Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-18

p------- and of -.
The pilot cannot give his name
told me about their escape.
From the outbreak of the war,
ne said, my companion and | had
been joined with others from Irreden-
Ia at the aviation station of Lussln Is
land as motormen. The life had be-
come insupportable. Seeing that
every means of flight would he impos-
sible we decided since neither of MS
was skilled In aviation. to risk flight
ha hydropane.
"There was nothing to do but to get
ready and trust to God The night of
July ] we went to bed with all our
clothes on at midnight, without at
tracting notice. At five in the morn
Ing we ran under the shadows Of the
wall from our quarters toward the
hangar, where the sentinel paced his
beat.
Prepare for Flight.
Entering the hangar coolly, rs II
we were going to carry ont orders.
we dismantled the planes attached
to the station of their guns and placed
them In the apparatus destined for es-
cape.
After locking the telephone opera
tor In his cabin. we opened the heavy
doors Of the hangar. We got ready for
Immediate flight and tested the cylin-
ders.
When all was ready we whispered
that there was nothing left but to take
the risk.
MY comrade looked about. Nobody
was near He cut the telephone wires
while |, with strong push against
the levers slid tie apparatus out IN
the sea. We mour ed the plane, which
was soon blown by a gust of wind II
front Of the Austrian barracks, the
bow pointed toward the shore 1t took
us an anxious hour to turn 1t toward
the open sea. Finally we started the
motors, but with an explosion and a
rumble that would awaken even the
dead.
"The officers, the commandment and
the soldiers Of the station appeared
at the windows Of the barracks and
watched us with surprise. but with
out suspicion, as we took our mysteri-
GUS leave, no doubt thinking we had
secret orders from some one higher
up.
For several yards the hydroplane
Rlided along the surface of the wa
ter. unwilling to rise a second time,
apparently. before the wind which
blew from behind, and possibly on ac-
count Of the new pilot, who was as in.
experienced as he was audacious. At
last, however, we succeeded in rising
from the sea.
Face Many Periis.
"While We were intent on our man
euvers we found ourselves suddenly
opposite Mount Veli-Strasa, where the
Austrians have ant-alrcraft batteries.
We made terrific effort, with the
bow pointed upward and our souls
commended to God.
"We crossed the ridge Of the noun
tain not ten yards above the batteries
pm its summit.
after half an hour of fight, rising
to 1000 meters, we ran into Il thick
cloud bank which shut off all view of
the Austrian and Italian coasts and of
the sea. We could not find our way.
Moreover, the pilot was without he'll
met or glasses and could not steer be-
cause his eyes filled with tears. We
suffered nm attack Of nerves. All the
while the apparatus was following the
italian coast and, discovering this, we
recovered our calm In an instant.
my c0mrade, who was acting as
lookout, tied white cloth to gun
barrel and tried to signal the shore
lpur surrender. We soon alighted and
entered the port of ------------, amid
the cheers Of the people, who were
jubilant when they found that we
were friends, instead of prisoners of
war"