ROCKEFELLER RANGE NOW BEING EXPLORED BY BYRD’S GEOLOGIST

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6857, 12 March 1929, Page 7

ROCKEFELLER RANGE NOW BEING EXPLORED BY BYRD’S GEOLOGIST

Long Delayed Trip

DOS TEAMS SET OUT ON SOUTHERN TREK TO LAY BABES ON BARRIER Received Monday 7.0 p.m. Copvwright from Byrd Expedition by Russell Owen.) BAY OF WHALES, March 8. Tho third step in Antarctic exploration by aeroplane was taken yesterday, when L. Gould, geologist, flew to tho Rockefeller mountains and landed there. He will examine the formation and obtain specimens. This trip will probably be the last extended flight this season. It took place the same day as four dog teams left camp to lay down the first bases on tho. barrier towards the Pole, in preparation for tho big flight next year. They will go 60 miles, covering the worst territory between tho Bay of Whales and the Polar plateau, so as to familiarise themselves with tho route and conditions of travel.

This try will round out Byrd’s programme for the year, which in fact, has been exceeded considerably by the success of his previous flights. Now a geologist has been landed at. Rockefeller mountains to make detailed examination, which may enable him not only, to ascertain the origin and structure of the mountains, hut to establish a possible connection with other mountain chains.

Base Uses For Hammer. Gould has been impatient to get at these mountains ever since they were found. He has picked up his geologist’s hammer, gazed at it longingly, and then used it to erect partitions in houses, with many imprecations on the extent to which it had fallen from its noble use of chipping out fossils. He has been busy building a house and supervising the organisation, of the camp, and when the opportunity finally came for him to make the trip, the weather became bad, so for the last fortnight since he knew he could go, Gould has been first up every morning to take a look at tho sky and then impale the meteorologists with his sarcasm on their inability to control the weather. He has been packing his equipment for tho odd moment for a week, sewing chamois on his theodolite screws, so that ho can handle them, gazing fondly at his chronometers and thermometers and sketching materials, while onlookers assured him solemnly that “There’s rocks in them there mountains, Larry.’’ Flight to Mountains.

Yesterday, the wind ceased. It was a beautiful day, calm and clear to the eastward. The Fokker was warmed up and Gould trudged out with his bags and bundle, a broad smile on his face. Balchen piloted the plane and June went as radio operator and both will also help Gould in his work at tho range. They carried a tent and plenty of supplies, so that they can live comfortably for some time if the weather delays their return. At supper, Commander Byrd heard that they had landed safely between two large peaks and were Teady to go to work. As to-day is fair, .they aro probably accomplishing a good deal. Just before Gould left, tho dog teams started south. They also had been held up by the storms of tho past week, which made it impossible to see more than a few yards. There are six men and four sleds in the party. Degranthal is the navigator, Carl Peterson the radio operator and Norman Vaughan, Eddie Goodlae, Jack Bursey and Fred Crokctt the drivers. Sleigh Journey. Each team is hauling 850 pounds of supplies. Tho sleds are completely equipped for every emergency and a careful procedure has been worked out to safeguard the men when crossing crevasses. Everyone in camp left his work to see the teams start on their first real sledging journey, even though it is a short one. The dogs were more excited than the men and filled the air with staccato yelps of joy. When released from their chains, they ran to _ their harness and seemed eager to get into it and away. It is a fact the dogs enjoy their work. Their drivers seldom have to do more than stand by tho harness and call and the doge come gambolling up. carvorting, shaking their heads and barking. Dogs in Harness.

Once in harness, they show, all the idiosyncracies of widely differing individuals, for some lie down calmly and wait for the command to start, while others roll in the snow or jump forward wildly and dig holes in a frenzy of impatience. When they were all harnessed and the loads checked up to make sure nothing had been forgotten, Vaughan gave the word and the dogs started off at full trot, going so rapidly that the drivers had a hard time keeping up. They slowed down before leaving tho inlet to a walking pace and finally turned the cape among tho pressure ice and disappeared. They will be gone about a week, but will be in communication witfi the camp by radio every day. It is the first time this has been done on a expedition!