In The Antarctic

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 233, 2 November 1929, Page 5

In The Antarctic

United Press Assn. Electric Cable Copyright

THE TRAIL 0F JHE SLEDGES' Dangerous Region Safely Negotiated COYERED CHASMS,

(Received This Day, Noon.) BAY OF WHALES, Oct. 31. Messages from the supporting party. including McGonahl's description or * their two days in the crevassed area, ■ show that they have taken their loads over the most dangerous part of the trail. When they return it will be with lighter sledges, for they took tlirough that dangerous region supplies for the fourth depot at 81 degrees 45 minutes south. There they turn back. Apparently the party found. much worse travelling than did^ Amundsen on his journey 17 years ago, for he went tlirough the crevassed area'- three times when the vision was poor andd Without much trouble. The trip back to the nortbern edge to leave a warning for tbe snowmobile was made at Commander Byrd's order, for although he had given instructions that the machine was not to go so far he was afraid that they might be carried away by zeal and- attempt too much: It is evident that no mackine cenhl pass such treacherous and broken area, PENETRATING MAZE. Joe McGonahl, navigator supporting the sledge party., sent the following radio from just south of 80 latitude ; — "The peaceful Barrier showed sternest when the mouotony of the 160 miles of unexciting sledging was broken hy efforts to penetrate the maze of crevassses, covered chasms arid liollow haycocks, eleven miles south of the depot. Three tents were pitched to-night between two pitfalls, three miles east pf the scene of our esCapes frorn whateyer is below the countless hollow crusts over whicli we passed. The barrier treiribles and roars occasionally as new traps open in this area. ' This morning a Idng lifie of knolls, jagged peaks and rolling domes glistened majestically on the crest of the hilltop stretcking east and west, We had gone five miles when Bnrsey, Who was leading the roped caravan, swung'his sled to a halt. His logs_ were on the roof of a round hollow pit, 50 feet nl diameter. WENT DOWN TWICE. Tliere were many such irt visible caverns on the ascent of tlie hill, sortie filled, some bridged with snow, evidently craters of haycocks opened by released pressure, -soon to beconie crevasses. A few were open, soxlie filled, but most roofed. Five miles of dodging and rusliing brought us to a stop. Well roped, we started a short reconnaissance on foot. Walden stepped aWay from his sled into a crevasse and sank down to the waist. He was pulled' out again and went down into a secorid. We crossed a safe lookihg ridge .and slid down ten feet from an open hole ■ with blackness for a bottom, and tilrned the teams to the west, _ Bursey slipped dver the brink of a pit as we crossed a nai'row bridge between it and haycocks, but the rope dragged him hack. As there Was rto room to turn a team between. the haycocks, Braathen, roped and on skis, tested the largest, and we rushed the dogs ardund and over the dome to retrace dnr steps a few hundred yards. Bursey stopped to fix the harness and the surface sank under Braathen's sled. The teams were hurried forward and pulled him up. A flag slipped through into the space below. Everything was hollow. We tried vainly with many crevasses, but Braathen's experiencds and short dodges brought us safe around. v A day of perilotis recormoitering dver a valley chequered with crevasses and a mountain of broken ice, pitted and honeycomhed by pressurd, brought us to. the firm barrier at midnight, just as fog cloSed in on What we believe the most treacherons area ever crossdd in the Antarctic. Great upfieavels have taken place here since Amundsen' s time. Nothing he doscrihes can conipare with the last ten miles of our journey. It was restleSs sleep for all for every few hours we were awakened by thunder annouttcing the birtll of a new crevasse shaking the hollow snow beneatn us. NOTHING LIKE IT. After an early breakfast Bursey and Braathen placed a warning on the ' barrier for the srlowmobile. Braathen, Bursey aiid I then proceeded on skis in an effort to thread onr way through the open holes connected by covered crevasses everywhere. On approaching tbe range we finally found a mu--* row ridge lietween the open chasms, leading to network canyons. In three hours we marked a zigzag trail a mile and a half through the heart of the ridge, aud returned with doubts about our sledges getting over the dubious bridges, sharp shouklers and steep fncliues, but there was no other way through, the bills being impassable to east and west. The team and men, roped separately, followed our ragged hue of flags. It was a time for expert driving and obedient dogs. , The veteran, Walden, said that he had never seen anything like it and the bridges were taxed to the limit. The dogs sensed danger and time and agam disappeared in crevasses and were hauled out by their team raates. Bursey and his leader, St. Lunaire, worked m perfeet accord, when a few feet to the right 01- left would mean a daugling sled and driver. Walden's foresjght, Braathen's care and Bursey 's driving and luck brought us to the end of tbe range and the wide open road, boaided by crevasses • leading down to the safe ground and the clean train towards the midnight run. We stopped and turfied to view the area we had crossed hefore the fog set in. It seemed as if the gods had been playing with chalk eliffs artd left them scattered and broken on the barrier floor. Bv Russell Owen, copyright, 1929, by "tbe New York Times Company and throughout the world. Wireless hv the St. Post Louis Despatch. All rights for publicntion reserved New Yoi'k Times.