Evening star., 1934-04-29
NIGHT APPROACHES
BYRD EXPEDITION
Members Prepare for Four
Month Period of Win
ter Darkness.

LITTLE AMERICA, Antarctica,
April Is Delayed, ASSOCIATED Press,
via Mackay Radio) Here in this
polar village by the Bay of Whales
the Sc men of the second Byrd
Antarctic expedition are making ready
for the four month Winter night.
In the darkness of this morning the
dogs we're brought from their tunnels
and sent to retreat camp to retrieve
the last supplies cached there. The
aviators started building a new snow
hangar. A machine shop was put to-
gether.
Every day the unseen sun dips
lower and lower below the earth's
rim. Night is claiming its empire in
the south polar continent-but the
many activities of a scientific eXpe-
dition 60 on.
Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd him.
self is in a little shack more than
100 miles from here. alone with his
scientific instruments.
Little America is a fascinating
place, paradoxically modern and prim-
tive at the same time.
Scientists Conduct Study.
It has a staff of men studying IS
branches of science-including the
strength of the cosmic ray, the flight
of meteors, the thickness of the
Antarctic ice sheet, and the micro
Scopic life mysteriouSly persisting in
the waters of the Bay of Whales, un-
der conditions seemingly entirely un-
suited to life.
The comforts of civilization are in
strange contrast to the endless reaches
of snow. There is a light plant, and
wireless, tractors, airplaneS, repair
shops, hospitals for men and live stock,
library and science hall, dairy of
three cows and bull, a fully
equipped meteorological station, two
kittens, mess hall seating % that
can be converted into a theater.
Necessity has made this village self
contained. To the north lies the dark
Ross Sea. immense and ice-armored,
through which the strongest fleet in
the world could not blast its way.
Drifts Mount Roofs.
Buildings put up lately are super
imposed in way upon the first
underground village. Drifts have
already mounted to the roofs of the
new shacks. A man emerging from
these catacombS sees gaunt outlines
OF masts, antenna, skis and roofs
in a blizzard he sees nothing at all
above ground, except the rushing
white gloom.
Within, everything is snug and
cosy. The men live in the old ad-
ministration building, mess hall and
library. The new buildings form the
heart of Little America.
The first expedition constructed its
buildings in holes dug in the snow
TO get them out of the reach of the
wind. This time, however. it was
decided to- bui.d them on the surface
and let the drifts bury them. This
has already happened.
The new structures lie lengthWiSe in
'To parallel lines that run roughly
east and West-they include a science
hall and two shacks used as an OBJ
servatory and quarters for the biology
staff. The new mess hall is Is by
80 by 712 feet with a fiat roof and
space for a projection booth. Twenty
ACSI away, dLlO lOllllCIlCO NY a
is the new science hall. one part of
which houses the library.
Tunnel System Intricate.
Another narrow 4-foot. tunnel leads
to the radio shack-of about the
same size as the mess hall. Twelve
feet away is the COW barn. 20 feet
long, Is feet wide and feet high.
The system of tunnels is intricate.
Its main part is wide passage con-
Meeting the science building and the
mess hall. Smaller branches extend
in many direction from it and are
linked, where possible, with food boxes
In one part beyond the COW barn is
an amazing underground community
where 122 full-grown huskies and
seven pups live in wooden cells. The
darkness there Is a strange combina-
ton of the clanking of chains the
bedlam of barking and the stencil of
seal meat.