STORM WEATHERED

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 January 1929, Page 5

STORM WEATHERED

WORK AT BAY OF WHALES.

VALUE OF RADIO. THE BYRD EXPEDITION

By Russell Owen, copyrighted, 1928; by the “New York Times” company and “St. Louis Post and Despatch.” All rights for publication reserved through the world. Wireless to “New York Times.” BAY OF WHALES, Jan. 12.

The storm reported in my 'hast despatch: kept up for two* days, but all ■hands at the. snip and at “Little America” are pleased that they were able to weather it in good shape. The iship had five ice anchors out in the ice fields to which we are secured, and the wind blew strongly enough to part a terrific strain on the anchor linets. We had to keep a constant watch on them, and it looked many times ah if we would be blown away from our berth*. The gale had spent its force when the ✓wind moved round to the south-east. Had it been from the north we could not have stayed where we are, as the waves would have thrown the City of New York against tb e ice and- injured her. Also there would be the .danger of an iceberg drifting down with the wind and catching the ship between it. and the ice field. Great ice fields and bergs from the east are constantly drifting bv us and we have to be vigilant- all the time. The walls- of our Louse* at “Little America” withstood the storm and today the roof will be put in place. We feel sure now that if we have any wind during the six months’ night up to 150 miles an hour, as reported by Sir Douglas Mawson, the houses, will be able to withstand them. There are three more houses to erect, but this one is of a good size, and will berth anci mess at feast 30 men. The ice is going out of. the bay rapidly, as it did with Captain Amundsen, the only other explorer who made his base here, but we have a much longer distance* to carry , our supplies than he did. Our difficulties are greatly increased bv the large amount. of' scientific paraphernalia we are taking ashore, since the primary object of the expedition is scientific.

CANNOT RUSH ELEMENTS. We are getting tjiia material to “Little America"' at ail costs. it is slow worn, as we cannot rusn the elements. We must be patient, but the spirit of tne men is -so uoyaii and enthusiastic that we feel confident that we can beat the unloading and transportation difficutiejs ahead of us. At any rate we are not behind schedule, as we allowed tor the caprices of the Antarctic. The planes Floyd Bennett and Virginia are on the Eleanor Bolling. Richard Brophy, the expedition’s* business manager with the Eleanor Bolling at Dunedin, Las been on the job day and night for a week at the radio key, talking to us about the supplies. YVe all. have reasons to be glad; of his capacity for detail.

Although we are 2700 miles from New Zeaalnd, our radio communication is almost like a telephone conversation. Malcolm Hanson, a navy radio engineer, LAoyd Berliner, of the Department of Commerce, Edward Manson,, Carl Petertson and Lloyd Frenlief, from oiviil life, are all radio operators and have done extraordinarily good work.

We have found so much use* for the radio between the isihips, ‘‘Little America,” New Zealand and the United States that the operators have had little sleep. It has reached a point where we must let- up somewhat on the radio and give them a rest. lam very proud of the work these fellows have done. In addition to tlierr daily usefulness! to the expedition they have gathered '.scientific data, and Hansen is losing sleep during busy times* as? sembling some of life scientific radio j nstruments.

Despite the constant daylight down here, we have little difficulty in oommuriicatincr directly with the United States, yet up at “Little America,” ten miles away, we olten cannot he picked up, but are heard distancing in the United States-. In other words, our waves jump over areaiS close to as. but are effective at long distance. A week ago Bergen, Norway:, notified us\ that San Francisco wag calling us. The dog team and drivers are getting well broken in. It is iremarkabie that some of the greenhorns have ’earned to drive the dogs. We are not going to go off naifcocked on ogr flying. We will not make any flights until we are all set. We 'have over a year down here, and there is no cause for dashing off before we are prepared. A Fairchild rr.ane is being uncrated to-day.