BYRD’S EXPEDITION

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1929, Page 3

BYRD’S EXPEDITION

TRIALS OF MEN AND DOGS. IBy Telegraph—Press Association). (By Russell Owen—Copyrighted 1928 by the New York Times Company, and bt. Louis Post Dispatch. All rights lor publication reserved throughout the world. Wireless to New York Times.) BAY OF WHALES, Jan. 18. Owen writes:—-A stiff wind is blowing off the .barrier, a wind that hi slier, the surface snow into a cloud, a wind that cuts the face and nips the hands and feet. Into it the line of sledges began to bore their way towards the base, the men tugging at geopoles, calling to their dogs frost from their breath gathering on their unshaven faces, and on the sides of their fur caps under their parka hoods. They are building an epic of Polar sledging .doggedly fighting their way eight mijes inland and back twice daily carrying loads that have been thought impossible. They began on December 31st, and in seventeen sledging days they moved more than one hundred tons of material to the base, over drifting buckling bay ice. Two clays during the blizzard the work stopped, but though conditions were severe to-day, they are plugging ahead,' making two trips with undramatic coal sacks. They have not lost a dog or parcel, although time and again a sledge with loads of more than a thorisand pounds, has tipped over a slide into slugli holes between the. pressure ridges. It is difficult to know which to admire most the men o-r the dogs both are thoroughly tired at the end of each day. The men, who fight sliding sledges and toppling loads when the trail is rough or along the knife edge of a pressure ridge, are able to ride back to ship from the base but the dogs trot the entire thirfv-two miles tugging at their harness, grabbing a mouthful of snow as they go, a.nd occasionally turning aside to find a little recreation in trying to pick a fight with a passing rival team.

No men nro more appreciative nf such work than the Norwegians, who have done so- much to develop Polar travel, and they have been frankly amazed at the progress achieved. When Amundsen arrived here, he was able to take his ship in beyond our present base, and within two and a half miles of Framhcim, his base. Only a few days after the anniversary of Amundsen’s arrival here, January 14th the Byrd expedition has put more than 180 tons ashore, and the ice, although shifting, has not yet shown any signs o-f going out. Yesterday a record was made, eight toms being hauled to the base. Tliis achievement has been more remarkable because everything else lias gone on at the. same time. Two houses have been erected at the base, and a great deal of other preparatory work carried out, demonstrating that little has been forgotten Amundsen forgot snow' shovels. Some things have been forgotten on this expedition, but nothing for which a substitute could not be found or replaced by some expert workman. 'The dog drivers never leave the ship or base without being reported by radio to the other end of the trail, and a constant lookout is maintained from the crow’s nest and all information i* constantly recorded, so that it will he difficult for much to go astray without it being quickly known. .

The country grows on one, despite its loneliness, or perhaps because of it. After an air flight to- the base, if was a tremendous contract to go out to the base with a dog team, over the winding trail, past pressure ridges and over small cracks, through which seals poke inquisitive noses. The hay is then seems a great plain, varied only in its contours, silent, rigid and beautiful. One driver, who has. experienced this terrible silence and ip.enace, took me with him ,aud when we were coming back, riding behind the softly padding dogs, he turned round and said: “Sometimes I stop heart.” It was not the sound of your heart.” I - was no he sound of your heart lie meant, but your heart itself, speaking strange things, uplifted perhaps all by the limitless white. There is nothing more purely white than the light here reflected from the snow. All changes its colour, softly glowing shadows of barrier cliffs, shadows with just a hint of rose, are caused by the breaking up of this pure white light and as one rides along the trail or trots behind the dogs, the surface gleams with gems— points of fire reflected from a perfect crystal of snow. They look like opals glowing with a changing marvellous colour.