Himalayan Quest, by Paul Bauer. Foreword by Sir Francis Young-husband. Translated from the German by E. G. Hall. Small 4to ; xxv and 150 pages, with 96 illustrations. London : Nicholson and Watson, 1938. Price 21s.

One of my disappointments this past summer came in failing by a few days to meet Paul Bauer on his return to Srinagar from the unsuccessful 1938 Nanga Parbat Expedition. I did, however, see several other members of that fine party and quickly learned why the German climbers are so tremendously popular in Kashmir. They like life and enjoy living so much that they can’t help making friends. It is no wonder then that the Europeans of Srinagar regard the disaster to the German party of 1937 as a personal injury.

Himalayan Quest, the story of splendid fellows and fine mountaineers, shares with us in its pages the triumphs and disasters of two seasons. We thrill to the 1936 conquest of Simvu, Nepal Peak and Siniolchum, in the first part of the book. Wien’s story of the actual summit climb on Siniolchum is especially well done, and the account of his adventurous journey through the Passanram Valley is also noteworthy. Wien in the following year became leader of the 1937 Nanga Parbat Expedition, the party whose story is told in the second section of the book. The tale of the expedition is clearly told by Luft and by excerpts from the diaries of the unfortunate climbers, for nine porters, Wien, and seven of his eight comrades were buried in a huge avalanche which overcame them in their sleep at Camp IV. Fate willed that practically the whole expedition should be together—an unusual circumstance—when the fall occurred. So ended the most tragic expedition in modern mountaineering history.

The mountaineer at once asks, “Was Camp IV placed in an unduly risky place ?” The answer appears to be as follows : Camp IV was undoubtedly placed in a risky position, but the odds were strongly in favor of no avalanche starting while the tents were there. Any expedition that climbs Nanga Parbat will probably face as great a risk, for the mountain is not sport for the dilettante. It is well to remember that the great English climber, Mummery, was also lost in an avalanche on this dangerous mountain. When the great peak is finally climbed, it will be climbed in cold blood by men who know their danger. Of course the Germans and Americans have different ideas of the amount of peril that is legitimate ; this is partly because the Germans see any great conquest of theirs as a victory for their country, while disaster to them is a glorious defeat adding to the prestige of the Fatherland.

Bauer’s story of the search for the bodies provides a simple and sincere conclusion to Himalayan Quest. Of course the book would have been better had it all been written by one person; still, the ninety-six photographic plates are superb, making this a worthy companion volume to Nanga Parbat Adventure.

R. H. B.