IN ANTARCTICA

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1929, Page 6

IN ANTARCTICA

(By Russell Owen—Copyrighted PJY9 by tlie New York Times Company, and St. Louis Post Dispatch. All rights for publication reserved throughout the world, AVireßss to New York Times.)

CHEERFUL AYEFK-EXD

(United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) BAY OF WHALES, April 7. No radio broadcast has ever had a more picturesque reception, or a more interested audience, than our Saturday afternoon message from home. With work ended for the day, the men drop their shovels, or leave the dog teams, at four o’clock, when the broadcast begins. A large room contains many hunks, mess tables and a kitchen stove. The sun is low, and is just about to drop over the border edge, leaving behind a red scene, which makes the Western sky glorious. Inside there is the big range, with Hie evening meal cooking in it, and clouds of steam rising. The stove and accessories fake ii]i the right side of tin room, with the hunks opposite. In a corner is tho Radio Department where our news and dispatches are sent to the Times ol New York, and sent thence to Vancouver and Australia. Tim radio is busy for a good part of the day and night with the expedition business, hut now it links our homes with ns. Along the entire left side of our house, beyond Ihe radio loom are double hunks, with their ends to the wall, and from them hang packs, hoots and gloves—there are no cupboards here. A man’s domain is his hunk, and he hangs what; he can ahou 1 it. Down the centre of the room is a

long table flanked by benches, and mounted with a little square box, containing the hnul speaker. There are a few clocks.

A warning threatens, and then theic is instant silence in the room. Ihe men are seen sitting at the table, lean ing on their elbows, and listening on their hunks, with their heads peerin'out over the ends. They cease their badinage, and listen to tlie home voices. Eleven thousand miles, over land, sea, silent waters, ice, and desolate, storm-tossed waters, music that represents all the familiar things of far-ofi' civilisation, comes with what is said over the magic ol radio.