Evening star., 1926-06-13
Fortunately, Few High Clouds.

1t was very fortunate that there
were no high clouds above us during
this passage toward so north with
that very rapid change in magnetic
deviation. But later on we should
have to meet this problem, too, and
had to keep the course by means Of
the magnetic COmpaSses.
As the chain over the side rudder
quite close to the steering compass
was strongly magnetic, with varying
influence as the rudder was used to
the left or right, this compass, for u
long part of the trip. was not reliable,
being often quite useless. The course,
therefore, had to be- checked continu-
ously on the standard compasses.
keeping the navigator very busy all
the time between observations.
As we have told in another part of
our narrative, later on, when the ship
began TO ice down, ice also settled on
the sun compass, which in a short
time formed an ice block of the most
fantastic shape. 1t is needless to say
that the clockwork stopped, putting
the sun compass out of action for the
rest of the flight.
Charts of Great Help.
AS simple methods for the calcula-
tion of the sun observation were not
sufficiently correct any longer, all the
subsequent observations were calcu-
lated after the St. Hilaire method.
These calculations were 4ecked by
| Gattwadt and HOrgen. VI 4:24 pm
the longitude observation proved that
we had drifted a little to the east
and We're now close to the PoInt
Barrow meridian.
F,ight-twenty p m. gave us our last
| latitude observation before Point Bar
row as rs degrees As minutes. In the
thick foe we got into later it was diff
fcult to keep up good steering, and
with the frequent slowing down OF
speed for long periods, giving
greater drift to the west, 1t was I'M
possible to check the course with any
eXactneSS.
It was a surprise. therefore, to find
nv observation at 4 am. on May IL
that we were in a nearly north-south
position on a line striking the Alas
kan coast and passing only Il hautlcai
miles west of Point Barrow. 1t was
nearly 12 hours since the last longl-
tude observation and the error in
estimating the drift angles thus
amounted to not much more imam
one and a, haif-miles an hour.
Our meteorological charts had been
of great assistance, the chances for
drift observations being very. scarce
i'm the fog. AS we knew that we
could proceed down BerinS Strait, 1t
was not ANY longer necessary 10
make a course for Point Barrow.
Therefore we steered along the last
mentioned meridian line so that we
could be certain not TO urllt lhlo
Bering Sea.
Sight Alaska Coast.
49,. ...,,.;,,,. ,,,,,, c,,DnoSed mini
mum speed and maximum speed since
ON. last latitude observation, it was
announced that we would be In sight
of land not before am. and not
later than s am, our speed being not
much more than about 40 miles. AZ
6.45 am. land was sighted ahead and
on the port bow by the navigator,
who had watched for it for some min
utes before he told about it.
In order to be quite sure ana not
disappoint anybody, the course was
soon as possible in order to make GER
altered eastward to come over land as
tain where we were. AT 1:2o am.
we were over the coast, but snow
covered as it was and very fiat, 1t
was impossible to make out it's con-
tours for comparison with the maps,
the visibility being also not the best.
The country to the east looked ike
the vicinity of Point Barrow.
As we had nothing to do in that
direction we turned along the coast
toward the southwest. AT 8A5 we
passed over and recognized Vain.
wright with certainty. From the dis
tance covered, it was clear that We
had been pretty close to Point Bar
row when we struck the coast. Later
we have heard that we actually were
sighted from that place.
Although navigation across the
polar basin was finished with this, 1t
mey be of interest to describe shortly
the navigation further on, as it pre-
sented problems not by any means
easier than those which had been sur
mounted Passing along the coast, the
fog became denser and denser, Oblig-
ing us to go lower and lower in order