GREAT ADVENTURE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 37, 7 November 1933, Page 9

GREAT ADVENTURE

Byrd Expedition Vessel at Sea MEMBERS’ PREPARATIONS (Received November 6, 10.50 p.m.) (Special to the Press Association from the Byrd Expedition.) -i On board the s.s. Jacob Rupert, approximately 220 miles south of Balboa. Ahead of the expedition now lies an unbroken southward journey of 4990 miles. Its destination is a bight in the continental ice west of the Peter Island coast, in this vicinity wholly unknown, and the task of navigating a large steel ship in these dangerous, icechoked waters is one of great responsibility and risk. Rear-Admiral Byrd expects to complete this second leg of the journey by November 25. The trip from Norfolk to the Canal lids had the desired effect of shaking down the ship and crew. Preparations have already been begun for landing in the Bay of Whales approximately 350 tons of material, which Will be left for the winter party. Rear-Admiral Byrd said to-day: “Getting all that stuff ashore and into Little America is one of the toughest jobs the expedition faces. We shall have less than two mouths in which to accomplish this, and blizzards and the constant threat of drifting ice while unloading make it a task of the first magnitude.” Victor Czegka, a veteran of the last expedition, to-day commenced assembling and rigging 50 sledges. At the same time the dog crew, under Captain Alan Taylor, was engaged in splicing gang lines for their teams. The aviation unit under the direction of Chief Pilot June is preparing to equip three of the expedition’s four planes with skis. Landlubbers, who form a large part of the crew, were preoccupied with what was in store for them when the ship crosses the Line to-morrow evening and Neptune comes aboard, A ship as nondescript as this, with 149 dogs, three cows, and half a dozen chickens, not to mention the rest of the amazing cargo, is capable of providing "many diabolical surprises. If broad hints are to be believed they will certainly lie diabolical.