Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-27
BYRD DESCRIBES
PASSAGE IN ICE
,CompasSeS Are useless So
Z Near Magnetic Pole, So
3 Bark Follows Radio.
BY REAR ADMIRAL RE. BYRD,


COMMANDING Byrd Antarctic Expedition.
ABOARD THE BARK CITY OF
NEW YORK, at Sea, Thursday, Febru-
airy 27.-At last we are through the
main ice pack, and nothing but open
water between us and home. You may
be sure that am most thankful to be
able TO report to my mems families,
those heroes back home, that their
men are safely through the perils of
the Antarctic
We are now heading for the great
whaling factory, Kosmos, to put aboard
an appendicitis patient. The KosmoS
lies about 100 miles west of the route
we followed through the ice pack.
The sun has not been out for several
days, so that 1t is impossible for any
Of the ships to know exactly where they
are. The situation Is further compli-
Gated because here over to the west
ward We are so near the magnetic pole
that the compasSes on all the ships
have gone bad at this particular time
and the sun compass cannot be used
without the sun,
Radio Points Way.
II may seem strange that have said
that without the sun and with our
magnetic compaSses unreliable we are
heading for the Kosmos, whose posi-
ton is even more uncertain. The an
swer, however. is simple. With our
radio direction finding apparatus We
are able to head exactly for the Kosmos
no matter what the error of the COM
pass may be.
As I write this message see some
dense black smoke over the horizon,
which is probably one of the small
whale chasers working out from her
mother ship.
Yesterday afternoon a northern spur
Of the ice pack barred our way to the
KosnnoS. II was very thick, hard, I'M
deFhung ice and as We fought our way
through it, I could easily understand
why nearly all the whaling factories
were partially disabled this year and
why for the first time in the history of
their operations they have had to
whale north of the ice pack, instead
OF south of it.
Day before yesterday some of the ice
We had to come through was tightly
packed together, with slush ice between
the foes. This sluSh ice had already
begun to freeze in places. and calm
cold weather would very probably be-
fore long have cemented the pack into
q solid sheet, which the City of New
York with her small power would have
been unable to get through.
Wind Pushes Bark Through.
In fact we were making very slow
progress and at times were stuck, when
a strong wind Sprang up directly
astern. We hoisted sail and so added
greatly to the power Of the City OF
New York so that she plowed her way
steadily through the ice.
Yesterday I received q radio that
the last whaler that was in Mt condi-
ton to come to our assistance had
been 50 injured when she got into the
edge Of the pack ice that she would
have been unable to render us any as
sistance II we had got caught in the
pack.
inch timbers, has proved herself TO
be q very stanch ship, for she has stood
many terrific blows from jagged ice
edges.
It is remarkable that q wooden ship
built In 1882 could be so well preserved
She can certainly Withstand great ice
pressure, and considering her low horse
power and very small size, she has Tar
exceeded our expectations.
Two Long Arms Of Ice.
Last night, after We came OUT OF the
main pack, two long arms Of 1t stretch
ing far to the north were encountered.
For several hours the ship rammed her
vav through one of the fields, which
was several miles wide. 1t was COM
posed Of very heavy ice, broken. how
ever, and separated. so that the City OF
New York was able to force her way
through.
Occasionally the ship brought up
with q crash that shook the maSts.
After leaving this stretch Of pack the
City of New YORK emerged into calm
water covered with slush and newly
formed pancake ice, but with good
wind her speed was not greatly re-
duced and she soon ran out into the
clear sea.
That was the last ice to be encoun-
tered and it is not likely that any more
will be met.
The Eleanor Boiling probably VIII be
reached some time this afternoon.
CThe Boiling, Admiral Byrds sup
ply ship, was reported late Tuesday,
New York time, about 100 miles west
Of the City Of New York;
(Copyrisft, 1890. by the New York Times
Co. and the st. Louis Post-DiSpRtch. AL
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