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GILES CROSSES THE
THE CHINA. MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1958.
CHANNEL
BORDEAUX
COGNAC
40Kms
SZONE
CAFE
DE
Pago 5
Ro
Telling the time
while the sun shines
THE latest in timepieces, 350 year ago, was this handsome, gilt-metal, folding sundist What a boon to the local nativen! It not only told the time," but the direction of the -poles, the Italian hours, Babylonian hours, phases of the moan, and the lengths of the days and nights. But this versatile Rundial could operate only at 50° of latitude-and then only when the sun shone! Nevertheless, it was portable and marked the first step towards the wrist-watch as we know it.
More than three centuries of research followed, till today we have timekeepers of such accuracy and versatility as the ancients never dreamt of. One of the finest examples of modern timekeepen is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual wrist-watch,
Here is an elegant timekeeper of breath-taking accuracy that operates just as efficiently at any latitude, day or night, rain or shine-and never needs winding1. The secret lies in the 'exclusive Rolex Perpetual self-winding rotor. Provided the watch is worn for 6 hours a day this "cator" will keep it `wound automatically, indefinitely. The object of this Ingenious device is not simply to relieve you of the burden of daily winding the watch. By maintaining a constant flow of power which keeps' an even tension on the mainspring, it gives greater accuracy and longer life.
This feature, combined with the famous Oyster waterproof case which ensures perfect protection from dust, damp, powder and perspiration, makes this Rolex Oyster Perpetual one of the world's greatest horological achievements.
"Thought you'd take the micky out of the Guards then hop off
out of the country for a whilo, did you?"
London Express Service
Lung-Power-Strength-Stamina-Courage-Cheerfulness
THE SHERPAS HELPED TO CONQUER EVEREST
By Ralph Izzard
N
Katmandu.
0 story of Everest would be complete without a tribute to the gallant Sherpa porters who do the donkey work of carrying camping Kunr andl food for the climbers to the highest possible altitude.
Nowadays they have be come so much a part of the Himalayan mountaineering picture that a major expedi- tion without them would be unthinkable.
The assets they offer are exceptional lung - power, strength. stamina, sure- footedness, cheerfulness, and courage. But to keep a tribute in proportion it in only fair to add that they are temperamental, prone to forming intense likes and
dislikes (which accounts for some "outstanding successes and not a few seemingly inexplicable failures), they are Individualistic, do not take kindly to regimented discipline and posscas a keenly developed business senso which can prove an embarrassment to the
un-
Yory few Sherpas are every likely to reach the standard of technical per- fection of a first-class Alpine guide.
2016050
There are the exceptions
Picture by Ralph Izzard of the star Sherpa of them all-Tensing Norkey, who with New Zealander E. P. Hillary were the first to conquer Everest.
WA
and
+
Because of the changed enough to open a tourist political situation in Tibet, travel agency, in Darjeeling. a police check-point has now Sherpas are now also opt to been established at the tiny claim, that it is beneath their dignity to carry a load on a long 12,000 ft. high Sherpa approach march to a mountain. capital of Namche Bazar, They use the climbers".argument and it is a strange sight to that they must husband their ace two slender police radio resources for the mountain itself. masts raised amid the Expeditions which accept this forest of poles bearing are usually ¦ chagrined to find, prayer banners. But con- when the march begins, that the trolling a Himalayan' fron- Sherpas are indeed carrying a tler is not only dis. load. It isn't expedition equip
menit, but merchandise which the heurtening task, it is well- Sherpa, has bought for himself nigh impossible for plains or for trade among his fellows.
- men.
Response To patient work
B
Veteran British climbers are Inclined to deplore the present trend, They point out, with some truth, that climbers of other nations have dellberately and recklessly inflated the bonus rate to get more out of their men was Everest ploneers who and have added lavish presents
Irst discovered the potential- of expensive equipment which no
tles of Sherpas as high-altitude British expeditions can afford to carriers.
give.away.
devotion
Early writers expressed astonishment that it had never Priceless occurred to the Sherpas to climb their own mountains, and it up- parently did not occur to writers that a practical man who has lo earn, His living the hard way will soldom go up a mountain if he can find a convealent way round
it.
GAINST this must be set the grim and mounting roll of death and disablement which the Sherpas are suffering. Few fates ore, worse for an able-bodied be totally in- However, under patient tutel- man than to
of outstanding age of
where there is 10
system, His the Sherpas gradu- pensions
men
Character, such as Generals Bruce mutated in a primitive com-
and Nortons the nocessary dis- 'presence is an incentive
ally
cipine and advanced climbing others, to enhance their technique. Mare Important,
vory
to
value.
General Norton managed to con- Many people would consider vince them that there was a blue the devotion of a good Sherpa, i riband to be won in carrying a it can be won, to be totally load farther and higher than beyond price. anyone alse,
Ambition of every boy
TODAY, climbing has "caught
• Mountaineering knows no more iragic and heroic tale than the death of Sherpa Gaylay during the disastrous 1934 German-ex- pedition to Nanga Parbat-which. coot four German and six Sherpa Ilves.
remained
on" in the Sherpa com When Dr Mark), the last party munity, and each village has its Germain survivor of a local hero, clad in climbing boots, which became trapped during quilted windproof-suit, balaclava-descent down the mountain-could- and goggles souvenir presents
an ice cave, Gaylny from past expedition-daling no farther and collapsed in his companions in much the same with him although it meant way as an immaculately clad 'certain death, akl-ing instructor In an Alpine village still dazzles his poorer Gaylay did not give his life. to save Merki's-that was Im-" peasant cousins. PROMINENT exceptions
possible. He deliberately chose are, of course, Tensing
In the little school at Namche, to die with his leader rather Norkoy, who last Friday
Bazar, where English is now a than save his own life, as he still shared honours with New all hand-picked—só careful-
breeds In compulsory subject in order to could have done..
·Zealander E. P. Hillary for ly selected, in fact,' that dividualism and indepen- work, if you asked any of the
prepare pupils for expedition
(World Copyright) being the first to reach the certain men warmly com- dence of action, and the cheerfully grubby urchins what top of Everest, and little mended by last year's Swiss Sherpas are used to moving they want to be when they grow "A expedition AngeTM Harknywhose fine Everest
have....
up they answer to a boy: work with the French been considered not, quite to and from across the man like Tensing." Anapurna expedition earned up to our standard and Tibetan frontier. In him free trip to Paris. have failed to find a place pearance, Both these men have great with us. records of Courage and en-
·aro
Isolation
.ap. Nowadays, for botter er for customs, and worse, Sherpas consider them-- costume they are india selves an elite corps. They de- tinguishable from.. their mand and get B. a day--more a neighbouring Tibetans,
durince "stretching as far The Sherpas back to the carly 30's. They mountain-dwelling caste in-, supermen in any habiting the, two remota
districts of Sola climbing company.
are
than double prewar rato-while "tigers" (the title won by Sherpas who have carried a load to They profer to trade .24,000ft.) expect bonuses of any and across the 19,000 ft. Nang thing up to £15 for a single lift Khumbu, in easternmost pain Pass, to the north between the higat.compa...
Sherpas and their money are now with. Nepal: So Isolated is their rather than undertake the antare" probably country that they are tiresome and lengthy usually soon parted again, with
it is pos- almost beyond Central journey south to India or plary character like Ange
are Government control;
west of Katmandu.
the exception of men of exem Harkey, who-bas, now : saved.
SHELL COCKROACH KILLER
DOES kill cockroaches!
Telling the time from the sun on a pocket sundial was a simple operation—so long as the sun'shona! The portable sundial here illustrated is of German make, bearing the date 1597. Designed for use at a latitude of 30 degrees, the shadow of the string "gnomon" indiestes the time on, horizontal dis surrounding a magnetic compass. (Reproduced by "hind permission of the Science Museum, London.)
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual, Eness. Lowering of three centuries of endeavour. waterproofed by the famous Oyster case, sell- winding by virtue of the exclusive Roles Perpeiusi self-winding 'rotor', maīka s land- Lanark in that history"ofʻlime:meksurgiven t«
The Roles Red Beal signifies that the watch to which it lenitached ban been tested by an Official Teating Station of the Swin Government, kas been awarded its own Official Timing Certificate, and the proud title of chrommeter. Every Rolex Oyster Perpetual bears the Rolex Red Seal.
W ROLEX
A landmark în the history o
Time measure
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