However, at the outset, I had hoped to map, on the scale of 1 inch = 1 mile, the whole area between the Arun Gorge on the East and the R[=a] Chu on the West: and from the Nep[=a]l-Tibet boundary Northwards for some 20 miles; i.e. to the point where the various streams, flowing in a Northerly direction from the high boundary ridge, issue from the mountains proper into the more rolling foot-hills on the Southern outskirts of the Tibetan Plateau. This area includes Mount Everest itself near the centre of its Southern side, Mak[=a]lu and Pk. 25,413 to the South-east, Pks. 23,800 (Kh[=a]rtaphu), 23,420, and 23,080 to the North-east and North, and Pks. 25,990 (Gy[=a]chung Kang), 25,202, 25,909 and 26,867 (Cho Oyu) to the North-west; and comprises some 1,000 square miles of country: a suitable season's work, given reasonably fine weather. This unfortunately we did not get. On June 24, the day after Messrs. Mallory and Bullock had started for the Rongbuk Valley, Dr. Heron and I marched South across the plain to the village of Sharto, _en route_ Kyetr[=a]k, in the R[=a] Chu Valley, where I intended to establish my base camp while surveying the Kyetr[=a]k Glacier and West face of the Cho Oyu--Gyachung K[=a]ng group. The next day we moved on to Kyetr[=a]k, 1 mile below the snout of the glacier, and made camp there. This bleak village and the route to it and over the Phuese La have already been described. June 26 was fine, so after crossing the R[=a] Chu on local ponies, ourselves and our ice-axes and rucksacks perched on Tibetan saddles--a cold and uncomfortable proceeding in the early morning--we ascended the 18,000-foot hill immediately West of the village. Up to 1 p.m. we had excellent views across and up the Kyetr[=a]k Valley; but only a glimpse of Gauri Sankar (Chomo Tsering) to the South-west, where heavy clouds soon began to roll up. Cho Oyu and Pk. 25,909 and their spurs unfortunately cut out all distant views to the South-east, as they did everywhere in the upper part of this valley; so that my first view of Everest was from Tingri a month later. Next day, we started shortly after daylight for a spur on the East side of the valley; unfortunately--and this happened in the case of almost every peak I started for until mid-September--clouds began to roll up, and we were forced to stop to take the photographs before we had reached a really good view-point. Colonel Bury arrived at Kyetr[=a]k shortly after we got back to camp. On the 28th he and Heron started off early for a flying visit to the Kyetr[=a]k Glacier and Nangba La; I started later, after getting kit together, for a camp half-way up the glacier, and about 6 miles from Kyetr[=a]k. About 2 p.m. I found a comparatively dry spot on shale at 18,000 feet, and pitched my tents there, the last of the coolies arriving only at 6 p.m. The place was bleak enough, but was as far as I could get that day, and seemed suitable for two climbs--one on either side of the glacier.