THE GREAT ICE BARRIER

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 81, 29 December 1928, Page 7

THE GREAT ICE BARRIER

BYRD EXPEDITION IN DISCOVERY INLET “THE CLEANEST PLACE IN THE WORLD” LOCATING LANDING FIELDS (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Copyright—From the Byrd Expedition.) Vancouver, December 27. Describing the arrival of the City of New York at Deception Inlet, Mr. Russell Owen, on board the City of New York, cables as follows: — “We have been ashore at last —if one can call a floating sheet of ice shore, but as the entire barrier is supposed to be afloat, we have at least been on its doorstep.

“About two-thirds of the ship's company are out on the ice in this snug harbour playing with penguins, skiing, or hunting seals to get meat for the dogs. We reached the Barrier yesterday at longitude 177.25 W., and cruised along it all last night and this moru- ■ ing. “With all we have read of this wall of ice, we found that no or ■ descriptions ot it could convey an adequate impression. It rose, eighty or ninety feet, majestic, forbidding, beati- . tiful, and terrible. We watched it for the most part silently, marking the clean lines or cleavage where great bergs have broken off, caves into which the waves dashed and overhanging cliffs which seemed about to topple into the sea. As we moved eastward Frank Davies, physicist, and Quin A. Blackburn, topographer, sketched the face of the barrier and soundings were . taken every hour. They showed depths ranging from 250 to-300 fathoms at distances from a mile to three miles off

the shore. “About 8 o’clock in the morning Commander Byrd had predicted that we should see the beginning of Discovery ■ Inlet, and just about that time we sighted what first was believed to be a distant ice floe or berg. A glance at the chart, however, convinced the commander that we were in the mouth of this wide bay. That opinion was justified a short time later when with glasses i we were able to see that the walls of the inlet were coming together to the east. Three hours later we were well inside where the inlet narrows to a width of from one to three miles.” “A. short run brought us to a bay in the ice. which was about half-way down the narrowest part of the inlet, and here we came alongside the ice and threw out two Ice anchors and made them fast. There was a scramble to be the first one over the side, and Captain Alton Parker, of the Marine Corps, won by a second. A moment later the ice near the ship was covered with men running to stretch their legs and pelting each other with snowballs.

'.' Beauties of the Barrier. “Imagine a long narrow bay where, instead of land the walls are glistening white cliffs of snow and ice rising sheer above the water of the bay. The ice runs in a long curve between these walls, which stretch inland for miles, And against the edge of this ice we are now lying. We are not more than 100 yards from the Barrier, which here is about 100 ft. high. The walls are broken and worn in some places, and as smooth as if cut with a knife. In others and along the base are beautiful ice caves, at which the light shines with the most perfect blue imaginable.

“As soon as we had made fast, Commander Byrd, with Bernt Balchen and others, went inland to try and locate a landing field at the edge of the Barrier. Such a field could be used as a base for exploring the barrier, and also there has always been the possibility that Discovery Inlet would make a better base than the Bay of Whales, although the latter would be much nearer the area which Byrd wishes to explore. The party is still away, and will not return for several hours. They are travelling on skiis, and when they reach the Barrier they will be tied together with alpine rope. Another party, composed of Captain Parker, Pilot Vaughan, and Jacob Bursey, both dog drivers, have gone some distance in to get seals, which are lying there in the sun. We need them' for food for ourselves, and it is neces-> sary to lay in as large a store as possible also for the dogs. “The Cleanest Place in the World.” “In these few minutes the clouds which, obscured the sun' have rolled away, and the entire bay is a shining place of blue and white, wonderfully beautiful in. this clear atmosphere. It is the cleanest place in the world, a spotless wilderness.

“Dean Smith started off to hunt seals, but on the way he found two penguins which interested him so much that he stopped to play them. They regarded him with friendly, curious eyes, until he tried to pick one up, and then he {«jnd that the little fellow could fight with his flippers and bite with his beak. He brought them back finally with many bruises on his arms and legs, and posed them in front of the cameras of Vanderveer and Bucket, who were over the side with the first, and have been busier than bird dogs ever since trying to keep up with what has been going on.

“The real fun, however, began when an Emperor penguin walked up to wel-

come us, the official greeter of the Antarctic, resplendent in white shirt front, frock coat, and long, brilliant black beak coloured purple on the sides, and with bright yellow spots on each side of his neck. He was a most imposing bird, and regarded us with just the proper touch of scornful toleration. He was at least three and a half feet high and weighed about 601 b., and with his powerful flippers made an antagonist not to be laughed at.

A Bashful Movie Subject. “Harold June, the Navy pilot, regarded the Emperor for a time and made up his mind that it should be his, or at least should be photographed in a proper state of subjection. So Harold walked up and held out his arms, looking for a grip on the disdainful bird, which turned and stuck his beak out and squawked. Harold paused and regarded the Emperor with more respect. He made another attempt to grab him, and was unmercifully nipped. Then he dived, and the bird and the pilot railed over in the snow to the sound of grunts and whacks of flippers and loud squawking protests from the penguin. It was a battle royal for the moment. June is a strong man, but he finally found that by tackling bard and holding his head down and out of the way of the beak and wrapping both arms around the flippers and then, lying on his majesty, he could hold him. June then roped the penguin and brought him in front of the camera, protesting every inch of the way.”

ELEANOR BOLLING’S NEXT TRIP Dominion Special Service. Dunedin, December 28. A full shipment of stores and equipment wjll be carried by the Antarctic expedition ship, Eleanor Bolling, from Dunedin to the Bay of Whales (Ross Sea). Loading operations are now being carried out at the Victoria Wharf. About 260 tons of Westport coal will also be shipped by the Eleanor Bolling froip the steamer Opihi. The expedition ship will leave Dunedin between January 5 and 8, and if she has a clear passage through the ice-pack should reach the base at the Barrier about January 20.

STATEMENT BY MR. BROPHY

Close touch with the expedition is being maintained by the second in command, Mr. R. Brophy, who is still in Wellington. He received a radio message from Commander Byrd yesterday morning reporting arrival at Discovery Inlet, ami from this be concluded that the Bay of Whales, where it had been proposed to establish the expedition's base, had been found full of i.ee. Commander Byrd reported that Discovery Inlet.still contained a great deal of ice, but evidently, remarked Mr. Brophy, it is going to be clear much earlier than the-Bay of Whales. This possibility had been foreseen by Commander Byrd, whose plan provided for establishing a base at Discovery Inlet should the ship be unable to get into the Bay of Whales. Mr. Brophy said that Commander Byrd would probably get an aeroplane ashore as soon as possible in order to make observation flights. He would also put the dogs ashore to exercise them after their confinement on the ship.

It had been proposed, added Mr. Brophy, to take a further supply of fresh meat south in the Eleanor Bolling next trip, but Commander Byrd had reported getting an adequate supply of seal meat, so this would not be necessary.

Mr. Brophy will leave Wellington tonight for Dunedin to supervise the loading of stores and equipment on the Eleanor Bolling, which is to leave for the Ross Sea between January 5 and 10.