Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-20

aware of our position, which we were
able to determine only when the mist
lifted with the rising sun.
Iceland Fishers Never Quit.
It is difficult to describe the weird
ness of continual daylight, of sighting
q new country, having small farms,
green meadows, beautiful and enormous
panSieS and peoples, and over all the
atmosphere Of fishing, the chief indus
try Of the island. Despite Winter gales
and storms and darkness, the trawlers
are out on the fishing grounds every
day of the year.
We went by auto to Thingvalla, about
so miles east of Reykjavik, a beautiful
valley. where in $50 the first Parliament
of the world was organized.
nearby shallow lake still retains the
name which signifies drowned woman,
! the penalty meted out to female crimi-
nails in the early days. Walking out
over the lava fields, the hot sun soon
had our GOATS off. In the deep crevasses
the clear and smooth water pools took
on unpaintable colors of blue, turquoise,
| sapphire and the rest.
In one place, called the reserve treas
ury of Iceland" coins of all realms could
be seen gliStening against the dark
rocks of the bottom. We added some
from the United States, Signifying our
interest and support of Iceland and her
principles.
China Wrestlers Rough.
Several tourist steamers arrived at
| Reykjavik while we were there, and we
witnessed special exhibition of Ice
landic wrestling, called the "glima."
The wreStIerS stand facing each other
each gripping the others harness, which
consists of belt around the waist and
strap around each thigh. The winner
| must lift his opponent off his feet and
| swing him and trip him until he lands
with some part of his body touching
the hard wooden floor, the victor stand
ing clear. A bout never lasts very long.
Once again we left port and once
more against a head wind. however,
under our own power. Heading south
toward Cape Farewell, Greenland, we
were on our way to warmer ATTITUDES.
Northern lights played around us on
several nights, and on August we
passed close to an iceberg, 400 feet long
and IS feet high, which furnished a
great thrill. This berg was somewhat
late in its migration, and its presence
and location we Immediately radioed
to the photographic Office at Wash
ington.
Airs Electricity Gauged.
During this cruise Parkinson began
making atmospheric electric observa-
tons continuously over "a hours, once
week, assisted by TorreSon. Previous
results had indicated certain facts re-
garding the diurnal variations in the
electric elements and more data were
needed.
Jones. our radio operator, had con-
tact practically every night with some
GfofinYa EanIor1I Ela0N
Germany, United States or Brazil.
We owe much to these kind friends.
the amateur radio fans in the United
States, as well as of other countries,
and wish to take this opportunity to
thank them.
You ask what we do with ourselves
on board ship all the long days and
nights. We read. study, play bridge,
five hundred, poker and nearly every
thing else.
VOyagers Keep Fit.
We have the horizontal bar for those
athletically inclined, the salt water
shower bath, and, of course, the phono-
graph, which is kept going during every
meal. Once in a great while we catch
shark or a bonita and the "tincan"
is varied with a meal of fresh fish. A
flying fish jumps on board occasionally.
but only the tail and fins remain to tell
the story after the cat has finished with
the intruder.
Then, there is always the serious work
OF the expedition which keeps us oc-
cupied during the day and frequently
into the night, for there is always some
thing to compute and to check and to
| abstract. -.
On August we occupied a station
on the edge OF the Grand Banks of
Newfoundland in the cold Labrador
stream, which at the point had a depth
OF 426 feet. At the surface the water
registered So degrees Fahrenheit, but at
depth Of only ITO feet the thermome-
ter fell to "a degrees. Two days later
we entered the Gulf Stream, changing
from Arctic woolens to temperate me-
diums and tropical shorts in "a hours.
The water surface temperature rose to
70 degrees by August 10, and there
followed many days Of fine weather.
Calm Weather Region.
On August % we reached the region
of light winds and Gains, and for IL
! days we averaged only IS miles per
day, with 81 miles the maximum run.
The engine was operated frequently
until we were forced to conserve our
supply of gasoline. Fresh water also
began to disappear rapidly and meas
ureS were taken to husband our store
| When we came to degrees north,
we decided to head for Barbados, as our
time was limited. On September 10 a
moderate gale from the southwest
! greeted us, an unusual wind for that
latitude, being preceded by peculiar
changes in the wind direction. This I'M
doubtedly was the beginning of the
terrible hurricane which devastated the
West Indies on September 10. We ar
rived at Bridgetown on September IT.,
| 81 days after leaving Reykjavik and
only days behind our schedule.
! A load of mail we found awaiting us |!
News from home, fresh food, tropical
fruits, diversion, swimming, tennis,
sightseeing filled busy fortnight.
Visits Submarine Garden.
In the beautiful, clear, blue, warm
water Of Carlisle Bay we put on the
diving helmet and walked along the
ocean floor, in the midst of schools of
marvelously colored fish, with forests
of submarine trees waving in the water
SurgeS, flower pots, baskets of shells,
jewel cases Gall of coral growths)
grottos of sapphire, trees of growing
coral with jeweled tips, the spaces be-
tween the branches filled with schools
of vari-colored fish, and the floor COW
cred with bristling, long. waving, black
Spined, sea eggs or sea nrchins.
After touring the City of Bridge
town for two hours, accompanied by
three stalwart Negro Sherlocks, search
ing for two of the sailors who had not
come on board on the day of sailing,
we slipped our mooring line through
the ring of the huge buoy, to which
we had been secured, and headed up
toward Martinique.
The next morning was clear and we
had splendid view of the island. Mont
Pelee stood out in clear outline, ex-
cept that his peak was covered with
clouds. For a few moments the clouds
lifted, as though Pelee were lifting his
hat in salute, the Jagged points of the