East of Everest, … an account of the New Zealand Alpine Club Hima­layan Expedition to the Barun Valley in 1954. By Sir Edmund Hillary and George Lowe. New York: E. P. Dutton and Company, 1956. 70 pages; 48 pages of photos. Price $5.00.

In April, May, and June 1954, a New Zealand expedition explored the region south and east of Mount Everest: specially, the Imja, Hongu, Choyang, Iswa, and Barun watersheds. Nineteen peaks over 20,000 feet

were ascended, but not without a few unsolicited thrills. Baruntse, 23,570 feet, and Pethangtse, 22,080 feet, were the two highest peaks climbed. Several passes were traversed for the first time, notably the Imj a-Barun crossing. The story of Jim McFarland’s fall into a crevasse and his sub­sequent severe case of frostbite should be an incentive for all mountaineers to study appropriate rescue techniques so that they may be employed quick­ly and skillfully. George Lowe devotes a chapter to "Dumji, a five-day festival," which is an interesting sketch of part of the Sherpa’s environ­ment. Members of the expedition were: Sir Edmund Hillary, Dr. Charles Evans, Dr. Michael Ball, Bill Beavan, Geoff Harrow, Norman Hardie, Jim McFarlane, Colin Todd, Brian Wilkins and George Lowe. Total cost: about £ 8000.

A l l e n S t e c k