Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1904-02-18
UNIQUE BALLOONING
Views of the Antarctic Regions
from Overhead.
I~portant Results of Expedition to
Southern Polar Seas Unique
In the Annals of Aero
Hautics.

Balloon ascents for military recon-
| noissance are common enough. Some
day they will be extensively employed
for geograp nical exploration, perhaps
| There is tai of using captive airshlps
| for enabIu tourists to view Alpine
scenery els..J. But fOr polar research
they nave ,4us far been practically
neglected. rUor Andree hoped that in
a free balluon ie might drift steadily
northward from Spitzbersen several
hundred miles, but he paid for that
error with his life. The trial which
was made in the Antarctic seas from
the British ship Discovery is practi-
cally unique in the annals of aero
nautics. Never before was success
full ascent made under similar cOndi-
tions, says the New York Tribune.
Leaving Lyttleton, New Zealand.
Just before the close Of 1901, the Brit
ish expedite pu"led steadily south
ward, heading for Cape Adair. The ice
barrier which skirts the Antarctic con-
tinent extends almost continuously
along the sixty-fifth or sixty-sixth par
allel of south latitude. BY far the
most remarkable break in the coast
line occurs to the sOutheastward Of
cess 500 or 500 miles deep, and fully
as wide, called McMurdo bay. Along
it's western shore lies Victoria Land.
It's eastern boundary is poorly defined.
and is represented only vaguely by ice.
The southern side is almost straight
and extends eastward and westward
fairly close to the seventy eighth par
allel Of latitude
Touching first at Cape Adair of the
northwestern corner Of the bay, Capt.
Scott skirted Victoria Land and
reached the southwestern corner, near
the volcanoes Erebus and Terror.
Turning eastward on January g. 1902,
he worked his way slowly along the
ice barrier, which for more than 500
miles has a height of from so to 2S0
feet Apparently the ice had receded
somewhat from the limits noted by
Sir James Ross, who explored the
region in 1845 During the next few
days Capt Scott saw land OF to the
eastward Of him which has never be-
fore been chartered, and also observed
that the ice barrier itself practically
disappeared, and was replaced by slop-
ing ice. which doubtless covered land.
The barrier proper is a frozen pack, is
generally level In spite of it's rough
ness. and is thought to overlie sea.
1t was just after turning back after
these observations toward Mount
Erebus that the balloon ascent was
made The ship was still under con-
troll, the season corresponding to mid
summer. An inlet through the ice.
which reached further southwark than
any other to which the Discovery could
penetrate, was now utilized to study
the land Hydrogen, compressed in
cylinders and brought from home, was
used to initiate the gas bag. Owing to
the low temperature Of this region, a
much greater quantity was required
than would have been needed in tenn
perate climates. The cable which held
this floating observatory captive was
$50 feet long. No satisfactory landing
place was discovered. but an admirable
view Of the region was had. This oc-
Cured February a. 1902. Then the
Discovery pushed on westward. found
4 satisfactory anchorage in McMurdo
strait close to Mount Erebus, and on
March "a Uust after the autumnal
equinox) she was frozen in. Subse-
quently Capt Scott organized sledge
parties which explored the vicinity.
The most important results of the
expedition up to the time the relief
ship, Morning. loft it last winter, were
as follows:
F1rst-Diseovery Of new land east
Of McMurdo bay.
Second-Discovery that Mounts Ere
bus and Terror are on small island
and not the mainland.
Third-Finding good winter quar-
ters for a ship in south latitude so,
east longitude 1866: ~. with land close
by for a magnetic observatory.
Fourth-A record Of 80 degrees be-
low zero Fahrenheit.
Fifth-A sledge journey to 82:17
south latitude. and observations of
land as far OF as SO: 80. including
peaks and mountain ranges $4,000 feet
high
Sixth-Evidence that the vast ice
covered plateau which reaches west
ward from McMurdo bay is In some
places 5000 feet high.
Seventh-A large amount Of mag