Ice Everywhere

Evening Star, Issue 20052, 18 December 1928, Page 4

Ice Everywhere

THE BYRD EXPEDITION RIGHT INTO THE PAOK PRESENT CONDITIONS IDEAL i CHIEF WORK NEXT YEAR WILL ARRANGE BASES IN MEANTIME. [Copyright from Byrd Expedition.] VANCOUVER, December 16. (Received December 18, at 10 a.m.) Mr Russell Owen says:— “As far as the eye can see in any direction there is nothing but a shining white expanse of snow-covered pack, with hardly a break in it, but we are nearly 100 miles into it now, , and should bo through’in a few days. The sun is so warm that it can be felt through our coats. There is hardly a cloud in the sky, and only a faint breeze, ff it were not for the thunderous jolts with which we hit the pack sometimes this would be the most placid existence in the world, but occasionally we get a shock that shakes the ship from stem to stern, and we are thankful for the 31in of timber along our sides and the massive bow. Up in the forecastle there is a rumble like thunder as we hit those heavy floes and they grind alongside. The vibrations are terrific; but on dock this is not so noticeable, and we are enjoying this warm and peaceful interval between the roaring forties and tho hard work that awaits us at the barrier. “To-day we saw several penguins, and the first sight of these amusing birds convulsed everyone aboard. A pair bobbed up on an ice floe alongside. They cocked their heads at us and shook them, and waved their flippers as it trying to assure themselves that they were awake. They put their heads together and talked it over, and finally decided that they both saw the same tiling, for they waddled down to the edge to look us over more carefully. As they walked with a wobbling motion from side to side they waggled their flippers as if to balance themselves, and presented so ludicrous an appearance as to cause everyone to howl with laughter. Finally they went away, sliding on their bellies across the ice, propelling themselves by their flippers and feet. They move with remarkable spepd in this way—fully as fast as a brisk walk. Three of them followed us for half a mile, propelling themselves along and occasionally standing up to look around and make sure that wo were still in sight. “In the open leads this morning we saw ice forming behind us almost as fast as we went through. The water was full of ice crystals, and as they came to the surface they formed a sort of scum of ice, which quickly solidified into a thin sheet. It x'eminded one of tho story of Jules Verne in which a piece of ice was thrown into the sea when it was at the point of freezing, and the ice was just sufficient to start a crust that rapidly spread over the entire surface.

“It is perceptibly colder at night when tho sun drops to about 15deg abovo the horizon, and last night the temperature went down to 21deg above zero; but it can bo seen that we aro not suffering from cold yet, although we are a few hundred miles from the Barrier. The continued light of tho night has made sleep difficult for some of «s, but wo are rapidly getting used to it, although one is apt to forget what time of day or night it is when the sun shines all the time. “We are far inf©, tho ice pack today, having started through on the anniversary of Amundsen’s arrival at the South Pole in 1912. Ho started a year before, and laid his bases toward the Polo during his first season; but it appears now that we should arrive at the Bay of Whales sooner than he did, because wo are only about 700 miles away. He did not arrive there until January 14. With good luck we should bo unloading in ten days, although it is rash to make predictions down here. • “Commander Byrd, like Amundsen, intends to lay his bases as far inland as possible this season—that is, before March, when (ho winter sets in—and do most of his important work next year, when he will be able to start flying long before it would be possible for the ship to get through the ice. “ Amundsen began bis Polar journey on October 19, when, despite the cold weather, the conditions were fair for travelling, and they should he equally good for flying. Whereas Amundsen spent two months toiling over snow and crevasses and up dangerous glaciers to the Polo from the Bay of Whales, Commander Byrd will make his flight in less than a day, and will Iks able to map it and examine the route for some distance on each side. Such is the advantage of an aeroplane in exploration. (‘There is great relief in going forward again after lying to off tho ice pack for several days. The weather is perfect, being calm and warm. It is a day on which it is not uncomfortable to stand on the deck in an ordinary woollen shirt ■ without a cap. Tho sky is a pale Arctic blue, with a tinge of faint grey along the horizon, which as far as one can see is snow-covered and iee-hummocked, broken into largo cakes, with frequent leads of open water. Between there are many grotesque shapes, formed by the -ice that has been heaved up and then eroded. The reflected glare is so brilliant as to tire the eye, and snow glasses -might be necessary if it were not for the streaks of dark, open water. “ A few seals have been seen bask-ing-in the sun. They are fab, sleepy fellows, which raise their heads and look w'ith mild curiosity at the drifting menagerie of barking dogs, and then roll over and go to sleep again. “We are making fair speed, and wo hope the ice will remain open for tho whole distance through the pack. Such luck would be almost unprecedented, but as this is the earliest that any explorer has been able to get through, and as the reports from the whalers below indicate that the ice is opening more all the time, we are sanguine as to

“ An occasional hard bump against a lioo, which grinds its way alongside, reminds us, however, that we are dealing with a dangerous force when sot in motion by an unfavourable wind. The peace and serenity of this, day bring about n false sense of security. “Taking pictures here is rather diffi cult, due to tho intense light’and the danger of over-exposure, ' and a filter has to be used practically all the time, even when the sky is overcast. Constant experiments are going on to determine the proper filtering. “ Another phenomenon which causes difficulty is the erratic behaviour of the compasses, which get wilder and wilder as we get farther south. The sticking of the compass is due to the fact that the dip of the needle is so great when close to the magnetic pole that tho horizontal magnetic forces are too weak to overcome the downward pull. It is a phenomenon with which all explorers are familiar, but it is disconcerting at sea, nevertheless. With the sun compass, however, an absolute check can bo obtained.”—Australian P.rcss Association. THE ELEANOR BOLING MAKING HER WAY TO DUNEDIN. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEW YORK, December 17. (Received December 18, at 10 a.m.) The ‘ New York Times ’ has received a radio from the Eleanor Doling stating that the vessel is 350 miles south-east of Taiaroa Head (New Zealand), bound for Dunedin to get a second load of supplies for the Byrd expedition.—Australian Press Association. DUE ON THURSDAY Tho Eleanor Boling is due to reach Dunedin on Thursday. Under date December 5 the following radio was sent from the Boling to Messrs H. L. Tapley and Co., the honorary agents of the expedition in Dunedin, but the message was delayed in reaching the office:— “ The captain and crew of the Eleanor Boling tender thanks for everything done in Dunedin. PJease thank Overseas Club and the Dunedin newspapers and all citizens for their kindness. WBI see you inside fifteen days,”