LONELY VIGIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21875, 10 August 1934, Page 11

LONELY VIGIL

BYRD'S ISOLATION ANTARCTIC DRAMA PARTY FAILS TO REACH HIM f SECOND ABORTIVE ATTEMPT By Telegraph— Press Associjtion—Copyright (Received August 9, 5.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, August S A wireless message from the Byrd Antarctic expedition at Little America states that mechanical difficulties defeated the second tractor party's attempt to reach Rear-Admiral Byrd at his advance base. The party was obliged to turn back 23 miles south of Little America at noon yesterday. A message from the Byrd Antarctic, expedition at Little America on July 21 Mated: "Weather permitting, a tractor with a crow of live will proceed to Boling advance base to-morrow to relieve Rear-Admiral Byrd after his four months' isolation. Two meteor observers, Carl Peterson, a veteran Antarctic explorer, and Bernard Fleming, a New Zealander, wilf occupy the shack until October. Bear-Admiral Byrd will return with the tractor. He is reported to be suffering from an injured arm, but he has not indicated whether the iniurv is serious."

The tractor left the camp at 2.20 p.m. next day and by 1.30 a.m. on the second day out had made its way to the 50-mile depot. The crew. however, could not, pjpk up the Hag-marked trail leading southward any longer, as many of the markers were covered with snow. Consequently, they started to return to

Little America. They were stopped on the homeward journey by a blizzard and the tractor was hove-to. It was half-buried in the drift and the men dug it out and warmed up the engine and differential with blow torches, after which they left for Little America. The party last Sunday began a second trip south to the leader's lonely hut. The tractor dragged three runner sledges astern with a load of 374 gallons of petrol, which it was proposed to distribute at various depots along the route for use on the return trip. The partv also carried two months' rations. As most of the trail flags had been buried in the snow Mr. Poulter, who was in charge, intended to resort strictly to navigation. Waite, the radio operator, and Demas, the driver, were the others with the party. . Communication with Rear-Admiral Byrd, which was lost on July 20, was restored on July 27, when the commander wirelessed saying that, his receiver was not functioning. When advised that a second attempt was to be made to return to him, Bear-Admiral Byrd replied that he would keep a light burning on top of the roof of his shack, also that he would fly a kite carrying a light. The temperature was 13 degrees below zero when the tractor started, compared with 71 below on the day of the previous start.