BYRD’S EXPEDITION

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1929, Page 3

BYRD’S EXPEDITION

FURTHER REPORT. (By Russell. Owen—Copyrighted 1928 by the New York Times Company, and St. Louis Post Dispatch. All rights for publication reserved throughout the world. Wireless to- New York Times.) BAY OF WHALES, Dec. 29. Far in on the. ice barrier, near Fnunheim,! the site of Amundsen’s camp, Commander Byrd to-night is looking.for a place to establish a winter base, and also for the best approach to the harrier for freight sledges, which will take the expedition’s supplies ashore. The short party camped last night near Framheim, although they could not find the hut, which had been covered with snow. After hours of struggling over fissure ridges and cracks in the bay ice, filled with water, and over heavy fissure ridges and crevasses on the barrier, they left the ship at eight o’clock last night, and camped at an early hour this morning. After a march of several hours this afternoon. Carl Petesen, radio operator, sent in a few details of the trip from the most southerly radio station in the* world, using a tiny portable set on which he could not only send perfectly, hut on which he could himself pick up stations all over the world. His message was as follows:

“At our cam)), December 29th: It is two o’clock, and the whole party is sound asleep after the strenuous march yesterday over heavy fissure ridges on bay ice and on the harrier. The crossing of the fissure ridges and waterfilled crevasses at times was very difficult. Walden and his team went in one for half an hour, and Wald*’-n. assisted by the Commander and myself worked in water over our knees until the. dogs got tile sledge out, and wo started on our way again. We got up on the barrier on a place where the barrier sloped down' to bay ice. One sledge at a time was hauled tip, aiul wie all pushed. Once on the barrier, we were roped together, and we till took turns at leading. The Commander was leading on a long stretch ahead alone with Christopher Braathen at the other end of the rope. After an hour and a half’s sledging on the barrier, in a .southerly direction, we had light lunch somewhere around the site of Framheim. After lunch, we camped for the day in a well-sheltered place. From the opening in my tent I can see Cape Alan’s Head, with its remarkable likeness to Amundsen. The clogs were splendid, and Walden and Vaughan ’starting the sledges had to run nearly the whole of the twelve miles. Bern Balehcn shot a seal foi supper, and we had seal steak—good as a dinner in New York or Dunedin.*

“Ice shows no signs of moving out of the bay immediately, and it promises to be a difficult arid ‘tedious job moving supplies ashore over such n long distance, unless a break comes soon. Usually the Bay is clear of ice by the middle of January, but there is no intention of remaining i<ll« meanwhile. While Commander Byrd is away, there is little necessary work on the ships. The engine is being done, and the scientists are getting their instruments and gear together so that they may 1m? ready for work as soon as they land. Nearly everyone aboard is taking turns at trying to ski, and although there are some who are expert in the use of these implements of fast travel on the snow, most of us are rank amateury, and there are numerous dents in the snow where men have tumbled. Just at present we are interested in a large school of killer whales which have been playing along the edge of the iee ever since we arrived, appareritlv in the hope of picking up a meal. So far. we have disappointed them, and after our experience of yesterday everyone is inclined to leave them severely alone. They are the meanest-lookiug animals any of us have ever seen. Just before Commander Byrd started off. about half tile ship’s crew were on the ice alongside the ship. There were dogs running round barking, tents standing which liful been set up tc test them, men on ski is and two teams of dogs hitched to their sleds, every dog straining with impatience. \Y ilson Van Der Veer, one of fhe moving picture photographers, was getting ready to take a picture of the start, while his associate. Joseph Rucker, with his camera was further out on the route. A small boat, in which Ralph Shopsliire assistant to the scientific staff, had been after a small fish which had been seen floating on the water, had been pulled up only a moment before on the edge of the ice, when there was a swish and a puff near the edge and a huge black snout, in which there were two little pig-like eyes, stuck out of the water and looked over at us one after another. At least ten of these wicked-looking killers rolled slowly and deliberately over to the surface and blew. The farthest was not more than twenty yards away. Joe De Ganahl and his mate were standing with a camera about ten feet from the edge when he saw the killer riise. He was so startled that he umped a foot in the air. Ho involuntarily took a picture, and when he realised his good luck, began to yell in even greater excitement. We had all road of killer whales, but did not think they would call on us at once. Apparently the barking of the dogs, and many persons standing near the edge of the ice, which was fortunately thick, and the small boat, had attracted them. While we were watching them, there was a roar from behind, and Van Der Veer came ciambering up with his movie camera .slipping in soft snow, and using virulent language. The whales blew around us for sonic time, rising and spouting,

with a soft puffing sound, then rolling slowly over until their lins appeared and slid out- of sight again. Their deliberate movement was even more suggestive of what they would do tc anyone who fell in. The one which which had first stuck his head up looked again and again, not more than two or three yards from the edge of the ice as if wondering how he could get one of us, or a dog. Needless to say, the small boat will not be used again. From the midships boat on the ship one could see them sliding under the water about ten feet below the surface Jn the evening they came hack again appearing some distance" astern and moving towards the ship. There were two of the crew near the water and one after another the whales lifted lip their heads and stared a'l them. Then is a rectangular patch of yellowish white on their bellies just behind tin jaw and each time they rose this thing gleamed at us like a butcher’s aproi Several men took shots at them with rifle, and Erickson, a seaman, apparently killed one for it rolled over ant’ went down, leaving a trail of bubbles: bat to-day they are back in greatci numbers. At least twenty-five wen counted in the load of water between the bay ice and a drifting pack. If they keep on 'bringing up reinforcements, tin’s would lie an unhealthy place on thin ice. Just now it about five or six loci thick. Commando! Brytl expects to be back in a day oi two. Then plans will be made for get-t-ng ashore, as lie is looking for a path most free from crevasses anr cracks, and will mark it on the way out. The killer whales have been playing around in greater numbers than ever. Two have been shot, and the moment out is wounded the entire pack tear him tc pieces, the whale frequently loanin', from the water in a smother of foan to escape the bites of bis companions. They arc* a bloodthirsty lot. Even a slight wound is sufficient to set tin '•utire pack on a wounded whale. Thi ferocity will make us cautious how we approach the edge of the ice when they are around. Everyone is now giving a wide berth to those veritable tigers of the sea. There are no seals here, as the killers make short work c>; them. “December 30.—Commander Bvre has found a base for the winter somewhere east of Amundsen’s forniei quarters, whore there is a good landing field. It is reached through r. small valley to the eastward, with a good passage up from bay ice. It is expected that a few days after lie returns we will ’begin to get some of the supplies ashore; at least enough to make a base for the dog teams which we wish to get on the ice as soon as possible. The weather continues goo> although we wore forced to shift mu position last night slightly to the west ward because of pack ice, which drifted down and surrounded the ship. Weare moored to the edge of the pack, about the middle of the bay.”