The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-01-12

me, and by the motion OF their lips
knew they were worsbipIng me.
tried to stop them. but. finding IT in-
possible TO do so. | gave up the Job
and. dragging my aeroplane to a slope
favorable to getting start. rose over
their heads and flew away. Some of
them gazed after me In wonder while
others kept their faces on the ground.
| circled about, the wonder OF va
rious groups OF natives Finally dis
cerned two lines OF men engaged In
combat. They were SO intent on kin-
Ing one another that they did not see
me till | was nearly over them. Then
one after another looked up at me,
and. forgetting the human enemy In
the monster bird. they took to their
heels. gradually disappearing as they
obtained cover.
1t was now beginning TO get dark.
| sailed over different parties but too
high to attract their attention. Final
ly. seeing a dozen men tied 10 stakes.
/ descended to get q nearer view
They were evidently prisoners taken
In battle, who were to be roasted alive
and eaten afterward. for under each
was a pile of wood. some of which
was already lighted. a small fame
curling up near their ankles. 1t WAS
too dark for them 10 discover me. and
the ground was not fayora bic to allght-
Ing, so, taking up roman candle.
lighted 1t and bombarded them with
the balls. Looking up and seeing the
dim substance OF huge bird lowering
over them vomiting fire balls they fell
on their faces.
l called to them till they looked up
and made signs to them to unbind
their prisoners. which they did, and as
soon as the last man was loose
drove the would be devourers away
at the point of another roman candle.
Then rose. firing rockets as | ascend
ed with view to striking terror into
them. hoping that they would con-
slider themselves forbidden by the god
bird from further returning to their
captives.
l then returned to where I had left
my supplies and after partaking of a
supper rolled myself In my blankets
under the shelving rock and went to
sleep.
The next morning after taking in
fuel and oil l sailed away again. BY
this time some Of the natives had got
sufficiently accustomed to me to con-
slider me amenabe to attack and made
attempts to bring me down. Suddenly
while making some adjustments which
took my attention a great stone pass
ed within a few feet of my aeroplane.
Looking down, | saw a tribe who were
working q machine that looked like a
Roman catapult They were directly
beneath me and about to throw an
other stone. If II hit me 1t would
break my aeroplane. Not daring to
risk taking time to rise out of range.
picked up a stick OF dynamite and
dropped 1t on them. l saw dust. smoke
and fragments, and after the two first
had cleared away looked for the ma
tives and their catapult. Where they
had stood was a capacious hole In the
ground.
Observing a native village beneath
me, | determined to descend among
them and remain with them till they
had got used to me in order that
might commune with them. When yet
some distance away l could see them
standing together watching my ap-
proach. The first evidence of their
solicitude was when | came near them
and began to descend. Then they all
ran away. But when | had alighted
l waited patiently till they should
come back. Presently | saw heads
peeping at me through the long grass.
The children came first. the women
next and last the men | worked with
them some time in order to establish
communication, showing them my
wonders. Rigging telephone. told
man to go some distance away and
would make his wife talk to him.
Having arranged matters for him. |
placed receiver at his ear and going
back to the woman. motoned her
to talk through the transmitter. At
the first words spoken the man drop
ped the receiver and looked about him
as though he expected to see his wife
near him.
Then l established a wireless and
placed a man between the two ex-
tremes He could hear the clicking at
both. one in keeping with the other.
He looked about for some connection.
but. finding none, ran away from me
and the machine.
To cap the climax took a little
child from Its mothers arms and set
1t beside me In the machine. The
mother was frantic, though by signs
| endeavored to make her understand
that would bring her child back safe
ly. think she believed | was a super
natural being and was about to fly
up to heaven with the little one. No
one dared oppose me, and. rising In
the air. flew away. When ten min
utes later l returned and placed the
babe In its mothers arms she tainted
for Joy. Then l was sure she had eI-
pected not to see 1t again.
Confident as to the safety and docil-
ity of my mammoth bird having been
established. was besieged with re-
quests for a ride In the clouds. But
II would have been impossible to
choose between the applicants, SO l
Ill