorations at the Gaiety Theatre in Simla, on the 29th August. This lecture, given in Mr. Visser's breezy and inimitable style, and illustrated by numerous excellent photographs, was very greatly enjoyed by a large audience. The proceeds, less a small deduction for theatre and printing expenses, &c., and plus certain kind donations, were devoted to the relief fund in aid of Franz Lochmatter's widow and family, and I am glad to report that I was able to send Mr. Visser a cheque for Rs. 342/12/- in this most worthy cause.

On the 16th November Mr. Visser gave a second and equally interesting lecture at the Y.W.C.A. in Delhi on the same subject.

Library.-The Himalayan Club Library was, in December 1932, placed in charge of the Librarian, Army Head-quarters, with a view to better administration. In addition to our printed Catalogue, a card-index with authors, titles, and subjects, together with a shelf- list, has been prepared and placed in the Library for the convenience of the members. Books have been fitted with special book-plates, and book-cards, book-pockets, dating slips and proper labels are now being used.

A sum of £10 has been sanctioned for the purchase of new books, and an equal amount will be allotted annually for the same purpose. Hitherto we have depended mainly for our supply of books on presentation copies, which during the year numbered only ten, mainly technical.

The Library has been shifted to the premises of the Army Headquarters Library, who have most kindly lent us a room furnished with almirahs for the purpose.

The total number of volumes in the Library is now 630. Sixty- seven books were issued to members during the year, of which forty- four were sent outside Simla. It is expected that, with the addition of new books and their proper advertisement, the library will develop into an institution of adequate importance and will be more fully utilized by members.

We now receive forty-one different journals and periodicals, though not always regularly, free of cost, in most cases in exchange for our Journal. These are from various countries interested in mountain- climbing, i.e. the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Jugoslavia, Japan, and the U.S.A.

It is hardly necessary for me to say that gifts of books and photographs will be most welcome.

Meteorology.-The Indian Meteorological Department was asked to provide weather reports for both the Mount Everest Expedition and the Houston-Mount Everest air expedition. To increase the value of these reports, two pilot balloon observatories were temporarily diverted from the regular airways to Purnea and Darjeeling, and a meteorologist from the headquarters office was deputed to help in the preliminary arrangements and in the issue of forecasts to these expeditions from the Alipore Observatory, Calcutta, where other routine work is heavy.

The Houston-Mount Everest Expedition was supplied every evening with a weather forecast of probable cloud, rain, and visibility, as well as the direction and strength of the wind at the height at which the aeroplanes were to operate. The temporary pilot balloon station at Purnea supplied fresh information regarding upper winds direct to the expedition each morning. As the expedition desired good photographs along the route in addition to the photographs of the Mount Everest region, the full success of the expedition was dependent on two factors, (i) favourable-upper winds, and (ii) cloudless skies with good visibility. During March and April the dust haze extends to great heights, often 15,000 to 20,000 feet; and clear skies with good visibility occur only after the clearing snows of a passing western depression. Unfortunately the winds, at the height of Mount Everest, often blow with hurricane force transverse to the Purnea- Mount Everest route at times of good visibility. From the 20th March to the 1 st April the upper winds were continuously of hurricane velocity, sometimes rising to 100-120 m.p.h. It was not until the 2nd April that a clear sky and upper winds of 50 m.p.h. could be foreshadowed for the following day.

It cannot be said that the weather prevailing over the Purnea- Mount Everest route during March and the early part of April 1933 was markedly abnormal in any way.

As the Mount Everest Expedition carried a complete portable wireless set, it was possible to arrange for an exchange of weather reports. The wireless arrangements were completed at the end of April, and Alipore Observatory issued weather forecasts thereafter twice daily at 12 hours and 21 hours, I.S.T., by land-line to Darjeeling, whence they were transmitted by wireless to the Base Camp. The Base Camp sent back reports of the weather actually experienced in the Everest region, which were of great assistance to the forecasters.

The months of April and May were on the whole cooler, more cloudy and more rainy than usual in the foot-hills of the eastern Himalaya, the cloudy periods being associated with a succession of 'western depressions' of the cold-weather type. In April the worst weather occurred during the week ending the 19th. In May there was a patch of unsettled weather between the 16th and 18th from Bombay to Bengal, which was originally associated with a depression in the Arabian Sea but led to cloudy weather in the eastern Himalaya. The monsoon current advanced gradually northwards up the Bay of Bengal from the 18th May onwards, reaching the foot-hills of the Himalaya about the 30th May. Judging only from the weather charts, one would conclude monsoonish conditions were approaching the neighbourhood and height of Mount Everest on the 1st or 2nd June and that the monsoon there was earlier than usual. A study of the weather experienced by this and previous Mount Everest expeditions, in comparison with the contemporaneous weather charts, will be made by the Meteorological Department.

Miscellaneous.-I regret to have to announce that your President, General Sir Kenneth Wigram, has tendered his resignation: he is leaving Army Headquarters to assume the most important post of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command.

I have much pleasure in proposing the election of His Excellency Sir Herbert Emerson, k.c.s.i., c.i.e., c.b.e., i.c.s., Governor of the Punjab, in succession to Sir Kenneth Wigram. Sir Herbert Emerson has always been a very keen and prominent member of our Club, and I feel sure that we shall all welcome his appointment and regard his acceptance of it as an honour to the Club.

Lieut.-Colonel F. B. Scott, our Honorary Librarian, has gone on leave, and we have not yet succeeded in filling his place; the Librarian is, however, quite capable of carrying on the work for the present.

It is with much regret that I find myself obliged to resign the post of Honorary Secretary. Apart from the fact that I am going on leave towards the end of March, my work at Army Headquarters renders it impossible for me to give enough time to the affairs of the Club, and to carry out the duties of Honorary Secretary to my own satisfaction. I am glad to say that Captain K. G. McLean, a very keen member of the Club and an enthusiastic mountaineer, has consented to take over the duties from me.

One last point for consideration. The finances of the Club are now in a most satisfactory condition, our assets being approximately Rs. 17,000. Some of this money will probably be spent on the building of huts in the near future. In my opinion, we should soon take up the question of allotting small grants towards the expenses of expeditions of particular interest and importance undertaken by members of the Club.

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