, 1925-01-05

1OI6SldL46 ~
Bengal babus 10 run their offices.
II WA in this saluhrlous spot that
the world niers were confronted with
the cheerful prospect of langu-shing
for many days unless they could
devise some way OF c.rcumventlng
The hundred degree Fahrenheit Hin
doc philosophy of why do today
what you can put off till tomorrow
But Lowell Smith and his fellow
airmen had lost too many days fl.rt-
ing with the ''willie-waws' of Alas
ks to be in any mood for lotus eat
ing in Ripling's city of Dreadful
Night" All they wanted was to
change from p%ontoons to wheels
give the spot where the tragedy
Of the Black Hole OF Calcutta had
occurred the once over" and then
fly on akross Asia to Europe to
Paris with the throttle wide open.
But those who had made the ad-
vance arrangements here where
Mother Ganges" empties the ashes
of devout Hindoos into the Bay OF
Bengal. had planned therwise. Not
that the advance officer had failed
TO do his duty, but here IN the M
tive haunts Of the nimble punkwalla
and the seductive chotapeg even the
hustling American becomes a
changed man.
Plane Changes Difficult
It. SO happened that the only real
airdrome near Calcutta is twenty
miles from ChowriDghee and Dial.
housie square. The treacherous
Hoogli river. formed by the union OF
the Ganges and the Brahmaputra.
is even more densely crowded with
shipping between Kidderpore and
Howrah bridge than the Hudson off
Battery point on the Mersey at Liv-
erpool. So, over many cups of tea
at the Bengal club, 1t had been de
creed tha/fhe American world fliers
should floor Their planes fifteen
miles n the Hoogli. completely dis
mainly them, load them on trucks.
CARR them overland TO the British
aIrApme. rebuild them. substitute
wheeN for the pontoons that had
been Ned all the way from Seattle,
and TING after waiting TO see the
race forNhe Vioeroy's cup. proceed
TO ny acNss India, in the lelsurely.
ne AAAAAfu AAliiAAAtA VI u t1aA
But Lowell Smith and his compan.
ions did have TO lose one day. That
was when they stayed in bed while
indian dhobies laundered their
clothes by pounding them on rocks.
Even then the day was not entirely
lost. because harbor officials. repre-
s~entatives from the street commits.
sioner's office. naval experts and
police came to talk over the fliers''
plan to bring Their planes back down
The river. land in the midst of traffic
hoist them up with cranes. roll them
owe into an adjoining park. and
make their repairs in tho heart of
Calcutta.
Hard Work Startles Natives
Late that afternoon the dhobies
returned with the remnants of the
few clothes the boys possessed. But
by then 1t was tea time. and all men
know afternoon tea is the most inn
portant ven OF the day to the
Englshman out East After de-
clining many Invitations 10 partske
OF libation, the fliers went out to
he famous park IN the heart of Cal. |
vutta, called the Madam. and worked /
until dark over Their csses of sup.
plies n spare parts When night |
oaIne they loaded them Into trucks
went to n garage and continued
working until . o'clock in the morn.
Tag.
Early next day they motored up
tho Hoogh 20 where their planes
Were moored. on the was they got
fner first Intimate view OF tho Ben.
sti buhu shutting to work in his
quaint shirt with an urmteila under
Ws arm. They also were amused
lv The native women with their
.NEles, wrists, nose lohcf. and car
.e1es dangling With bangles and 10y
ne copper colorsd youngsters wear
ing the tiny silver heart that takes
tho place Of the traditional fie Leaf.
They also got their first glimpse Of
monkeys fitting from tree to tree.
climbing into their planes. they
flew down the river and. desplto
the sVarming native craft and tho
steamers from everywhere. tbov
made q perfect landing near Fort
WI am, whore Warren Hastinrs
n Lord Give laid tho foundation
Tor Buthin's mighty empire I'm In.
Ola A crane no sted each plane
u OF the water, the pontoons were
taken off while crowds OF natives
stood uide-eyed and cxpectoratinr
= OF crimson beetienut Juice
ever the landscape, In Just three
hours thoy had their planes out Of
tne Hoorll and safely ON wheels m
the IN ode OF the MADAM. whore all
Nflrutrn rafharu ~ ,r aFt.--