BATTLE WITH ICE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 January 1939, Page 5

BATTLE WITH ICE

WYATT EARP BREAKS FREE MR LINCOLN ELLSWORTH’S STORY. SHIP MAKING FOR HOBART. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. NEW YORK, January A message copyright to the North American Newspaper Alliance received from the explorer, Lincoln Ellsworth. aboard the Wyatt Earp, says: -After a terrific battle in heavy pack ice we have broken through, and are now ploughing toward Hobart through a grey fog-laden sea. For five days, foot by foot, we have rammed, jammed, backed and turned through more than 150 miles of ice.

Mr Liavaag. chief office, who crushed his knee last Monday, is comfortable, and there are no complications, but an operation at Hobart is urgently necessary.”

A' copyright message from Mr Ellsworth published on January 16 stated: “Heavy pack ice is delaying a dash which we are making to Australia for medical aid. "A series of misfortunes followed a fight made on January 11. A strong easterly gale smashed up the ice in the bay and drifting icebergs compelled us to retreat hastily from the bay. “Two days later a section of an iceberg on which men were chipping ice for the freshwater tanks broke, throwing them into the water. The chief officer, Mr Liavaag. - was caught between two sections, and one of hi; knees was badly crushed, but he succeeded in grasping the edge of the floe and holding on till he was reached. “The setting of a broken] kneecap is a hospital operation, so I decided to seek the nearest port immediately. We then ran into one of the most lumpy seas in my experience. The bridge was stove in and other damage done. Now we are held firm. Without interference we should reach port in three weeks, but it is impossible to say how long the ice will delay us.”