The Evidence of Things Not Seen by W.H. Murray

Author:W.H. Murray [W. H. Murray]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781912560813
Publisher: Vertebrate Publishing
Published: 2019-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

THE LAMPAK PEAKS

The fine weather was continuing. Despite the Malari dancing rite, no sign of the monsoon could be seen. And the Lampak hills were clear. For the first time we saw their north-east faces. Across the Uja Tirche Glacier stood a six-mile row of six peaks. At the north end Kunti Bhannar and Lampak could at once be ruled out as inaccessible; likewise the three most southerly mountains (21,770 feet, 20,560 feet, and 21,340 feet). But in the centre rose an unnamed mountain, which we called South Lampak (20,750 feet). It threw eastwards, 5,000 feet down to the Uja Tirche Glacier, a parallel row of three rock ridges. The farthest of these looked climbable. Indeed, the upper 1,700 feet of that ridge was low angle snow; its lower 4,000 foot rock, neither gashed nor pinnacled. Around 18,000 feet, however, the rock ridge was interrupted by a buttress of 800 feet, about which we could form no firm opinion, save that it looked formidable in front but more inviting on its south wall. Our resolve was made. We should try South Lampak.

Our immediate need was more rest so we descended to Base Camp. There we relaxed. I cannot remember ever having had so much enjoyment out of consciously doing nothing. This seemed a plain indication that we ought to lie low for two days, and deal with South Lampak thereafter. On the other hand, the settled weather called for action.

We agreed to put Camp 2 some three miles up the Uja Tirche Glacier, Camp 3 on the ridge below the doubtful buttress, Camp 4 above it if need be and so to the top. To this end Scott and I would get away next morning to reconnoitre the campsites, while Weir prepared stores. On 1 July the whole party would begin moving up the glacier.

This point settled, I had occasion to wash Matbir’s feet with acriflavine. He had cut them on Uja Tirche. A little later I saw him take the hatchet and go out for firewood. I watched him admiringly as he made a swift round up of juniper on the less accessible parts of a cliff. He brought back his load and went off again. But this time he took no hatchet. After zigzagging with pace and precision over the cliffs he came back with a bunch of alpine flowers. I had noticed before that Matbir loved flowers and he had gone back for them now from a need to give them to someone. Accordingly, he came to the tent door and gave them to me. No doubt he knew that I would not laugh. I accepted them thankfully – blue primulas and rock geraniums, anemones (both the small blue ones and the large white with five big petals and a yellow centre), forget-me-nots and red potentillas; they were indeed most beautiful and I did not hide my admiration. Matbir hovered round the door for a minute to enjoy our enjoyment, then went off to join the porters.

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