Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-28
ANTARCI|CA NIGHT
PAIL FELT BY BYRD
Fuel Excavated From Snow
as Sun Sinks Lower
on Horizon.
BY RUSSELL OWEN.

~ Radio to The star and New York Times.
LITTLE AMERICA, Antarctica,
March 27.-The gray twilight that
comes before the Winter night is
settling down. over Antarctica. The
sun rises only a short distance above
the horizon and is of a discouraged
yellow which gives little heat
But most of the outside work Of the
Byrd expedition for this season is done.
and in few weeks more, when the
sun dips behind the barrier for the
last time and our days are marked by
the pale glow of stars and moon or
the bowling drive of the wind, there
will be shelter for every one and rooms
where we may work or read and pass
the days Of darkness In comfort.
Today there is strong wind blow
ing and snow drifting. A holiday has
been declared in order that tired
muscles may be rested and energy re-
newed for the last days of hard work
A man gets tired much more quickly
down here, so much vitality is expended
in resisting the cold.
For three months the men of the
expedition have worked as they would
never have worked under normal con-
ditions. building a home and hauling
all the bulky and heavy material which
accompanies aviation. Il has been a
herculean task.
Plane Housed in Snow Dusouts.
The Fairchild plane, the stars and
Stripes Is buried for the Winter In
house OF snow blocks and the Ford, the
Floyd Bennett, will be tucked away on
the next quiet day.
The day she made her last fight the
wings of the Fairchild craft were fold
ed and she was pushed into hole
in the snow. Then snow blocks were
piled all around her up to the top Of
the fuselage, so that the plane rests
In sort Of snow fort.
The tarpaulin was put across the
top and the plane was made as secure
as IL run into hangar and the door
locked. The wind can blow now With
out iniuring her.
chine has been put IN place and the
wing motors hung before putting it
away In q dugout Of its own.
Yesterday the last of the Barrier
cache was brought In. This was some
Of the material taken ashore while the
supply ship Eleanor Boiling lay along
side the Barrier, and 1t has gradually
been hauled toward camp when wealth
er permitted.
All Gasoline and Coal In.
The last drums of gasoline and last
bags of coal were brought In yester-
day after they had been excevated
from under tons Of snow, and It was
with signs Of relief that the men drop
ped into chairs when they returned at
night. 49,.
camp has been collected and placed
in one big pile, of which house will
be constructed. Then It will be both
accessible and protected.
The weather has been less tickle this
last week and the days have been clear
and cold. At night now we have beau-
tifully tinted sunsets, and, while they
linger In the West, the full moon comes
up in the East, brilliant and elongated
moon of unfamiliar countenance.
II finally occurred to some Of US that
we were looking at 1t upside down. the
reason being that we are ourselves up-
side down at the bottom OF the world.
Imagine tiny person standing on the
top Of an orange looking at an object
some distance away. And then place
that same person at the bottom Of his
orange world with his head down and
his feet up and our position relative
to the moon can be understood.
90 far, we haven't fallen on; for
which we are grateful to the force Of
gravity.
copyrisht. 1899, By the New York Tines 90:
for publication reserved throushout the
world)