ABOVE THE ICE

Southland Times, Issue 20676, 24 December 1928, Page 5

ABOVE THE ICE

FLIGHT BY WILKINS UNCHARTED ISLANDS DISCOVERED HAZARDOUS NINE-HOUR SPIN (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph-Copyright.) (Copyright from Sir G. H. Wilkins at Deception Island.) London, December 21. A message from Sir G. H. Wilkins at Deception Island states: “Our flight of 1200 miles over hitherto unknown territory resulted in the discovery of six unchartered islands which is the second outstanding result of the flight, enabling us to look 600 miles south across the Antarctic wastes over a region human eyes have probably never previously seen. This will be mapped when we have had the opportunity of going over the data collected in a hazardous nine-hour spin above Graham Land ice ranges. A l>erfect morning came only after weeks of waiting and a series of setbacks. By 9.20 a.m. we were already over Graham Land, viewing new territory, and heading towards the discovery of more than 200 miles of coastline. Members of Nordenechold’s expedition followed afoot. The ice-shelf for 300 miles south of Graham Land has a northern top, but the aviators’ vision was restricted from the monoplane on a sparkling, clear day at an altitude of 8000 feet at a speed of 120 miles hourly. We reconnoitred both sides of what had been considered a peninsula. Now we know 7 it to be a series of islands or at least mountains separated by level ice barriers of unknown thickness. “Our course, a little west of south, revealed smaller mountainous, jagged islands. Both sides of the coast of Graham Land are indented with deep fiords and bays topped with a tableland level with the ice, the shelf almost exactly coinciding with the Antarctic Circle which divides Graham Land. Opposite its most easterly point and 50 miles south of Weather Island is a larger uncharted island. Graham Land’s whole area contains triangular shaped mountains with two conspicuous peaks north and south. Four glaciers, frightfully criss-crossed, flow into the bay opposite Sallieres where the mountains are high and rugged, but near latitude 70 the range lessens until it is smothered by ice shelves and snow-slopes. Beyond the ice cliff bordering the Weddell Sea is an unbroken snow slope stretching southward as far as the eye can see. It probably continues to the polar plateau where Scott and Amundsen planted their flags at the Pole in 1913. It holds secrets that we, owing to the abnormal season and the lack of suitable snow-slopes at the base, cannot this trip, with our limited petrol, hope to solve.

“We have been flying south for 325 minutes in calm air at a speed of 120 miles hourly. Allowing for the climb and the deviation we had gone at least 600 miles when we reluctantly steered northward. We have settled perhaps the most interesting of our problems but are gloomy, depressed and disappointed because we have insufficient petrol to carry us to the Ross Sea, enabling the completion of our job. After turning we saw clearly what we had merely casually noticed a few hours before, that clouds were developing west of Graham Land. Half way back to Deception Island we were forced to hurry to avoid them. Lieut. Eielson opened the throttle wide and the plane with its reduced load went full speed for the base.”—Australian Press Association.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FLIGHT. TRIBUTE BY THE TIMES. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, December 22. Commenting on the Antarctic feat The Times says: “After no sleep for 40 hours and a flight of 1200 miles, not many people would have the energy on returning to the base to sit down and write home about it. It is no wonder Sir G. H. Wilkins and Lieutenant Eielson were tired and weary, but no fatigue would be likely to prevent them sending a message as early as possible announcing the solution of a disputed question which has puzzled geographers for centuries. Graham Land is found to be an island. It is separated from the great Polar Continent by an ice-filled channel; that may now be taken as an established fact. Sir G. H. Wilkins long had intimate practical knowledge of conditions of Arctic and Antarctic travel. It is not only a call of ice, but the true geographer’s passion for accuracy in detail in mapping out the surface of the globe tfiat has induced him to add to the 18,000 miles he has already flown in Polar regions with Lieutenant Eielson as companion. It is already evident that the flights still to be undertaken for sites of meteorological stations will be by no means easy, but Sir G. H. Wilkins is thinking less of the risks than of the benefits which may result from their adventurous sallies into the unknown, and after the invariable practice of men of their kind their final conclusion is that their luck still holds.”—Australian Press Association.