The Washington times., 1910-10-27
Hawley and Post, of America
ii, Get Ovation In
North Woods.
THRILLING STORY
OF RETURN TOLD
While Search for Balloonists Was
Organizing Winners Were Near
Starvation In Forest.


tacular ever held. left here for Quebec
today.
They were astonished to learn that
two nations had mOurned them as dead
ana assumed that they had either foun-
dered in the great lakes or been lost in
the northern wilderness Of the Domin-
ion.
The two intrepid aerunauts who set a
new worlds record and won the James
Gorden Bennett Cup. told an aStonish-
ing tale Of hardship and adventure and
added new details today 10 the story OF
the per1louS trip. They were thoroughly
fetlgued upon reaching here after a
weeks plOdding through forests of
thlck underUTush. handicapped by cold
and snow and the absence OF guides
Mr. Hawley estimated that the Amer
lea had travelled between 1850 and I46O
miles. She was in the air forty-six
nours, but today the great deserted bag
lies upon the slope Of an unnamed
mountain near Lake Blanc Sable in the
Chicoutimi district Of Quebec, where the
descent was made late in the day Of
Wednesday. October 10. II probably
never will be recovered. Although the
worlds record Of ll93 miles has been
broken, II VIII be necessary TO wait for
the official figures on the Americas
night from the Aero Club Of America
before knowing exactly what the new
world record IS. Mr.. Hawley believes
--SA' bNCAA DAOhtLl Dg more IMAM ~
miles.
AstoniShed At Search.
The two aeronauts planned to hasten
back to New York with all possible
speed. When told that the United States
and Canada had linked their efforts in
the great organized search for them
through thousands Of miles Of Canadian
territory and involving approximately
1O.0o0 persons both were astOnished.
They were even more astonished TO
learn that a central bureau for the
search had been established in ottawa
Nv Edmond StTattOn, representing the
Aero Club Of America and Lewis Spin
dler, representing the Aero Club Of St
Louis.
great ovation VAS given the two
men here. They were the heroes of the
little town. The simple French Cana
dams crowded about Them as though
theY were beings from another world.
Hunters and trappers in the employ Of
the Hudson Bay Company, JrudCed
many miles TO see the aerOnGuJs. The
Indian trappers followed the two men
about.
Joseph Pednaud and Joseph Simard.
two Of the hunters who brought Haw-
lev and Post out Of the wilderness, left
today 10 see what can be done about
recovering the America II.
Before abandoning their craft the two
aeTOnautS cached IL in a declivity on
the side OF the mountain on which they
landed and covered il with brush to
preserve IL from the elements. Ped
maud and Simard said before they
Started that they thought they would
be able 10 bring the balloon To STAN
bTouse in a canoe, but they did not
thiak it possible to get the basket out
Of the wilderness.
Hawley and Post received a big batch
of CCngratulatory kilograms this morn
ing before boarding the train. They
VIII reach Quebec about 6 o'clock to-
night.
Trip of Hardship
our flight was fine one, but the
hardships commenced after we we're
compelled 70 land" said Mr.. Hawley.
I'VE were IN the air forty-sIx hours
and estimate that We Travelled about
Lfge miles Our course lay II Il nOrther-
" direction from St Louis over Lakes
Huron and Michigan. We traversed the
proposed route Of the Georgian bay
ship canal, and passed over some Of the
most rugged territory | have ever seen
We figured that it woald be useless to
drop notes in that wilderness SO re-
fFatne5 from doing so.
rOuT plan vas to 20 through to the
Spast of Labrador. We Travelled at high
speed before brisk Wird and would
have made II, toe, If storm mad nc
arisen or Wednesday and compelled US
20 make a landing. Our supplies were
getting low. but the balloon was IN con-
landed about 25e feet Up the slope Of a
e sable.
The weather was bitterly cold and
We knew nothing of the country about
US. Snow came down In great quaint
ties. The undeTbruSh was so dense
that II scratched our clothes of our
backs. We were i'm lake region and
bad 70 cross streams of ice cold water
IN which we nearly persisted. 1t wa
NECESSARY 10 carry good supply OF
Blankets and clothing which gave US no
opportunity to take much food. How
ever, at best, our supply was practical
" exhausted.
For three days and nights we
piodded through that wilderness 1t
was terrible. We were at the mercy
of wild animals, our clothing was soak
ed, our shoes were nearly worn from
our feet, we We're weak and dispiriteJ.
and about ready to give up hope Of
findinC civilization We had a small
chart with us, which we consulted fire.
quentlv, but We had to 20 out Of our
WAY so often TO avoid lakes and streams
That our progress was both painful and
slow. There wer boys and chasms
which were constant menaces-
Found Deserted Hut.
I'VE came upon an empty hut. evil
IDENTIFY used by a hunter. This gave US
sumo shelter. and we managed to dry
out our clothes and rest up somewhat
With the benefits Of warmth and dry
ness Snow fell at intervals. and the
weather was bitter cold, and our pro
visions were At the minimum, so We had
10 push on.
''On the fourth day We came across
some trapperS Their surprise cannot
be Imagined. We appeared like an ap-
partition to them. They stared open
nouthed and with their ewes bullying
one Of them muttered a prayer ana
crossed himself. We were in the garb
of ordinary American citizens, but our
clothing was torn ana diTtv and wet
shd we carried bundles of blankets
upon our backs
We managed to make them under
stand that we had landed in balloon
and wanted TO get TO the nearest town
After a time theys became treasured,
and later their fears gave way entirely,
but its place was taken by the most
consuming curiosity. We We're too
weak and worn 20 d. much talking.
The men had a good supply Of food
and We were fed literally. That night
we lay down to sleep with the best
meal inside us that we had had since
leaving -. Louis. Soon after we reach
Cd ST. Ambrose aid came on here in
a buggy.
II believe our flight viii stand as one
OF the greatest in the history Of bal
booming and may never be eQualed."