IN ANTARCTICA

Hokitika Guardian, 15 January 1935, Page 5

IN ANTARCTICA

SCIENTIFIC FINDS.

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

LITTLE AMERICA, Jan. 14

The geological party, under the command, of Messrs Quinn and Black hum have returned to the camp after being for eigbtv-eigbt days in the field. They have completed a journey of 1226 nautical miles, which carried them within 180 miles of the South Pole.

This is the deepest sledging penetration made into the Antarctic since the Polar journeys of Scott and Amundsen. Tile exploration done has been more important from geological than from an exploration standpoint. Admiral Byrd, after a short conference with Mr Blackburn reported that •they have found extensive deposits of coal and also fossilised plants and leaves, and sections of prehistoric tree trunks. Some of the trunks are from one foot to eighteen inches in diameter. The journey was one of hardships throughout. At tli e start the temperature dropped to forty to fifty degrees below zero. Later, it averaged five to ten degrees below zero, hut ther e .were sharp* cutting winds, which made it seem much colder. •

'On several occasions the party almost met txil h disaster. Dogs went over cliffs, and were held dangling in tlie air until they were pulled back. On the return trip, sail? were rigged on the and the winds were used to good advantage, the return journey being made at an average speed of over 28 miles a day.

TRIP FREE FROM ICE. ABOARD BEAR OF OAKLAND, Jan. 14. The ship is steaming southward through an area in which heavy ice packs are usually found. The icrew have been surprised to find here an open sea. The ice has apparently been broken up by gales ) and to have drifted into Ross Sea.

Our noon position on Saturday was 69.24 degrees south and 179.48 degrees west. Our average speed is 6.4 knots.