The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-10-11
Commanders Trip Through
the Antarctic Is Adventure
Combined With Scientific
Exploration; Hand Picked
Group Boards Norwegian
Whaler
San Pedro. Calf. Oct. 11.-(A'

Gan euro, OdllI., OcC. I1.-(AF)
the trail that always has
called him Commander Richard E.
Byrd today was bound for the bot
tom OF the earth in search of adven-
ture fused with scientific explora-
ton. ~
Away at last on his long planned
expedition the antarctic the com.
mander and the remainder of his
hand-picked followers were aboard
the Norwegian whaler C. A. Lar.
sen, bound for New Zealand, COM
mon rendezvous for the four ships
that later this year will push on
down into the antarctic circle.
Ross sea was the immediate objec-
tive of the commander, who later
hopes to cross the south pole by air
IN the same manner he and the late
Floyd Bennett reached the North
Pole. More important in the an
nounced plans of the Byrd expedi-
ton, however, was long, intensive
study Of the antarctic that may keen
the party exiled in the icy wastes
Tor two years or more.
Harbor Bo0ms Farewell
Westward with the setting sun the
giant whaler, last Of the vessels ia
leave American waters, slipped
through Harbor Channel last night
amid a bedlam Of farewells from
whistling harbor craft and crowds
that lined the piers. The shrill
whistle OF street cars was even
raised in sending forth godspeed ia
the explorers. Frequently the $4,000
ton whaler gave back a booming an
swer.
Modern communication methods
made it possible for the commander
to have farewell talks with his
mother, Mrs. R. E. Byrd, in Winches.
ter, Va, and his brother, Governor
Harry Byrd at Richmond, Va. The
telephone company had brought q
special line aboard ship to make this
possible.
As the boat threw off its lines, il
slipped away from the dock withou,
the commander. A moment previ.
ously he had stepped ashore for an.
other farewell word with his wife
She had accompanied him to the
dock an hour before and waited II
an automobile until he had boarded
the ship. Smilingly she refused K
pose for the army Of cameramer
who had been striving to snap q pic.
ture OF the couple together.
Bids Wife Goodbye
The last leave taking was 4 simpl,
hAndclasp, an exchange OF stead,
looks and . few words. Then eaci
turned to their jobs--Byrd's two q
even three years Of "filline in tn,
blank spaces Of the map" and hi,
wires the keeping Of their Bosto,
home for his return.
A speed boat was pressed int,
service by Commander Byrd to over
take the big whaler and Ne VA
hauled to the deck over the ster1
which hung low in the water witt
the boats 10000 ton CARO-.
Searchlights Of the battle flee
blinked their good wishes and Com
n1ander Byrd watched them a. the,
flashed code messages.
Members Of Byrd's party include,
Harold !. June, Bernt s. Balchen an,
Dean Smith, airp1sne pilots; E. j
Demas, K. F. Bubier, Jeremiah a,
Cecca, airplane mechanics; MART,
Rome, Sailmaker; Richard J. Bro
ply, business manager: RAIN
Shropshire, photographer; Captail
Alton Parker, u. s. M. G. aviator
Sergeant BENJAMIN Rother. mechan
ic; Russell Owen, New York newspa
perman; William vanderveer. photo
grapher, and Charles Loferen, secre
tAry.