AMID SOUTHERN ICE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 66, 5 March 1929, Page 5

AMID SOUTHERN ICE

Byrd’s Ship’s Desperate Struggle

Thrilling Exchange of Messages

Explorers Unafraid and Confident

(By Russell Owen, copyright, 1925, by the “New York Times” Company and the St. Louis “Post Dispatch.” All rights for publication (reserved throughout the world. Wireless to the “New York limes.”)

(Received 5, 9.35 a.m.) Bay of Whales, March 3

“The last few days have been days of great anxiety. The ice formed much more quickly in the Ross Sea than usual this year and the City of New York had a desperate battle to reach a position of comparative safety. She ploughed her way through heavy pack ice and massed new ice for three days until she reached open water. A severe storm added to her difficulties and she was coated with ice until it had to be chipped away to prevent the rudder and propellor, as well as the rigging, from becoming one solid mass.

“Ths Eleanor Bolling also turned back but, fortunately, we have everything needed until she can come through next year, includihg a supply of gasoline for the Polar flight.

“The fresh meat that she would have added to our supply can be made up by killing seals, and soon we shall have enough, not ..illy for ourselves, but also for the dogs.

ICE DIFFICULTIES.

“Even if the Eleanor Bolling could have made her way through the pack and the new ice in the Ross Sea, she would have been stopped by the ice, which filled the bay am) continued unbroken northwards as far as the eye could reach from a ’plane which ascended two days ago to spot seals.

A GALLANT SKIPPER

“Captain Brown, aboard " the Eleanor Bolling, still wished to come and sent the following message: ‘All hands willing to go. We have not seen any ice so far. Why don’t you

let me try? You know that experts said before that it was impossible to go to the Bay of Whales. Would the depot at Scott’s winter quarters in McMurdo Sound cfq? 1 and my original gang will go to Hades for you. Brown.’ “Commander Byrd sent this message in reply; '1 know exactly how you feel, old fellow. If I wanted someone to sail me through the gates of Hades, I would ask- for you and your crew, for I know that if anyone could accomplish it, you could—and you wouldn’t be afraid to try either. But this place is about as cold as the other place is hot, and it is ulmost a certainty that, should you bring the Eleanor Bolling down this way, you would get frozen in somewhere along your course and lose the ship, because the Ross Sea is frozen to the northward of here? “Altogether we are a comfortable and happy bunch numbering 42. the largest group ever to spend a winter in the Antarctic.”