FINDING A BASE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16839, 31 December 1928, Page 7

FINDING A BASE

THE BYRD EXPEDITION PARTY GOES ASHORE (By Russell Owen.) (Copyrighted 1928 by the New fork Times Go., and the Sr. .Louis Post-Dispatcli. All r.gilts for publication reserved tlnougn- - . out the world.) (By Wireless l-o Uio i\ew fork Times.) ROSS-SEA' December 28. Our future home lor a year ires just ahead shrouded in tne haze that conceals the end of the bay. We have justtied up to trie bay ice, which is heavy and extends out many miles from Framhpim, Captain Amundsen s old station place, near which the expedition expects to have its winter quarters. Commander Byrd, with Messrs. Balchen, Petersen and Bramte and two dog teams driven by Walden and Vaughan, are going inland in two or three hours to, try to lind a site for the base, and, if possible, try to locate Framheim.

We reached here early this morning, and found it was impossible to get more than a short distance into the bay, winch is usually not clear of ice until about a fortnight from now, but the weather is gooU, and ’there is a strong tide or current breaking off parts ol ice continually, and it may be possible to take considerable material ashore even before the ice goes altogether. ,The dogs and sleds with large amounts of stores may be moved some time before we are able to get up the Barrier, which is very low at this point. The dog drivers ara busily packing sleds with food for a week, as well as tents, sleeping bags, and a radio outfit, so that if the ship is forced to put out by a storm they will be able to get along comfortably until we return. The sleds are on the ice alongside the ship, with the men busily engaged getting their gear together on them, so that work ashore may be said to have actually started.

Everyone is, elated at being here, and also at the calm weather which had been predicted for the Bay of Whales, but of which we had been sceptical. There is an unusual haze over tho ice, and it is impossible to see more than a few miles. Beyond that mysterious curtain of blue and white lies the tremendous territory which is to be explored,, and it isafiqut as forbidding to-day in this grey light as could be imagined. It is a cheerless place, grim enough to discourage the most ardent real estate auctioneer.

Commander Byrd expects to stay away for a day or two, and our activities for the next two weeks will depend largely - upon what he learns of tho ice conditions on his long trip inland. Commander Byrd appointed Mr. Larry Gould? geologist, second in command down here, as Mr. Brophy, the regular second in command, is in New Zealand. Mr. Gould is popular on the ship, and for the last week lias been ready to supervise the unloading, which will Ire a difficult and possibly a dangerous task if done on the bay ice.