Evening star., 1947-10-15
I Rome Scientists
Begin Field Trip Of
Us Miles Over Ice
By Comdr. Finn Rome
North American Newspaper Alliance

RONNE ANTARCTIC EXPEDI-
TION BASE, Marguerite Bay, Oct. 8
(DelayeO This expeditions geo.
logist, DR.. Robert L. Nichols, left by
sledge September % for King George
vi Sound, accompanied by Robert
Dodson, surveyor, on q journey
which will keep them In the field at
least until Christmas.
Their route runs over Marguerite
Bay ice for l25 miles to the head of
the sound. There they intend to
climb the face of the ice wall which
extends across the 20-mile-wide
sound. The geological work will be
done in the mountains on either side
of the sound, which separates Alex
ander Island from the mainland.
A 15-dog team is pulling their sup
plies and equipment and an addi-
tional 500 pounds of man and dog
food will be brought them by plane
when they reach the head Of the
sound, to be cached there. Two
BritonS from Base E of the Falkland
Islands Dependencies survey accom-
panied DR.. Nichols and Mr.. Dodson
for the first seven days with another
dog team, to permit them to make
good distances with their initial load.
The Britons got back to this main
base today with . report on the
partys progress to date.
AoLa - Mill l., nav
The first day out, the trial party
made II miles over slushy, slightly
gritty surfaces. The teams had
trouble hauling the heavy loads and
the men were forced to relay the
supplies sover short distances. Sur
faces were so soft at times that the
sledge runners-speciflcally iced to
facilitate progress - begged down
constantly. However. they got to
Refuge Island that night and cached
quantity of man and dog food for
the return trip.
The second day out, the party had
to relay the loads twice over dificult
surfaces. The third day they made
10 miles. The fourth day they came
upon q growler field and snow was
also falling heavily, making for very
poor visibility.
The sledge party reached Mush-
room Island by, the evening Of the
seventh day. They had covered some
so miles since leaving base. DR..
Nichols was drawn to some rocks
there and decided to pause for
couple of days. Before leaving Mush-
room Island, another cache of man
and dog food was established there.
1t was at Mushroom Island that the
BritisherS turned back.
Dogs Needed Watching.
Throughout the trip. the dogs,
required constant watching. They
are anyway usually up to something
and 1t is rarely In the best interests
Of the driver. After one of the many
fights, however, Mr.. Dodson noticed
that one red dog. named Prancer,
was evidently in pain. Closer in
spection revealed . loose tooth,
which was pulled out. Prancer
seemed quite happy after that,
SAuWAlle away az AS CVCul1S ACdl
Of dog pemmican.
Once during the trip, the strug-
Cling team spotted . seal, poking
its nose tentatively through its blow
hole. All Is animals headed for the
seal-fast. The loaded sledge seemed
to tighten by the minute, despite the
heavy going, until it Was almost
flying through the air. The drivers
| waded into the team and jumbled
traces with whips in futile effort
to untangle them. They even gave
the hapless seal = few cracks on its
head in the hope It would choose a
more opportune moment to come
up for air.
At this moment, however, another
seal made its appearance few yards
away. Half the team wanted the
second seal, the other half stuck
with the first one. The net gain
to the dogs was few cut paws and
nipped ears-but no seal.