WILKINS’FLIGHT.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1926, Page 2

WILKINS’FLIGHT.

CAPTAIN DESCRIBES IT. [Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.! this day at 8 a.m A VANCOUVER, April 9. For two days following Wilkins’ tour into the Arctic, a blizzard swept the coast lino east and west of Barrow. Alonday morning opened clear. Eiloson started the motor and taxied up and down the icefield, but was unable to rise owing to the drifted snow, which the Esquimaux cleared and tho following day they commenced the flight. Everything went well until they passed Wiseman. Then head winds took them off their course and obliged a- landing at Circle City. Describing the slide down the hill from the crest of Endacoms towards the Arctic, Wilkins said: “ AVe encountered the most rugged scenery ever witnessed. Knife-edge and sawtooth ranges piled one after another for undetermined miles. Each serrated the liorv'.on and was more teirible than the one behind. Finally wo came out into the foothills. Frozen white tundra lay ahead as far as the far-reaching eye could see. I 1 lying faster than we figured wo crossed the coastline about fifteen miles east of Barrow and the ice was below us before we realised the results of the snow. AVe were flying one hundred miles an Dour and continued seaward for seventy-five minutes and it was 21 hours after we passed Barrow that we returned. The utmost position reached northward was 125 miles beyond Barrow. Beyond that we could sec seventy-fine miles over the ico bum mocks. The seaplanes were thus at least one hundred miles further than anv human being has ever before penetrated beyond the Alaskan coast.”