THE-POLAR FLIGHT.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1925, Page 3

THE-POLAR FLIGHT.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

[Australia A X.Z. Cable Association.] STORY CONTINUED. LONDON. June 22. Two had not arrived the next day. X. 2-1 was abandoned as inextricable and ber crew began to cross the new

ice. Reiserhirson and myself went out in a canvas boat to help them. Suddenly we heard Diet riehxeii and Omdal calling for help. They had gone through (In' icc. carrying a heavy load. Ellsworth saved Omdal just as lie was disappearing under the ice. Both owed their lives to lilt-belt. waistcoats purchased as an afterthought at Tromnro. The combined party of six began making a passage for No. 25. according to the best road-making principles. Firstly, icchlocks were laid down, (hen fragments and then snow. The track was ready by the evening of 27th. .May. Though i lie engine was running, five of us had to help as lest we could to move the machine. Finally we reached a long floe clear of the danger of pinching. AYith rations cut down we became enfeebled. Currents drove us southwards and then hack. \Yc discussed the possibilities oi a further flight. Experience hud shown the impnssibilit.v of finding a landing place and also of accurately determining 11 imposition of the pole, and it would simply have been a continuation -of the High! over fhe ocean near the pole, which was of doubtful value, and

not worth the risk. We began on 30th. May clearing the he afresh, hut our lir.-t at tempt to depart on the Ul. -lime, failed. Ille ice breaking beneath the plane. Tie position vie now ugly and we awakened early in the morn-

ing ti, find the ice turning the plane around. The hull was creaking and groaning, and I was sure we would lose her. Reisei lai'scii and Omdal hacked the iee. and reduced the pressure. "I he next day. Rci'cidar.-cii tried to drive the ’plane nlongg but she suddenly lifted her tail, been use the ice could not hear the weight of her nose. Me again hacked at ihe iee. realising: that our lives were in the balance. Rierserlaron tried full speed, and she cleared. Amundsen describes the galling task of completing the track, often necessitating working almost the whole

night: long. The moving floes kepi undoing our work.. Wo decided to sleep in shifts, realising that we had only till June loth, to make a vital deeison whether to go ufooi. Though the rations wen- again reduced to tlii'ee biscuits, and a tew I.ablets of malted milk, with a little cocoa each, wo joked and sang when working. The two pilots, on June 2nd. found a large floe eight hundred metres away, which was suitable for making a departure track. This, floe was reached aflor many trials and disappointments. as compensation for which, the whole parly indulged in .a more generous allowance of peliimiean. It was necessary, on June 7th. to cut through a twelve foot icc wall to build a bridge across fhe chasm, which N. 25 just managed to clear. We tried to -tart on June St D. hut the snow was clogging, so we had to clear it away. By June 17f li. we had completed -TO*> metres of track, half ol which was Hooded through a crack. Another attempt to start the plane was unsuccessful. We jettisoned everything Dial could he dispensed with. The temperature became lower, hot a breeze was blow-

ing. so we again tried to Hv. Reis"rlarsti skilfully avoided rough patches, and we made a hundred to two hundred metres. Nearing the end of the track our speed is not yet lull. up-, hut i just sufficient, to take the last jump from the floe, and we are in the air at fast. Our feelings can be imagined. MY munch biscuits and chocolate and begin- to wonder whether we have enough petrol, hut we soon see the heights of Spit/.hergen.” About this time the stabilisation rudders began to give trouble, and fin illy Die party laid to aliglit in the rough sea: they rowed over these and reached land on the vest side of North Gaps'. ting foot on the hard mountain side, i think we all thanked .God for the help during the month’s constant lott-D-c for life. AYe were preparing to eat when a shout ‘‘ship ahoy!” was hoard. Me saw the sealer Sjocliv. AU rushed aboard the ’plane and taxied out to the sender, on which we journeyed to King’s Ray, where we ueie royally welcomed. AYe arc now busy tilling out the hollow spots between our ribs.” ALG ARHSOX’S EXPEDITION. LONDON, -June 23. Gordon, of Dunedin, has been appointed Chief Engineer of Algarsso.iV Polar Expedition, which left to-day. ett route for Spit/.hergen.