The Washington times., 1929-08-20


We gath
cred in the
salon at 7:45 Lady Drnmmo"d. iIn
o'clock (local time) Wednesday
night. We eagerly traced the
twinkling lights of Dunaburg,
the gateway of the Russian
frontier across which entrance
for foreigners is as difficult as
the proverbial camel through
the needles eye.
Not one of US aboard would
have denied at least a little
thrill as the airship shot across
the invisible, intangible bar
riers into the land of thousand
mysteries, where are staged the
most spectacular romances, poig-
nant tragedies, blacklist deeds
and brilliant achievements this
world, old or new, has ever
known.
To the inestimable privilege
of being among the Zeppelin
travellers was added that of see
ing Russia as no living human
being has ever seen it before.
From one side to the other
we would have an expansive
view of almost 100 miles around,
from a height which, while ex-
tending cur horizon, would not
prevent the detailing of every
cottage. barn, clubhouse in the
smallest of villages.
Is Main Topic
This prospect was the main
topic of conversation at sup
per. Op, Russian passenger is
eager to impress everyone with
examples of what Soviet-Bol-
shevik culture has done and is
doing for the Russian moujik.
The fact is most of the pas
sengers are rather shy of ap-
preaching Prof. kharklin, not
only one of that mysterious and
much maligned brotherhood of
"Bolsheviks." but also because
he claims to be unable to speak
anything but Russian-except a
few words of German. He is
one of the 0uietest passengers.
Leeds slept all day. getting up
just in time for supper. Rested
and brighter than ever, he in
fused fresh life into some flag
ging spirits-not all, though.
Many Exhausted
Most of US were exhausted
from the previous sleepless
night and the intensive work of
watching all day, and so we
crawled off for a few hours of
sleep.
Not so with Rickard and Baron
Won Perckhammer and one or
two others, who played the
phonograph and sang through
out the best part OF the night.
At midnight, DR.. Eckener
decided not to go to Moscow,
since weather reports indicated
head winds which would cost us
loss of time ard unnecessary
consumption of precious fuel.
Professor Kharklin was very
downcast.
Leaving Moscow about 800
miles to the south, Commander
Eckener turned the great ships
nose to the northeast.
Watch All Night
Leeds and Karl Won Wiegand
watched through the night until
the first signs of dawn. Leeds
was at the helm of the giant
Graf Zeppelin for about three
quarters of an hour.
At 1:40 a. M, Friday we
passed over Wyshnii Wolotscek.
Our new world Russia still is
enshrouded in darkness although
we are so far north that the
days are longer and the nights
are shorter than populated
America or Central Europe.
By $3.50 a. m, was at the
cabin window, gazing down on
Russia lighted by the first pale
rays Of breaking day. In the
freezing cold / was thoroughly
disinclined to quit the snug
blankets, so, dragging them with
me, l camped before the panor-
anna of Russian villages, miles
of forests and ornate Greek
orthodox churches empty of
worshippers by Soviet decree.
+ was on the bridge when we
passed Vologda at 4 in the
morning until Yukust was
sighted on Sunday morning.
A Busy Company
No matter at what hour I
got up to go to the salon or
on the bridge there were al
ways passengers making notes
or consulting maps and from
the first 10 minutes of dawn
until the last second of sunset
cameras clicked and movies"
were grinding with unflagging
regularity.
Friday the panorama of old
Russia was oU~s as never seen
before by human beings. The
wireless kept us in touch with