Evening star., 1935-01-20

triangle. Ine DaSe reSJeQ OH LltIle
America and the southwestern tip
of Edsel Ford Range. The apex rested
In the unknown at latitude 8l05 s.,
longitude 1860 W., approximately
half way between the coast Of Marie
Byrd Land and the Queen Maud
Range.
The course RECOMMENDED itself for
these reasons: It would strike at
the heart of the white space holding
the fate Of the supposed strait and
search out half the front through
which 1t might cut: 1t would deter
mine the trend Of the newly discovered
plateau; it would indicate whether
or not Marie Byrd Land were an archi-
pelago or distinct epicontinental
mass separated from the mainland by
ice traits or an integral reach Of the
continent; and, finally, 1t would bring
the base line Of this flight track in
coincidence with the limit Of vision
of that of December S, 1929.
The flight crew comprised the chief
pilot, the copilot, Bowlin: Navigator
Rawson, Chief Radio Operator
Bailey and myself. Leaving Little
America, we first ran down the south
eastern leg of the triangle to the
apex. Then we ran northward into
the Edsel Ford Range at longitude
146.27 w., latitude 77.30 s., which
put us about % miles east and trifie
north of Mount Grace Mckinley.
New Peaks Seen.
Then, rising some 11.000 feet above
the Edsel Ford Range, we were struck
by the massing Of peaks to the north
east. It was as If a giant hand had
streWn them there like so many peb-
bles. They streamed eastward and 1t
seemed possible that these mountains
skirted the continental front to form
Q link In the Andean chain.
Most fascinating of all, at the apex
Of our triangle, at point where the
belt Of crevasses traversing the 81st
parallel slithered on to form a curl
ously arrested white whirlpool at
what appeared to be the foot Of the
plateau, we found q definite depres-
sion. We sounded the elevation with
the planes altimeter-a trick We
later used to excellent advantage
and found 1t to be only 400 feet.
nearly 1000 feet below the highest
known elevation Of the plateau. From
what we had seen there was strong
reason to believe that If the transcon-
tinental strait did exist 1t must lie
there.
That was only the beginning Of the
matter. Next day. the weather hold
ing good, I dispatched June, Bowlin.
Rawson. Aerial Mapping Cameraman
Pelter and Bailey on a reconnaissance
flight to assist the tracOrs which were
dangerously begged in crevaSSes at
latitude 8105 s., longitude 1870 w.
Besides seeking a safe passage for the
tractors, they were instructed to make
brief southing and find out, II they
could, what lay south Of the depres-
sion. Clouds and gales drove them
back at latitude 8l.20 S., longitude
ISL w., before they had an opportun-
ity to make extensive explorations.
The point at which they turned was
approximately 43 miles west and Is
miles south Of the apex Of the tri-
angle. The surface there seemed to
be rising.
Into Marie Byrd Land.
Because the weather Is least ia
vorable in that quater, at the next
fair spell we shifted our attack to the
east in order to close our operations
in that critical area before the rise
Of the fogs and clouds Of Summer.
November 10 June, Bowlin, Rawson,
Pelter and Cameraman Petersen were
dispatched in 390-nautical mile pen
etration into Marie Byrd Land. The
purpose was to feel out within the
range Of the plane the trend Of the
new mountains we had raised behind
the western front Of the Edsel Ford
Range, to map them with the camera
in their proper relationships and. If
possible, to find the coast. The course
lay along the 18th parallel.
Clouds massing ahead forced the
crew to turn at latitude 77.55 S.,
longiture 1873 w., but important re-
suits accrued. For the last 165 miles
of the flight the mountains of Marie
Byrd Land, so densely packed behind
the western front range, were found
to thin out, withdrawing into range
running to the east at the turning
point. The crew had before them a
massive, broken block which June
thought might be an extinct volcano.