MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 307, 28 December 1929, Page 7

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Members Of Byrd Expedition Celebrate. CIGARETTES AND CANDY. NEW YORK, December 27. [P.v Mr. Russell Owen. Copyrighted 102S 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."] BAY OF WHALES, December 20. To find some way to celebrate C'tristmas was difficult, for there are no shops, and we hava used up most of the things which might have served as preset;!s. Even cigarettes have run low, ao 1 the man who scorned cigarettes and stowed tlem away in his bunk and had forgotten them is the centre of a concerted attack. But George had promised to do his tost with .the last chickens which he iiad saved. He did, and we did, even unto mince pie and ice cream, which would not freeze, so completely warm aro these days. At dinner we had a Christmas tree made of a wire iiiirk, and limbs wrapped with cotton and topped with Rear-Admiral Byvd's new starred flag of his rank. It was decorated with cigarette papers, tobacco tins, tooth brushes, cough drops, and chewing gum. It was bizarre, but it served There was a pound of candy for each man, candy which has been buried under the snow all the winter. Although it M r as impossible to p "o\ ide real presents, more amusement was probably obtained by the presentation of some naiculju? articles picked up about the cimp, accompanied by various jests at'the expense of those. . who received them. Taffy Davies was Sanla Clause, disguised behind a large cotion beard. His most effective efforts were a few verses directed at the foibles of various members of the expeditior.