[ESS] problem installing ESS - linux - non-administrator

[Javier Garcia-Pintado]

   Dear ESS helpers (developers?),
   I am being unable to install ESS [ess-13.09.tgz] on a computer [linux CentOS
   release 5.6] in which I am not administrator, so I am restricted to install
   it for my personal use within my $HOME.  I've followed the instructions
   provided in the README file for non-system-administrators:
   a) created ~/ess
   b) move the file into ~/ess and: tar -xvf ess-13.09.tgz
   c) written, into .emacs:
      (load "~/ess/ess-13.09/lisp/ess-site")
   Then, when I load emacs, in the *Messages* buffer I obtain:
   ---
   An error has occurred while loading `/home/pt902904/.emacs':
   Symbol's function definition is void: locate-file
   To ensure normal operation, you should investigate the cause
   of the error in your initialization file and remove it.  Start
   Emacs with the `--debug-init' option to view a complete error
   backtrace
   ---
   If  I  start  emacs  with  the --debug-init option, this gives, in the
   *Backtrace* buffer:
   ---
   Debugger entered--Lisp error: (void-function locate-file)
      (locate-file  "ess.info"  (if  (featurep  ...)  Info-directory-list
   Info-default-directory-list))
        (if   (locate-file   "ess.info"   (if   ...   Info-directory-list
   Info-default-directory-list))   nil  (add-to-list  (if  ...  ...  ...)
   (expand-file-name "../doc/info/" ess-lisp-directory)))
       (unless   (locate-file   "ess.info"  (if  ...  Info-directory-list
   Info-default-directory-list))    (add-to-list   (if   ...   ...   ...)
   (expand-file-name "../doc/info/" ess-lisp-directory)))
     eval-buffer(#<buffer  *load*<2>> nil "~/ess/ess-13.09/lisp/ess-site" nil
   t)
   load-with-code-conversion("/home/pt902904/ess/ess-13.09/lisp/ess-site.el"
   "~/ess/ess-13.09/lisp/ess-site" nil nil)
     load("~/ess/ess-13.09/lisp/ess-site")
     eval-buffer(#<buffer  *load*> nil "~/.emacs" nil t)
     load-with-code-conversion("/home/pt902904/.emacs" "~/.emacs" t t)
     load("~/.emacs" t t)
     #[nil "...
     command-line()
     normal-top-level()
   ---
   where, following #[nil", instead of the ... appears a long line seeming to
   represent compiled code
   Please could you help me with this?
   Best regards,
   Javier
   ---
   ---
   Dr. Javier García-Pintado
   National Centre for Earth Observation (ESSC-NCEO)
   School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
   University of Reading
   Tel: +44(0)1183787722
   j.garcia-pintado at reading.ac.uk
   http://www.nceo.ac.uk/