BACK FROM ANTARCTICA

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1929, Page 8

BACK FROM ANTARCTICA

ELEANOR BOLLING RETURNS

DUNEDIN. Jlijrch 6

Rearing traces of having passed through terrific storms, the Antarctic expedition steamer Eleanor Rolling returned to Dunedin this afternoon from southern latitudes.

Patches of white were left by the driving spray, while her deck cargo Was soaked with sea water. The ship experienced a very trying time from the day she left Dunedin for the Byrd expedition’s base in the Bay of Whales until she arrived off the New Zealand coast again.

“We did not even get ns far as the ice pack,” said Captain Brown. “The Eleanor Rolling left Dunedin on February 19th. with a if till load of provisions and equipment. We had every hope of getting through before the ice closed in again, but we were doomed to disappointment, as when the ship was as far south as (>2.110 S and 178.30 E we received instructions by radio from Commander Byrd to return at once to Dunedin and lay up for till? winter.”

Captain Brown said that the Eleanor Bolling was approximately 1200 miles south of the Taiaroa Heads when he received the order from Commander Byrd to return. I lie Commander explained that lie was forced to order the ship hack owing to heavy ice forming in the Bay of Whales, and consequently he would not risk the lives of the men or take any chance of losing the ship. Commander Byrd also stated in his message that he had sufficient supplies on tho Barrier to last the 42 men for a year. At noon on February 2(>th, the Eleanor Bolling was turned round and a. course set 'for Taiaroa Heads. The ship had again to battle with gales and heavy seas. Radio orders were received a few days later from Byrd for the ship to call at Campbell Islands for the purpose of landing a man there, but the call was not made. Over tlie latter stages of the voyage tlie vessel rail into strong north-east gales and again received severe buffeting from heavy seas. 1 lie 15 Alaskan dogs enclosed in boxes and secured on the forward , hatch came through the ordeal unharmed. On several occasions some of '.the dogs escaped from their boxes and hut for the vigilance of their keeper would have been canned overboard by the heavy seas which flooded the foredeck. Just before Captain Brown received instructions to return to Dunedin, numerous icebergs were sighted. Some of the bergs were fairly close to the ship, while others were some distance south. The whaling vessel C. A. Larsen was about 500 miles south of the latitude where the Eleanor Bolling began her return voyage.

Captain Brown said that the Eleanor Bolling’s wirless operators had been in constant touch with tlie City ol New York. The latter ship had been successful in clearing the ice in the Ross and w<t[s now steaming through open water. She should reach this port about March 11th, and will .also lay up at Port Chalmers for the winter.

It wiis rumnuml after the Eleanor I Soiling arrived that Mr R. G. Brophy had severed his connection with the expedition. Interviewed, Mr Brophy stated that he had sent a radio message to Byrd asking to be relieved oi the position of second in command ol the expedition as he wished to engage m private business in New Zealand. He was planning to produce a motion picture of native life and scenery. Having failed to reach the Antarctic, M.r Brophy said he thought it best to relinquish his position as business representative of the expedition in New Zealand. Commander Byrd had replied to his radio message stating that he desired Mr Brophy to accept the indefinite leave of absence which was offered him before he left Dunedin on the Eleanor Bolling on February 10th. Mr Brophy also said lm had recommended to Byrd that Btoifessor I/. Gould, now on the Barrier, he appointed second in command ol the ice party. He concluded by saying that lie was disappointed in not being able to reach the Antarctic.