Antarctic Comrades: An American with the Russians in Antarctica

In 1960 American geophysicist and glaciologist Dewart participated in an international expedition to Antarctica under Russian supervision. His engaging story of that year is replete with interesting scientific information--the ice cap in some regions is more than two miles thick, there are deserts where the annual precipitation is less than five inches and where the temperature can sink as low as 129F. But lay readers will be less attracted by his discussion of matters scientific than by his portraits of the Russians with whom he worked: he found them warm and impetuous, gregarious and always on the lookout for an excuse to have a party. The group was together at the time of the U-2 incident, but this event, stresses Dewart, did not destroy the camaraderie. Photos not seen by PW. (Nov.)