BYRD’S SHIP AT SEA

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 7 November 1933, Page 7

BYRD’S SHIP AT SEA

VOYAGING TO THE SOUTH. PREPARATIONS FO.R, LANDING(SpeciaI to the Press Association from the Byrd Expedition.) On board the s.s. Jacob Rupert, approximately 229 miles south or Balboa. November 6. Ahead of the expedition now lies an unbroken southward journey of 49iW miles. Its destination is a bight m the continental ice west of the Peter island coast, in this vicinity wholly unknown, and the task of navigating a large steel ship is these dangerous, leechoked waters is one of great responsibility and risk. Rear-Admiral Byrd expects to complete this second leg or the journey oy November 25. The trip from Norfolk to the Canai has had the desired effect of shaking down the ship and crew. Preparations nave already been begun for landing in the Bay of Whales approximate*/ 350 tons of material, wUich will be left for tlie winter party. Rear-Aclmiral 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 months 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 GVegka, a veteran of the last expedition, to-day commenced assemblirtg and rigging 59 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 ot the amazing cargo, is capable of providing many diabolical surprises. If broad hints are to be believed they will certainly be diabolical.