IN ANTARCTICA

Hokitika Guardian, 30 November 1929, Page 5

IN ANTARCTICA

(By Russell Owen—Copyrighted 1929 by tne New York Times Company, and St. Louis Post Despatch. All rights for publication reserved throughout the world. Wireless to New York Times.)

FLIGHT TO POLE

BYRD STARTS OUT

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

NEW YORK, Nov. 28. Commander Bvrd Inis started on the flight to the South Polo. BAY OF WHALES, Nov. 28.

Commander Byrd has sent the following message to the personnel of the City of New York and Eleanor Bolling, who remain in New Zealand: “As we take off for the Pole flight, I send the best wishes to you and Tap leys. 1 want you all to know you are playing just as important a part as any one of us down here.’’

The flight to the Pole started at 3 o’clock on Thursday mo riling, Antarctic time.

In addition to the Commander, the crew included Balchen (piloting), June (at the radio) and McKinley.

Professor Larry Gould, of the Geological Party, has reported good flying conditions at the edge of the Polar Plateau.

FIGHT GOING WELL

MESSAGES FROM PLANE

BAY OF WHALES, Nov. 28,

That Cpmmander Byrd’s flight to the Pole is going well is indicated by four bulletins, each signed by June, who is in charge of the radio. He reported as folloivs:—,.

“At four p.m.—On the trail. Flying well. Just passed 45 miles depot. Motors fine.”

‘.‘At 4.2s—Flying well. Passed the snowmobile at four-fifty. Flying well.” The fourth bulletin reads:—“Flying well. Motors fine. At crevasses at five-thirty.”

THE STAR!' OUT,

A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION

(R r<"oiv<vl this dav nt 9. a.m.) BAY OF WHALES, Nov. 28

To-day’s start from Little America was a scene never to ! be forgotten. Furred and bulky figures climbed into'the ’plane,’ the'dbor was slammed, the. pilot wavedylris hand and opened the throttles wide to break the ’plane loose from snow." while the mechanics with snow whirling about them so as almost to’ conceal 1 them in its smother; loosened the skis of the heavy machine and it 'jerked forward. It slipped smoothly over the ground, carefully turned and taxied up to one end of the field. The flying field lies in a sort of hollow, a long, fairly level surface with scattered materials of the camp on its snowbird houses’on one side and on the other a long slope. This was apparently at one time an indentation in the Barrier, a sort of hay and it has been built no through years until now it is thirty feet above the water, but still some distance below the top of the Barrier. At the end of the runway beyond where the ’plane leaves the ground is a line of haycocks. The whole field gleamed under the sun dappled in patches of grey and cream colour, where the snow lay soft or was blown hard and crushed by the wind. A few little ridges, onlv inches high ran across it throwing grey shadows in the line of the general wind direction at the end of the field on the side of the slope up to the edge of the Barrier. The ’plane was turned about and the pilot opened her up. The motors burst into a crescendo sound from a low crone to a deco tearing note. The propellors flashed in circles of fire as the sun hit their invisible blades. The plane began to move and the group of men standing on the snow oblivious to the cold watched liko statues. Faster and faster the great machines shot forward, its wings dipping slightly as the skis met inequalities in the surface. It seemed an age although but a few moments before it was sliding with terrific speed and so smoothly that it was almost imperceptible. The skis lifted and a small space showed between them and the Then the big ship leaped into .life, and desoite the heavy load soon lifted high above the field and the lull beyond. A long smooth glide and then there was a slow turn and the great wings grew smaller and the sound of the motors a muffled hum out of the sky. , L ~ Tt diminished rapidly against the clear blue above it and became a thin dark line graceful as a soaring gull, and then as our eyes strained after it, it vanished into the silent South. DROPPING A MESSAGE. (Received this dav at 9.25 a.m A BAY OF WHALES, Nov. 29. Byrd carried radio messages for the Geological Party on the trail and it was planned to drop them with a parachute. j n the packages of messages there was also a packet of photographs of the mountains of Queen Maud range, which it is hoped would help Gould in his geological work. NEARING SOUTH POLE. (Received this day at 9.40 a.m. 1 ) VANCOUVER, November 29. A message picked up this morning stated; “Flying well, motors fine. Headed south in vicinity of South Pole. —Byrd.”

Soon after -the ’plane reached tlie neighbourhood of Queen Aland mountains there was an hour or two during which June’s signals faded so badly tlmt Little America station could not hear. The ’plane must have risen ten to twelve thousand feet clear of the mountains. This apparently affected the radio then with' the coming of daylight in zones north of Little America theie was some fading as is customary in messages at that hour. At 5.15 a.m. the New York “Times” again got a clear message from Little America, saying the plane’s signals had not been heard for an hour. Before eight o’clock New York time, however, Byrd reported himself going fine in the vicinity of the South Pole.