Evening star., 1928-12-04
byrd TRIMS SHIP
TO BATTLE GALES
Wind Freshens as Polar
Craft Drive Into Storm
Area of Antarctic.
BY RUSSELL OWEN.

BY RUSSELL OWEN.
to the New York Times and The
ON BOARD THE BARK CITY OF
NEW YORK AT SEA, December A.
Under a sullen gray sky, with the winds
freshcning as it crawls around toward
the southwest, the home Of gales,
Comdr. Byrd's ships are rolling their
way southwark toward the ice. The
sting of it in the air today and streaRs
of wind-whipped fog show that it is not
far off.
So far We have made excellent time.
After the light wind of the first day,
when the Eleanor Boiling did a good
deal Of work in towing, the wind hauled
around to the north and blew hard for
several hours until the City of New
York was making 8 knots and did not
need any help at all. She made The
Eleanor Boiling hustle to keep ahead
of her as, under sail and steam both,
she plowed through the heavy Swells.
But today the wind again backed
around to the south and the sails were
taken in while the Eleanor Boiling
again did the bulk of the work. Now
it looks as though We were in for one
Of those gales which blow overheard
everything that is not lashed and make
the passage anything but pleasant.
Prove Their Worth AlOft.
The old City of New York is now
swaying heavily, but is proving herself
again an excellent sea boat and the
men aboard her. most of them expert
enced sailors, have shown that they are
ready to tackle anything that comes
along.
Yesterday Kennard F. Dubier. air
plane mechanic, went aloft to help set
the sails, hanging on by his teeth and
eyebrows, and Paul A. Siple, the Boy
Scout, has proved himself a corking
sailorman.
If Siple's fellow Boy Scouts could see
him now. hanging over yard by his
middle, heels swinging in the air and
clawing beneath him at sail, they
might not envy his being chosen quite
so much. He is dirty and unkempt, but
he smiles and works all the time.
Young E. j. Demas, also an airplane
mechanic, has been aloft, but mostly
the airplane men help in steering,
where they outrage Capt. Melville's
soul by calling two right" and three
left" instead of port" and "starboard."
The view ahead is hidden from the
helmsman by a pile amidship and the
deckhouse.
Dogs Ring Byrd's Cabin.
Comdr. Byrd's quarters are surround
ed on three sides by bowling dogs and
some are even on top.
Igloo, the commanders dog, for the
first time in his life is content to stay
inside the cabin and not try to run the
ship. Too many and too big dogs are
outside for Iggie. who is being discreet.
All day long the men have been busy
lashing the gear on deck, getting ready
for the blow which is sure to come
before the ice is reached. The weather
so far has been unusually favorable,
but the wind is beginning to pick up
now and will probably blow harder.
Comdr Byrd is anxious to reach the
ice pack as soon as possible, because
he expects it will take some time to
get through and he wishes to take
advantage of the first chance Of its
breaking up
So far everything indicates that the
ice has been heavy, but that it is still
far to the south. This may mean that
there will be less of it to go through,
but at the best, the ice conditions are
uncertain.
AS the wind freshens rapidly more
men are swarming up to the main top
sail yard to fllrl the sail and secure
1t, because the wind is too much ahead
for us to sail and keep our course.
Even willard Van Der Veer, the
movieman, and Benny Roth, the Army
mechanic. are climbing up to help. The
foreyards are all cluttering with anna
teur sailors-Frank T. Davies, the physi-
cist, looking weird in glasses and OIL
skins the long-legged pilot, Dean
Babe" Smith, and Jacob Bursey, the
seaman dog-driver.>
Comdr Byrd himself has gone up to
lend hand. They may not be the
greatest sailors in the world, but they
are strong on spirit.
1t looks as If we might be going to
catch it bit as the wind is beginning
to whine and the ship laborS more as
the sea begins to break. 1t has come
up inside half an hour, which shows
how quickly storms begin to build up
in this part of the world.
Byrd Replies to Premier.
Comdr. Byrd today replied to the
message Of farewell from Prime Minis
ter Coates of New Zealand, saying:
"On behalf of the Byrd Antarctic
expedition, thank you for your kind
telegram.
with sail set for the Antarctic, we
are carrying along memories of de-
lightful visit to shores of your country
and the hospitality of your people.
You have our deep and everlasting
gratitude for your offer of further as
sistance should the occasion arise and
for all the courtesies your government
has extended"
Copyright. 1928. bv the New York Times
Co and the St Louis Post-Dispatch. All
rights for publication reserved throughout
the world.)