SIR HUBERT WILKINS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20918, 7 January 1930, Page 7

SIR HUBERT WILKINS

FLIGHT OVER HEARST LAND. new coastline charted. (United Press Association*) , CBy Electric Telegraph— Copyright,) LONDON, January 5. A copyright message form Sir Hubert A\ ilkins at Deception Island, dated January 3, states: “ I am now able to give details of ■ the Sight which permitted us to explore and chart 300 additional miles of the coast line of Hearst Land on December 31. The temperature was 29 degrees below zero when we set out. We headed southward, and soon saw the dim outline of Alexander the First Island. Fifty minutes of flying brought us to the black peaks of Charcot Land, which we fonnd to be an island. This island is roughly ham-shaped, forking westward. It is 60 miles east-west and 40 northsouth.- At our' greatest height of 2000 feet -we could see Mount Ranch towards the .coast and Finley Island on the horizon. We saw low-level sea ice, interspersed with icebergs, continuing through the straits, showing, as. last year’s discoveries indicated, that there was a channel between Grahamland and the mqin . body, of the Polar continent We named it Stefansson Strait. We circled Charcot Island, south and west ward, to 80 degrees west longitude. There the low coast is undoubtpdly a continuation of Hearst Land. It fs partly broken with mountains, doping, and snow covered. /The coast was indistinctHn the distance. We cruised hereabouts ifor two hours making charts and takfhg* photographs, then returned to the smfo. Aided by a tail wind we were back -jin 241 minutes after the take-off. The petrol was practically exhausted. ' We have made the longest possible flight -in this location—67 degrees 47 south latitude, 75 degrees 21 minnSes west, longitude. The need for fuel JEor the steamer prevents a further westward search. We must turn back to Deception Island. Our efforts will be concentrated on a search for flat ice, whence we shall take off for the great adventure —the Ross Sea flight, over the entire Antarctic continent, to visit Rearadmiral Byrd’s Little America. The plane’s wing-tip was smashed as it was lifted aboard, but the damage is not seyions.”