Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-05
BYRD IS MAR0ONED
BY ICE FOR WINTER
Both Ships, OFF for Supplies,
Unable to Return
to Base.
BY RUSSELL OWEN.

BY Radio to The Star and the New York
Times. via Robert Dollar Co.'S Mussel Rock,
San Francisco, Radio Station.
LITTLE AMERICA, Antarctica, March
3.-The past few days have been days
of great anxiety. The ice formed much
quicker than usual in the Ross Sea this
year. and the bark City of New York
Comdr. Byrd's flagship. which left bkfe
on Washingtons birthday. hadtG des-
perate battle to reach a pssition of
comparative safety.
She plowed her way through the
heavy pack and masses@of new ice for
three days until she~reached open water
A severe storm added to the difficulties
OF the City of New York and she was
coated with ice until 1t had to be
chopped away to prevent her rudder
and propeller, as well as her rigging,
from becoming one solid mass.
The steamship Eleanor Boiling, the
expeditions supply vessel, also has been
turned back by the ice and will not
reach us this season, but, fortunately
we have everything that is needed until
she can come through next year. In
cludirg gasoline for the polar flight and
a number of flights OF exploration.
Seals Make Up Meat Supply. ..
The fresh meat she would have
added to our supply has been made up
by killing seals, and we will soon have
enough not only for ourselves, but also
for the dogs.
Even If the Eleanor Boiling could
have made her way through the pack
and the new ice in the Ross Sea, she
would have been stopped by the ice
which has filled the bay and continues
unbroken to the northward as far as
can be seen from the plane which went
up two days ago to spot seals.
1t was a great disappointment to
Capt. Gustav Brown and the crew OF
the Eleanor Boiling. Comdr Byrd had
always looked upon this second trip as
only a possibility and therefore had
everything necessary brought down on
the first voyage.
Browns Plea to Go Through.
The way Capt. Brown and his men
felt about it and their loyalty to Comdr.
Byrd and the expedition is shown by
the appealing message the commander
received when he ordered the Eleanor
Boiling back. It read as follows:
Your very sad message received.
Sorry not to 60 through. All hands
raring to 60. We have not seen any
ice SO far and why don't you let me
try?
"You know the experts said before
that 1t was impossible to go to the Bay
of Whales. Would depot at SCOTS
Winter quarters In McMurdo Sound do?
ME and my original gang will go to
hell for you. BROWN"
Byrd's Reply to Jealous Skipper.
Then Comdr. Byrd sent this message
in reply to Capt. Brown:
Il know exactly how you feel, old
fellow. If I wanted some one to sail
me through the gates of hell. would
ask for you and your crew, Tor l know
If any one could accomplish 1t you could.
and you wouldn't be afraid to try it
either.
But this place is about as cold as
the other is hot, and it is almost GER
tainty that should you bring the Eleanor
Boiling down this way you would get
frozen In somewhere along the course
and lose the ship, because the Ross Sea
is frozen over to the northward here.
II well know how hard this Is for you.
bit we must face this disappointment
and make the most of 1t. because 1t
would be inexcusable in me to take such
big chance on you and your men when
no real emergency exists down here.
BEST wishes, old fellow. and be
assured that / appreciate your radio
very much, for know that you would
do anything for the success OF the
CONTINUED on Page II, Column A.