Evening star., 1926-05-08

UTeat Test OF Ship.
Men slept little in Kings Bay, for it
was known that this was the great
test Of the ship. Capt. Amundsen and
Lincoln Ellsworth were up, receiving
messages relayed from the mainland,
and once Capt. Amundsen went UP
the hill TO the radio station TO send
word Of encouragement and welcome.
AS time went on 1t was seen that the
viking gods were being kind. The skies
were clearing and the snow ceased
About 4 AIN. word was received that
the ship would arrive an hour or so
later and q gun was fired from the
Heimdal and the siren was blown.
warning those ashore that It was time
to turn out and get ready to land the
airship. Soon the snowclad slope lead
ing to the hangar was covered with
black figures. trudging up 10 take
their positions. ropes in hand. to haul
the dirigible into her shed. After an
other long wait finally the Norge ap-
peared, a tiny dot on the horizon,
where the midnight sun and the snow
covered mountains played tricks with
visibility, making a background OF
shifting, shadowy clouds.
In the distance the nose OF the
Norge looked like a round balloon. but
as she grew larger and turned slight
ly, her long, flshlike shape was out
lined against the mountains. She dip
ped and swayed with 81 curious mo-
tion, sometimes down by the head.
again nosing slightly up and swinging
from side. to side with a wriggling
movement, as If boring her way
through the air. At times the wind
brought to the listeners the drumming
hum of the motors.
Like @ Huge Fish.
When she was over the Chantier,
Comdr. Byrd's ship, the Norge. turn
ed inland and the gas valves in the
bow, like huge eyes, made her resem-
blance to q fish even moro striking.
In the long, swinging curve che sail
ed over the hangar and mooring mast
so high that her cabin seemed a tiny
thing, from which the heads Of her
crew peered down at the preparations
to receive them.
On the narrow walk between the
motor gondola and the ship q. me-
chanic Stood clinging to q handrail.
The ship was too high for landing,
and after @ glance at the ground crew
and the flags indicating the wind di-
rection, Col. Mobile swung out again
over the water, dotted by icebergs.
The motors picked up and drove
the ship rapidly few miles west,
then back at lower altitude.
All but one motor was halted, and
az the speed slackened, suddenly with
a. whir1- from the bow, q huge, coiled
rope whizzed down to the snow-clad d
hill. The italians, used to such work
plunged through the snow with shouts
and threw themselves on the rope,
followed by the Norwegian employees
Of the coal company and the crew of
the Heimdal, and the Norge was
brought to a. halt. Comdr Byrd Of
fered his crew for aid in the landing,
but he was told the others were suf-
! ficient.
Water Drenches Crowd.
The valves We're opened and the
Norge dropped to a hundred feet from
the ground, where her fall was check
ed by the dropping of her water bal
last. Pink from an anti-freeZing mix
ture. the water drenched those below.
In a, few moments she was hauled to
the ground and hands Of greeting
were thrust UP to the cabin windows,
where the crew leaned forth smiling.
Cant. Amundsen and Lincoln Els
worth, who had watched the opera
tions with gratified pride, hurried
down the hill and greeted Lieut..
Riser arsen and Col. Mobile, the pi-
lots. From all sides people rushed
toward the strange ship, whose like
was never before seen in the Arctic.
In a few moments the Norge was
warped into her hangar without a