Evening star., 1937-12-19
M'CREG0R PARTY
IS HARD AT WORK
Long Polar Night Fails to
Halt Weather Studies
of Expedition.
BY CLIFFORD J. MacGREGOR.


By Radio to The Star.
REINDEER POINT, Greenland, De-
cember Is (N.AN.A).-Many people
have come to believe that in the polar
region one has six months day and
six months night This is only partly
correct. The closer one goes toward
the Pole, the closer the long day and
night becomes nearly equal However,
at the poles the days and nights are
never equal l doubt whether there
are any places in the world where
the days and nights are equal
Here at our polar camp we are
now nearing our so-called polar mid
night. which occurs next Wednesday
at 1872 am. At this time the sun
is really the closest to us, but be-
cause of the inclination of the earth,
causes our long night. The sun left
us last october "a officially, but be-
cause Of the cloudy weather, we have
not seen the sun since October 9,
when it was low on the southern
horizon. We have had II days of
night and will have so days more of
night before the sun returns. This
may be increased due to cloudy
weather when the sun returns Feb
ruary II.
-Four months of night seem like a
long time, but night life in the Arctic
Is not what it used to be several
years ago before the radio came into
general use. Nowadays, we are in
daily communication with our homes
In the States and are able to talk
with many other countries. We re-
celve the latest news four times daily
and many of the regular broadcasts
We have many of the late talkie movies
which are always very useful as en-
tertainment during the long winter
night.
Work Is Plentiful.
entertainment is only part of our
daily routine. There is plenty of
work to be done even through the
long dark night. We have been busy
constructing sledges and putting
sedges together and have five pre-
pared for the spring work that will
start as soon as the sun returns
However, we have been busy during
the past week testing sledges and
equipment that will be used next
spring. During the past week we
nave had considerable moonlight which
is bright enough to furnish light to
'ravel around outside. Therefore
good deal of work has been carried
On during this period.
Several trips have been made north
20 Llttleton Islands to condition the
aogs, as well as give some of the fell
oWs an opportunity to drive dogs
Leaving the base camp, one travels
nearly due west about miles he-
fore heading north.
Inc hord is smooth going, but as
you near the sound, one finds much
open water, with a 10 or IL foot tide
running, making it very dangerous to
travel unless there is good light. Most
OF the route Is along the shore. where
'ne Ice Is frozen to the beach forming
Vhat Is known as foot ice. When the
eloe Is out there Is drop of 10 feet
down to the lower level from this
shelf, which is from a few feet to
ABOUT 80 feet wide. This shelf forms
our roadway to the north.
fhe Ice is continually moving and
erlndlng, making fantastic noises,
When camping near the ice for the
nrst time and the evening meal is
over and you roll into your sleepino
Gag, 1t is not long before Won hear
these noises and think that mavbo the
ice Is breaking up or some polar bear
is nearby looking for a meal. After
TWO or three nights on the ice. one
soon learns to forget everything and
sleeps very soundly.
Last Wednesday night strong wind
nleW down part of the antenna svs.
tenn. This had to be repaired on the
following morning with the tempera-
lure lo below zero. There was not
any moonlight, so one fellow had to
carry lantern for light. Cross.
pieces had to be nailed on the pole
ior steps to reach the top and a new
pulley secured to hoist the antenna.
1t. Comdr. Schlossbach has heen
puSy constructing new airplane sled
maze OF dow metal, hickory and raw
hloe lashlngs The sled has been
ested for 500 pounds and weighs less
than l0 pounds. 1t is made so that
IL can be taken apart and stored in
the plane. He has plotted and figured
the trips that he is to make next
spring, prepared the supplies and
mapped out such emergency precau-
slons as he feels will be necessary.
Magnetic Observations Checked
Roy Fftzsimmons and Robert Dams
KIN spend many hours daily making
and checking magnetic observations
Many OF these observations are made
outside and require from four to five
hours to complete.
weather observations are made every
hour for the full "a of the day. These
observations consist of the sky condi-
zion as to the amount of clouds, how
nigh the clouds are, the visibility.
temperature, wind direction and baro-
metric pressure, and any other special
Phenomena. This information will
be of value in the future in case an
alrWays is established over the polar
route. Continuous star observations
are made when the sky permits Pilot
balloons are sent aloft daily. Photo
graphs are made of the aurora,
Ice must be hauled from the ford
and melted every day for our use
John johnson, the steward, is keeping
busy cooking and baking for 10
hungry men. I have just mentioned
some of the more important things
taking place during the long polar
night. However, Wednesday will be
a great day, as we will know that
the sun is starting back, and when it
returns will mean lots of hard work
to complete our program.
(Copyright, 1887. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, 1nc.)