ANCHORS SLIPPED.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 36, 12 February 1929, Page 7

ANCHORS SLIPPED.

BYRD MEETS STORM.

Anxious Time While Weather

Plays Tricks.

CURTAIN OF SLUSH AND SNOW

(United Service.)

(Received in a.m.)

NEW YORK. February 11. [Bv Mr. Kussell Owen. Coi.vri-hted 10-β f r mflVi ■ s lost ,, «*l«tch." All rights worhl W-VroV rPserved throughout the Turn- ■" SS t0 tbe " New r ° rk

BAY OF WHALES. February 9

This bay is a dim shadow-like place across which thv City of New iork moves, crusted in ice like a ffhost-ship with no home. It is snowiiiJT and foggy so that the high white e.iffs are invisible except when thev loom suddenly out of the sea to warn us away from their cruniblin" sides. r

The wind has died ami a sepulchir-l silence envelops u>. The men's voice>ound hollow and their steps are nnitllc., by the sodden and snow on our deck*. For two days we have been wand-r----"ijr in ihis dismal half world and Miil the sky shows n<. h 'm,, of opeainy an.l Itttinjr in the gloom-dispelling sun. \V. .io- about from one side of the bay an.) back a-aiii under jib. staysails* and spanker with ice "from the ship's sides. The wind is from the north and in this inverted region it brings warm air instead of cold. The temperature i> 2S degrees above zero.

There is nothing to do but wait and try to be patient, hoping that the wind will not blow hard before switching t<. the south and drive us down on l>ay ice. This doleful interim began on Thursday. For a time we lay anchored to the edge of the pack secure under the shelter of the Barrier, half a milo away. The dog sleds made one short trip that day over the snow-shroudeu rail. When they left they disappeared in the white drift that obliterated everything 100 yards distant.

It was possible to see the trail, however, and they reached the base safelv. As the wind increased the three line.which held us to the ice grew taut unde , - the incessant buffeting. The riguin? sang and the ship laid over underlie pressure. Only the man on watch was on deck, for it was bitterly cold during the first of the storm. Down belov the men were writing or reading, trving to make the best of their unaccustomed leisure, when there was a thud against the side and the scraping of ice. We all know that sound now and there was ar. outpouring from cabin and forecastle. The ice had given away under the slight swell and our tugging ar-.l ice anchors were caught on the far side of the floes.

The ship began to drift along the edge and the ice started packing roun-1 us. There was no time to save the anchors if the propeller was to be kept clear of the thick ice, and Commander Byrd ordered the lines to be cut. Som-.-of the crew wanted to get out on the heaving cakes to save them but he ordered them back. Cutting was the only way to get out quickly and to wo-k the propellers into open water.

The wind picked up durinsr the night so that the City of Xew York heeled well over under the few sails she carried. The sea also rose and some of us were seasick. It was not a pleasant position for if the storm became severe we had nothing but the bay ice and the Barrier behind us, with no possible shelter.

All night long the ship rolled through this wilderness of white. The man a , , the wheel stood braced against it, the ice crusting his helmet and beard. The look-out could barely see through the curtain of snow ahead of him.

Huge ice cakes drifted in ar.d passed close to us and sometimes far off op either side could be heard a rumble like distant thunder as a piece of the Barrier broke off and plunged into the sea. Already the men listened for those sounds for they showed how far away lay that danger.

A few miles of threatening grey cliff frowned suddenly ahead and the ship went round with a rattle of stays, plunging in the short waves like a startled thing. The wind lasted all Friday and last night, but this morning it had gone down to a gentle breeze. Visibility is no better, however, and there seems little possibility of an immediate change. These days are valuable and every one chafs under the delay, but the weather commands down here and we merely wait until it permits us to work again. So far it has been so favourable that we cannot complain. Out at the base the men are also weatherbound. They had dug part of the excavation for the large house, but they found yesterday that snow had drifted. It was full again and the shovelling must be put off till the storm ends.

ELEANOR BOLLING.

AT DUNEDIN ON FRIDAY NEXT

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent. ) WELLINGTON, this day. Mr. R. G. Brophy, second in comman.l

of the Byrd Antarctic expedition, received a wireless message from I'.nr. niander Byrd yesterday statin? thai the supply steamer Eleanor 8..11 i- iencounterinjr excellent weather, with an absence of ice. on her voyage from tinBay of Whales to Dnnedin. where six is expected to arrive at daybreak «•» Friday next. The message added tha , the Kleanor Bollin? had trant-hipped S" tons of coal from tlie C. A. i:; the Ross Sea.