LURE OF THE UNKNOWN

Evening Star, Issue 22146, 28 September 1935, Page 21

LURE OF THE UNKNOWN

WAVE OF EXPLORATION A new wave of exploration is cresting this year toward the ends of the earth, says the ‘ Christian Science Monitor.’ The shortage of unknown regions—only a few blank spots remain on the map—has proved no deterrent to adventure seekers and scientists. Many of them are specialising on subjects the first pathfinders ha'd no time to study. Lincoln Ellsworth is committed to another attempt at an Antarctic flight, while both Admiral Byrd and Dr Roy Chapman Andrews have far journeys in mind, despite grave handicaps. And rovers less well iknown are striking out in a dozen directions. Why? Dr Andrews once offered an explanation. ■’l wonder if there will ever come a time when life is no longer a wonderful adventure, _ when there is ;no interesting experience in things or personalities waiting just around the corner, ’ ’ he wrote in ‘ Ends of the Earth.’ Dr Andrews, who found dinosaur eggs in the Gobi Desert and much else besides, hopes to take the long trail again soon, possibly .next winter. He has an eye on Africa, no longer the dark continent, but still a land of mystery. This despite his heavy new responsibilities as director of the American Museum of Natural History. ELLSWORTH AND BYRD. To avoid the softening influences of civilisation, Mr Ellsworth has been reported climbing mountains in Switzerland in preparation for his flight across the south polar region. Soon after his return from Little America Admiral Byrd conceded he was contemplating further exploration, although the hardships he had undergone affected him so severely that he is now seeking health by a complete rest in Maine. An American museum expert went to Africa only last June. She is Dr Mary L. Jobe Akeley, widow of the famed explorer, Dr Carl Akeley, and an explorer in her own right ; who sailed on a one-women expedition to survey some of the last strongholds of big game. Tropical America also has its adherents. Among them is Frans Blom, director of Talun© University’s middle American research department, who headed an archeological expedition early this year into the wilds of Spanish Honduras, where live Indians who never have seen white men. Two Michigan biologists—Clarence E. Altenburg and Bancroft Butler, wero reported only this month as sailing for the littleknown regions of Ecuador. Meantime Suydam Cutting has obtained permission after five years’ negotiation to seek out the forbidden regions of Tibet. He left in June to travel by ship, plane, trainband primitive conveyance into the high regions where the race of man may have originated. Dr William Beebe, inveterate explorer of the bathysphere, _ has been experimenting with ultra-violet light in an attempt to expand his explorations of the ocean deeps a half mile down. As usual he worked in the waters of Bermuda. Even Haiti, knovyn and fought oyer for eenutries, contains great areas virtually unknown, and an American museum expedition went there _ in March to study strange cannibalistic iguanas, surviving from another era. But the polar regions still are the great lodestones of exploration. Captain Bob Bartlett sailed late in June in the good ship Efiie M. Morrissey to hunt and explore the west coast of Greenland. A Soviet expedition headed by George Dschikoffi boarded an ice-breaker this month to attempt a northern passage to Asia through uncharted seas. Russians also have arranged for an aeroplane flight over the North Role.