IN ANTARCTICA

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1929, Page 7

IN ANTARCTICA

GEOLOGIST’S JOURNEY. TRAMS GO OUT TO LAY DOWN BASES. “By Russell Owen, copyrighted, 1929 by 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, Ala roll 8. The third step in Antractie exploration by aeroplane was taken yesterday, when Mr L. Gould, the geologist, flew to the Rockfoller Mountains and landed there. He will examine the formation and obtain specimens. This trip will probably be the last extended, flight this season. The flight took place on the same day as four dog teams left camp to lay down the first bases on the Barrier towards the Pole, in preparation ioi the big flight next year. The teams will go sixty miles, covering the worst territory between the Bay of Whale® and the Polar plateau, so as to familiarise themselves with the route and conditions of travel. This trip will round out Commander Byrd’s programme for the year, which in fact, has been exceeded considerably by the success of previous flights. Now a geologist has been landed on tor- Rockfeller Mountains to make a detailed examination, which may enable him not only to ascertain the mountain’s origin and structure, but also to establish their possible connection with other mountain chains. GOULD ANXTOUS TO GO. Gould has been impatient to get at these mountains ever since they ueie found. He has picked up his geologist’s hammer, gazed longingly, and then used it to erect partitions in houses, with many imprecations on the extent to which it had fallen from its noble use of ehippins out fossils. He has been busy building a house and supervising the organisation of the camp, and when the opportunity finally came for him to make the trip the weather became bad, so, for the last fortnight since he knew he could go, he has been first up every morning to take a look at the sky and then impale the meteorologists with his sarcasm on their inability to control the weather. He has been packing his equipment at odd moments for a week, sewing chamois on theodolite screws so that he can handle them and gazing fondly at his chronometers, thermormenters aftd sketching mateiials, while the onlookers assured him solemnly that,, “There’s rock in them thar mountains, Larry.

Yesterday the wind ceased. It was a beautiful day, calm and clear to the eastwards. The Fokker ’plane was warmed up, and Gould trudged out with his bags and bundle, a broad smile on his face. Bert Balchen piloted the ’plane and June went as radio operator, although both will also help Gould in his work at the range. They carried a tent and plenty of supplies, so that they can live comfortably for some time if the weather delays their return. At supper Byrd heard that they had landed safely, between two large peaks, and were ready to go to work. As to-day is fair they are probably accomplishing a good deal. DOGS ENJOY THEIR WORK.

Just before Gould lett the dog teams started south. They also had been held up by the storms of the past week, which made it impossible to see more than a lew yards. There are six men and four sleds in the party, Joe Deganthal is navigator, Carl Peterson radio operator, and Norman Vaughan, Kddie Goodie, Jack liursey and Fred Crockett drivers. Each team is hauling about 830 pounds of supplies. Attached to Vaughan’s sled is a sit'd meter and wheel given to Byrd by the late Captain Amundsen. The sleds are completely equipped for every emergency, and a careful procedure has been worked out to safeguard the men when crossing crevasses. Everyone in camp left his work to see the teams start out on their first real sledging journey, even though it is a short one. The dogs were more e\<-ited than the men, and filled the air with staccato yelps of joy when released from their chains. They ran to their harness and seemed eager to get into it and away. I.t is a fact that the dogs enjoy their work. Their drivers seldom have to do more than stand by the harness and call, and the dogs come gambolling up, cavorting, shaking their heads and barking. Once in harness they show all the idiosyncrasies of widely differing individuals for some lie down calmly and wait for the command to start, while others roil in the snow or jump forward wildly and dig holes in a frenzy of impatience. When they were all harnessed and the loads checked up to make sure that nothing had been forgotten, Vaughan gave the word and the dogs started off at a full tint, going so rapidly that the drivers bad a hard time keeping up. ’’ • down before leaving the ing pace, and finally torn • . among the pressure ice a i ' ed They will be gone a bon will be in comniunicatn ■ camp by radio every daj. >' t '“', first time that this has been done a Polar expedition.