BOUND FOR FROZEN SOUTH

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19640, 7 November 1933, Page 7

BOUND FOR FROZEN SOUTH

BYRD EXPEDITION’S JOURNEY INTERESTING NEWS FROM SHIPS AT SEA Special to Press Association. From the Byrd Expedition. s.s. Jacob Rupert, approximately 220 miles south of Balboa. (Received November 6, 10.50 p.m.) “Ahead of the expedition now lies an unbroken southward journey of 4990 miles. Its destination is a bight in the continental jee, west of Peter Island. The coast in this vicinity is wholly unknown, and the task of navigating a large steel ship in these dangerous ice-choked waters is one of great responsibility and risk. Admiral Byrd expects to complete this second leg of the journey by November 25. “The trip from Norfolk to the Canal has had the desired effect of shaking down the ship and crew. Preparations have already begun for landing in the Bay of Whales, approximately 350 tons of material which will be left for the w’inter party.” Admiral Byrd said to-day: “Getting all that stuff ashore and into Little America is one of the toughest jobs the Expedition faces. We shall have less than two months in which to accomplish this, and the blizzards and the constant, threat of drifting ice, while unloading, will make it a task of the first magnitude.” Victor Czegka, veteran of last Expedition, to-day commenced the assembling and rigging of fifty sledges. At the same time, the dog crew, under Captain Alan Taylor, was engaged splicing the gang lines for their teams. The aviation unit under the direction of Chief Pilot June, is preparing to equip three of the Expedition’s four ’planes, with skis. The landlubbers, who form a large part of the crew, were preoccupied with what is in store for them, when the ship crosses the line to-morrow evening, and Neptune comes aboard to ship. As nondescript as it is with 149 dogs, three cows, half a dozen chickens, not to mention the rest of the amazing cargo, the ship is capable of providing many and diabolical surprises. If the broad hints are to be believed they will certainly be diabolical.