Evening star., 1926-05-12
BY RUSSELL ID. OWEN.
By Wireless to The Star.

By Wireless to The Star.
KINGS BAY. Spitzbergen, May IL.
AT 8 o'clock yesterday morning,
Greenwich time, or 5 am. New York
time, the Norge, OF the Amundsen-
Ellsworth-N Mobile expedition, started
for Point Barrow. Alaska.
Straight into the morning sun.
tiny speck soon lost in the golden glow
of the north, the dirigible disappeared
on her journey across the Pole and
into the unknown wilderness of the
Arctic.
The giant airship, like a silver crea-
ture of the air, rose slowly and grace
fully frcm the hands that held her,
and with her motors humming sailed
swiftly down the ford. following the
path Comdr. Byrd had taken in his
squirt to the Pole. She turned over
across the bay and rose over Cape
Mitre. Then her black silhouette was
lost in the sun.
There was rush and swift action
to Comdr. Byrd's departure and the
tense hazard of his take-off, but the
Norge's departure was tremendously
impressive because of the ponderous
grace and quiet dignity of the great
ship, lifted her immense burden from
the ground and sailing into the un-
known like a liner of the air. There
were power, endurance and SW1ftness
all embodied in her action.
Cheers and Tears at Departure.
Those below the floating fabric
raised their hats in the air or flung
up their arms in farewell. some
cheering and q few moved to tears
by the tenseness of the moment which
saw their comrades departing on the
greatest Arctic feat ever attempted.
The air voyagers were to spend at
least 60 hours in Arctic regions never
seen by man, and at the end face
the greatest hazard, when they may
be forced to land the dirigible without
assistance from the ground, some
thing never done before.
All the day before Kings Bay was
in a fever of preparation. the men
of the expedition assembling equip
ment. packing provisions and small
things for comfort and making sure
that nothing was overlooked. Me-
chanics swarmed over the dirigible.
grooming her as though she were
race horse. Every bolt, stay, control
wire and girder was gone over care
fully. The fuel tanks were minutely
examined, all pipes We're overhauled
and all instruments tested.
The big motors raced as they re-
mense green curtain near the end OF
the hangar billowing out in the gale
created by the propellers. The new
motor was put in splendid condition
-Comdr. Gottwaldt tinkered over the
wireless, making sure that the bat
teries and all the connections were IN
good condition, for on his direction
finder much depends.
Crew Spurts at Tasks.
There had been uncertainty all day
as to the time of departure, but late at
night it was announced that the start
would surely be made so as to take
advantage Of some Of the most Won
derful weather ever seen in the Arctic.
Capt. Amundsen. Lincoln Ellsworth
and Col. Mobile were guided somewhat
by Comdr. Byrds report that there
was no fog and splendid weather at
the Pole.
They had not expected to start un-
til day later, for there were some
things yet to be done. But the neces-
sity for speed and the utilizing of the
favorable weather made all hands tear
through their tasks. All day the work.
ers of the expedition tramped over the
snow to the hangar carrying their
personal effects, so that at the last
moment they could jump into their
flying clothes and be off.
Capt. Amundsen spent part OF the
day making his usual trip on his skis,
smilingly confident of the result or his
daring. Lincoln Ellsworth. beaming
because the long wait was over, spent
his time in fixing some of his equip
ment and having his snowshoes re-
paired. He was so happy he could not
sit still.
Ellsworth's Birthday Falls Today.
"You bet I'm happy" he exclaimed.
>"I have waited As years for this. why
shouldn't I be pleased at getting away
on the trip I have dreamed OF all my
life?"
He smiled into the distance far over
the hills and went on:
MAY IL is my birthday. That ought
to be the day we get over the un-
known region. 1t would be a perfect
birthday IL we found land"
If land is found it will be called Els
worth Land, for the whole ambition
of this American explorer has been to
write his name on the Arctic map.
He has been like a courser tugging at
the leash ever since he settled down
here for the long wait.
BYRD UiVeS FareWeu DlnneF.
Ellsworth, Capt. Amundsen, Lieut..
Riiser-L Larsen and Col. Mobile went
aboard the Chantier for dinner at the
invitation of Comdr Byrd and cele-
brated the American explorers flight
to the Pole and back, as well as their
own departure.
Comdr. Byrd toasted Capt. Alnund-
sen and told him he was the greatest
explorer that had ever lived, a greater
even than Columbus. Comdr. Byrd
also talked about a South Pole expedi-
ton by airplane and Ellsworth said
he would go with him.
Comdr. Byrd gave to them infor-
nation as to compass variations at
the Pole and advice on navigation
problems they would face in the un-
known area. At the end of the
dinner Comdr. Byrd grasped Capt.
Amundsen by the shoulders and gave
his good wishes.
After the dinner all went asAeee
ard as they stood grouped AROUND fBol
Josephine Ford. the first plane 70 &x