The Washington times., 1928-04-19

we were free of all distractions.
So we came to the Irish coast
at Slyne Head and sped out over
the broad Atlantic.
So far we had been fortunate
In the early part of the Journey
we encountered all sorts of
weather. There were snow and
rain and fog. but these were Incl
dental. We came through them
successfully.
Fitzmaurice and Koehl alter.
mated at the controls. three hours
on and three hours off.
l sat in back OF the plane,
sleeping when l could, sometimes
writing poetry and sometimes
wondering what would ultimately
happen to us.
Fog Was Everywhere
After long time Of this we
came to the Grand Banks and to
Newfoundland. So !. far the flight
had been without incident other
than those related above, except
that sometimes we had such
troubles as beset any plane in
flight.
We arrived off Newfoundland
about 5 o'clock whether a. m. or
D. m. not stated in the baron's
narrative) American time on Fri.
day.
There was fog everywhere on
the dreaded Grand Banks of New
foundland. Added to the misery Of
the fog which blanketed every.
thing, everywhere was the strong
southeasterly gale. And the sun
was going down. after guiding us
well all day. Add to this and the
darkness and the fact that the
compass was almost discarded by
virtue Of its terrific variation. and
you can imagine our plight.
Koehl and Fitzmaurice kept GO
ing. They tried to climb above
the fog, but were forced to come
down and fly about SO feet above
the waters.
But we could not fly there at
night, and there was impenetrable
fog above us. What could we do?
My comrades decided to go
higher and sent the Bremen up
wards until we were cruising along
at the 6.000-foot level. There we
drove through the night.
1t was not a nice flight at all.
/ sat in the rear of the cockpit
with my thoughts while F'itz-
maurice and Koehl forged ahead
in front taking their turns at the
controls. Marvellous fellows. How
they did it, do not know.
One has much opportunity for
thought when one is riding alone
in the rear cockpit of a trans
oceanic airplane at night. and ]
have my thoughts about these
two.
It was Fitzmaurice who dis.
covered land. He told Koehl,
and flares were produced and
sent off. Below we could see
what appeared to be a wilderness,
clothed in forest.
Reach Newfoundland
After a long time of this, we
came to the Grand Banks of
Newfoundland. That was where
we were about 5 o'clock, Amer.
lean time, on Thursday.
1t was still dark. but the flares
told us what we wanted to know.
There was land beneath us. We
were 1ubilant. We flew on through
the night as happy as young
boys.
The dawn came, and with the
daylight. full vision of the land
beneath us: We had been flying
as best we could, but it was diff
ficult because there is such a
wide variation of the compass in
the neighborhood of Newfound.
land.
Fitzmaurice and KOehI. how.
ever, believed that this land must
be the interior Of Labrador, and
we cruised for several hours
about the land where NungeSser
and Coli are believed to have been
lost.
We followed the course Of an
Recovered river for a long time.
We saw big lakes and huge noun
tain ranges. but not a sign OF
human habitation.
Nothing was said, but the ba.
rometer of our spirits was falling
again as each felt that the best
of benzol getting lower and lower.
was none too good. We were
coming nearer and nearer to the
end OF our rope.
Then we made for the coast
again, but we did not see a sin.
gle sign of human habitation or
life until soon after o'clock,
Greenwich time, which Is about
o'clock where we were, we saw
what Koehl and F'itzmaurice be.
1ieved to be ship frozen into
the ice off the coast.
We decided to come down and
inspect it. Before this, all Of
Ms had been seeing many things
that were not there. Plainly
we could see villages on the
coast, and all sorts Of things.
but these had all proved to be
Pigments of our weary eyes and
brains.
Again we descended to inves.
tigate this new mirage.
Four times we circled over
what proved to be our landing
ground hard by the white light
house, then sent out a flare to
determine the direction of the
wind.
Once more we circled, this time
into the correct landing position.
and glided in toward what proved
to be small lake in the center
Of our island haven.