UNKNOWN TERRITORY

Evening Star, Issue 20056, 22 December 1928, Page 10

UNKNOWN TERRITORY

THE WILKINS EXPEDITION

UHGHARTERED ISLANDS DISCOVERED

EECONNOITRING BY AEIIO PLANE.

Pre*s Association—By Telegraph—Copyright

LONDON, December 21. (Received December 22, at 9.5 a.m.) A copyright- message from Sir Herbert Wilkins, at Deception Island, dated December 21, states: “ Our flight of 12,000 miles over hit!»erto unknown territory resulted in the discovery of six previously-uncbarted islands, which is the sceond outstanding result of the flight, which enabled us to look 000 miles south across the Antarctic wastes, over a region human eyes have probably never previously seen. This will be mapped when wc have an opportunity of going over the data collected in this hazardous ninehour spin above the Graham Laud ice ranges.

“ A perfect morning came only after weeks of waiting and a scries of setbacks. By 9.20 a.m. we were already over Graham Land viewing the new territory and heading towards the discovery of more than 300 miles of coastline. The members of Norclenkjold’s expedition lollowcd aloot the iceshelf for 300 miles south of Graham Land’s northern tip, but their vision was restricted. Prom out of our monoplane on a sparkling clear day at an altitude of S,oooft, at a speed of 120 miles an hour, wc reconnoitred both sides of what had been considered a peninsula. Now wc know it to bo a series of islands, or at least, mountains separated by level ice barriers of unknown thickness.”

“ Our course, a little west of south, reovaled smaller mountainous, jagged islands. Both sides of the coast of Uni Imm Laud are indented by deep fiords and bays. Opposite its most easterly point and fitly miles south of cathor .Island is a larger uncharted island. Graham Land’s whole area contains triangular shaped mountains, with two conspicuous peaks north -d south. .Four glaciers, frightfully criss-crossed, flow into the bay opposite Sallicros, where fbe mountains are high and rugged; but near latitude 70 the range lessons, until it is smothered by iceshelves and snow-slopes. Beyond the ico Hill, bordering Weddell Sea, is an unbroken snow slope stretching southwards as far as the eye can see. ft probably continues to the polar plateau whore Scott and Amundsen planted their Hags at the Polo in 1913. It holds secrets that wc, owing to the abnormal season and lack of suitable snow-slopes at the base, could not on tins trip, with a limited supply of petrol, hope to solve.” Australian Press Association-United Service.

“ Wc had been flying south for 325 minutes in a calm air, making .120 miles hourly. Allowing for the climb and deviation, wc had gono at feast (jt)U miles when wc reluctantly steered northward. We settled, perhaps, the most interesting of our problems, but we arc gloomy, depressed and dissafished because we had insufficient petrol to carry ns to the Iloss sea, enabling the completion of the job. “ After turning we saw clearly what we had merely casually noticed a lew hours before—clouds developing in the West GrahamlnmL. When halfway back to Deception Island we were forced to hurry to avoid them. Then Eiclson opened the throttle wide, and the plane, with a reduced load, went full speed for the base.—Australian Press Association-United Service.