312 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1937 



plan, based on the assumption that in the Ross Sea, at the edge of the 

 great Ross Barrier, was the only place where I could be certain of 

 finding an unloading point for the plane on skis, was to fly from the 

 Ross Sea to the Weddell Sea and return on a triangular course. 



My ship would have to brave the stormy areas south of New Zea- 

 land, and have sufficient range to journey round the Pacific sector of 

 the Antarctic ice edge to pick me up, should I be compelled to land on 

 the Weddell Sea side or abandon the plane en route and walk to some 

 part of the coast. I finally selected a staunch, single-deck, motor- 

 driven Norwegian fishing-boat of 400 tons. She was built of Nor- 

 wegian pine and oak in 1919. I sheathed her with oak and armor 

 plate for service in the pack ice. Her engme was of the semi-Diesel 

 type, and I installed tanks for fuel sufficient for cruising 11,000 

 miles at a speed of 7 to 8 knots. I named the ship the Wyatt Earp after 

 an unbelievably brave frontier marshal who more than any other man 

 of his time typified the empire builders of the western United States. 



The Wyatt Earp could carry supplies for 2 years as well as the 

 airplane in the hold, where it was well protected from the weather. 

 This left our decks clear, except for the explosive gasoline, which was 

 carried in drums lashed to the deck rails. There was room, in fact, to 

 have carried another plane on deck, but I finally decided agahist 

 taking a duplicate machine for two reasons. Fii-st, by exercising 

 infinite care with the machine while preparing it for flight, and by 

 flying only in fine weather, landing only in clear weather, and in time 

 to lash it down before being overtaken by storm, I could be reasonably 

 sure of safety from damage. A skilled pilot, landing under such 

 conditions would protect us from the danger of accidents to the per- 

 sonnel and leave us in a position to walk away from the machine if it 

 was necessary to abandon it. Secondly, two airplanes would have 

 meant two or more pilots and other additional membei's of the expedi- 

 tion, and in all an extra cost far in excess of the actual and initial cost 

 of the machine. 



Economy has not always been the first consideration in polar 

 exploration and while it is necessary to spare no expense in providing 

 adequate equipment, there is no reason why expeditions should be 

 absurdly expensive or luxurious. It is impossible, of course, to value 

 discovery in dollars and cents, but all attempts at discovery should be 

 organized with some consideration for the magnitude of possible 

 results compared with the amount of money involved. In this rela- 

 tion the use of airplanes has made it possible to lower the cost of 

 exploration and discovery. 



An expedition equipped for flying needs less personnel, and can 

 expect to cover miles for less expenditure of energy and money than 

 could be done when using the dog-team method. For detailed scientific 

 research the dog-teams may be necessary, but my efforts were to be 



