Home from the Hill

The Mt. Everest Expedition of 1924 returned to humanity and civilization. Gen. Bruce, head of the expedition, who was forced to retire because of an attack of malaria (TIME, June 16) rode out of Darjelling and met the returning party several miles in the country. When the party reached the town, Lady Lytton and her guests gave it a handsome welcome. Gen. Bruce and Lieut. Col. Norton settled down to wind up the affairs of the expedition before returning to Calcutta.

The returned men were generally in good health, particularly the native porters, who were professing they had enjoyed the trip as a sort of great picnic at high wages.

In the last of a series of articles for the London Times, Lieut. Col. Norton discussed several questions:

1) Should Everest be attempted? 2) Will Everest be reattempted? 3) Can Everest be climbed?

1) In reply to those who pointed out that seven porters lost their lives in the unsuccessful attempt of 1922 and that Mallory and Irvine lost their lives this year, without the prospect of any material gain for either the climbers or the human race, he answered with a question: "Isn't it a goodish thing to run some risks, undergo some hardships for an ideal divorced from sordid considerations?"

2) As to the question of a second attempt, the financial backing, of course, depended on the Mt. Everest Committee. But the members of the expedition felt, on account of the loss of friends and the setbacks endured, that Everest must be climbed.

3) The last question, "Can Everest be climbed?" Colonel Norton answered with one word, "Assuredly." His reasons were that much more had been accomplished this year than in 1922 and many things had been learned. Only about 800 ft. of the mountain remained to be climbed. Indeeed, this may have been climbed by the two men who were lost. It was established that porters could carry the necessary equipment to nearly 27,000 ft. Under favorable conditions, he believed, a camp could be established at 27,300 ft. The main struggle was to have the party in good physical condition before making the last attempt. By making 250 ft. more on each of the two days before the final "dash," only about 1,800 ft. need be made on the last day. This year the parties made between 1,400 and 1,500 ft. on the last day, but their physical condition was poor because of earlier hardships. If the higher camps could be made more comfortable, as Col. Norton believed they could be, the climbers would be in better physical condition.