Wilkins Discovers Six New Islands In Antarctic Ice.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18644, 22 December 1928, Page 1

Wilkins Discovers Six New Islands In Antarctic Ice.

GAZES OVER 600 MILES OF ICE NEVER PREVIOUSLY VIEWED BY MAN

(United Tress Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received December 22, 9.5 a.m.)

LONDON, December 21. A COPYRIGHT MESSAGE from Sir Hubert Wilkins at Deception Island, dated December 21, says: “Our flight of 1200 miles over hitherto unknown territory resulted in the discovery of six previously uncharted islands, which is the second outstanding result of the flight, enabling us to look 000 miles south across the Antarctic wastes, over a region human eyes have probably never previously seen. This will be mapped when we have had an opportunity of going over the data collected in that hazardous nine-hour spin above the Graham Land ice ranges. ‘“A perfect 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 300 miles of coast line, which members of Nordenschold’s expedition followed afoot over the iceshelf for 300 miles south of Graham Land's northern tip. but their vision was restricted. From out of the. monoplane on this sparkling clear day, at an altitude of 8000 feet and at a speed of 120 miles an hour, we reconnoitred both sides of what had been considered a peninsula. Now we know- 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 by a tableland of level ice-shelf, almost exactly coinciding with the Antarctic Circle, divides Graham Land. Opposite its most easterly point and fifty 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 crisscrossed, flow into a bay opposite Sallieres, where the mountanis are high and rugged, but near latitude 70 the range lessens until smothered by iceshelves 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, flags at the Pole in 1913. It holds

secrets that we, owing to the abnormal season and the lack of suitable snowslopes at the base, could not not this trip, with limited petrol, hope to solve.” “We had been flying south 325 minutes in calm air at 120 miles hourly Allowing for climb and deviation we had gone at least 600 miles when we reluctantly turned northward. We settled perhaps the most interesting of our problems, but are gloomy, depressed and disappointed because we had insufficient petrol to carry us to the Ross Sea, enabling the completion of our job. ‘After turning we saw clearly what had merely been casually noticed a few hours before, clouds developing to the west of Graham Land, and half-way back to Deception Island. We were forced to hurry to avoid them. Lieutenant Eielson opened the throttle wide and the ’plane with its reduced load went full speed for the base. We will send further details to-morrow.”—Aus-tralian Press Association.