IN THE SOUTH

Southland Times, Issue 22486, 22 January 1935, Page 5

IN THE SOUTH

REAR-ADMIRAL BYRD

LONE BATTLE WITH ELEMENTS

REVIEW OF EXPEDITION

(United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) Montreal, January 20. A specially written article for the Australian Press Association by RearAdmiral Byrd sums up the results of his second expedition, vfrtually on the eve of his departure from Little America. He points out that geographical discoveries were only one of 22 points in the programme of the expedition. Among the subjects studied had been astronomy, meteorology, physical oceanography, biology of oceanography, vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, mammalogy, physiology, glaciology, stratigraphy, petrography, paleonotology, Tectonic and economic geology, geophysics, physical geography, cartography, physical and terrestrial magnetism, bacteriology and botany. He declares that the first expedition was a preparation for the second, and outlines the preparations for the second. He describes his first flight over the ice-pack, and the voyage of exploration of the Bear of Oakland, reaching 73.05 s. 149.30 w. The significance of the result of these operations, together with the subsequent exploration of the eastern sector, was the identification of a vast unknown area as the Pacific Ocean. It extinguished the hypothesis of an archipelago reaching into it Rear Admiral Byrd describes the difficulties of re-establishing the old base camp and the necessity of building a retreat camp on the high barrier when the recession of the ice from the Bay of Whales made it seem possible that even Little America might break out. He declares that the autumnal operations were rmeventful, otherwise, except the crash and destruction of the Fokker airplane, the operation of appendectomy on Dr. Poulter, and the fire threatening the surgical cache. He details some of his experience in his 41 month’s solitude at the advance base. He points out that the aerial enterprises, beginning in November, were the investigation of such problems as the mooted trans-continental strait, and the extent and character of Marie Byrd Land. He adds: “Like every effort directed towards the solution of unknown matters, the flight did not so much settle familiar problems as raise new ones, though it proved conclusively that the strait was non-existent; that the plateau of Marie Byrd Land rolls unbrokenly from the South Pacific Ocean to Queen Maude Range; that the eastern margin of the Ross shelf ice is defined by the coast of that plateau, and that the structural intergrity of Antarctica is verified.” Work of Trail Parties.

Rear Admiral Byrd then indicates the work of the trail parties, including Blackburn, Sipple and others, and concludes: “We can say that the results of the expedition are nearly all we could rightfully hope for. We now have a better conception of the area which in 1930 we lifted above the horizon. This newest of American discoveries is a magnificent sweep of territory running from the Pacific Ocean to the South Pole, encompassing over 200,000 square miles of territory. Superb mountains lift their gleaming peaks through the glacial seas covering it, and the grand plateau marches over all but the tallest mountain tops.” Rear Admiral Byrd finally outlines the scientific work of every member of the expedition.

Dr. Thomas C. Poulter, the physicist of the expedition, commenting on Rear Admiral Byrd’s review, points out that Byrd omitted the part he himself played, and in order that the leader’s experiences may not be entirely lost, he supplements the article as follows: “When we reached the Byrd advance base, we were shocked by his appearance—he was emaciated, hollow-cheeked, weak and haggard.” Dr. Poulter states that Byrd faced the gravest danger, the possible loss of his mental balance, but he met the hazard with equanimity. His escape from death through the poison fumes of the oil stove was miraculous. “111, alone, and helpless in the middle of the winter night, with three months darkness and the killing cold facing him, survival seemed impossible, so he calmly wrote his instructions for his leaders, ending with the statement: Don t worry. Carry on normally—go as far as you can, carrying out our scientific programme, but put the lives of my men first. Do what you can for Ellsworth.” Dr. Poulter stresses Byrd’s unwilliness to call for help, and his maintenance of the meticulous records of a trained observer through his illness. “When we reached the advance base he had fought it out alone. I know nothing finer than that life literature.”