~ .,\

A NEWS BULLETIN

published quarterly by the

, NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY

I \. ,It

f· '~- I· I I f

SCOTT BASE A/B Raman Tito raises the New Zealand flag for the first time on Captain Scotfs old flag-pole as the first New Zealand base 1 in the Antarctic is officially named. Right of flag: Capt. H. Kirkwood, Sir Edmund Hillary, Rear Admiral George 1I Dufek.

VOL. I NO. 5. MARCH 1957 International Geophysical Year - Proposed 80se5 • Unifed Kingdom + New Zeolond • U"i~ed Stotss • Australia .. U.S.S.R. 0 OH,e" (j) CommonwoaHh TronsonrorcSc Expedihon (Successor to "Antarctic News Bulletin")

VOL. I. No. 5. MARCH 1957

Editor: L. B. Quartermain, M.A., 1 Ariki Road, Wellington, E.2, New Zealand. Business Communications, Subscriptions, etc., to: Secretary, New Zealand Antarctic Society, p.a. Box 2110, Wellington, N.Z. New Zealand Expedition Begins Field Work From Pram Point The New Zealand component of the Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition, along with the Dominion's LG.Y. party, is now firmly established in its camp, , at Pram Point, on the South coast of Ross Island. Here, in a compact, well-designed and solidly­ constructed station, the 23 members of the wintering-over party are settling in for the long winter night. After an impressive farewell on December 27, south of Scott function at the Wellington Town Island. Hummocked pack slowed Hall, expedition members who had down progress until New Year's not already left on American Day, when the ship ran out of the vessels boarded H.M.N.Z.S. "En· pack into a gale of'such severity deavour", which sailed from Wel· that a roll of 47 deg. was recorded Jington on December 15 for Lyttel· and the deck railings were some· ton. Here the vessel was inspected times under water. Mount Erebus by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. was sighted on the 3rd and next Sir Edmund Hillary laid a wreath day contact was made north of at the Scott statue in Christchurch, Beaufort Island with the V.S. ice­ and members of the Expedition breaker "Glacier" on which were then attended a farewell service in most of the other members of the the Christchurch Cathedral. New Zealand expedition. While the "Endeavour" was pul· ling out from the wharf at Lyttel· ton on December 17 the expedition's TOWARDS BUTTER POINT Auster aircraft came into collision Both vessels proceeded into with the cargo vessel "Huntingdon" McMurdo Sound to a point nine and one wing was badly damaged. miles east of Butter Point, near After three days at Dunedin, where which it was intended to establish it was found that the wing would the New Zealand base. . "Glacier" have to be sent south later, gave invaluable ice-brealdng assis­ "Endeavour" sailed for Bluff and tance and also provided the heli­ finally left New Zealand from there copter in which Hillary, Miller and on December 21. Captain Kirkwood of "Endeavour" Next day the frigates Hawea and carried out a reconnaissance of the Pukaki of the Royal New Zealand coastal area. On January 5 a party Navy made a rendezvous with "En­ of 14 men headed by Hillary and deavour" and accompanied the Miller with four tractors and three expedition ship as far as the ice dog teams endeavoured to cross pack, which "Endeavour" entered the sea ice to the proposed camp 102 ANTARCTIC March 1957

site at the foot of the Ferrar flown by Claydon. The Auster's Glacier. The ice was slushy and repaired wing was brought south ridged by pressure, and progress on V.S.S. "Curtiss" and this aircraft proved slow and difficult. A second also was in use by the middle of attempt, on January 7, brought the February. Both planes have since party within two miles of the site given excellent service. but made it evident that the estab­ lishment of a camp here was impracticable; so after some days TIlE PRAM POINT SITE of camping on sea ice most mem­ bers of the party returned to the Pram Point is a low, rocky pro­ "Endeavour" on January 10. jection from the southern coast of Meanwhile, on the' suggestion'" of Ross Island, only a few miles east an American naval officer, Hillary of Cape Armitage, the south·west and his deputy leader, Miller, flew corner of the island. Near it is the on the 8th by helicopter to examine junction of the bay ice of McMurdo a possible camp site at Pram Point, Sound, which breaks out to a on the opposite side of McMurdo greater or less extent each year, Sound, south of Ross Island. This and the thick- permanent ice of the proved most promising and "En· great Ross Ice Shelf. There is as a deavour" was taken across to the result a belt of heavily pressured ice·edge as close as possible to the ice extending for a mile or two east new site and unloadi~g began on and west just south of Pram Point. Here there is a large seal colony. January 9. Between the "coast" and the foot· ROUTE ABANDONED hills of Erebus, -the Crater Hill ridge, is a series of terraces of loose A party of four, Marsh, Ayres, basalt lava. The surface, which in Brooke and Ellis, with the three dog summer time has only patches of teams, had remained in the Butter hard snow, consists of lava blocks Point area to carry out a reconnais­ ranging from small pebbles up­ sance of the lower Ferrar Glacier, wards; but two feet down is perma­ up which it was still the intention frost which presents the builder to travel in order to reach the Polar with serious problems in the boring plateau. But on the 13th a heli­ of holes for foundations. Hoffman copter contacted the party and has evolved an entirely new method Marsh reported that after a of boring which ingeniously com­ thorough reconnaissance no practi­ bines the usual rotatory action with cable route had been found over the constant air pressure from a corn" lower three miles of the glacier. pressor attached to one of the The Ferrar route was therefore tractors. This has proved entirely abandoned and Marsh's party was satisfactory and 200 six-foot holes picl{ed up by the "Endeavour" and have been bored, and filled with a transferred to Pram Point. new "permafrost" of water, sand "Endeavour's" false stem was and rubble around a metal rod, to damaged by ice during these opera- form the solid foundation of the , tions and as water was getting in, camp buildings. a sheet of steel had to be welded The actual site of Scott Base is across the false bow while the ship a terrace about 40 feet above sea was moored for five days beside the level and 100 yards from the edge V.S. cargo vessel "John R. Towle". of the ice shelf. Here there is ample During this period also the expedi· room for the camp buildings as tion's Beaver aircraft was assem­ well as for the aerials, dog-lines,· bled on the fore-deck of "Endea­ transport and -the carefully vour" and on January 15 was arranged and marked dumps of unloaded and successfully test· stores, all on solid ground. Moreh 1957 ANTARCTIC 103

'.rilE SEA·IC.I!; TRAIL American sailor, Ollie Bartlett, was When unloading began, "Port killed and five others made under· McMurdo" was only a wedge I water escapes when their weasel broken into the blue bay ice of broke .through the ice just .off the McMurdo Sound, but at this time it beaten track near Hut PoInt. had more than 45,000 tons of ship­ Hillary ordered the hoods to be ping working in it. taken off the weasel cabs to facili. The wedge-about six miles long tate escape in case of a break. -was broken by the icebreaker through. Only five days later this "Glacier" a month earlier. The precaution was shown to be wise "Glacier" officers have estimated when a weasel off Cape Armitage that 32 million tons of ice were transporting stores from "Endea­ shifted. vour" to Scott Base suddenly At the end of the lane was the crashed through thin bay·ice. The harbour, about 300 yards across and sledge it was towing ran on and -. a third of a mile long. Ships in wedged in the hole, thus stopping it "port" were the "Endeavour"­ from sinking further in the 800 feet which represented just on 2 per of water below. But it took Hillary, cent. of 'the shipping--'the ice­ Hatherton and Mulgrew with other breakers "Glacier" and "North­ helpers four hours' work to get wind", the tanker "Nespelen" and going again. the cargo ships "Arneb", "Green­ ville Victory" and "Towle". Tlill CAMP TARES SHAPE The route from ships to base was a nerve-wracking orie through melt Construction work began as soon holes and slushy ice and a driver ~s the site was selected and, with was always aware that six feet be­ Invaluable American help in the low was the cold green water of shape of a D8 tractor, cleared 'and McMurdo Sound. levelled. Personnel from the crew of Trail flags marked the twisting the "Endeavour" later assisted the route past the American air-strip on construction party. By mid.Janu­ the bay ice off Hut Point. Here the ary 'the mess-hall was erected. traffic was very heavy and newly­ Expedition members slept in tents formed ice had no chance to until the living huts were built. thicken. Melt holes two feet deep Every man worked hard, fourteen and filled with water waited beside hours a day seven days a week the track to bog down the unwary scientists sharing with surveyor~' tractor driver. and dog-drivers such strenuous There is a tendency to become work as 'tractor-driving and the hardened to such conditions and to man·handling .of heavy stores and take them without much thought; equipment. By the 26th three ·huts or there was till Carlyon saw a were up, as well as the radio masts seal poke its head out of a "melt and by the time "Endeavour" left hole" right alongside the trail and for New Zealand with the ,summer realised the hole went straight party aboard the Base was ·com­ through, pleted, in less than one calendar month. DANGER LOOMS The Post Office at Scott Base was Sir Edmund Hillary ruled that officially opened on Jariuary 11, and men must always travel in pairs. on the 20th the Base itself was On the tractor trains one man had formally declared open by the Ad­ an ice axe and went ahead on the ministrator of the Ross Depend­ softer stretches to test the surface. ency, Captain H. Ruegg, in the Safety rules were further presence of Admiral Dufek and tightened when on January 14 an other American officers. The New 104 ANTARCTIC March 1957

Zealand flag was hoisted by A. B. bridging a crevasse brol{e away .Tito, the youngest member of the under his sledge south of White "Endeavour" crew, on the weather­ Island. The front of the sledge just beaten flag:pole first used by Cap­ caught on the further rim of the tain Scott at his Hut Point base 56 crevasse and by delicate handling years before. men, dogs and stores were all On the morning of January 28, safely retrieved. The whole party the bay-ice in McMurdo Sound then returned to base on January suddenly began to break up. Within 23. hours, huge ,segments of up to 200 ,- yards wide and a mile long broke UP TO THE PLATEAU off and began slowly drifting out.to sea, only hours after the 'last New On January 26-7 Claydon in the Zealand supplies, from the·"John R. Beaver flew Hillary, Brooke and Towle", had been hauled from the Ellis to the foot of ,the Skelton old ice edge to Pram Point. On her Glacier, nearly 79°S., a distance of return from Little America the 130 miles by air, 250 miles by "Atka" carved out a new, firm sledge route. Here on hard-packed, "quay" several miles nearer to the wind-blown snow, good for landing American and New Zealand base and sledging, Brooke and Ellis re­ sites. mained to set up a depot which will serve as a major supply point for the operations next season. Rations SOUTH ACROSS THE BARRIER for men and dogs, kerosene and With the whole party re·united, aviation fuel totalling 14,000 lbs. field work 'began again, and on have been flown in to this point. January 19 Marsh, Ayres, Brooke Ayres and Douglas were later and Ellis began sledging south flown out and the four men started across the Ross Ice Shelf, the on January 28, dog sledging, to "Barrier" over which Scott and pioneer a· route up the glacier to Shackleton sledged towards /the the polar plateau. On February 3 Pole from practically the same Hillary, flying in the Auster piloted spot. The first day's travel·l by Claydon, landed near the party ling, which involved the crossing of half way up the glacier at a height the pressure ridges to the south of of 3,700 feet, 45 miles from the Ross Island, totalled 16 miles. Mul· depot camp. Nine days out, a point grew temporarily replaced Ellis in was reached some 260 sledging order that the former could test the miles from Scott, at an altitude of radio communications. 7,500 feet. Here Hillary spoke to On the third day out Dr. Marsh them by walkie-talkie as he flew was taken ill, and Brooke and over their camp in the Auster. As Mulgrew sledged 31 miles in seven soon as suitable sites had been, hours back to Scott Base with this found for air-strip and base, on' disturbing news. As soon as February 9, supplies and mail were possible Claydon, with Hillary, flown in by the two aircraft. By Mulgrew and Dr. Findlay flew out February 13 a tent Plateau Depot and brought' Marsh in. He was had been established ahead of examined on board the V.S.S. schedule. Mulgrew again replaced "Curtiss" and thought to be re­ Ellis in 'order to test the radio covered, but subsequently he was equipment. found to be suffering from dip­ Temperatures on the plateau htheria and was incapacitated for dropped to minus 32° on the 12th, some weeks. Brooke had a narrow and the Beaver's skis began 'to stick escape when just before returning to the surface of the snow. Every· to Scott Base a thin crust of snow one was glad to get down to a less March 1957 ANTARCTIC IO~

wind-swept area. A small reserve On February 28 the five men who depot was established half-way up were still out dog-sledging were the glacier. brought back to Scott Base by air from the Skelton Glacier. They were: Miller, Ayres, Brooke, SLEDGE ROUTE TO SIillLTON Douglas and Carlyon. Twenty-eight Meanwhile Skelton Depot at the dogs were also flown in. By the foot of the glacier had been com­ time the third flight was com­ pleted by the air-lift of six tons of menced the weather had deterior­ food and fuel. Miller and Carlyon ated. Bumpy conditions and increas­ left Scott Base on February 1 to ing cloud made the return flight blaze a surface sledging trail to uncomfortable, but in spite of poor this depot. Keeping well to the east visibility, with light snow falling, of the crevassed area where Brooke Claydon brought the Beaver in to nearly 'met his death, they estah­ a perfect landing. There were still " lished an emergency depot near the two loads of sledges and equipment "snout" of Minna Bluff. One night to be ferried in. they pitched their tent on what appeared to be a smooth snow sur­ face. ,When Miller's ice-axe' suddenly broke through this surface they dis­ BAD"O TBOPIIY covered that they had made camp A trophy is being made and on a snow bridge over a deep cre­ donated by Mr. R. V. Roberts, a vasse, Thirteen days out, on member of the Antarctic Society, February 13, they reached the who was the founder secretary and depot. treasurer of the New Zealand Asso­ These two men, both surveyors, ciation of Radio Transmitters Inc., found that the mouth of the Skelton a society which is now celebrating Glacier is about fifteen miles north­ its first 30 years. east of the position shown in Arrangements have been -made Scott's maps of the area. It was for the association to formulate anticipated that they would be rules under which the trophy will flown back to Scott about the end remain with the society, but will be of February. inscribed with the name of the first A third field party comprising member to contact the New Zea­ Gunn, Warren and Heine was flown land Scott Base at McMurdo Sound in on February 1-3 for a geological in the Geophysical Year. The expedition in the mountains skirt­ trophy will show a coloured, up-to­ ing the Skelton Glacier. On Febru­ date map, of' , under ary 10 they succeeded in climbing glass, surrounded by the "Means of Mount Harmsworth, discovered by Communication and Transport", in ScoU's' "Discovery" expedition of the form of small models. The 1902-04. Setting out from their whaling industry is represented by camp at an altitude of 1,000 feet two small models of whale'chasers. above sea level, they reached the Later it is proposed to add a morse summit, 10,500 feet, in sixteen key which has been used at Scott hours. The return journey took Base, as part of the trophy. ten hours. The "Endeavour" left McMurdo Sound on February 22, with the Dr. G. C. L. Bertram, director of members of the summer party on the Scatt Polar Research Institute, board, with the exception of Murray will be the Williams Evans visiting Douglas, who has been added to the professor at the University of wintering over group. Otago for 1957. 108 ANTARCTIC March 1957 mur of insect's wing. The silence is U.S.-N.Z. profound, overpowering. And over the Barrier .there seems to brood a ADARE STATION presence, something beyond the human, waiting. Is it inimical? This joint United States·New Zea­ Man anyway seems a presumptuous land base in the Ross Dependency, intruder on this vast silence. 1,800 miles due south of New Zea­ land, is mis-named, as it is actually . An irruption of sound: ;the dogs situated in Moubray Bay behind over there in their lines suddenly Cape Hallet't, some 70 miles to the give voice. And you come 'back from south of . The logical the contemplation of the unknown name for it would seem to be Ross to remember that not all the boys Station since most of the other are in -camp tonight. stations are named after a famous explorer of the region where the base is located (Amundsen, Byrd, OUT ON THE BARRIER Ellsworth, Mawson, Scott, Shackle­ Far down there, over the horizon, ton, Wilkes) and it was James near ScoH's old "Corner Camp", Clark Ross who discovered this George and Harry and Richard and whole area, gave its- prominent Peter are camped with the dog features their names and opened teams, far out on that Barrier. (Oh the way for the advance into the yes ... I know, it's the 'Ice Shelf' heart of the Antarctic. now, but here 'Somehow you can't The base was established by a use any other term but the DId his· construction party of 32 Seabees tory·laden one, "the Barrier".) No under Lieut. R. W. Loomis, who cosy, pleasant Scott Base out there. landed from the U.S. ships "North­ There is stern work ahead for wind" and "Arneb" after a 200 these boys, pioneering work to do, square mile ice·field had trapped a vital' link in a great adventure. and damaged the "Arneb" in a sud­ Good luck, boys, tonight. den gale near the entrance to Moubray Bay late on December 31. As you crawl, fully clothed A five·foot long hole was torn in the against the cold, into your sleeping'. vessel's side and her propeller bag, in .the little dark tent, the sun, damaged but the pumps of the two at eleven p.m., far down in -the ships prevented serious flooding, south, shines dazzlingly in your and on January 4 unloading of the eyes and you are thrilled with the cargo and construction of the base beauty of it all ... But you wake began. Work was completed by to 'hear an urgent voice, "Richard January 31. and Peter have just come in. They've sledged thirty·one miles in The station is situated on a small seven hours. George 'is ill out spit of volcanic ash, sand and pen­ there." guin guano which projects into Moubray Bay from the Western &ide . Ou't on the Barrier! But Ed of . The construction and John Findlay, the doctor, party had Ito forcibly eject some have work to do. They fly off in 8,000 Adelie penguins which had the Beaver with John Claydon at just completed hatching their the controls, to bring George in; chicks, and rope off an area about and you remember that all' this for 300 feet by 400 feet with netting. them is no summer holiday and no A storm broke down the fence and day·dream but a big and arduous the penguins returned, but a and dangerous job. And they are stronger barricade of diesel oil doing it splendidly. drums kept 'the site clear until it March 1957 ANTARCTIC 109 had been bulldozed and the eleven Alll.lre Basc buildings -and rawin-dome erected. C. E. Ingham. The Seabees lived in Jamesway huts J. G. Humphries. while the permanent staff stayed on M. W. Langevad. the "Arneb" until the living huts British Trans·Antarctic Party were erected. Two weasels, two D4 G. Lowe. tractors, sleds, etc., were avaUable G. Haslop. for transport purposes. Australian Base: Vestfold Hills The winter party here will con­ B. H. Stinear. sist of fourteen; a scientific team compri'sing Dr. James Shear, an American, as leader, -and three New SUMM,ER ONI~Y Zealanders, Me s s r s . J. G. ScottBase Humphries, C. E. Ingham and M. R. E. Barwick, K. J. Boyd, E. W. Langevad; with a maintenance Becconsell, A. Edwards, Dr. J. F. party of ten Americans under Findlay, A. J. Heine, A. S. Helm, R. Lieut. (DO'ctor) Tur. Heke, J. Hoffman, G. Lee·Martin, L. H. Martin, R. R. Mitchell, Z. Price, N. Sinclair, P. H. Tate, E. Voison, D. Wright. NEW ZEALANDERS IN THE II.M.N.Z.S. "Endeavour" L. Cdr. W. J. L. Smith, Lt. A. C. ANTARCTIC Coutts, Lt. N. T. Pool, Lt. D. Schofield, Capt. H. Ruegg (pass­ Trans-Antarctic Field Party enger) A. M. R. Bennett, T. S. Sir Edmund Hillary. Brand, M. G. A. Brown, L. C. J. H. Miller. Budden, R. E. Carss, 0 .. M. Cox, A. H. H. Ayres. Cross, M. J. Diggins, W. J. Douglas, M. ElIis. G. J. Foote, J. Hadfield, N. P. Hape, B. M. Gunn. B. H. Harding, John C. Harman, M. R. A. Carlyon. W. H. Johns, J. B. Johnson, B. R. M. H. Douglas. Kersell, L. Lowndes, B. R. Mc<:;or· (With Dr. G. Marsh and Lt. R. mick, A. J. McCune, N. G. Mundt, Brooke of England.) B. W. Nolan, G. C. Revell, T. E. RobeI'tson, D. P. Rogers, E. G. Scott Base Party Scoble, B. O. Seymour.East, J. Dr. R. W. Balham. Spence, H. Squire, R. Tito, E. G. C. P. O. P. Mulgrew. Tricker, T. R. Waddell, C. W. J. E. Gawn. Woodriffe. J. G. Bates. G. Warren. Weather Central: Little America E. S. Bucknel1. E. G. Edie. Antarctic Flight Operation Deepfreeze S. Ldr. J. R. Claydon. L. Cdr. J. Lennox-King, B. R. F. O. W. J. Cranfield. O'Neill, L. B. Quartermain. Sgt. L. W. Tarr. Globemaster Flights I.G.Y. Group R. Beauchamp, Gp. Capt. F. R. Dr. T. Hatherton. Dix, Dr. R. A. Falla, Air Vice­ V. B. Gerard. Marshall C. E. Ray, Bishop R. H. 01'1'. Kavanagh, Rear Admiral J. E. H. W. J. P. Macdonald. McBeath, D. McKenzie, Cdr. E. P. H. N. Sandford. Reade. 110 ANTARCTIC March 1957 ALL SET FOR THE WINTER AT SHACKLETON The Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition's "Magga Dan" which left London on November 15 reached South Georgia after some of the wildest weather of the voyage. The vessel had to heave-to into a south-westerly gale for twelve hours. Sailing again on December 20, the ship entered the ice three days later. For three days the'ship averaged "Magga Dan" from Halley Bay in aboUJt ,a hundred miles each day. order to give assistance, toiled four· On the 26th conditions grew sud· teen hours a day off·loading stores denly worse, visibility became poor and eqUipment which were then and to obtain some idea of the ice driven up to the base. The instal· conditions ahead, the Auster air· lation of hot water, electric light craft made a reconnaissance flight and a bathroom added greatly to which enabled a suitable course to the comfort of the previously very be maintained for another two days austere living quarters. until congested ice made further progress, impossible. After a second reconnaissance, it was decided to RECCE FLIGHTS return to the clear water and make While this base work was in pro· another attempt further north. gress two long range inland recon­ Eleven days were spent in these naissance flights were made, each ice bound areas before finally lasting between five 'and six hours. reaching open water. But on Janu· Over Christmas Blaiklock and ary 3 seven weeks out "Magga Goldsmi,th had made a 350·mile Dan" was steaming full speed three-week sledge journey with ahead down the land water to the dog teams to the foot of the Theron south toward Halley Bay. At 1 range sighted from the air last o'clock the massive cliffs were year but hitherto unexplored on sighted and the fifty foot radar foot. On January 20 Haslop (pilot) mast of the Royal Society Sta'tion. and Lowe, both New Zealanders, with Blaiklock and Fuchs, flew a course passing west of the Theron FIRST ARRIVALS range with the object of investiga­ It was decided that 'Dr. Fuchs, ting a second group of mountains George Lowe and two others to the south. These two ranges are should fly ahead in the Otter to separated by an immense and Shackleton, and on January 13 they heavily crevassed glacier about 100 landed on the temporary air·strip. miles long and some 30 miles wide, In a few minutes stores including extending in an east·west direction. fresh' fruit and roast meat-and Shortly before reaching the inland mail-were being towed by tractor margin of the Filchner ice shelf, to the base. which was found to lie 150 miles "Magga Dan" arrived next day, south of Shackleton, the plane guided by a bonfire on the ice to turned east up a glacier which pro· indicate the nearest berthing·point mised a possible land route to the to the base, 'and unloading began. interior. A).l hands, including ten men from "As we climbed through the first the Royal Society's I.G.Y.. expedi· belt of mountains," writes Fuchs, "a tion who travelled south in the snowfield became visible beyond lvIiHch 1957 ANTARCTIC 119 reconnaissance then extended to the member of the ANARE Planning Rauer Islands, but no site here was Committee. suitable and the ship returned to On the 14th the post office at Vestfold. Davis O'pened and 'the men worked from 0500 till 2300 hours to com­ DIFFICULT APPROACH plete the general unloading, except fuel, and to finish the second hut. On January 11 "Kista Dan" crept cautiously towards Ellis Fjord through icebergs and shoals. Then A LOOn: AT DAVIS the aircraft was sent to give From where "Kista Dan" lay in­ directions on the last stages of the side a collection of islands one looks approach. The ship finally was shoreward over half a mile of barred from its objective by shoal water 'to a line of low rocl

The big group of scientists who heating but primus lamps. The will winter at Little America under temperatures ranged from zero to Albert P. Crary arrived here on -35°F. but there was surprisingly January 30 by the "Curtiss". little wind. Ten other men of the Weather Central began operations construction unit had flown in a as a co-ordinating centre for week later. meteorological data over the whole When Bowers and his men left on Antarctic continent. Included January 4 they had ere0ted two among the "weather men" are a large Jamesway huts and five Russian, Mr. 1. Rastorguyev, and smaller buildings: surely one of the an Argentine, L. Cdr. Jose Alvarez. most potentially difficult building assignments in history.' Bowers merely remarks that where they had expected 50 per cent. efficiency , they got 100 per cent. POLE STATION Up till the end of January there " "Amundsen-Scott" had been twelve landings at the Pole by Navy R4D (Dakota) and The first men ever to live at the six by Navy P2V-7 (Neptune) air­ are now in residence, 17 craft. 450 tons of supplies had been in all, under Lieut. John Tuck, who air·dropped by Air Force Globe­ is spending his second consecutive masters before they were with­ year in the Antarctic, as officer-in­ drawn, to re-commence dropping charge of the navy maintenance operations on February 10. personnel and Dr. Paul A. Siple as Dr. Siple was flown in on station scientific leader. December 1, six more construction Although several aircraft have personnel and three other scien­ flown over the Pole, the first men to tists early in January. The remain­ set foot on the Pole since Scott's ing five scientists were flown in on party left it in January 1912, were February 12. The aircraft return­ the seven Americans, inclUding Ing to McMurdo was forced to come Admiral George Dufek, who landed down on the ice-shelf near Shackle­ there in an R4D plane piloted by ton Inlet owing to a fuel leakage, L. Cdr. "Gus" Shinn on October 31. and did not succeed in taking off Less than an hour's experience of again for six hours. These nine a temperature 'Of -58°F. led scientists with eight maintenance Admiral Dufek to cancel further men will form the wintering-over , landings until conditions improved. party, They are not the sole resi· . On November 19 two R4D's made a dents, as a lone skua was observed successful landing about eight flying over the Pole. Scott recorded miles from the Pole, poor visibility seeing a skua at 87°S. preventing a more exact fix of. position from .the air, with a Globe­ master overhead in support. A weasel was dropped by parachute Beardmore Strip but broke down soon afterwards. A A small support and re·fuelling construction party of eight Seabees station for the Pole flights and for under Lieut. Richard Bowers (aged weather observations. was estab­ 26), including a man whose name lished on October 28 by Navy and was Scott, sledged to the Pole with Air Force planes. A suitable site eleven dogs in five and a half hours. could not be found near the foot of Sgt. Patton parachuted in a few the Beardmore Glacier as planned, days later and these nine men lived and the strip was established in­ for 45 days at the Pole, for the first stead at approximately 85°S., 165° ::;ix days camping in tents with no W" slightly to the east of the out· 114 ANTARCTIC March 1957 let of 'the Liv Glacier at the foot of sance, a path through toe danger the Duncan Mountains. Beoause of zone was found and in 13 days of .the originally planned location this blasting and snow-bulldozing was station is still called "the Beard­ made safe for single-lane tractor more strip." It was stocked with traffic. The trail party reached fuel on October 29. Three men have Little America on December 17 been stationed here throughout the after -a remarkable journey of 42' flying season,' living in a small days, in which by skill and constant .(15ft. by 10ft.) Atwell hut with a vigilance no member of the eleven­ tent for food-storage. They have a man. team suffered so much as a cut Tucker sno·kitten for transport finger. 't purposes. . The first tractor train of six D8 The men here were withdrawn caterpillar tractors and a weasel to McMurdo Base on February 21 as left Little America on December 5. soon as flyIng operations ended for Each tractor drew two sleds, each the season. sled carrying 15 tons, the load com­ prising fuel, food and equipment as well as sleeping and cooking wani­ gans for the personnel. The 647­ mile trail-journey was made in eighteen days. Fifteen hours after After Pole Station itself the the train arrived, the first hut was most isolated of the American erected, the heating system in­ bases in the Antarctic is Byrd stalled, -and the tired trail-party Station, situated as planned at slept in it after the longest tractor· 80·S., 120·W., 5,000 feet high in the train journey for a specific purpose heart of Marie Byrd liand and 500 ever made. miles as 'the skua flies from Little Three Globemaster air·drops of America. This station was estab­ fuel were made in support, and lished by a combination of air and R4D's flew in further personnel on surface transport unique in polar December 23 and 24. The base was history. dedicated on New Year's Day. During the 1955-56 summer a pre­ liminary trail·blazing team under A second tractor·train of seven L. Cdr. J. J. Bursey, veteran of D8 tractors left on January 25 Byrd's first expedition, penetrated carrying 150 tons. This train 380 miles towards the proposed base reached Byrd Station on February site. When, later, Max Kiel was 12. On the resumption of Globe­ lost in a crevasse during a cache· master flights in February the laying sortie, this route was supplying of the base was com- abandoned. pleted. . The current season's advance trail The Wintering-over personnel of party under Major Merle R. Daw· 23 at Byrd Station comprise thir· son of the U.S. Army Transporta­ teen scientists under George Toney tion Corps left LiWe America with and eight Navy support men under two weasels, a sno-cat and two D8 Lieut. (Doctor) B. C. Dalton. The tractors on November 6. 183 miles base consists of four oblong, flat· south·east of Little America a roofed buildings, inclUding a mess­ seven·miles wide belt of deep ere· hall and a large structure, 20ft. by vasses was encountered where the 50ft., accommodating twelve men Ross Ice Shelf meets the Rocke· and serving as a meteorological, feller Plateau. Using a crevasse­ glaciological and communications detector and helicopter reconnais- centre. March 1957 ANTARCTIC 115

WILKES STATION When the "Arneb" and "Green­ It was originally intended to ville Victory" left Cape Hallett after establish a station in the south­ the establishment of Adare Station western corner of the , they were escorted westwards along in approximately 50° W. longitude, the rim of the continent by the ice­ but this plan has had to be drasti­ breaker "Glacier", as the "North­ cally altered. The ice-breaker wind" had been too badly damaged "Staten Island" escorting the car­ by ice to be used effectively. .Vin­ go vessel "Wyandot" found it cennes Bay, where it was planned impossible to penetrate the thick to site , was guarded ice on this side of the Weddell Sea by 35 miles of heavy ice concentra· and eventually a site was chosen tion up to 20 feet thick, so "Glacier" near 'the eastern side of the sea, punched into the bay while the two north·west of 'the Argentine base thin-skinned cargo ships lay 60 "General Belgrano", which is itself miles north, outside the pack. At west of the British camp, Shackle­ the end of January the ships were ton. taken into the bay. During this The site selected is on the east operation the "Arneb" received side of a small bay called Baya further damage. Chica, approximately 77°40'S., 41° W. Two miles sep'arate the camp On February 1 landing operations from the landing site on a fifteen began when a medium-sized tractor foot ice'shelf. was put ashore after 12 tons of ex­ plosives had blasted a ramp in a During the desperate struggle to 15-foot ice·shelf on Clarl{ Peninsula. establish this Ellsworth Station a This 125ft.high promontory was pre­ helicopter was destroyed in a take­ viously air-charted as Clark Island off accident, and both ships were but is now known to be connected damaged. "Staten Island" los't a with the mainland. The off-loading blade from one of her twin screws, was an amphibious operation, while "Wyandot's" hull was pierced landing craft being used to carry by ice and she took in water men, stores and equipment to the through a hole five feet long at her sand and gravel strip 100 yards number one deep tank. The ice­ from the ice-edge which was used breaker "Northwind" after being as a supply dump. herself repaired at Wellington, New Zealand, went to' the "Staten Next day building operations be­ Island's" assistance. gan and by February 4 nine James­ A temporary camp was erected way huts had been erected as a before the end of January and the temporary camp. Two days later station construction now proceeded construction of the permanent camp according to plan. By February 4 was under way. All cargo was two Otter aircraft were operational unloaded by the 12th and by the and flying and by the 12th all cargo time the three vessels left on Febru­ was off·loaded, the base-building ary 17 the camp was fully estab· completed and the ships heading for lished. The site is approximately home. 66°16'S., 110 0 36'E. Ellsworth will 'be manned during Wilkes Station will be the winter the winter by 33 men inclUding 10 home of 27 men, 10 scientists under scientists under the veteran An­ Carl Eldund and a 17·man Navy tarctic explorer Cdr. Finn Ronne. maintenance team under Lieut. D. The personnel here also include a R. Burnett. Navy air-detachment of eigh't men. 116 ANTARCTIC March 1957 Field -Work From F.I.D.S. Bases Numerous sledging journeys have been made from the Bases of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey to extend survey and geological work, and a new base has been established, as well as two new refuge huts.

THE ROYAL TOUR the coming season will be more His Royal Highness the Duke of comprehensive than ever. In aU Edinburgh accompanied by H.E. the there will be 90 men in the field. Governor, Sir Raymond Priestley and members of the Duke's staff SLEDGING transferred from the Royal Yacht "Britannia" to the RRS. "John From (Base D), the ", Biscoe" on the morning of January general survey has been extended 1. The ship first visited Base W, northwest with an astrofix at Cape where the Royal party inspected Legoupil, and the detailed local sur­ the Base Hut and met the F.LD.S. vey extended southwest to View personnel, and arrived at Base F Point on . Small parties the following morning. The ship have been manning the View Point .proceeded north the same day to hut. Base N, A and 0, and the Royal Parties base on Signy Island party later returned to "Britannia". (Base H) have been continuing the The Royal Yacht then called at topographical and geological sur­ Bases B, G and H en route to Port vey of Coronation Island, but were Stanley, so -that a 'total of eight hampered by bad weather during bases was visIted. July and August. Two of the men on September 11 climbed Mt. Nivea His Royal Highness' tour of the (4,179fO. They found a steep Dependencies was a great success couloir on the northern side which and one which will long be remem­ gave access to the northwest ridge. bered -as a signal honour for the The summit was reached in 3?i Survey. hours from the survey camp, and The RRS. "Shackleton" left gave a fine view of the whole of the Port Stanley on her first relief voy­ South Orkney Islands group. This age of the 1956·57 season on Nov­ was the first ascent of the moun­ ember 14, and between that date tain. and her arrival back at Stanley In early July, a four-man party visited seven of the 10 F.LD.S. from Base 0, which is situated on bases and South Georgia. The an island off the Danco Coast, RRS. "John Biscoe" sailed from visited :the mainland and estab­ Stanley, subsequent to the Royal lished a depot at 4,000ft. and a camp visit on January 16 and on Febru­ at 5,500ft. Two of the men re­ ary 2 established a new F.LD.S. mained to do geological work and Base - Base J- at Ferin Head on were joined by others on August 10, the Graham Coast (Lat. 66°00'S., but although they were unsuccess­ Long. 65°24'W,). This brings the ful in finding a route up on to the total of main F.LD.S. bases at pre­ plateau, they completed the survey sent manned to eleven. With the of the accessible areas. A party steady increase of F.LD.S. activities from the Base has been taken to and the special requirements of the Wilhelmina Bay to establish a rc­ LG.Y., the programme of worl< for fuge hItt. Murch 1957 ANTARCTIC 117

The mainland has also been visited six times in recent months, N o,·wegian Base from the Loubet Coast Base (Base W), which is situated on an island Tal'es Shape in the mouth of Lallemand Fjord. The two small vessels of the Nor­ All routes up on to the plateau so wegian expedition left Oslo .on far reconnoitred have been found to November 10, 1956. After havmg be blocked by crevasses, so that the called at Mon'tevideo and Husvik surveyors have turned their atten­ Harboui', South Georgia, the tion to mapping Lallemand Fjord. vessels left the last named port on On one of these journeys, two men December 21. According to instruc­ were stranded on an islet by the tions, they sailed east toward about early break-up of the sea ice. Long. lOoW., and from there they Although the men could have re­ steered south, encountering two turned to base by a dinghy sent out broad belts of ice which they passed to them, they had to stay on the without difficulties. islet to look after their dogs, but men and dogs were eventually When approaching the barrier taken off by the "Protector's" heli­ they found open water extending to copter. a distance of about 100 mIles from A prefabricated refuge hut has the coast, and reached the barrier been erected on on December 30 in about 6°W. The southwest of Port Locluoy (Base weather was perfect, and already Al. on the following day they found a On Allvers Island the movement suitable place for unloading in of one of the glaciers (Lapeyrere about 2°W., 70 0 S. A reconnaissance Glacier) is being measured. Field with tractors was carried out dur­ parties have completed the survey ing the night between December 31 of the northwest and southwest of and January 1, and revealed some the island. crevasses close to 'the barrier, and further in solid shelf-ice. A site for AERIAL SURVEY the base was selected, 40 km. from 0 F.I.D.A.S.E. operations were re­ the barrier in about 70 20'S., and commenced early in December, and unloading started immediately. considerable coverage obtained During 'the first week the weather despite the loss of a helicopter. was very favourable, but during the second week the building of the base and the transport was greatly hampered by storm and snowdrift. The weather improved again; and ARGENTINA on January 20 the vessels left, after In December a new Argentine the three houses at the base had shelter-hut was erected and stocked been put up by the wintering party, with food and fuel. This hut com­ assisted by the crews of 'the vessels. pletes a series of three shelters be­ The radio station of the base had, tween the Weddell Sea and the Bel­ however, not been completed, and lingshausen Sea. on the latitude of for the 'time being the base. was Mobiloil Bay on the Weddell Sea without radio connection. side and Marguerite Bay on the To date the progress had been western coast of Graham Land. even better than hoped for, the Nor­ These three shelters 'are named wegians s'aid. They had reason to Yapeyu Chacabuco and Maipu, believe tl1at the station would be names linked with the San Martin in full activity by the end of Feb­ story. ruary, or early in March. liB ANTARCTIC MMCh 1957 NEW AUSTRALIAN STATION DAVIS ESTABLISHED On January 13 the Australian flag was flown at a newly estab­ lished station on the mainland coast of the Antarctic continent near the Vestfold Hills, Prydz Bay, and the station officially named Davis. The location of this new Australian base is 68°34'8., 7T56'E. "Kista Dan" left Melbourne on bad visibility at an altitude of 300ft. December 17 with 29 men to man As a result of the findings the ship the Australian stations for the immediately moved in 50 miles ensuing year. On January 3 the closer to the coast. A three hours ship met pack-ice at 65°39'S., 64°40' flight next day showed Mawson to E., 140 miles N.N.E. of Mawson. be unapproachable by ship without The ship pushed -in and for some considerable expenditure of time time made good progress through and fuel so the flyers dropped mail a series of leads in the ice but to the eager Mawson party and re­ then met heavy pack on the far side turned to the ship. of a large open-water pool. Clem­ ence took off at 0220 hours on the 4th and flew to Mawson, returning '1'0 THE VE8TFOLD HILLS to land in the water beside the ship at 0500. His radio reports describ­ Law now decided to proceed to ing the ice were discouraging. Forty Prydz Bay to establish a new miles of fast-ice still adhered to the station at the newly discovered Mawson coast and further ou't to area and the ship immediately pro­ sea many miles of heavy pack-ice ceeded back on its track through separated the fast-ice from the pack-ice toward the open sea. "Kista ship. Dan" penetrated the pack-ice on The chance of reaching Mawson January 9 to reach the Antarctic at that time appeared small so continent just south of West Ice Law arranged for Clemence to fly Shelf. Grove flew Law at 2043 him on the 5th 360 miles Ita the hours to the Vestfold 'Hills and Vestfold Hills to see if the ice there Rauer Islands. The Vestfold Hills would permit an approach. were largely ice-free and the general conditions convinced Law that a navigational error had led ANOTHER OASIS? the flight on January 5 far south They found the area blocked in of Vestfold to Larsemann Hills. The by fast-ice. However, from the air, region reported as new was itself Law sighted a similar ice-free Vestfold and the area was "oasis 'area" on an uncharted thoroughly examined from the air portion of the coast. In view of the in two flights. Two great diffi­ apparent inaccessibility of Vestfold, culties had now arisen: I, the dan­ Law' now proposed to establish a gerous approach to the coast new base at this area instead, pro­ through hundreds of icebergs be­ vided land reconnaissance proved it lieved grounded and the shoal suitable. water amongst Ithe off-lying Law then 1lt-!w 'to examine the sea islands; 2, the complete absence of ice between "Kista Dan" and Maw­ snow, ice and fresh water over son. The weather had deteriorated most of the area. A station must and the flight was carried out ·in have a summer watcr sllpply. Thc Morch 1957 ANTARCTIC III

and then another line of peaks COAL SEAMS' FOUND through which we had still to find On the return route. p1st the a way. Our course was now almost Theron mountains and close to the due south, and we continued 'to point reached by the sledge party climb to 6,200 feet to clear the tops. in December, Lewis landed. the air­ From this altitude we saw yet an­ craft and Fuchs was able to hurry other line of rock out-crops in the a mile across the snow to 'the foot distance but these stood only 50ft. of the cliffs. There he found that to 150ft. above the snow surface. the sedimentary series contained a These we felt sure were the last number of anthracite coal seams rocks which lay between us and separated by fossiliferous shales. the polar ice sheet which could be The largest of the seams which seen rising in gentle but somewhat could be reached was 2ft. thick but crevassed slopes to the south. Over it was not possible to examine or the last of the nunataks in latitude count the dthers which appear to 81°30'S. we turned back to base occur in the high cliffs. where we arrived after five hours These flights showed that there and 20 minutes in the air." were two possible routes to the GREAT GLACIERS interior. The second reconnaissance was After two seal·hunting expedi. made on January 22, to the most tions for winter dog-food, the ship westerly point of the Theron range sailed again for I-Ialley Bay on then east along its towering 2,000ft. January 30. cliffs until Fuchs found a wide smooth glacier providing a gentle uncrevassed route to the snowfields "" above. This proved to have the Bad weather delayed the plans to form of a dome, south of which lay esta:blish the advance depot. Four the upper reaches af the gre'at members of the expedition, includ­ glacier they had seen on the pre­ ing George Lowe, were flown on vious flight. Even here 70 miles to F~bruary 4 to ,the selected site, 270 the east the glacier was 25 miles miles from Shackleton, at an alti­ wide with steep sides and impass­ tude of 4,850 feet. They put up. a able belts of crevasses running prefabricated hut and began along its length. meteorological observations. The "Ae we flew south across it,". depot is to be called "South Ice". writes Fuchs, "towards rocky moun­ On February 20 Scott Base made tains that lay beyond, we quickly radio contact with Shackleton, and realised that there was no hope of Billary had nearly an hour's talk forcing a route in that direction. with Dr. Fuchs, who told him' 'that Therefore with our fuel and time the depot was then about half con­ running out we headed east again structed. On March 1 Fuchs re· in an attempt to reach ,the head of ported the completion of the base­ the glacier and discover whether a and temperatures there of minus possible tractor route lay in that 43°F. direction. At about 100 miles from The base, which will be isolated its lower end and at a height which for 'about seven months, ·consists of we judged to be 6.500ft. it seemed an aluminium and plywood hut 16 that the crevassed undulations of feet square. When the crossing a high snowfield marked the head with sno-cats begins in November of the glacier at last. Unfortunately this year the expedition's Otter will we had then to turn baclt and leave give support with fuel supplies for the final solution to be found by 200 miles south of "South Ice", Ito yet another flight." within about 300 miles of the Pole. 120 ANTARCTIC March 1957 ready for erection and the food The returning field party on Feb­ stack built and tied down. Next ruary 10 hardly recognised Maw­ day the weather broke at last with son, with "Kism Dan" in an ice-free a 40 m.p.h. gale. harbour, new huts erected and By the 20th, was stacks of new stores everyWhere. established, with all huts built, the On February 14 the station was diesel generator operating, the radio handed over to the 1957 party under aerials erected and the radio work­ Mather. "Kista Dan" left on Feb­ ing, electric stove, lights and ruary 17 for Davis, en route to heaters installed, ·the all-sky auroral Australia. camera set up beneath its perspex "Kista Dan" re'ached Davis On dome, the fresh water distilling February 20 and completed unload­ plant operating, the g,tores sorted ing the same night, leaving next and stacked, with those Hable to day for Australia via the Kerguelen damage by freezing safely stowed Islands. in the heated g,tore hut. At 1000 hours "Kista Dan" de­ parted for the Windmill Islands in AT MAWSO'N Vincennes Bay. Dingle, Stinear, A report from the Australian Lucas and Hawker were cheered Antarctic base on December 18 by the departing Mawson men. stated: "With the departure of the On January 24 the D.S. ships field party for southern latitudes "Gl'acier", "Arneb" and "Greenville and the conclusion of the flying Victory" made rendezvous with programme, activity at Mawson "Kista Dan" north of the Windmill was directed toward the rehabilita­ Islands. Seven A.N.A.R.E. men as tion of buildings and equipment well as D.S. 'observer, Glen Dyer, preViously covered by snow drifts. transferred to "Kista Dan" and 50 Milder temperatures with a maxi­ tons of fuel was pumped. into the mum of 43 deg. plus the absence of Australian vessel, which then sailed drift snow made this task easier. for Mawson. "Widening 'tide cracks and abla­ tion of the sea ice surface presaged the gradual deterioration of the bay BAcK TO MAWSON ice, although no open water was On January 30 "Kista Dan" had visible. Bunt',s ice holes for marine, approached within 40 miles of biological investigations were deve­ Mawson through hundreds of loping into miniature lakes. grounded icebergs when a strong "Flying ceased on November 29 storm of force ten, bad Visibility when Seaton, with McKenzie as ice and driVing snow forced a retreat observer, completed the reconnais­ into open water to the north. sance of the pack ice to 300 miles On February 1 the storm continued. north of Mawson. PreViously At 1000 hours the Russian vessel Leckie, with Abbs as photographer, "Ob" loomed out of the snow, carried out a reconnaissance of the circled "Kista Dan" and disappeared coast as far as into the murk. "Ob" later radioed Lutzow Holm Bay I(approximate her regret that she could not afford position 69°S. 38°E.) the flight the time to wait till the storm totalling 14 hours. To assist the cleared in order ·to visit Mawson. field party Seaton and Albion Next day "Kista Dan" turned photographed the ranges to lati­ south again and after pushing tude 75°S., after leaving McGregor through heavy pack for eight hours at the newly establis'hed depot for emerged into -open water and magnetic observations. Supply anchored at 2000 hours. Unloading drops were made to the field p'arty began next morning. on two occasions." March 1957 ANTARCTIC 121

WEASEL '!'EAM The highest point attained on this Bewsher, Crohn, Kirkby, Gardner trip was estimated at 8,500ft. The and Hollingshead left Mawson on weasels were driven back to November 19 and followed the Aerial Depot where the party was established rou'te via Depot Peak re-united on January 29, and started Stinear Nunataks to Peak H Tw~ for Mawson in weasels. On Febru­ days more, first heading east on the ary 1 weasel 4 broke through a cre­ snow Ito avoid crevasses near the vasse bridge 210 miles from Maw. ranges, then south-east on to the son and finished suspended side­ blue ice, brough't them to Aerial ways across the mouth of the cre­ Depot, 250 miles from Mawson, on vasse with the roof of the canopy December 12. only a few inches above the lip of During the early stages, they lost the far side of the crevasse. The five days due to weather, but later party succeeded in extricating the experienced fairly calm days and weasel, using a chain block, with continuous sunshine. The rough only superficial damage. snow and heavy loads necessitated The party returned ·to Mawson four days repairs to one weasel safely on the evening of February engine, but the weasels were per· 10. They had travelled 800 miles forming very well. The dog team over the Antarctic plateau by wea­ reached the depot in good spirits. sel and by dog sledge, penetrating Survey work and geology was deeply into the Prince Charles being done at Peak 56/1, three miles Mountains, and 'bringing back valu­ from the depot. On December 15 able geological, glaciological and they continued south-east through survey data. the ranges. The areas between the ranges HERE LIES proved more crevassed than flights had indicated so the weasels were The New Zealand Antarctic tal{en only 15 miles past Society has traced the grave in Aerial Depot. Bewsher, Crohn and Karori Cemetery, Wellington, of Kirkby in an 11 days dog-sledging Harry McNeish, Shackleton's car­ trip went south and reaching the penter on the "Endurance", 1914­ second range did geology survey 1917, selections from whose diary work for 35 miles along it. The were first published in "Antarctic total distance covered was 80 miles. News Bulletin" during 1954 and 1955. The grave is un-marked and over­ THIRD RANGE grown. The Society proposes to On December 30 they rejoined erect some simple headstone to Gardner 'and Hollingshead at the indicate the last resting place of weasels. On January 1 Crohn, McNeish, who was one of the five Kirl{by ~nd Hollingshead com· men who accompanied Shackleton menced a fortnight's dog-sledging on his epic boat journey from trip to the third range. They Elephant Island to South Georgia covered 150 miles in 17 days in the in the ship's-boat "James Caird", eastern portion of the ranges, partially decked·in by McNeish including a descent to the S.W. himself. corner of the Amery ice shelf, Any persons who would like to where calm days and temperatures be associated in this belated tribute above freezing were much appre­ to one of a heroic band may for· ciated. Additional supplies were ward contributions to the Secretary, manhauled 15 miles from the New Zealand Antarctic Society, weasels making possible a further P.O. Box 2110, Wellington, New 110 miles sledging trip in 12 days. Zealand. ANTARCTIC March 1957

IN ADELI'E. LAND A helicopter successfUlly flew 15 tons of gasoline to a depot inland The French sector in the An­ ready for the next "raid" to Charcot tarctic is regarded as having the Station. In 167 hours' flying, no worst climate in any· part of the trouble was experienced. This half­ continent. France has two stations way depot was occupied for some there, one on the Adelie Land time by M. G. Rouillon and Captain shore, called Base Dumont de Gerlache, the leaders respec­ D'Urville, and 275 miles inland a tively of the French and Belgian base near the magnetic pole. Air expeditions in 1957 to 1959. support was out of the question for Guillard, on his return to France, the magnetic pole base, and supply said that blizzards of 160 m.p.h. and trips meant a long and 'arduous temperatures of -30°F. had journey on foot or tractor. allowed only 20 effective working Robert Guillard, who has had days in 120. Apart from the weather long tractor experience on the the expedition's main trouble had Greenland ice-cap, took the tractor been snow lumps, often more than train to build the base in October.. a yard in diameter, thrown up by It comprised four Itracked vehicles. the blizzards. These icy boulders It had to cover a badly-crevassed blocked the path of the snow trac­ area, and for three weeks in tors and sledges transporting the December it was unable to move. expedition's 17 tons of equipment. because of a raging blizzard. It was only during January that the base was established. Only 'three e men will man the site, being re­ Pola. Statnp Issue placed next year by three others. France will be issuing new The French programme of research stamps, representing areas in the will be the same as the other French sector of Antarctica. They nations. include 50-centimes and 1·franc, Crozet Archipelago; 5c. and 8f. St. Charcot Station is some 320 km. Paul and Amsterdam Islands: 10f. south of Dumont d'Urville, in appro­ and 15f. Kerguelen Archipelago, ximately 69°22.8 mins. S. and 139° and air-mail 50f. and 100f. Adelie .02 mins E. at an altitude of about Land. 7,800ft. A 2/- Australian stamp is to be A second expedition left Le issued in February or March, Havre on October 7 on the m.v. inscribed "Australian Antarctic "Norsel". The hydrographic engi­ Territory." It will be valid for neer, M. B. Imbert, the leader of postage in Australia as well as in the French Expedition,also led this the territory, and will be available second party, consisting of 20 men at Australian post offices for not for d'Urville Station on Petrel less than three months. FollOWing Island, and three men for Charcot cessation of post office sales, it will Station. The "Norsel" had an remain current as the first denomi­ easy ice-free trip, anchoring on nation of a projected series for December 23 at Geologie Point. permanent use in the Australian Three hundred and fifty tons of Antarctic Territory. stores were landed, and the ship The design will comprise, at the began hydrographic work along right, a map of the Territory show­ the caast. The d'Urville S'tatIon hut ing its situation in relation to was enlarged,. and a big special Australia. At -the left will be' a radar apparatus for auroral obser­ representation of the Australian vations was part of the scientific flag being flown in the Vestfold equipment mounted. I-Iills area in March ] 954. MMCh 1957 ANTARCTIC 125

LJedition will spend part of the long IIALLEY BAY southern winter inside their own The "Magga Dan" carrying the "cinema". The expedition will have relieving party of 21 men for the as its base a hut 130ft. long - the Royal Society's expedition base at largest so far on Antarctica-and HalIey Bay on the Caird Coast will turn one of the rooms, 25ft. reached the base at 9.30 p.m. on square, into a cinema. January 4, four hours after the 800 ton "Tottan", carrying stores. Some delay was caused in 'the initial stages of unloading owing to CHILEAN POLAR the slushy surface of the snow which prevented the tractors from MOVEME'NTS moving qUickly. When the ltwo The transpor.t Rancagua, and ships arrived there was nothing at tenders left Punta Arenas en route the base but a line of roofs half for the Capitan Prat (naval) base hidden by drifted snow, a meteoro· on Graham Land on October 24. logical tower, a flimsy radio mast, They had a very rough time cross­ and a fluttering Union Jack. ing the Drake Channel, but have But by the 10th all round the since returned to Punta Arenas, main buildings were 11 different leaving the new garrison behind dumps-including coal, food huts, them. Those who had passed a and radar equipment-all neatly year there arrived back by plane in piled ready for use and by the 12th Santiago about the middle of about 400 tons of stores had been November. disembarked. The components of the relieving garrison for the O'Higgins (mili­ On January 11 Lewis flew Fuchs, tary) Base, left Santiago for Punta Dalgliesh, Smart and Lowe in the Arenas by plane at the end of Otter, which had been assembled November, and embarked on the ashore, to discover whether ,the Rancagua 'to be ferried over 'to mountains thought to have been their base. seen to the east of 'the Bay really United States naval units which existed. Flying over deeply ere­ visited Valparaiso- in October and vassed areas where land and ice November were 'the ice-breakers shelf meet, Fuchs eventually saw Glacier, Staten Island and Wyan­ through the clOUds the towering dot. A Chilean Naval observer ­ peaks of a high range of moun­ Captain Ernesto Soto - is accom­ tains, the Tottan Range, 'Over 59 panying .this latter vessel on behalf miles long. Flying closer he could dis· of his Government. tinguish reddish brown rocks that The Chilean Defence Ministry rose to over 9,000ft. Fortunately has announced that will con­ there was brilliant sunshine so it struct a new base in "O'Higgins was possible to sketch and photo­ Land" (Graham Land), Intended graph the range. initially for scientific observations To the south-west, the rock during the I.G.Y., the' new base will gradually became submerged be situated near the eXisting beneath the ·inland ice, but to the Bernado O'Higgins Base, now north·west a second more extensive manned by the Chilean Army. The range was visible. It is suggested base will be named Luis Riso that this should be called the Patron after a Chilean navigator Magga Range. who explored the area, and will be­ While the blizzards whirl round come Chile's fifth permanent mili­ their hut the 21 members of the ex- tary post in the Antarctic. 126 ANTARCTIC March 1957

SUB-ANTARCTICA SOlltli-l~ola.· SI,ua MARION ISLAND South Africa's I.G.Y. programme Distributioll Study includes the 'addition of radio wind By CARL. R. ELSLUND observations as well as ionospheric, In conjunction with activities to be oceanographic and geodetic re­ carried out in the Antarctic during search to the 'activities on the the International Geophysical Year island. The next relief ship is due a banding study is being under­ to leave Durban in May 1957. taken to determine more about the BOUVET ISLAND skua (Catharacta slma). This island remains a source of Ornithologists disagree on the concern in that it is the one means systematic treatment of the bipolar of filling a large gap in the South forms of the genus Catharacta. The Atlantic network of observation South-polar skua (C. s. maccol'­ stations. Owing to the problem of micld) appears to be the common landing personnel and equipment, breeding bird on the Antarctic con­ etc., South Africa cannot manage tinent. A banding study of this this tmdertaldng without assistance. sub-species should help solve some Although various avenues have of the questions on its distribution been explored no concrete offer to' and relationship with other recog­ assist has yet been forthcoming. nized forms. Six nations, Argentina, the ·CAMPBELL ISLAND United Kingdom, Japan, Nor­ New Zealand's new station is ex­ way, the U.S.S.R., and the United pected to be fully operational by States will band at sixteen stations June 1. The technical 'building is and Chile and France have agreed already in use and the domestic to carry out observations at certain building will be completed in a few of their stations. Australia which weeks. The ionospheric building is already using a coloured band at has been commenced, and will bc , will also band at rapidly completed when a party of its Vestfold Hills Station if possible. four or five tradesmen arrives New Zealand will carry out joint shortly. banding studies with the United Two men, electrician A. R. Mc­ States at two stations. Irrtyre 'and cook K. R. Brown, have PLASTIC LEG-BANDS been returned to New Zealand by "Brough" and "Endeavour" respec­ Multi-coloured, unnumbered, one tively, the one with an arm injury and one-half inch wide thermo­ and the other ill. plastic leg bands will be employed. Seven basic colours are being used. To provide a sufficient number of different colours for each of the six­ Surviving Mendlc.· teen and possibly seventeen One of the few surviving mem­ stations, a dual colour was obtained bers of Scott's 1910-1912 expedition with some by applying a vinyl­ is Mr. Mortimer (Jack) McCarthy, based paint, suitable'for thermo­ who at the age of 78 is an active plastics, to one-half of the band. seaman on the New Zealand coastal In addition to the coloured band, steamer "Holmlea." He was an a numbered aluminum band or ring A.B. on the expedition ship "Terra will be placed on the other leg. Nova." His brother Timothy was Some participating countries have one of Shackleton's five companions national banding programmes, and in the epic boat-journey from will use their own mar!{ed bands. Elephant Island to South Georgia. Others have been supplied with March 1957 ANTARCTIC 127

metal bands now being used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, BOOKSHELF which has agreed to act as a clear­ "EIUPEROR PENGUINS", Jean ing house for returns. Rivolier: London, Elek Books, 131 pages, illustrations, translated from SOME DYEING the French by P·eter Wiles, pub­ Some dyeing of adult skuas will lished price, 15/·. be carried out at the Wilkes Station This book, like "Antarctic Ven­ (Knox Coast) using a scarlet ture" by Mario Marret (reviewed in colour. Experiments will also be "Antarctic", March 1956) deals with made at this station with green the experiences of the six French­ wing or neck streamers made of a men and the Australian Dovers who plasticized poly vinyl chloride ma­ spent a year, 1951-52, within a terial. If time permits, birds will also stone's-throw of the Emperor pen­ be dyed at the Cape Adare Station, guin rookery at Pointe Geologie in using a yellow colour. This method Adelie Land. Here, the emphasis of marking has been quite success­ is on the penguins, their character­ ful with geese and mourning doves istics and their strange way of life, in the United States. vividly described in plain layman's Banding kits have been sent to language with the enthusiasm alI co-operating countries, and band­ natural to men who were the first ing-location maps with record and ever to see the Emperors at close instruction sheets were also sent to range throughout the whole breed­ the French for use at their Point ing season, and with the candour Geologie Station on the Antarctic and humour one expects from a continent, as well as at Kerguelen French observer. and Amsterdam Islands; to United The book sparkles with wit and Kingdom observers for use at the with piquant sketches of the foibles Union of South Africa's Tristan de of the author's companions. Inevi­ Cunha and Gough Islands; to Aus­ tably, it covers much the same tralia for use at Macquarie Island; ground as does the book by Marret, to New Zealand for use at Camp­ the leader, but the two stories are bell Island; and to Chile for use at as different as the characters of four of its stations in the Palmer the two men, and that is "more Peninsula (GrahamlandL It is than something". A racy and very hoped that similar material can be human account of a unique expedi­ sent to South Africa's Marion tion. Island Station. The success of the study is de­ pendent upon two things; (1) The The 1956 edition of the Australian number of birds banded, and (2) map of Antarctica may be obtained the observations made of banded from the Director, Canberra birds in the Antarctic as well as Tourist Bureau, Civic Centre, Can­ outside of the polar region. One berra, A.C.T.; price 2/- per copy. full, and parts of two breeding seasons will be available for this. It would be appreciated if infor­ In addition, it is hoped personnel at mation is forwarded the author, the outlying islands off Antarctica U.S.N.C.-I.G.Y., Regional Pro­ will record occurrences of banded gramme Office, Room 716, 1145 19th birds. It is further hoped that St. N.W., Washington 25, D.C., who ornithologists and others through­ until February 1958 will be the out the southern hemisphere will station scientific leader at the report any observations or records Wilkes Station on the Knox Coast. of sl

The Soc:ety still has for sale a limited number of copies of

\\ THE ANTARCTIC TODAY 11 --a splendid 389-page volume which is indispensable to anyone wishing to be well-informed about Antarctica. Responsible over­ seas reviewers have said:- "This really important book is an astonishing tribute to the vitality of the New Zealand Antarctic Society."-(Times Literary Supplement) . "A fine book ... an authoritative and comprehensive review." -(Geographical Journal). "Without question the best general work on the Antarctic avail­ nble today."-(Paul Siple in "Geographical Review"). There is a large folding map in colour and nearly fifty fascina­ ing illustrations as well as many other plates, diagrams, etc. Obtain­ able from the Society,. f. ••. , price 47/6• . 128 ANTARCTIC March 1957

Explanation For NEW AIR STRIP Antarctic Oases PROJECTED Several ice-free lakes have been The unsatisfactory nature of recently found on the Antarctic con­ Williams air-strip on the sea-ice of tinent. The Vestfold Hills where McMurdo Sound, which is not only the Australians have set up their liable to be slushy and dangerous second base is one, the "Bunger but could easily break out com­ Oasis", named by the U.S. 1946-47 pletely, has caused the United expedition, is another, and a third States authorities to look for a pos­ is in the Neue Schwabenland area of sible air-strip on solid land. Queen Maud Land, investigated by Tentative examination has been the German 1938-39 expedition. made of a site near Cape Bel'­ The Bunger region, investigated nacchi, the northern limit of New by Soviet scientists last January, Harbour on the western side of Mc­ consists of over 300 square-miles of Murdo Sound. The southern limit bare rocks interspersed with lakes. is Butter Point. Here the ice-sheet Various explanations have at dif­ has receded, leaving a relatively ferent times been proposed to level area of rock which, the engi­ account for the phenomenon. The neers state, could be converted into Russians in'a guarded theory seem a satisfactory air-strip. The cost of to have settled the matter once and levelling the site would be very for all; the opportunities they will great and the operation would take have for testing their hypothesis at least two years. Moreover, since should certainly provide the proof. the site is on territory claimed by Their view is quite prosaic. New Zealand, political considera­ In the Bunger area, two glaciers tions are involved. are diverted round the lakes by It is possible that a satisfactory deep valleys underneath them. This site could be found in Marie Byrd prevents ice masses encroaching. Land, to the east of Little America During the winter, strong winds and in "unclaimed" territory. No sweep away the snow as it falls, decisions have so far been reached. and in the summer, the sun beats down on the bare outcrops of roc!{s, melting ice and surrounding accumulations of snow. The warm surrounding rocks raise the tem­ perature of the lakes, and some be­ Out!! come free of ice. The Russians Before the first party to occupy think this combination of conditions Mawson Base left Australia, every sufficient to account for the preser­ man who had an appendix had to vation of the oasis. have it out. This was because some years ago a warship had to be sent hurriedly to one of the sub­ Soviet Ice-b.eeali:er AntarcUc islands to bring back an Russia is building a 16,000 ton appendicitis-stricken doctor. atomic ice-breal{er capable of battl­ Today the Australian authorities ing its way through the heavip.st still insist that the doctor at each ice to reach the North Pole. Using base shall be minus his appendix. only five ounces of fuel a day, cmd The Queensland branch of the able to operate for three years B.M.A. objected, but the branches without re-fuelling, the new ship in other States, when asl{ed, will be 428 feet in length, and has replied "Take it out." a 44,000 horse-power engine. The So the doctor will lose his D.S.S. Glacier displaces 8,300 tons appendix. And the doctor's name and has 21,000 horsc"power. is--·WiIl ing'. UNIVERSAL PRINTERS, 22-26 BLAIR STREET, WELLINGTON.