The original book was published in 1929 by Jonathan Cape in London, and contains a preface by Dutton and an introduction by Hilaire Belloc.

Melhuish, Dutton and the rest of their porters struggled up the scree to reach the Curling Pond where a new hut had been built.

[1] For the afternoon of the first day, Melhuish and then Dutton went on reconnaissance trips across the Lewis Glacier and nearby snowfields.

The following morning Melhuish went skating on the Curling Pond, much to the delight of the porters who had never seen "a white man dancing with knives on his feet".

The following day Dutton and Melhuish set off to climb to the summit of Batian, accompanied by several porters, but gave up after several hours as they could not find a way up.