BYRD’S EXPEDITION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 1, 2 January 1929, Page 7

BYRD’S EXPEDITION

READY TO ESTABLISH BASE AT WHALES BAY CHEERLESS ICE WASTES (By Russell Owen, copyrighted 1928, by New York Times Company and St. Louis Post-Dispatch. All rights for publication reserved through world wireless to New York Times.) ROSS SEA, Dec. 28. Our future home for a year lies just ahead, shrouded in the haze that conceals the end of the bay. We have just tied up to the bay ice which is heavy ami extends out many miles from Frainheim, Amundsen’s >’d station place, near which the expedition expects to have its winter quarters. Byrd, with Balchcn, Petersen, Bramte ami two dog teams, driven by Walden and Vaughan are going inland in two or three hours to try and find a site for a base and if possible try to locate Frainheim.

We reached here early this morning and found it was impossible to get more than a short distance into the bay. which is usually not clear of ice until about a fortnight from now, but the weather is good and there is a strong tide breaking off parts of the ice continually, and it may be possible to take considerable material ashore, even before thc ice goes altogether.

There is an unusual haze over thc ice, and it is impossible to sec more than a few miles, beyond that mysterious curtain of blue and white lies tremendous territory which is to be explored, and it is about as forbidding to-day in this gray light as could be imagined. It. is a cheerless place, grim enough to discourage thc most ardent real estate auctioneer. 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 ice conditions on his long trip inland.

AMONG THE KILLER WHALES

BBYD SEEKS A BASE Received Dec. 31, 5.5 p.m. BAY OF WHALEB, Dec. 29Ear in on the ice barrier near Framiiciiu Commander Bryd is to-night looking lor a place to establish a winter base, and* also for the best approach. to tuc i airier for th efreight jleds which will take thc expedition’s c-uppiies asuore. jae shore party camped la;t night somewhere near Franneim, although j they cuuid not linti the hit, which had uceu covered wilu snuw # ±a?.s afternoon carl Letcrsen, inc rad.o operat’d’, sent in a few details of the tup from me most southerly radio station in the ttunu, using a uny portable set on nuicu Le cuuiu nut uhij send perfectly, .ju . ui; avLich nc couiu Uiuiaee.' C 'ich up ..•Liiiiviis ail over lue world, xi is niesege was us luilows; — it is two o cluck, aud tno whole i-iuiy is sound asleep aiuer a .dicnujus niuicu a lue ciussmg ul tnc pressuje L.uguo uuu v\aicr-xiiicu cicYarsua was at times very uiincuii. \v aldcu and ms team went in uuu j.ur han au hour and aiued, assisted uy me cum-uand-ur and wurkto. in »vaier over uur Knees uulu ln e uugs gut me sleuge cut and we star tea uu uur way sguiu. u u gut up un tne barrier uu a place wneru it siupcd uuwu to tne bly ice. due sieugc at a time was hauled up and we all pushed. Once on the barrier, we were ruped together and all took turns at leading.

‘•Ueruu jjaiciieu shut a seal for supper and '»ve nud seal steak us guud u.? uinner in xsuw luik or Dunedin/’

inc ice snows uu signs oi moving out uf me ouy immediuieiy, and A promises to be a aiixicuit and tedious job moving supplies asuoie over such loug ..loiauues, unless a break comes soon, wuiiu i>iyu is away a little necessary work uu me ship s engines is being auric, aud tue scientists arc getting meir instruments auu near iug<. ...vi ..

uiat they may ready for »vurk as uuu. as tuey lanu.

oust bcioic xj.yd started off, about aall |he snip s crew were on tne ice alongside tn e ship- There were dogs .unumg aruuud oaikiug and turns . landing wnicu had been set up tu test mum, men on skis and twu teams ot uugs hitched tu tneir sledges, every uog straining with impatience. Milliard v un dor \ eer, one oi the moving picture photographers, was getting ready to take a picture of thc start wnen ther e was a swish and a putf near the edge amt a huge black snout } in which there were tv\o little pig-nkc eyes, stuck out of thc water and looked over at us, one after another. At least ten of these wicked looking killers rolled slowly and deliberately to the surface and blew.

Joe de Ganahl was standing with a camera about 10 feet from the edge when he saw a killer rise. H e was so startled that he jumped in the air and involuntarily took a picture. When he realised his good luck, h e began to yell in even greater excitement. We had all read of killer whales, but did not think they would call on us at once. Apparently the barking of the dogs, and the fact of so many persons standing near the edge of thc ice, which, was fortunately thick, had attracted them. While we were all watching them there was a roar from behind, and Van der Veer came lumbering up with his movie camera, slipping in the soft snow and using violent language. '1 he whales blew around us for some time, rising and spouting with a soft puffing sound, then rolling slowly over until their fins appeared, and sliding out of sight again. In the evening they came back again, appearing some distance astern and moving towards the ship there were two of th crew near th e water and one after another the whales lifted up their heads and stared at them. Several men took shots at them with rifles, and Erickson, a seaman, apparently killed one, for it rolled over ano went down, lea 'ng a trail of bubbles,

but to-day they are back in greater numbers. At least 25 were counted in the open water bctwee.i the bay ice and the drifting pack. Byrd expects to be back in a day or two, and then plans will be made for getting asho«e, as he is looking for the path most free from crevasses and cracks, and will mark it on the way out.

SUITABLE SITE FOUND

WEATHER CONTINUES GOOD. Received Dec. 31, 11.30 p.m. BAY OF WHALES, Dee. 30.| Byrd has found a base for the winter, somewhat cast of Amundsen’s former quarters, where there is a good landing field. It is reached through a small valley to the eastward with a good passage up from the bay ice. It is expected that a few davs after he returns we will begin to get some of the supplies ashore, at least enough to make a base for the dog teams, which wc wish to get on the ice as soon as possible. The weather continues good, although we were forced to shift our position last night slightly to the west ward, because of thc pack ice, which drifted down and surrounded the ship. We arc moored to the edge of thc pack, about the middle of the bay.