Evening star., 1928-12-01
BYRD TRIMS SHIP
FOR SAILING TODAY
City of New York, Loaded to
GunWaIes, Will Depart in
Teeth of Gale.
BY RUSSELL OWEN.

By Wireless to The Star and the New York
Times.
DUNEDIN, New Zealand, December
LIN few hours the City of New
York will pull out from this port to
meet a gale, which is blowing outside,
and start its long trip to the Antarctic
IN true wet fashion. No boat was ever
SO loaded as this one. She is down to
the load line and stuff is still coming
aboard Every possible foot of space is
filled. The salon Is so full that one
cannot get into it at all and Doc Conan
and / are wondering If we can get
through In time to close the port and
save our stuff. But loaded as she is,
Capt Melville still swears that she will
float like a duck.
No one who has not seen this de-
parture can visualize the dramatic and
exciting sequences. All day long cranes
have been dropping things on board
two houses, crates of planes, foodstuffs.
dogs (who are yelping now in an un-
happy chorus and making things just
a little more hectic). The midship
deck is loaded so high that the main
sail may have to be reefed in order to
set it at all. When one tries to go
below it is almost inpossible-one
StumbleS over cases and sacks and
bundles at every turn.
There was every expectation that she
would sail this afternoon, but unavoid-
able delays prevented. She will prob
ably start at daylight tomorrow. That
is 4 am. (about pm. Saturday, New
York tirne).
1000 Spectators Present.
Outside on the dock at least 1000
persons are huddled behind police lines
watching men sweat and steam over
getting things aboard. No expedition
ever had more loyal and hard-working
men with it. To watch them one would
think that they were working for the
greatest prize in the world instead of
almost paying for the privilege of going
to land where they will suffer and
be numerically punished for the sake
of scientific exploration.
This thought was always in the
minds of those who watched the load
ing today and one could not but feel
that with crew like this every situa-
ton could be met, no matter how great
test. They are wonderful men and
Comdr. Byrd smiles a beaning coun-
tenance upon them as he overlooked the
confusion and realizes how thoroughly
his men are behind him. Whatever
is before them they will give their ut
most and cannot help but come through.
Ready to Cast OFF.
Balchen, June and the other pilots
are helping Melville stow cases and
houses on the midship deck, drums of
gasoline are singing up the side and
finding places where there is no roonl
then joking as they see before them
night whit no place to sleep When the
lines are cast off the ship of the Byrd
expedition will start on journey which
has always been severe handicap to
every expedition which has been South.
But no group of men ever started
off with higher hearts or more enthus-
iastic optimism. The long days of wait
ing are over. the work Is about to start
and although there is no place to sleep,
no rest in sight for days, nobody cares
and every one is happy.
The universal word on board is
"skoal," the Norwegian word of good
cheer. The great adventure is about to
start.
Copyright, 1928, by the New York Times
Co and the st. Louis PoSt-DiSpatch. All
rights for publication throushout the world)