Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-01

going south with Byrd he graduated from the
University OF South Wales and McGill Univer-
Sity in Canada. He will study magnetism, the
radiations Of earth and ice and sky, the south
ern aurora, the structure of the Antarctic ice
and the oceanography of Ross Sea.
DR.. Francis D. Conan of Johns Hopkins Uni
versty, the medical director of the expedition,
is charged with keeping all the men of the
expedition in the best of health fer their Cruel
ing work In spare moments he will preserve
such biological specimens as the expedition may
find.
Next to Byrd himself, possibly the most ro-
mantle and versatile member of the scientific
staff is the geologist, Prof. Lawrence M.
Gould of the University of Michigan. This
wavy-haired, jolly young scientist is a veteran
OF two Arctic expeditions, on which he studied
the geology of Bafin Land and Greenland. As
sisted by John S. O'Brien, the expeditions sur
veyor, Gould will map the geological finds and
verify the geographic discoveries of the airmen
When Byrd, on landing his men and supplies
atop the lee of Ross Barrier, saw how Prof
Gould could work and at the same time act as
good-natured Simon Legree" over the other
men, he put Gould in charge Of laying cut the
metropolis of Little America. Then he made
Gould second in command
Gould is now in the midst of his big task as
leader of the sledging expedition which set
out early in October to blaze trail southwark
from Little America. Goulds men are setting
up caches of food, fuel and oil at intervals of
about 100 miles, which will be invaluable when
the main body of the expedition starts to push
on toward the Pole.
The sledging party's work is expected to be
finished in January when about 500 miles will
have been covered. Meanwhile the advances
party keeps in touch with Little America by
means of the radio.
CoMDR. Byrd himself, virginian gentleman
Of distinguished family is one Of the finest
sportsmen in the world Quiet, low-voiced
smiling modest and generous he is the hero
OF romantic adventure come to life. No
where else outside the pages of Alger and Henty
Burt L. Standish and Dumas, can one find
man who so stirs men to great deeds.
In his youth, slender and shy, he was scorn-
fully taunted as "Dickie Byrd" a name that
quickly came to be term Of affection for
the dashing hero Of Annapolis foot ball. When
as quarterback he carried the ball across the
goal line and wen the game against the Army,
they tried to give all the credit to him.
Comdr. Fitzhugh Green, U. S. N, himself a
distinguished explorer, tells of Byrd's reaction
You showed 'em. fellow" cheered the proud
naval cadets as they pounded Quarterback Byrd
on his slender shoulders.
'ves," said Byrd quietly, but had 10 good
men to keep EN- eff. didn't ~"
Il is just that thoughtfulness and admiration
for his teammates that has brought Byrd many
OF his medals and a large share Of his citations.
When one of his men is in danger Byrd is the
fiTst man to reach him.
Scarcely had the Byrd expedition ships tied
up to the Ross Barrier and begun unloading
when the edge of the ice cliff broke eff and fell
into the sea. One man fell onto the ice cakes
below, according to the New York Times report,
and was quickly hauled up line thrown
him by the men with whom he had been work.
ing. The other man, Aviation Mechanic Benja-
min Roth, was thrown into the icy water and
swept out to sea. Comdr. Byrd heard the COM
motion, graSped the situation in a second and
sped for the rail, only to be held back by two
of his men who feared Byrd would lose his life.
BY the time Byrd had broken loose and
scrambled from the City of New York over to
the Eleanor Boiling. ice blocks had swirled be-
tween the ships and the disappearing mechanic.
The heroic commander never hesitated a mo-
ment. He dove over the rail and landed in the
ice-flled water of Ross Sea. Through the ice
he struggled for 10 minutes toward Roth, until