Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-13

Frantz Reichel of LIE Figaro writes
graphically of his experience on an
aeroplane with Wilbur Wright at lie
Mans, France:
To-day I have had the lark Of larks.
I have tasted the joy of fight. Yes,
have flown I am still anything but
steady, owing to amazement and ex-
element. l can hardly believe my
senses, yet the thing is true; for more
than an hour I enjoyed an experience
that daring souls have vainly eraved
for centuries, madly yearning to course
bird-lilxe through the air.
my delight is unbounded and I find
it immensely difficult to keep my head
amid the tumult of bewildering impress
sions. When Wilbur Wright invited
me to occupy a seat in his aeroplane.
I wanted to fall on his neck. He was
so calm about it, though, that 1 didn't
dare. So 1 climbed into the machine
without further ado.
4 Plunge Into Space
wright buttoned his waisteoat. took
his seat, grasped the two tillers. An
indefinable thrill ran through me. Then
he leaned over and with his right hand
let loose the weights that start the
aeroplaue. We were Off At first there
was the curious abrupt sensation of
plunge into space. It gave me coltcky
moment. Under me 1 heard the fall OF
the car that had carried the aeroplane.
We had left the rail and suddenly there
was a rocking due to the thunderou5
uproar of the engine and the motion
of the propellers. We flew. / sripped
my faculties to see and feel. stiffened,
not daring to move.
10
white bird that bore US rose ana be-
meath me the ground fled away We
headed for the horizons of dunes and
hills and low trees, experiencing the
paradoxical sensations of dizzy Gid
ing through some mild fluid. 1t was
strange and delicious. The air came
at me in a swift but even current, ca
ressingly, never harshly. I could keep
my eyes wide open.
intoxicated Turnings
"Then came the first turning over
a fine carpet of mauve shrubbery. WITH
his right hand the aeroplanist moved
the tiller and the great white wings
yeered like a bird. Oh those turnings!
those turnings! If flying in a straight
line was delightful, turning was down
right Intoxicating. Whence, precisely,
came this delirium? How can 1 tell?
From the graceful, perfect curve, per-
chance? From the lift of the appa-
ratus, which seems to redouble its
speed and slip even more gently
through the air? Doubtless also from
reflection, for it was during these mo-
ments that I realized most wildly that
the air had been conquered. conquered
absolutely. My heart would leap up
within me and my eyes grow moist.
1--WE now flew toward the camp,
whose tents and barracks rose down
below in the dark setting of pines,
which doomed black against the blaze
of the sunset. At the edge of the wood
there was a throng of spectators
Mounted cuirassiers galloped up and
down in front of them to prevent them
running out upon the field. We passed
over them, and 1 could see them duck
their heads. Some of them waved
handkerchiefs. On road that runs
through the camp were countless au-
tomobiles; between them and alongside
them were cyclists and close-packed
pedestrians. They were starting home
already satisfied a by the preceding
flights. But when they saw the flying
machine again they decided to stay.
I'm a turning close to the ground,
we now approached our starting point.
At the foot of the pylon and near the
shed there was a crowd; a little IN
front of the crowd stood group of
privileged spectators who had come
from Paris especially to witness the