Abstract
THE Everest Expedition of 1924 reported to a joint meeting of the Royal Geographical Society and the Alpine Club before a distinguished assembly in the Albert Hall on October 17. Earlier in the day a memorial service for Mallory and Irvine was held in St. Paul's Cathedral. Pioneers like Drake and Livingstone, these two perished, as did Scott and Shackleton, in an attempt to go one step beyond the bounds hitherto set to human endeavour, and their names in their simplest form will be treasured in the national memory. Both were Cheshire men, and the Bishop of Chester embodied the spirit of the impressive seivice under the famous Cathedral dome in an address which showed how the two mountaineers, now at rest in the most magnificent cenotaph in the world, were great climbers because they were great men full of courage, unselfishness and cheerfulness, men who had attained to great spiritual heights, men who had risked life itself in the service of others. Odell, who was in support, was climbing to Camp VI. on June 8 by a circuitous route. He discovered fossils in a band of limestone, and found himself enveloped in mist with clear sky above. By a mere chance he climbed a crag and emerged into a sudden temporary clearing of the mist to a vision of the summit ridge and peak of Everest. Far away on a snow slope near the base of the final pyramid he saw two figures climbing slowly towards their goal, one reaching out to help the other, then the mist fell again. The time was 12.50, and Mallory and Irvine were three hours late on their time schedule, yet they were pressing on. The chances are that they were speeding to the accomplishment of the little bit more which meant so much. Odell believes they got to the summit and were benighted on the return journey. Sic itur ad astra. The sure record stands that Mallory and Irvine climbed to 28,230 feet with the help of oxygen. On another attempt, Norton and Somervell reached 28,130 feet without oxygen, and this presages a future success by a similar effort which will probably be made in 1926. Other records were Odell's three ascents between 25,000 and 27,000 feet within a week, the carriage by six porters of loads to a height of 27,000 feet; men have slept well in camp at 26,800 feet. The upper half of Everest consists of slabby altered limestones, a 1000-feet thickness of sandstone and fossils has been found, and in 1924 persistent cold winds blew from the west with night temperatures which fell once to -220 F. At Camp IV., 23,000 feet, twice in June, the noon sun temperature was 1050 F., while the air temperature was only 290 F.
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Current Topics and Events. Nature 114, 618–622 (1924). https://doi.org/10.1038/114618c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/114618c0