Photographs fron the 1977 British Speleological Expedition to the Zagros Mts, Iran. - Back to index - foward to next image -
...Barry Weaver and John Elliot from the Forest of Dean, - I found these two great to get on with even after weeks of harsh conditions. I think it was John with me on the last night...
cont below.
we spent on the mountain. We had instuctions to definately bring down some things that had been borrowed - then to carry what we felt we could, since it was downhill, and burn the rest. We ended up putting about thirty tins of horrible beefburgers down the bottom of a cave shaft ( probably still there ), nearly blowing our heads off putting a match to the pile of gear soaked with the rest of the petrol - 40 c does funny things to petrol ! - then packing up a couple of packs that we felt ok with for thirteen miles and 7000ft down.
When we eventually staggered into our base camp, ( I had overestimated what I felt would be good to carry ) we were given the news that the bus had blown up going back down the track, and a lorry was going to collect all our gear from the next village along - so I had to stagger another three miles. I was all in by the time I made it - this little village had a bit of a store - parafin, Seven up and the like, and ahd a set of sack scales - so I put the rucksack on - I had been carrying nearly 80 pounds. In hot, dry, 10000ft conditions, no wonder I was all in.*
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