Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-05-25
DAY-BY- DAY WITH sovIETs
Fun and Science
Mix in. Antorctico

But that was nothing 10 his
reception at Mirny. The Russian
scientists had long expected his
arrival and greeted him with a
noisy celebration Of singing. dane
ing and feasting that left him
overwhelmed. He was 10 take
part In many more such cele-
brations before his year was up,
His hosts showed him around
the SPRAYING camp and is 20
stoutly-made frame buildings. In
one Of the buildings he was given
a small private room with one
window and hot-water heat. After
the excitement Of. his arrival had
died down, he settled down 10
work.
Got Russion Clothing
The Russians gave him respon-
sibility for making all the upper
air charts. These were graphs Of
wind. pressure and temperature
data gathered at different alti-
tudes by weather stations scat
tered across Antarctica and trans
mitted by radio.
He was also issued a complete
set Of Russian Antarctic clothing.
Since he had brought with him
his own American gear. he soon
won the title Of "best-dresSed
man at Mirny." Mr.. Cartwright
says he may not have been the
best-dressed. but he was Ger
tainly the most-dressed." Rus
sian clothing, he found. vas heav-
Ter than American and very dur
able. Being made largely of
leather, 1t had the advantage of
being more windproof than Amer
lean garments. Only the foot
wear. he found, was inferior TO
American issue.
The language problem was q
big one. Instead Of relying on the
single interpreter in camp. he
applied himself to learning Rus
sian in daily conversation with the
Soviet scientists. His doggedness
earned him the respect of the
Russians and he soon developed
a fair facility at speaking and
understanding. although with
heavy American accent. They
were equally eager TO converse
and many Of them attended regu-
lar English lessons given by the
interpreter.
Whot They Ate
In the matter of eating, Mr..
Cartwright had to do all the
learning. Meals were served in a
dining hall at the opposite end of
the snowy camp from the sleeping
quarters. Breakfast included
cheese, sour milk, ham or bologna,
potatoes. bread, tea or coffee and
generally leftover meatballs or
macaroni from the day before.
Lunch, the main meal of the day.
started with herring or some other
fish, went on to raw bacon and
peas and then a thick meat-and-
vegetable soup and rnacaroni or
potatoes or buckwheat greats.
Dessert was usually stewed dried
fruit or canned fruit in a candy
like syrup. Most of the Russians
drank tea, but some. like Mr..
Cartwright, chose the excellent
coffee. Supper was a simple meal
Of fish or meat and tea. Mr..
Cartwright gained several pounds
on this diet.
At home. Mr.. Cartwright likes
to read a great deal. At Mirny,
however, he was determined to
make the most of his sojourn with
the Russians and spent his eve
nings talking with the other men.
The conversation was sometimes
on the subject of the work in
progress, but more often, he said
they wanted to know all about
how we lived, our houses, appl-
ances. movies, cars, Coca-Cola,
Notwithstanding"
The Russians got so much prop
uganda "beamed into them on
their radios, that political subjects
were avoided in conversation.