Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-24

continue for equal smoking
rights with man students"
one hand on the stick and the ott er
on the hatch. ready to throw it open
the instant we touched water.
We scrambled swiftly up on the fuse
lage and held tight. Immediately the
seas attacked our plane. In few min
utes the wings were full of water and
parts of them broke of.
Each instant we expected to go down.
The sea grew rougher. We had in
creased dificulty in hanging on. We
lay on our 3tomachs, clinging despe-
rately to anything reasonably stable
that offered itself.
Then a great wave stove in the cabin
door. Our belongings we're washed
away. There went our maps, our pro-
visions, everything. Before we came
down no one had thought to take care
of the food and fresh water. We were
to regret this later.
Seas broke over us and soaked us.
When night fell that Monday the 14th.
it brought cold with it. At dark we
managed to make our way through the
pilot room into the cabin. This was
half under water. There was no longer
any place to sit.
1t was a. marvel to us that the ma
chine continued to float We decided
that 1t must be due to the buoyancy of
the gasoline tanks, which consequently
could not have been much damaged.
We hoped and prayed throughout that
night that the plane would stay on the
surface until dawn.
Situation Was PeriIous.
Never shall we forget this night or
the nights that followed before our res
cue. The first night we spent standing
In rising water In the little cabin. The
waves battered the plane, carrying on
their work of destruction. The upper
I'm was torn of and the skin of the
wings was ripped like paper from the
spars.
At daybreak Tuesday, the 18th. we
sought dry place to sit. SO we dis
mounted the motor covering and fas-
tened 1t above the pilots seats. At last
we could rest bit and review the ex-
periences Of recent hours.
Such position to be in! Far at sea
in land plane which might sink any
no drinking water, save what
we might salvage from that used for
cooling the motor; no food except seven
ounces of chocolate which we had
found In our pockets, and soaked
through and through
Now to wait until help came. To-
ward noon the weather improved. The
sea became calmer. The pounding of
our little land ship abated. We be-
lieved by this time that the plane could
remain above water q day more. In
that period we hoped to sight some
steamer.
The next day. September Is, the
weather was about the same Our
drinking water from the motor was
getting less. We crouched in the pilots
room throughout that day, maintaining
q feverish lookout.
Expected to Turn Over.
But the seas were empty. We saw
nothing-only countless miles of tossing
ocean. 50 1t continued Thursday, the
nth, and Friday. We did our best to
conserve the drinking water. We barely
nibbled our chocolate
Friday night there was a strong wind.
1t blew nearly 40 miles an hour. There
was heavy sea. 1t seemed that we
could not trust much longer to our bird,
our plane. Apparently our doom was
sealed.
Momentarily we looked for a wing to
break completely OF and the machine
to turn over on its side. We were ready
to jump for new position the instant
this happened. We planned to climb
onto the last part of the plane to re-
main above water and there to await
our last hour.
The plane was trembling and eroan-
waves broke white over the pilots seats.
The wind forced the ship lower and
lower Into the water. We hadn't a
moment of rest until dawn on Saturday,
the l9th.
We would not have believed that a
land plane could thus have survived
the force of the ocean
Frioay night had been q hard one.
Our skin started to peel from the salt
watching. We were freezing cold now,
both cay and night.
Our companion. Da Costa Vega, had
been injured and had developed fever.
We could not help him. We had no
bandages.
Passed by Freighter.
We prepared distress signal. At
the tail Of the plane we mounted a
steering post and to this We fastened q
smoke bomb and a flag
BY now every bit of work tired us
tremendously. We felt very weak.
Sunday broke with the ocean still
empty. And then at noon that day.
September 20. we sighted a freight
steamer. Rescue had comet
We waved our flag till all strength
had left us. But that ship never saw
us. 1t was unbelievable. She was so
near we could make out her rigging.
but our signal was never seen.
Qlnuylv the ahir ~ "a mad <fF <.,ar ~ "a
horizon.
We were desperate. We knew now
that this part of the ocean was little
Travelled. Our strength was nearly to-
tally gone. If another ship should come
we might not be able to signal.
All the rest of that day our thoughts
were somber. No ere said a word. The
disappointment had been too bitter
The next day. Monday, September 81.
we were about to get our scanty ration
of drinking water from the motor
cooler when again We saw a Ship--far
off-where sky and ocean joined.
Instantly we began TO signal.
The vessel saw us.
1t turned our way.
We were sayedl
H,h an hour later the boat came
beside us. 1t was a motorship, the
freighter Belmoira. bound from Albany.
N Y, to Russia, with load OF loco
motives.
Will Try Once More.
Ropes came swirling down. We were
taken aboard We were greeted heartily
by the skipper. Captain Kristian Hald,
and his men.
Now our strength was really done.
We waved farewell TO our plane. II had
done its duty. And we couldn't take 1t
with US. For the deck space was taken
up with locomotives.
The next day. Tuesday of this week.
we were transferred to the passenger
ifvAar IN chin ,.,o