Evening star., 1937-06-04
BY AMELIA EARHART.
BY Wireless tc The Star.

PARAMARIBO, Dutch Guiana,
June Rain clouds hung thick
about Caripito Yesterday morning as
We left We few over jungle most of
the way to the coast. and then played
hide -and-seek with showers of rain
until I decided I had better forego
the scenery and climb up on top An
altitude of 5000 feet topped all but
the highest clouds.
The first large settlement seen was
Georgetown, British Guiana. When
It was sighted. we were out at sea
cutting corners. Thirty miles away,
we could see neat irrigated fields along
the coast
Strong head winds again cut the
speed to an average of only l48 miles
which time included lodging squalls
and flying low. l cannot make fast
time at a low altitude, other condi-
tionS being the same, for it is too
hard on the engines to open the
throttles wide when near the ground,
except momentarily on take OIL.
Modern engines attain an efficiency
90 high that l certainly would not
knowingly mistreat my faithful ones.
Yesterdays geography required the
best equipment for safety.
Laid Course by Rails.
As I neared Paramaribo, the clouds
disappeared and I began to descend
for sightseeing again. There was an
uninhabitable swampy shore, with
trees growing back of it. Many little
houses among the paddy fields could
he seen through the clear air. l soon
sighted Paramaribo.
The air field is 25 miles from the
town. The instructions were TO follow
a narrow gauge railroad track. Fly
ing very low, we rounded every curve,
even as Casey Jones did. Nothing
vas visible but jungle and rice fields
and houses beside the track. tried
10 see the wind direction from smoke
or from clothes on lines. as l ex-
rected to find only clearing. Then
the field.
An orange wind sock" few from
a pole. White cloths marked the
best section for landing AS soon
rs we came into view, a bonfire was
touched of to show the wind direc-
ton. A man waved a white flag to
attract attention to one Of the best
natural landing areas I have ever
seen. "zandery' is its name, which
means sandy AS far as I can see,
1t is the only space of the kind for
miles
We were welcomed by Commissary
Wempe and Capt. Sluyter, in COM
mand Of troops. and James Lawton,
American Consul at Paramaribo, and
several others who had come out
from town. Soldiers stood by to pump
In gasoline from drums and guard
the plane. Coffee. orange juice and
sandwiches were ready for hot and
starving flyers. Never did l have
better service anywhere.
Plane Is Staked Down.
After the tanks had been reflled
and the propellers creased, the plane
was staked down We embarked on
tbS diJ pdu NiIIttl VIC ilod ACitO"SN
for the hours run TO Paramarlbo.
Dogs, chickens and goats moved off
the track at our approach. Women
carrying baskets Of fruit on their heads
came to the car when we stopped
For part Of the way the road ran
beside a canal Burma cattle, burros,
bicycles, feet of boats and. now
and then, automobiles we're varied
means of locomotion noted.
For today We plan jump to For
tslez, Brazil, though it depends on
the weather and field conditions. 1t
rained heavily here Wednesday, but
the officials have promised to arrange
q good wind for take-o and dry
ground in the early morning as part
Of their good service If so, we can
lift enough fuel for longer journey.
Miss Earhart began her world
flight on May 81 at Oakland, Calf,
proceeding TO Burbank, Calf: Tue
son, Ariz, May 28) New Orleans
MAY 29) and Miami. Fla May 30).
On June l she few from Miami to
San Juan, Puerto Rico a distance of
J 1,o33 miles, in hours "a minutes
end on June 2 from San Juan to
Caripito Venezuela, $50 miles away, in
I hours 80 minutes) %
(Copyrisht. 1872