Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-29
BYRD BELIEVED
OVER SOUTH POLE
PeriIouS Mountains Fail to
Halt Flight for Goal at
Bottom of World.
Continued From First Pageo

IN temperatures far below zero.
The tiny tables on which he will do
his navigating were in place and his
Instruments the sextant securely in its
case. the compass lashed in a corner
Ghere it is free from deviation.
The radio operator, his chunky figure
flso wrapped in fur, face smiling above
the thrust back hood with its rim of soft
brown fur, had tested his instruments,
made sure that all the means OF keep
ing not only the anxious men here at
the base, but those at home, informed
Of the planes movements, were in good
condition.
The aerial surveyor had placed his
bulky camera. with its paraphernalia.
over which he will work so rapidly until
the plane comes back One must work
quickly and without mistake on such a
flight, mind and fingers co-Ordinated
perfectly that there be no hesitation or
lost moments which can never be filled
in.
Engines Warmed by Torches.
The engines were warmed by torches
placed under long shouts that reached
down from the canvas castings about the
entire motor. They were made the past
Winter, carefully made. so that they
would do the work safely and in the
quickest possible time.
One by one they were removed and
mechanics with a long crank turned
the inertia starter. spinning 1t faster
and faster until it whined with a Shrill
sound.
they jumped back. one of them
thrust home the starting pin which en-
gagged the motor. and with few jerky
movements Of the propeller the cylin-
ders caught and reared.
Soon all three engines were turning
over smoothly. and Balchen was sitting
in the cockpit his face tense and
watchful opened them wider and wider
until the whole plane shook and trem-
bled under their pull. He thTOttled
them down to idling speed, slowly tested
them again at various speeds, and when
not a cough or miss in the smoothly
whirling mass of machinery showed
that they were functioning perfectly he
nodded his head and smiled.
1t was a smile of deep satisfaction:
the rhythm of those Shrieking masses OF
steel and aluminium was q music which
gave him an inner content too great
for words. On them his life and the
lives of those with him might depend;
but even beyond this knowledge there
is TO be noticed in all men who love the
air and know their motors feeling that
might almost be called artistic.
To them an airplane in perfect condi-
ton is q well-tuned instrument, with
definite and true note.
known Weather Conditions Good.
Everything was ready. Byrd talked
for a few moments with Cyclone tWI-
liam c. Haines, the senior meterologist,
and with the indications that the wealth.
er was fair for a long distance inland
and report from the geological party
that there were no disturbances where
it was, everything possible was known.
What conditions might be over the
plateau was set to be learned. That
was an unknown quantity, the one thing
on which Comdr. Byrd must gamble, al
though If the weather is bad, he can
land at the inland base and wait for the
skies over the plateau to clear.
There was q short conference between
him and the crew. Let's go" was every
ones feeling. They were eager to be on,
every man of them showing it in his
face, his quick movements, his preoccu-
pied expression.
There were few handshakes, for Byrd,
like most pilots, dislikes last-minute
fareWell6; pats on the back Tor the Oth-
ers and the furred and bulky figures
climbed into the plane. The door was
slammed
The pilot waved his hand and opened
his throttles wide to break the plane
loose from the snow, while mechanics In
the wind blast, the snow whirling about
its smother, looSened the skis of the
heavy machine and it jerked forward
and slipped smoothly over the ground.
Carefully II was turned and TAXED up to
one end Of the field.
The flying field lies in a sort of
hollow, a long, fairly level surface. with
the scattered materials of the camp and
its Snow-buried houses on one side and
on the other q long slope. This was
apparently at one time an identation
in the barrier, a sort of bay and it has
been built up through the years until
now it is 80 feet above the water. but
still some distance below the top Of the
barrier.
At the end OF the runway. although
beyond where the plane leaves the
ground was a line of "haycocks." The
whole field cleaned under the sun,
dappled in patches Of gray and cream
color where the snow lay soft or blown
hard and crushed by the wind A few
little ridges. only inches high. ran
across 1t. throwing gray shadows in the
line OF the general wind direction.
Turns and Is on to South.
At the end Of the field on the side
of a slope up TO the edge Of the barrier
the plane was turned about and Bal
chen opened her up. The motors burst
into q crescendo OF sound from q low
growl to 3 tIeep-tearing note. The pro-
pellers flashed in circles of fire as the
sun hit their invisible blades.
The plane began to move and the
group of men standing on the snow
oblNious to cold, watched like statues
Faster and faster the great machine
shot forward. its wing dipping slightly
as the skis met inequalities in the sur
face.
II seemed an age, although it wal
but q few moments before it was slid
ing with terrific speed and so smoothly
that it was almost imperceptible. The
skis lifted and a small space showed
between them and the snow.
Then the big ship leaped into life
and despite its heavy load, soon lifted
high above the field and a hill be-
You'd
A long smooth glide outward ant
then a slow turn. The great wing grew
smaller. the sound of the motors
mufded hum out Of the sky. II dimin
ished rapidly against the clear blu
above it. became thin dark line, grace
full as a soaring gull. and then, as eye
strained after it. it vanished into tn
silent south.
Copyright. 1929. by the New York Time
Co and the st. Louis Post-Dispatch. A
rights for publication reserved throuShou
the world)
IADkNEcE mentioned