E.F. (`Teddy`) Norton was a member of the 1922 Everest expedition and the leader of the 1924 expedition. Generally considered to be one of the finest climbers of his generation, in 1924 he reached a height of 28,126ft without oxygen, a record that stood for fifty-four years. A few days later, Norton`s fellow climbers Mallory and Irvine disappeared high on the mountain, a mystery that has fascinated subsequent generations and remains a topic of fierce debate today. The qualities of leadership which Norton showed that year in the face of appalling trials have led to him being regarded as one of the greatest of all Everest expedition leaders. His official account of the expedition has since become a classic. Norton`s private diaries and sketches, published here for the first time, give a vivid impression of the joys and trials of the early Everest expeditions. They also record the landscapes, wildlife, flowers and people encountered en route, and provide a glimpse of the lost world of pre-war Tibet in colour.