IN ANTARCTICA

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1929, Page 6

IN ANTARCTICA

“By Russell Owen, copriglited, 1929, by New York Times Company and St. Louis Post Dispatch. All rights for publication reserved throughout the world. Wireless to ‘New York Times.’ ”

FINDING NEW J/AiSDS

WONDERS OF AIR EXPLORATION

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

BAY OF WHALES, Feb. 19

New territory lias been claimed for United States by Byrd as a result ot the latest flights, particularly those of yesterday. Two new mountain ranges have been discovered. Rockefeller Range is within the territory claimed by the British and known as Ross Dependency, but the other aim larger range of peaks, towering eight to ten thousand feet, is apparently outside the limit of the British and is at the oorder of a new land, the limitless portion lying between Ross Sea and Grahamland.

Other peaks on the Rockfeller Range have been seen and everything indicates that Byrd in his flights next season will he able to chart a land greater in extent than the known territory of Ross Dependency, and possibly equally majestic in character. This territory is eastward of anything that lias ever been seen by any other explorer. Scott, who discovered King Edward Land and Scott Nuntaks, was unable to reach the shore beyond. Now, not only have forty thousand square miles of Antarctica boon explored, owing to the amazing visibility gained by the aeroplane, hut Rockefeller Range has been mapped by the aero camera., and a sketch of the entire nee tor lias been made of this great new land which lias so aroused the enthusiasm of members of the Expedition, tnut it has been named Maris-Byrd band. Two new peaks have been sighted due east of Rockefeller Range which incidentally runs north-east and southwest, beginning at a point 50 miles south of Scott Nunataks, and Byrd, who penetrated a lot of distance south yes. terday. penetrated what lie believed to le high land at almost the exact point where Amundsen on his trip to the Pole reported the appearance of land. This was about half-way between the Bay of Whales and Axel Heiberg Glacier.

So it can lie seen that in almost every direction to east-south-east, and from the south, our base laid has been sighted with the probability that mountain ranges and high land extend as far as the cruising radius of planes. The results so far offer very hopeful prospects for next year’s work. Byrd believes this season is too late for exploration flights now, and will confine aviation work to flights for recording by aero mapping, interesting territory near the base and as much, as possible of the region penetrated on past trips of exploration.

To Cnpt. McKinley (aerial photographer). Dean Smith (pilot) and Lloyd Berkner (radio operator) on the mapping flight yesterday, Byrd has given the honour of discovering the new range to the east,, although lie himself first sighted its highest pgak. Nothing could show more perfectly the dramatic character of the unexpected in Antarctic exploration than yesterday’s work. The discoveries leap upon aerial adventures down here In the course of a few hours. The first flight eif the day was planned as a trip to the north of King Edward Land and an attempt to push further in the direction where Byrd was turned hncic by a snow storm 011 the first flight. He was convinced, as was Scott, that land existed, as the only explanation ol the impenetrable icefield which lies to the north of us on the eastern side of Ross Sea. He had gone to the base the night before in the hope of gettin c off, but later it became overcast and increasing cold filled the air with parti-

cles- r --:\ v."deli caused some beautiIVI : iienomcmi as the sun swung down fi.w in the wesi just opposite the inlet on which fb.' base is situated. The ligin ?n i. was so. diffused that it boom:. a golden flame which filled the sky. From it fell a cataract of gold that splashed 011 the surface of the hay like an explosion of light. On each side of the sky were arch-like rainbows and equally alike in colour. Just below tin* line of the sun were mock suns. Over the sun was a lower arc of another rainbow but the conditions which caused this entrancing effect were such that made Hying out of the question. Next morning, however, the weather was perfect over the. harrier, and as soon as the engines were warmed and heated and oil poured into them they wore started and were soon purring rytlimoi ically. Two planes went on this flight Bvrd. Herat. Balchen. and Lloyd. Berkner went in the Virginia, while Captain Parker piloted the Stars and Stripes. Both planes got off easily with heavy loads and after circling over the camp turned north-east towards the Nunataks. Alter a low (light the planes ran into lia/.y clouds which hovered near the coast and hung across the route. They were heavy snow clouds and hung low. Baloiien did not think it wise to try to fly under them and the planes llew on the southeast course until they had passed about fifteen miles north of Rockcloller Range. The planes wore in constant communication with the base and ship and also with whalers in the Ross Sea. Some time ago Byrd had told Captain Arthur Neilson of the whaler Larsen, which towed him through the ice pack that ho would name a mountain after him and when abreast of Roekelellei* Range he sent word to the whaling captain: “ Have just passed Alt. Neilson.” He kept on some distance to the south-east.

livrd’s map when lie returned was covered with notation of positions.

courses, and hours of observation. Navigation in itself with the use of suit compass and magnetic compasses was a good piece of work because ol the many changes in the course. Past Rockefeller Ranges as they swung southward, the snow surface of the Barrier was at least a thousand feet above the sea level and both Balchen and Byrd I eel certain that under it was land. Visibility at this distance from the coast was peiiect. The snow surface stretched, a glistening white plain, at least one hundred miles on each side, with only slight differences in colour, showing where tile snow was soft or packed by nind to a smooth hard crust. Waves of undulation caused by streaky winds ran over it in places and sometimes there would he low hut long mounds, but for the most part the surface looked as though there liad been no movement there for ages.

Again Byrd turned south and kept in this direction until he had penetrated one hundred miles beyond his furtherest southern limit in the previous flights. It was on this couise that lie saw thin peaks far to the east and high mountains which later were sighted more plainly by Alclvinley’s party. When the fliers turned again for home, they had penetrated so l’ar to the north that another mountain range could he seen plainly far from the dark streak on the horizon. This was undoubtedly the land seen by Amundsen to the east of his 1-olar route.

Byrd passed many rolling hills of snow on the wav hack to the base, hills indicating land and a few pressure ridges. On this one leg °f flight which was 140 miles from the Bay of Whales he was able to see at least one hundred miles to the south covering an area of fourteen hundred square miles of hitherto unknown territory.

Both planes landed smoothly at the base after a flight of four hours fifteen minutes the last part of the trip being made with a strong tail on wind, enabling the planes to do n speed of a hundred and forty miles in the last hour. The planes covered a total of four hundred miles in two hours.

Later .McKinley left upon another survey to the north-east, along the coast and all the evening Byrd was in the radio room of the City oi New A'ork and kept in touch with the flyers, knowing everything was going well and mapping their course so accurately that they could easily be rescued if forced down. McKinley’s final flight lasted five hours forty minutes.