Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-02
TWO GOOVERBOARD
AS CAVE:-lN OF ICE
RAMS BYRD SHIP
One Falls Into Icy Water,
Other Clutches Rope Over
Cliff-Both Saved.
COMMANDER GOES AFTER
MAN UNABLE TO SWIM
Leaps, Lightly Clad, From Vessel
Despite Efforts of Aides
to Restrain Him.
BY Russell OWEN.


BY Radio to The Star.
LITTLE AN1E>.>CA, Antarctica, Feb.
ruary / (By Wire.ess) The wardroon
OF the New York was jolly place last
night. Men were writing their last
letters home, mail was being stamped
In few hours the Boiling, tied between
us and the barrier edge, was to start
back for New Zealand. Nearly 400 tons
of supplies had been put ashore in four
days. 1t has been dangerous, hercu-
lean task.
Comdr. Byrd knew the danger he
faced when he chose this cove in the
barrier as the only possible place to
land heavy material after the bay ice
broke. 1t was chance he had to take
with a reasonable probability of success
and he took it. In few hours the
ships could have backed away from
this ice wall which in places had been
crumbling.
Jar Shakes Ship.
There was a crunching jar which
shook the ship and the New York heel
ed over to port with Sickening lurch
Ones heart stood still for a moment
There was a cry, THE barrier has
broken" and on deck men were calling,
Commander, commander"
As the ship reeled under them those
below in the New York leaped for the
companionway. They could not see
what had happened, or how serious was
the break. Were the ships overwhelmed
by one of those massive mountains of
ice which sometimes thunder down into
the sea? Would the next wound be the
rushing Of water into the open matches?
We're we sinking? These thoughts
swept through the minds of the men
crowding at each Others heels UP the
steps.
Stunned by Sight.
They burst forth on the deck and for
q moment were stunned by the sight
which confronted them. The Boiling
was listed far to starboard as If about
to turn over under the crushing blow
she had received. Both ships, heeling
In opposite directions were being thrust
out into the bay by q blow Of irresistible
power--a blow which tore ice anchors
loose as II they had been straws. A
man hung on rope from the edge Of
the broken cliff, swinging helplessly
under snow overhang. The head of
another bobbed among smashed snow
and large ice cakes which swept rapidly
past the stern.
A sorry figure in gray shirt came
running aft and as he saw the man
below calling Come and get me" he
leaped the taffrail. It was Dick" Byrd,
anguished at the thought that one of
his men was in that mass of swirling,
jamming ice. only few feet away, but
utterly helpless.
I'm coming. Bennie." he called.
Refuse to Let Byrd Jump.
Two of his men grabbed Byrd and
refused to let him jump. Berkner and
Peterson were tearing at life preserver
on the rail, which they finally flung far
out, but Byrd saw that Roth could not
reach 1t.
HE can't swim. can get him. Let
CO." pleaded Byrd. They held him all
the tighter until he persuaded them
that he would not jump If they re-
leased him. When they let go Of his
belt he ran to the side of the ship
leaped across the wide gap between
the two ships and landed on the Boil
ing. This time he ran aft. and, before
any one could reach him, he had
plunged into the ice-filled water, water
which chilled to the bone.
"Ship Is Sinking" Heard.
Men had tumbled up on deck from
the forecastle, where they had been eat
ing supper and some one had shouted
''this ship is sinking" It seemed for q
moment as though the Boiling was
crushed, SO far over did she go undel
the pressure of hundreds of tons thrust
against her sides. The break had been
exactly where the ship had been moored
where the big Ford fuSelage had been
lifted out only two hours before, where
the ice was about 25 feet high.
The smash had been terrific and the
tossing mass of ice and snow had showed
the ships far out until they were held
only by a bowline. They moved 9
ships length in a few seconds. Roth hac
been on the barrier near the edge with
Harrison, who hung on the line over the
edge; Mcpherson, chief engineer Of ths
Boiling: Thawley Cowan, Boehning ant
TafTy Davis, Physician. He had fell
the ice sink under him and was hurlet
far out.
AS he fought his way to the surfac'
his only thought was whether the ici
was over him, for II it was he knew
he would drown as he could not swim
But when he came up 1t was to fin'
himself just outside the edge of tn
largest pieces which swept down on hin
and pushed him rapidly past the ship
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