Frozen Hinterland

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 575, 30 January 1929, Page 8

Frozen Hinterland

BYRD MAPS NEW PLAGES Mysterious Antarctica BY BUSSEEE OWEN Copyrighted, 102 S, by the "‘New York Times” company’ and the St. Louis “Post-Dispatch.” All rights for publication reserved throughout the world. Wireless to the “New York Times.” Reed 9 a.m. BAY OF WHALES, Monday. C* OMMANDER BYRD’S first long- flight was full of accomplishment. It was planned and executed perfectly, and all of the mountain range and the other things hitherto unseen have been added to the map of this mysterious land. And what ,is more, lie managed to peep over an inaccessible icefield, which hides a vast ai’ea east of the King Edward VII. sector, and catch a glimpse of the fascinating hinterland.

With the Eleanor Boling arrived, our two ships are now lying as snugly as if they were in an enclosed basin. There is not the slightest movement of water. At least, there are no waves, and the ice is not moving out fast enough to make the situation untenable.

If it cruised in this way, the probabilities are that it would go out without much pressure against the side, for there seems to be a slight current in the other direction, hut if it did begin to press, there is room for the Eleanor Boling, with her powerful engine, to . push away quickly to safety.

A great advantage of being alongside the ice dock here is that it not only gives a place where the ships can he unloaded safely and quickly, but also It decreases the distance to the base to five miles, whereas the old and dangerous route was eight miles., A straight line to the base would he only four miles, but the trail is being made well inland to avoid crevasses near the coast.

Strom, Braathen and Erickson went out to make the first trail and mark it, Braathen driving his dog team. He had been over this route once before with Commander Byrd, when the first trip inland was made, to select a site for the base. Erickson led on foot and without his skis, to see the crevasses. He had a rope about him, and was followed by Strom, who was also fastened by a rope to both Erickson and Braathen. They took every precaution at the instruction of the commander, because their mission was to find the crevasses on the route if they possibly could, so tbat when tbe dog team: began to haul the loads, they need not fear falling into one of the bottomless pits of icy darkness.

No crevasses were encountered, however, and to-day the dogs are lugging the stuff in again, with a possibility of making three or more trips, instead ot two each day. The trail is a little soft now, but it should improve steadily. As soon as both ships were secured, the work of unloading the Eleanor Boling began. It had been planned to put part of her load on the City of New York if necessary, but this new position has obviated what would have meant a double handling of tbe cargo. Boxes of blasting powder and caps were taken ashore 4irst;, and placed well upon the Barrier out of the way.

Then coal hags and boxes of food and other stores were cleaned away from around the Fokker fuselage crate and wing, which was on the forward hatch.

As fast as the stores were placed on the ice dock, they were loaded on sleds. An anchor was sunk In the snow up on the Barrier at the head of the incline, and a block and endless fall was rigged to it and taken back to the Eleanor Boling’s forward winch. Two or three heavy sled-loads, one sled which the men could barely haul up, are fastened to this fall. The winch rattles, and up it goes to the top to be unloaded and stacked until tbe dog teams pick it up. It is so much- better than what we had hoped for that everybody is working with a grin, despite the heavy labour. Tbe crews of both ships have been divided into 12-hour shifts, and tbe work goes on merrily. Tbe dog teams are hauling from 700 or 800 pounds to 1,600 pounds each trip, depending on the number in the team, and the whole organisation is working like a machine. It is probably the most remarkable sight in this respect ever seen in the Antarctic.