ELEANOR BOLLING

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 54, 7 March 1929, Page 11

ELEANOR BOLLING

RETURNS TO DUNEDIN HEAVY STORMS ENCOUNTERED (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, This Day. Bearing traces of ' having passed through terrific storms, tho Antarctic expedition steamer, Eleanor Boiling, returned to Dunedin yesterday afternoon from the southern latitudes with patches of .'white left'by tho driving spray, while her deck cargo soaked with sea water. The ship experienced a very trying time from the day she left Dunedin 1 for the Byrd expedition's base in the Bay of Whales until she arrived off the New Zealand coast again. "We did apt even get as far as the ice-pack," said Captain Brown. "The Eleanor Boiling left Dunedin on 19th February with a full load of provisions and equipment. Wo had every hope of getting through before the ice closed in again, but we were doomed to disappointment, as when the ship was as far south as 62.30 S. and. 178.30 E., we received instructions by radio from Commander Byrd to return at once to Duuedin and lay up for the winter." Captain Brown said that the Eleanor Boiling was approximately 1200 miles south'of Tairoa Heads when he received the order from Commander Byrd to return. The Commander explained that he was forced to order the ship back towing to the heavy ice forming in the Bay of WhaW, and consequently he would not risk the lives of the men or take any chance of losing the ship. Commander Byrd also stated in his message that he had sufficient supplies on the Barrier to !astf the 42 men for a year. ■ At noon on 26th February the Eleanor Boiling was turned round and a course set for Tairoa Heads. The ship had again' to battle with gales and heavy seas. Eadio .orders were received a few days lajer from Commander Byrd for the, ship to call, at the Campbell Islands for the purpose of landing the men there, but the call was not made. A SEVERE BUFFETING. Over the latter stages of the voyage the vessel ran into.a strong north-east gale and again received a severe buffeting from the heavy seas. The 15 Alaskan dogs enclosed in boxes and secured on the forward hatch came through the ordeal unharmed. On several occasions some of the dogs escaped from their boxes, and but for the vigilance of their keeper would havo been carried overboard by the heavy seas, which flooded the foredeck. On' Ist March, during a heavy storm, one of the dogs known as "Dixie" gave birth to nine pups. Three or four of the pups di«d shortly after birth. The dogs will remain on board the Eleanor Boiling for a day or two. It will then be decided whether they will be placed in quarantine here until the Eleanor Boiling Joaves for the Bay of Whales towards the end of this year. * ICEBERGS SIGHTED. Just before Captain Brown received instructions to return to Dunedin numerous icebergs'were sighted.' Some of the bergs were fairly close to tho ship, while others were some distance south. Tho Whaling vessel C. A. Larsen was.about 500 miles south of the latitude where the Eleanor Boiling began her return voyage. The whole of tho Eleanor Boiling's cargo will be discharged and stored in one of the wharf sheds. The ship will then lay up at Port Chalmers for the winter. Captain Brown said that the Eleanor Boiling's wireless operators had been in constant touch with the City of New York. The latter ship had 'boen successful in ■ clearing the ice in the Ross Sea' and was now steaming through open water. She should reach this port about 11th March, and will also lay up at Port Chalmers for the winter. ____ ' • •