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Aleister Crowley Diary Entry Monday, 4 August 1902
On the descent from Camp XI—Camp X (August 4th) I had a couple of rather amusing experiences—as one ought to have on Benkoldy [bank holiday]! I was ahead with four roped coolies, and on coming to the crevassed part of the glacier they began to exhibit symptoms of caution and went very slowly. All in vain! There was a yell and a swish, and Mr. Balti the first was in a crevasse. He had fallen about eight feet before the rope brought him up. I quickly ran forward, jumped the crevasse, and, having laid down, found I could just reach the straps of his load. One vigorous "hoick", and up he came like a bird. I was still rather weak after my five days' fever, so how easy is it for a strong and healthy man to pull another out unaided. After this, the men went slower than ever, probing many times at every step. So I decided to put myself on their rope and lead. Now we went down gaily, I, of course, trusting to the rope, and not wasting time by keeping my eyes open. So there was soon another crash, and I was in a biggish crevasse—about twelve feet. The walls were vertical, but just opposite me was a clump of frozen snow and ice, affording a capital series of rather unstable (but not so bad as chalk) holds. Also, the width of the crevasse was just right for back and foot work, and I could jam the axe across for handhold. So I told the men to leave the rope loose, and proceeded to climb out with a good deal of hard work, but no difficulty.
While I am writing this note I may as well explain my action with regard to Camp X—for choosing which I have been blamed:—
(1) On arrival at Camp X, I was in great distress at having no news from P. [Heinrich Pfannl] and W. [Victor Wessely], to whom I had written urgently—I did not even know if they were following in my tracks.
(2) Owing to the clouds I could not see the camping-place on the opposite slopes of rock and moraine some half-hour above Camp X.
(3) I supposed that we should make an attempt on K2 directly from Camp X by the snow slopes above—I still think this the best way up.
(4) Camp X—horrible as it proved—would not have been so bad if, as I then had reason to believe, bad weather could not last more than two days. It must be remembered that so far we had had perfect weather, save on the glacier itself, and the snowstorms below had been mild and transitory. No man could possibly have been prepared for so sudden and absolute a transition from fine weather, with odd snatches of doubtful ditto, to continuous snowstorms with only rare breaks—and that really abominable weather began the very day after my arrival.
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