Icy Voyage By Walter F. Rackley, Selwyn Elementary School, Charlotte, N.C. Between 1928 and 1957, Admiral Richard Byrd explored Antarctica several times. Walter interviewed his grandfather Arthur Jamison Hill, who was aboard for Byrd's 1939 voyage. 1 "Because of his competence 2 as an operating technician at the United States Navy Hospital in Washington, D.C., Arthur Jamison Hill, a Charlotte young man, will accompany the Richard E. Byrd Expedition to Antarctica in the near future." - The Charlotte Observer, 1939 Those words in the local paper announced my grandfather's coup 3 of an assignment--to help Admiral Byrd chart the last unexplored region in the world. In 1939, my grandfather, A. J. Hill, was a 23-year-old pharmacist mate working at a Navy hospital in Washington, D.C. There he met Undersecretary of the Navy Louis Compton, who had broken his hip. A. J. Hill took very good care of Compton, including taking his young bride out dancing at the secretary's request. When Compton asked if there was anything Compton could do to return the favor, A. J. Hill suggested a berth 4 on the next Byrd expedition to Antarctica. The next day, A. J. Hill had his assignment on the Bear, a sailing ship built in Scotland in 1874. The U. S. Navy had converted the Bear into an ice cutter. The North Star filled out the expedition, which sailed from Boston. "I was one of two medical people assigned to the Bear. Everyone on the Bear had to learn to trim sails and rigging. It was scary. Byrd didn't come with us out of Boston. He flew down to Panama, where we picked him up." Although the Bear had diesel engines, the sailors used the sails every chance they could. 1 voyage: a journey usually by water from one place or country to another 2 competence: having the necessary ability or skill 3 coup: a brilliant, sudden, and usually highly successful action 4 berth: place to sleep on a boat Article: Copyright 2007 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Used by permission. 1
"We stopped at every port on the way down. We did it just for fun and to get fresh food. An unusual feature was the [team of] 40 sled dogs we took with us. They had little huts on deck and a ring on the deck where they were chained. [When we got to Antarctica,] they pulled sleds and hauled supplies." Byrd sometimes wandered up to the "fo'c'sle," or forecastle, the forward part of the upper deck of the ship, when Grandpa had the watch. "We would talk like good friends. He was a real nice gentleman. He never wore his uniform." When the expedition reached Antarctica, it was summertime in the Southern Hemisphere, but it was below freezing. The sailors charted the entire coastline. "We created a map, and we all got to name a feature for ourselves. I got to name Hill's Hill." Admiral Byrd's team stayed in Antarctica for three months. One of the most interesting things my grandfather remembers is the king penguin, which stands about 5 feet tall and weighs between 60 and 70 pounds. "They weren't afraid of people. They have a stiff wing, and they'd walk up to you and bang you with that wing. They were somewhat of a nuisance, 5 and we ended up killing and feeding some of them to the sled dogs." After the expedition, neither my grandpa nor the Bear ever saw Antarctica again. 5 nuisance: annoyance Article: Copyright 2007 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Used by permission. 2
Name: Date: 1. When was the Bear built? A 1874 B 1928 C 1939 D 1957 2. In the passage, A. J. Hill is described as A generous B competent C careless D irresponsible 3. What can you conclude about how A. J. Hill felt about his experience traveling to Antarctica? A He disliked being on a sailing ship with so many dogs. B He had an amazing and unique experience. C He was homesick and didn t enjoy the expedition. D He wishes he had never gone to Antarctica. 4. Read this sentence from the passage: The U. S. Navy had converted the Bear into an ice cutter. In this sentence, the word converted means A trimmed the sails and rigging of a ship B changed from one form to another C made a surprising announcement D assisted someone with a difficult task 5. The main purpose of this passage is to describe A what life was like in the United States in the 1930s B how A. J. Hill got to know the Undersecretary of the Navy C A. J. Hill s voyage to Antarctica with Richard Byrd D why Admiral Richard Byrd was interested in Antarctica 1
6. How long did Admiral Byrd s team stay in Antarctica? 7. How did A. J. Hill feel about Admiral Byrd? How do you know? Cite examples from the text. 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. In Antarctica, 40 sled dogs pulled sleds and hauled supplies Admiral Byrd s team. A or B for C nor D but 2
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below. In 1939, Admiral Byrd took a team of people on an expedition to explore Antarctica. Who? Admiral Byrd (did) What? Where? When? Why? 10. Vocabulary Word: competence: having the necessary ability or skill. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: 3