Kamet Conquered

hahaha [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] thank you foreign [Music] Expeditions had attempted to ascend Mount Comet which stands one mile south of the border of Tibet and is the greatest peak of the central Himalaya and now another effort is to be made the March starts with 70 Porters these fellows are born load carriers and think nothing of carrying 80 pounds on their backs 15 miles in a day in intense tropical heat [Music] at length the Sacred City of badrinath is reached near the headwaters of the Ganges these Bridges must be constantly replaced as they frequently break loose the stuff hanging down from the bridge is not seaweed but the remains of another bridge that had been swept away [Music] the melted snows from Comet rush through precipitous gorges huge precipices rise on either side down which there are dangerous Falls of stone one of the porters was struck on the head and badly hurt [Music] and the medical officer fixes up an ugly wound at last all is ready and the Expedition sets off on the last stage of the march to comment [Music] a yak's maximum speed is one and a half miles per hour but it can cross a narrow bridge without a clown and Traverse steep hillsides with amazing sure-footedness [Music] add one slipped here it would certainly have been killed Camp is made in a Stony desolate Valley the porters wash clothes and Captain Bernie bathes in a freezing wind [Music] there are no bridges near Comet but sometimes it is possible to cross the rushing Glacier tolerance by Natural Bridges of snow formed by Avalanche debris this amazing snow Bridge an extraordinary freak of nature looks almost as though it were made of Masonry great difficulty is experienced in Crossing one turret finally one man crosses after the perilous rock climb this is much too difficult to wait for the Lords but having got one man across it's possible to rig a rope Bridge the same sort of arrangement by which Sailors are rescued from wrecked ships and over this frail Affair goes the expedition [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] if this man were to fall into this raging Tyrant he wouldn't be drowned he would be smashed to pieces foreign [Music] [Music] but of course the Yaks can't go across like that so one of them is pulled across the toilet by a rope as a good example to the others [Music] foreign [Music] and the others actually followed [Music] foreign [Music] at last they all are safely across and continue in their solemn tank-like way as though nothing at all exciting had occurred [Music] there is much to be gained from these Expeditions into the highest peaks of the world in addition to the facts obtained through exploration a study of wind currents temperature changes readings taken of the different magnetic fields and meteorological findings all make possible the charting of the layers of atmosphere which envelop the Earth and it is believed that in the study of the stratosphere and of the cosmic rays may be found some of the answers to the all-important question of man's ability to live on this Earth and adjust himself to the forces of nature the base camp is made on a Stony Ridge at a height of 15 500 feet almost as high as the summit of Mont Blanc the highest mountain in Europe a celebration with the best that the stores could provide is held for the successful conclusion of one stage in the journey [Music] the next day everyone's heart is examined to see how they're standing the strain of increased altitude [Music] since shaving is not only impractical but undesirable everyone's appearance is quite different from what it was back in Civilization this is Dr Green the medical officer Wing Commander Bowman [Music] Professor admiring his new beard it is vital that the right kind of clothing be worn first several layers of light Shetland wool as several layers are warmer than one thick layer [Music] but that is not enough it is essential to have a light windproof jacket to withstand the fierce winds and Sub-Zero temperatures of the high altitudes a balaclava helmet is necessary to protect the ears and face from being frostbitten while thick leather fleece lined gloves keep the hands warm [Music] the eyes are protected from the blinding glare by dark glasses and lastly boots on One Nail of which may depend the life of the climber six men are especially selected to help the dargelia men establish the high camps they come from the valley of Northern Nepal along the frontiers of Tibet they are known as tigers and well deserve their name as they're the hardiest toughest natural Mountaineers in the world food has to be carefully rationed out for a stay of several weeks on comet at last all is ready for the attack the one hope of climbing comet is to lay Siege to it as though it was some Fortress if they ascend too fast the lack of oxygen if he's immense altitudes would not only cause serious illness but would so exhaust them physically that they would be unable to advance further it is essential therefore to go slowly stage by stage in order to adjust their bodies to this lack of oxygen and so it is planned to push a series of camps up the mountain each Camp would be a thousand feet or so higher than the last and rests would be made every few days at each Camp to get used to the change in altitude before pushing on to the next camp this method would be continued until the final assault began it is only thus that the great peaks of the world can be climbed ultimate success depends entirely on the weather but the sun sets peacefully on the Peaks and the men turn out into their sleeping bags with high hopes of the fair weather continuing foreign [Music] filters into a cold world the few seconds required to operate a camera leave the hands white and numb the hands freeze to any metal they touch and when the intense cold causes the mechanism to jam agonizing minutes are spent making adjustments Comet can be seen 12 miles away just over a nearer shoulder of Peaks and the start is made to establish the first camp Camp one for centuries man has matched his strength and endurance against the mountains he knows full well that in order to stand for a bare half hour on the summit he must endure incredible hardships run the most fearsome risks Hazard even his life yet nothing daunts him he may reel back again and again but always he returns to the attack men may die from cold and exposure whole Expeditions may be swept away by Avalanches but others always come forward to take their places for man is not only a questing animal but the lure of danger of the unknown exerts a powerful attraction on every page of History will be found a glorious record of man's conquest of the unexplored Leif Ericsson Marco Polo Columbus Magellan Hudson Cabot Perry amundsen Ellsworth bird to mention but a few who've answered the call of the unexplored they have given to the world discoveries of inestimable value and so man continues to Surge forward trying to pierce the veil that separates ignorance from knowledge Camp one is pitched at a height of 16 500 feet the porters seem to be an excellent spirit and sit around the camp smoking contentedly too much praise cannot be given these Intrepid men who give not only all of their strength but frequently their very lives to the white men who come from other lands to conquer their mountains [Music] the following morning Dawn's fine and it's decided to push on up the comet Glacier and try to establish Camp too the route is a dangerous one on either side Rises a huge wall of peaks with enormous masses of ice overhanging the passes owing to the immense change of temperature 220 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit ice can adhere to Mountain sides at extraordinary angles this ice is the product of countless snowfalls which go to form hanging glaciers hundreds and sometimes thousands of feet thick when these glaciers come to the edge of a precipice they overhang it and then break away in masses of ice weighing tens of thousands of tons that crash with a Palling Force down the precipices and sweep the whole breadth of the main glaciers beneath these ice Avalanches are cataclysmic in their magnitude [Music] [Music] fortunately no Avalanche came near us and we managed to pitch Camp 2 at 18 500 feet in the shadow of comet [Music] cooking is no easy matter and it's extremely difficult to heat things due to the High Altitude water boils at a very low point and it's possible to plunge one's hand into boiling water with no danger of scalding but the cook does his best even though his concoctions Taste of burnt wood and paraffin three days are spent at Camp 2 to become adjusted to the higher altitude then on up to the next objective a little Plateau high in the Cliffs of comet [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] snowstorm but cam 3 is pitched without misadventure at 20 600 feet foreign [Music] this becomes the advanced Camp base due to some Splendid work by Captain Bernie and the porters it is stocked with provision and fuel for over a month thus placing the expedition in a strong besieging position [Music] skiing that's ever been done in the world and he repeated this at even greater altitudes at Camp 3 preparations are made for the final assault on comet every detail especially food has to be gone into the utmost care for one weak Link in the chain of preparations might mean defeat [Music] here is Smite the leader of the expedition foreign is to be pitched on the crest of a bulge of ice 22 000 feet high to reach the crest of this ice bulge means the most difficult climb up of precipice of rock and Ice a thousand feet high so difficult was this that it took more than three days to accomplish [Music] the danger is great on high mountains not merely because of the extreme cold but because the heart being deprived of its proper supply of oxygen works with diminished efficiency the circulation is slowed and the output of the heart per minute is greatly decreased the simplest of motion sets the heart and lungs to pounding furiously men who climb to such Heights realize that they're approaching that outside limit of the earth Beyond which life cannot exist except under artificial conditions [Music] [Applause] iron spikes are driven into the Rock these Spikes have rings in the end to which a rope is tied thus if one of the porters slips he will have something to grasp foreign [Music] laughs [Music] thank you [Music] [Applause] and now the upper slope of ice where a slip would have meant not only disaster for one man but possibly for the entire Expedition foreign it is an agonizing effort for the porters and they have to stop and gasp for breath every few yards at last the crest of the ice bulge is reached and there at a height of 22 000 feet Camp 4 is established some of the porters were suffering from Mountain sickness and had to turn back [Music] from here Comet can be seen in all its icy magnificence foreign [Music] the Expedition is now to be split into two parties an advanced party and a support party the advance party will go ahead and try to establish Camp five if the weather holds good it will go on and make a final push for the top the support party will follow a day behind as a safeguard for the advance party [Music] it is hope to pitch Camp 5 on the skyline which means passing between huge masses of shattered ice foreign [Music] at first the snow is hard but as the advanced party climbs higher the snow becomes softer and softer thus multiplying by thousand fold the effort required happy birthday [Music] it is a day of torture for the porters with their heavy loads at last they can go no further worn out they sink down into the snow where they stop Camp 5 is made at a height of 23 300 feet here several Porters had to be left behind they were too exhausted to continue foreign [Music] looks more formidable than ever [Music] the sun sinks gleaming on the great peaks of ice and snow Knight was bitterly cold about 60 degrees of Frost but the next morning the sun comes up gloriously over the roof of the world and it's decided to start the final assault slowly The Mists clear from Comet and at last the signal is given for the attack this picture is foreshortened and this is much steeper than it appears hour after hour the men toil up this slope of snow ice leading to The Summit now they seem mere insects on this vast Mountainside the initial speed of 500 feet an hour had been reduced to 300 feet an hour then to 100 feet and finally to 50 feet an hour the resting periods increased until they had to pause every three steps then every two steps and a step Falls and gasped and another step [Music] It seems impossible to force their exhausted bodies to make another effort and yet they go on [Music] foreign the wind and cold numbs their feet and they try to restore circulation by rubbing [Music] but it's useless and they're all severely frostbitten one of the porters Lua a gallon siddar is so seriously frostbitten that subsequently he lost all his toes slope gets steeper and steeper 500 feet from the summit they come upon a rock over which the men climb with Incredible slowness here Neymar doji one of the two remaining Porters collapsed unable to advance another step but Lewa insisted upon taking over his loathe [Music] they approached the final wall of snow and ice 500 feet high here steps have to be cut in hard blue ice and in this thin air everything is a terrible effort the heart is striving desperately for oxygen the snow slope swims uncertainly before the eyes of the exhausted climber his hungry lungs seem about to collapse as he gasps for air he braces his tired quivering protesting muscles grasps his acts and swings It Forward again into the blue face of the ice it's impossible to describe their complete and overwhelming exhaustion muscles refused to coordinate and even the Mind ceases its normal functioning they become mere automatons of flesh and blood as they struggle feebly up the last icy fortification of comet but as they sink down they see that the world is falling away beneath them they know they must be nearing the summit so they rise wearily to their feet and manage to stumble on a few more steps drawing on their last reserves of strength they drive their feet into the snow with desperate energy they struggle up the Summit Ridge they seize hold of their quarterly when shove him ahead so that he may be the first to reach the top because they feel the least compliment they can pay to those Splendid men the porters [Music] all right [Applause] again man has dared greatly and endearing has accomplished a seemingly impossible the wind is deadly cold and the silence and sense of complete isolation is terrible in its dark reality their gaze passes almost contemptuously over Mighty Ridge upon Mighty Ridge the secret poles in the Violet hazes of illimitable Horizons huge clouds suncrested above purple shadowed beneath are pierced by Jagged peaks of Black Rock and glaring ice and snow the Frozen outposts of the infinite again man has aspired to capture the ultimate Citadel has set a new landmark of human accomplishments to stand as an heroic Monument to the indomitable and unconquerable spirit of man foreign [Applause] [Music]