BYRD EYES AFAR

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1929, Page 11

BYRD EYES AFAR

UNKNOWN ANTARCTICA

FIRST FLiaHT'S FKUIT

FASCINATING HINTERLAND

United Press Association—By Electric Tel»grapli—Copyrlghi. United Service. (By Russell Owen—Special to "New York Times.") ' (Received 30th January, 9 a.m.)' BAY OF WHALES, 28th January. j Commander Byrd's first long flight was full of accomplishment, planned and executed perfectly, and all of the mountain range . and other things hitherto unseen have been 'added to the map of this mysterious land. ; What is more, he managed to peep over the inaccessible icefield which hides a vast area east of the King Edward sector and catch a glimpse of the fascinating, hinterland. With the Boiling arrived our two ships are now lying as snugly as if in an enclosed basin. There is not the slightest movement of water, at least there are no waves, and the ice ia not moving out fast enough to make the situation untenable. If it continued in this way the probabilities are that it would go out without much pressure against the side, for there seems to be a slight current in the other direction, but, if it did begin to press, there is room for the Boiling with her powerful engine to push away quickly to safety. UNLOADING THE EOLLINCr. The great advantage of being alongside the ice dock here is that it not only gives them a place where the ships can be unloaded safely and quickly, but it also decreases the distance to the base live miles, whereas the old and dangerous route was eight miles.

A straight line to the base would be only four miles, but the trail is being made well inland to avoid crevases near the coast. Strom, Braathen, and Brickson went out to make the first trail and mark it, Braathen driving his dog team. He had been over this route once before with Byrd when, the first trip inland was made to select a site for the base. Erickson led on foot and without skis to see the crevasses. -He had a rope about him and was followed by Strom, who was also fastened by a. rope to both Eriekson and Braathen. They took every precaution at the instruction of the commander, because their mission was to find a crevasse on the route, if they possibly could, so that when the dog teams began to haul loads they need not fear falling onto one of the bottomless pits of icy darkness. None was encountered, however, and to-day the dogs are lugging stuff in again with the possibility of making three or more trips, instead of two each day. The trail is a little soft now, but it should improve steadily. TKANSPOKT TO BASE. As soon as both, ships were secured the work of unloading the Boiling began.. It had been planned to put part of her load on the City of New York, if necessary, but this new position has obviated what would have meant a double handling of the cargo. Boxes of blasting powder and caps were taken ashore first and placed well upon the barrier out of the way. Then the coal bags and boxes of food and other stores were cleaned away from around the Fokker fuselage crate and wing, which was on the forward hatch. As fast as the stores were placed on the ice dock, they wore loaded on sleds. An anchor was sunk in the snow up oa the barrier at the head of the incline and a block and endless fall rigged to it and taken back to the Boiling's forward winch. Two or three heavy, slodloads on one sled which the men could barely haul up are fastened to this fall, the winch rattles, and up it goes to the top to be unloaded and stacked until the dog teams pick it up.

It is so much better than' what we had hoped for that everybody is working with a grin despite the heavy, labour. The crews of both ships have been divided into twelve-hour shifts, and work goes on merrily. The dog teams are hauling from seven or eight, hundred pounds to sixteen hundred pounds each trip, depending on the number in the team, and the whole organisation is working like a machine. It is probably the most remarkable sight in this respect ever seen in the Antarctic.

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