New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-08-21
RED FLOODED men
GOING With BYRD
Tales Of Their Lives Read
Like Conrad Fiction

New York, Aug. o1-"The south
pole? No, I've never been there.
If / had l would have declined this
berth, for there's a lot of travelin'
ian to do and a lot OF places In.
10 see before castin' anchor perma-
nently.'
That would be Mister McGuin-
MIS- speaking. The roster OF the
Byrd Antarctic Expedition has him
liated as "McGuinnis, Charles j.
but it's Mister" that he's called
aboard the City of New York, for
he is first mate OF Byrd's base
ship.
Too Bai He's kct:cent!
McGuinniS has thrown out lew
anchors during his career thus tar.
only 35 years old now, he is the
Youngest officer on the ship, but
one of the oldest according to the
scale by which adventures lives
are measured. Conrad could have
done half dozen wordy volumes
on Macs life, and probably would
have, too, if he ever had heard the
Irish seaman SPIN the yarns OF his
travels.
Mac doesn't like to talk, though.
I'm a reticent chap" he said. "A
soldier of fortune-or sailor, IL
YOU please-doesnt always care TO
chart out all his Old courses So
there are missing chapters in the
story of McGuinns, but the ones
that remain are sufficiently thrill
ing.
He was only a lad in Ireland,
When he ran away TO sea, taxing
emily growing wanderlust and
rosary his mother had given nm.
He still has both.
secured the World
On full-riggers and barks d
brigantines, he secured the world
and learned 20 know the coloriul
out of-the-way ports where the
canyas-carrying vessels piled.
As pearl fisherman in the South
Seas, he found adventures for him
self and wealth for others. Ship
wrecked in a hurricane, he and four
others put off in small boat. only
to be capsized. His companions
went west" but the lucky Irish
man reached an island and was res
cued.
McGuinnis fought for his beloved
Irish Free State for brief period,
but this patriotism and ability in
things nautical soon found happy
combination in the ticllish sJb OF
running arms from Germany into
Ireland.
Ashore in East Africa while The
World War was under way, Mac
enlisted with the british. was thr' &C
wounded, and finally was captured
by the Germans. But the sea claim
I'd him again in a few days after
his release. This time he sailed be-
.,a.n Kankok, Siam and China.
The Official Diver
With the Byrd Expedition, Nc
iinnis not only is first mate. but
the official diver for the party.
hat perilous dcscen's he may be
.r'!rd upon to make into the icy
.tels of the far south, Mac doesn I
l.uow, nor very much care.
I'm a sorry diver" he admitted,
but that just adds zest to the bust
ness
McGuinnis has a Celtic manner
ard is concise, even erud!tc Of,
speech He is one of only a few
who We're not born above Go mort
latitude, within the Arctic circle.
John Jacobson has one of those
faces you usually see only in the
movies. He is the Byrd party 5
oldest member. He's next door to
60. Jacobson is on the Byrd roster
as sailmaker.
He went to sea in his hoyhood
was spprenticed to 4 sailmaker. and
has struck to TIA calling ever since
Jacobsen knows the northern seas
as well as he knows his sails. He
was member Of the Ziegle eNpedi-
ton that attempted a dash to the
North Pole in 1904. but failed after
reaching 50 north latitude in Franz
Joseph Land.
Il am an American. no matter
where WAS born" he doomed
'ln the American navy l have spent
% years, but when they said ] was
too old, in 1925, was retired.
Me too old! Look And ia
cobsen extended two gnarled and
calloused paws with fingers ihe
hausers The commander knows
those hands can make our sails anG
our clothes.
h, n n
maybe the best ship, that ever START.
ed into the ice. We will get there
10 the pole, all right. | may be too
old for the American navy. but an
not too old for service in the ice
What happens don't care. an
young, and single; | have nothing
to Worry about"
John Numbered cut laugh tina
could be heard all the WY acros!
the Hudson river.
jacobsen served on I 1 navy YES
sells, from the barkentine hide
pendent 10 the battieship Texas. H.
was on the Old Raleigh when it free
the first shot at Manila.
ABB" seaman. recreation Expert
Jaw band leader and m1strr of th'
monographs and the player piano
th0sr are some Of the Jobs )icl
,r Ter will hold down on the liyr'
i;ion.
.aNtesn years in the navy ieft kon
VII grounded in the musica
Of men when they ar" far re
! ON bathrooms and Concer
Also, he was q members o
- North Pole - p"dtiou.
The band he has recruited from
- d's new stan will hiaze the trs
laEZ trail across the bottom of III