Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-11-04
French Aviator Makes a Peril
Gus War Flight.
Dispatch Bearer Tells of Air Trip
From Paris With Orders for Gen.
eraI in the North-Brousht
to Earth by Shot.

London.-Le Petit Journal pub
fishes P description of the experience
of passenger on board an aeroplane
in time of war. The start took place
one gray dawn. Rian, the pilot, a
famous civilian aviator, clothed in
the leather armor of his craft, re-
ceived the following orders from his
captain:
You will convey a passenger and
dispatches straight north to -.
Your orders are simply TO get them
there. You must take no risks en-
route. If the enemy brings you down,
destroy both the dispatches and the
aeroplane. II you get through to --,
go at once 10 the general with your
passenger, who will give him YER
bal message. Good luck and quick
is the word
The passengers story continues:
While the pilot was looking over
his machine, | took my place with
the dispatches between my legs and a
carbine slung along the framework on
either side. The machine ran jolting
along the ground and rose percep-
tibly in front of me. The pilot, dashed
TO his seat, sat motionless and atten-
tive, regulating the course with little
movements Of the levers
I'VE started directly north, tossed
a little by an east wind, which caught
us under one wing
Suddenly the pilot cut of the mo-
tor. and nothing was audible except
tho nh - 4.
the rigging OF the acceptance He
turned to me. pointed out some little
black smoke puffs far below us. and
signed to me to listen. But | could
hear nothing except the wind. Then
the motor started again. and the
steady hum covered everything.
The smoke puffs grew nearer and
more numerous. We tried to rise still
higher. when a great wind came and
threw US to one side. The ever ready
pilot righed us but another and more
terrible shock hurled us vertically
upwards
Then we began to fall. The smoke
and flashes were now quite near us.
and we were thrown this way and that
by great blasts Of air. Still we forged
ahead at full speed, clinging to the
framework
81 awaited the inevitable end. I'm.
capable OF thinking Then suddenly
calm was restored We had passed
the danger zone and beneath us
stretched a great forest. cut here and
there with ravines
Hardly had we recovered a sense
OF security than the danger reap
peared in all its horror. As we left
the zone OF danger our aeroplane be
gan to list over The pilot having
done his utmost 10 right us. GU, on
the motor and. half turning his head.
gazed towards our left wing where n
strip OF torn canvas was streaming
in the wind
AT once our headlonR descent be-
gan. ending with an abrupt landing in
a narrow glade. No one but that pilot
could have attempted 80 desperate a
maneuver with success
Calm. though with face drawn
with anxiety he jumped TO the earth.
shouting, Take your carbine while I
repair the damage, and he set to
work 70 fasten a patch over the torn
wing Quick he added. quick. n the
"Boches" (Germans) come fire al
them Then I will set The machine on
hre and We will make a run for IT,
Soon we we're in our places ready
20 20. The propeller was started and
We rose. but three horsemen at the
edge OF the glade came towards ia
at mad pace and their height
seemed 20 grow as we approached
ut seemed we never would rise
above them, but suddenly with a
bound that carried us up almost yer.
tically we passed above them. and
then again we we're looking down on
a yea Of troops at the edge OF the for.
est. Smoke and gun flashes reap