SCENES ON THE WHARF

Otago Witness, Issue 3899, 4 December 1928, Page 24

SCENES ON THE WHARF

THE FINAL PREPARATIONS. WORK OF MONTHS FULFILLED. All night long there were visitors to the waterfront —responsive to the lure of romance. It was quickly learned that the expedition could not sail until Sunday morning at the earliest; but many were afraid they would miss the opportunity of seing the departure of the ships, and some were present long before daybreak. Shortly • after 3 a.m. people commenced to drift down to the wharf in twos and threes, and then in larger numbers until, when the lines holding the two ships were cast off, there was a crowd of nearly COO.

When it was found impossible to complete the final preparations before sunset on Saturday it was decided to postpone the departure until Sunday morning. The last of the equipment to be carried by the City of New York was safely stowed on Saturday night, and at 6 a.m. on Sunday the tug Dunedin came alongside the ship, the harbour master (Captain J. Maclean) took charge, and aftei- final handshakes between members of the expedition and friends on the wharf the City of New York moved slowly from her berth at the Victoria wharf. The Eleanor Bolling’s lines were cast off a few minutes later, and both ships turned down the channel.

With the tug Dunedin on the port beam of the City of New York the expedition ship was turned, and then she headed slowly down channel under the guidance of the tug. The personnel of the City of New York heartily cheered those on board tne Eleanor Bolling. The cheers of the latter’s men went ringing across the water, and then came the cheers of the crowd on the wharf. Three farewell blasts were sounded from the City of New York’s whistle, followed by three blasts from the whistle of the Eleanor Bolling. One of the crew of the City of New York climbed to the truck of the foremast and waved his arms in farewell from this perilous position as the ship moved down channel. It was found necessary to place a further supply of benzine and kerosene on the City of New York at 1 a.m. on Sunday, and fresh water for the dogs was taken on board shortly after daybreak. The last of the dogs were hoisted from the punts on Saturday evening. ■ The boxes in which the dogs are confined are stacked in tiers on the equipment amidships. The Testing place of the huskies, however, is only temporary, as when things have been made shipshape, some of the dogs will be removed further forward and others will be carried to the afterpart of the ship.. On board the City of New York as she made her way to the Heads Commander Byrd and 50 members of the expedition watched the land-locked shores of the harbour gliding by. Their thoughts, no doubt, were strangely divided. They were glimpsing civilisation for the last time for about 18 months. Far ahead in the frozen seas

they will be called, upon to face days and perhaps weeks of peril, and when they reach the ice barrier months of hardship will have to be endured before the attainment of their goal—the flight to the Pole itself.

DOWN THE HARBOUR. On the passage down the harbour the City of New York was followed by the pilot launch, two pleasure launches, the ferry steamer Waikana, with the Eleanor Bolling steaming a short distance astern. The latter vessel cleared her berth at 6.25 a.m. The City of New York is deeply laden. She is only four inches short of "her full load line, and is drawing 16 feet forward and 20 feet aft. When the ships reached the cross channel in the Lower Harbour the Eleanor Bolling moved ahead and her tow line was made fast to the bow of the City of New York. The tug Dunedin towed the barque to the Heads, where the lines were cast off, and with the cheers of those who had journeyed down the har bour carried across the waters to the explorers, the Eleanor Bolling commenced her tow. Should the winds be unfavourable the City of New York will be towed down to the ice-pack, about 1000 miles, to the whaling vessel C. A Larsen. The latter vessel will then take the City of New York in tow and force a passage through the ice to the barrier. The arrival of the City of New York at the barrier will depend entirely on the progress made by the C. A. Larsen. The ice-pack is reported to be very thick this season.

The Eleanor Bolling is expected to return to Dunedin in about 12 days’ time. She may return earlier if the City of New York meets favourable winds. The Eleanor Bolling will remain here until about Christmas, when she will leave for the Bay of Whales with provisions and equipment, including the aeroplanes that could not be accommodated on the City of New York. The ships passed through the Heads at 8.45 a.m., and after final blasts from the whistles and an exchange of cheers with those on board the tug, a course was set for the far south. FAREWELL GREETINGS. A surprising number of people were abroad to watch the passage of the ships down the harbour. The road from Black Jack’s Point to St. Leonard’s was one long procession of stationary and moving motor cars. As the expedition ships moved down the channel Commander Byrd and his men were greeted With a continual roar of “ honking ” from the car horns. Once the ships had passed, many cars speeded up and reached the road on the Port Chalmers foreshore in time to give the ships another parting salute. Commander Byrd could be seen occupying a prominent position on the deck of the City of . New York, and the frequent waving of his arms was a signal to the people on shore that their farewell salutes were acknowledged. -It was fully expected that the ships would receive a rousing send-off when they passed the Port Chalmers wharves, but the waterfront there was almost deserted. Several blasts from the ship’s whistles failed to arouse the residents, and even the large steamers berthed at the principal wharves did not give a parting salute with their whistles. The signal station at Taiaroa Heads displayed an array of flags as the ships passed through the entrance. It was a farewell signal which read: “Wishing you a pleasant voyage and a safe return.”

A cameraman went down the harbour in the pilot launch, and a complete moving picture of the sailing of the expedition from the time the lines were cast off at the Victoria wharf to the moment the two ships set a southward course outside the Heads was filmed. A wireless man was also busy for some time broadcasting the departure from the wharf. COMMANDER BYRD’S MESSAGE. Commander Byrd handed to the press the following message addressed to the people of the Dominion:—

When I told the people of the United States that we were going to make our departure for the Antarctic from New Zealand, I soon became aware, from hundreds of remarks, that the people of my country have the highest regard for the people of the Dominion. Since our arrival here we have had every evidence that the friendly spirit of my country is reciprocated. We have received courtesy and hospitality from all sides, and, for my shipmates and myself, I wish to express our deep appreciation. We are delighted that we decided to make our departure from New Zealand, and we will be delighted to return to it again after our task has been completed. All the members of the Byrd Antarctic expedition extend their best wishes to the people of New Zealand. We shall make every effort to uphold the traditions of those intrepid explorers—Captain Scott, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Sir Douglas Mawson, and Captain Amundsen.” Richard E. Byrd. HARBOUR FACILITIES PRAISED. Before leaving the cabin of the City of New York to come ashore by the tug Dunedin after the ships had cleared the Heads, Mr Moller was thanked by Commander Byrd, on behalf of the expedition, for the great assistance given by the Harbour Board. The commander said he did not think the expedition could have been treated in the same way in respect to docking and other port facilities by any other port in the Dominion. He expressed his pleasure at the manner in which the Otago Harbour Board had interested itself in the expedition. This was all the more gratifying, he added, because it was not a British expedition. No commander of any expedition could have received better treatment than that meted out by the Harbour Board. Captain F. C. Melville, in command of the City of New York, also expressed his thanks to Mr Moller, and said that the expedition would not have been ready to sail for another week but for the splendid assistance given by the Harbour Board.

Mr Moller thanked Commander Byrd and Captain Melville for their remarks, and wished the commander and his men Godspeed and a safe return to civilisation. Mr J. H. Duncan, Mr D. Sharpe, and other citizens who made the passage to the Heads on the City of New York also wished Commander Byrd every good fortune and a safe return. AEROPLANE CASES UNLOADED. It had been hoped that the expedition ships would sail on Saturday evening, bu. this was found to be impossible. Explain ing the cause of the delay, Commands Byrd said that owing to an error in cal culating the space required to stow th aeroplane cases, these had had to be re moved from the deck of the City of New York and placed on the wharf. It was intended to carry the larger aeroplane and the portable houses on the deck of the vessel. Captain Melville had, however, emphatically expressed the opinion that the deck load would be dangerous if the vessel met with heavy weather. The captain’s advice was acted upon, an< the aeroplane cases were transferred t< the wharf. The portable houses were then loaded and stowed in the spac< where the cases had formerly rested. Th< parts of two aeroplanes had previous!' been stowed in the holds of the City of New York, and these will be assembled as soon as the ship reaches the Bay of Whales. The aeroplane cases that were unshipped at the last moment will remain in storage until the return of the Eleanoi Bolling in some 12 days’ time, when thex will be loaded on to the vessel and taken south on her next trip. BEFORE THE DEPARTURE.

All day large crowds assembled on the Victoria wharf. It is estimated that several thousand people remained there throughout the afternoon, in spite of cold south-west wind and occasional showers. Police constables were stationed on the wharf, for e and aft of the Citj of New York, and only those who hat business with the ship or her personnel were permitted to enter the enclosure. Many people climbed to vantage points to watch the loading operations. Th< dogs in their closed-in boxes maintained an incessant howl. The huskies evidently did not relish confined quarters after the freedom they enjoyed on Quarantine Island The crowd waited patiently until long after 5 p.m., and it was only afte’ the word was passed round that the ships would not sail on Saturday evening that the visitors began to depart. The rain that fell on Saturday morning formed pools on the deck of the City of New York, and. equipment that had not yet been loaded was soaked ; but it suf fered no damage. In spite of the rain the loading of both ships went steadily for ward Shortly after 2 p.m. the Eleanor Bolling hauled from her berth at the Rattray street wharf and was moored

ahead of the City of New York. The stout hawsers by which the barque will be towed for about 1000 miles south lay neatly coiled at the sterr of the Eleanor Bolling. There is not an inch o’ space wasted on the Citv of New York The decks are stacked eight or 10 feet high .with all manner of equipment. P has all been securely Iftshed, as the barque may meet some heavy weather before she reaches the outer fringe of the pack-ice Crates, boxes, large cases, timber, sledges, and the boxes containing the dogs take up the full amount of onen deck space, leaving little room for free movement. T’ after deck, abaft the commander’s quar-

ters and the wireless house, also carries a quantity of gear. The 100 cases of apples presented to the expedition were stowed on the roof of the wireless house. Dozens of slings of timber, portable huts, and provisions were placed on board after the large aeroplane cases had been landed A PERSISTENT STOWAWAY.

At least one man made an attempt to stow away. He was an elderly man who went to the Antarctic some years ago. Answering again to. the call of adventure, he attempted to stow away on the City of New York several times on Saturday and early ycstciday morning. On each occasion he was discovered and sent ashore, and a close watch had to be maintained so that he did not outwit the officers of the ship. He was determined, however, to get away, as he was found on board the City of New York after she left the wharf? He was sent oyer the rail to the tug Dunedin, and told to stay there, but he again eluded the watchers, and climbed back to the deck of the barque. His luck, however, did not hold, as just before the Dunedin’s lines were cast off from the barque outside the Heads he was again sent over the ship’s rail, and every precaution was taken to see that he was on the tug when she returned to Port Chalmers.

Mr Richard G. Brophy, business manager and second in command of the expedition, returned to the harbour by the tug Dunedin. He will remain here to superintend the loading of the Eleanor Bolling when she returns from her present mission. Mr Brophy will accompany the Eleanor Bolling on her first voyage to the ice barrier with supplies am. equipment. PERSISTENCE REWARDED.

As a reward for his ambition and. determination, Commander Byrd has invited Dr Vaclov Vojtech, a native of Czecho-Slovakia and a graduate of the University of Prague, to join the expedition. Dr Vojtech has been fired bv the ambition to prosecute geological research in the frozen fastnesses of the Antarctic. He is a geologist, who, when Commander Byrd was selecting the personnel of his expedition, wrote and asked to be enrolled as a member. There were more than 5000 applicants for places in the expedition, and as the selection of the p rsonnel was complete, Dr Vojtech’s application was rejected by Commander Byrd. With the lure of adventure still burning fircely in his breast, Dr Vojtech travelled all the way from Czechoslovakia to New Zealand, landing at Wellington on November 9, three days after Commander Byrd stepped ashore from the C. A. Larsen. The commander was surprised when he was confronted by the young doctor, who sought a place in the expedition on any terms in any capacity. Commander Byrd was regretfully compelled to tell Dr Vojtech that his long journey had been in vain. The doctor is now studying English in Wellington, and Mr R. G. Brophy has written offering him a place in the ex-

pedition. No reply has yet been receiven, but the second in command expects Dr Vojtech to arrive in Dunedin in time to leave for the Antarctic by the Eleanor Bolling on her next voyage south. NEW ZEALANDERS ON SHIPS. Two New Zealanders are now’ included in the personnel of the expedition,” said A R. G. Brophy on Saturday morning. “ A young colonial will make the trip to t-e barrier as cook’ on the City of New York. He came on board during the week, and was given a temporary job as assistant cook.- . He is doing good work, and as we think he will stand up to the severe cold of the far south, he will be given his chance to go with the ship. F is very anxious to accompany the expedition. The other colonial is a firstclass sailmaker. He also has proved himself a good man during the few days he has been working on the City of New

YorkHe is very anxious to leave with th expedition, and has en informed that he can do so. His job will be assisting to pass coal during the day and pl, his needle at night.” , We have a splendid body of men. They could not be improved upon,” said Commander Byrd on Saturday morning when glancing over the typed sheets which set forth the personnel of the City of New York and Eleanor Bolling. “We have received hundreds of applications from men in almost every walk in life, a_ being anxious to join the exper t ion. Applications have been received from many men in Wellington and Dunedin, but, of course, the applications could not be considered. In glancing over the names that appear on these sheets of paper I must say that I feel very proud of all the men who have secured a place in the expedition.” SOUVENIR OF VISIT.

As a souvenir of the visit of the expedition to Dunedin Mr S. Pitt (manager of the Empire Theatre) presented to Commander Byrd on Saturday the film depicting the scenes on the arrival of his two ships, as w’ell as views of the dogs on Quarantine Island.

EVERYTHING IN READINESS. “ For the first time the expedition has been assembled in one place as a complete unit,” said Commander Richard E. Byrd to our representative last w’eek. “ It is a great day, or should I say it is a great day for me. We have been scattered about in all parts of the world, sections of a whole, but for the first time w’e are all together in one city—an expedition.” He said he was proud of the fact, and he certainly looked it. He had

about him a purpose and an aim that have been lacking in the demeanour of his henchmen who have not known what was to be the programme until the chief had arrived and conferred with his officers. “We have had a conference,” said the youthful-looking commander, “ and 1 have talked for hours with my men. Everything is now in readiness for the start of our adventure.” And as he c itlined the details of the wonderful quest on which he is engaged, one felt the quick stir of wonder at the urge that moves the hearts and minds of these men who are daring unknown dangers and fearsome perils at the Pole for the sake of enlightenment and knowledge. I’plar enterprise, whether Arctic or Antarctic, lias the greatest and finest traditions. The increasing of human knowledge of the great Unknown, and the greater task, the completion of the work begun by such heroes as Captain Scott and Amundsen and Sir Ernest Shackleton, these are the things’ that are urging men forward in a great endeavour, that lias no fewer risks than were taken in the past by those whose loss is mourned to this day. One of Commander Byrd’s first acts was to visit, with his first in command, Mr R. G. Brophy, the statue of the late Captain Scott. Here these two explorer paid tribute to the memory of a “ very gallant gentleman.” At the conference, which was held at the Grand Hotel, there were present the commander, Mr R. G. Brophy, representatives of the aviation group of the expedition and the captain of one of the two ships. The object of the gathering was to discuss the most efficient and safest way of getting the necessary supplies, equipment, and men to Antarctica. It appears that it is impossible to convey everything to the Polar Seas in the two ships in one trip, chiefly owing to the great bulk of the crates containing the aeroplanes for use on the flight to the Pole. It should be remembered that no other expedition in history has ever taken, so much machinery to the polar regions as Commander Byrd considers necessary for the present expedition. “ I want to get down there as soon I as possible,” he said, “so that I can ! get in some flying this season. It may only be short distance flights over the trackless expanses of Antarctia, but still even from them we will learn a great deal that ■will be of use not only to ourselves but to the Dominion of New Zealand and the world at large. Then we want also to start the dog teams and get everything in readiness. The first move will mean a splitting of the aviation material, but that will give us an opportunity to make a start very soon.” “ I must thank the municipal and the Harbour Board authorities for the assistance they have rendered us. The Harbour Board has placed everything at our disposal, and I can assure you that we are very grateful indeed for all that has been done for us. Right throughout New Zealand we have been accorded the most wholehearted hospitality, and we i have reason to be very thankful. I can ■ tell you this much, that when we get back > to America this country of yours' will , have many very warm boosters among our party.”