Evening star., 1937-07-25

than blood to us. We have decided
to pierce through the clouds and get
to America. We must forge our words
into deeds
The altitude is telling on us. Six
thousand meters-that is no joke after
As hours Of continuous flying at a
height Of 1000 to 5000 meters.
grow tired very quickly and at IL
O'Clock Chkalov, with the greatest
effort. can barely drag himself to
my place.
And now everything grows black
before my eyes as l crawl out of the
forward cabin and bury my face in
Sasha's oxygen mask How much
better I feel Immediately! Beliakov
already has thought OF opening up the
reserve tank and again is using the
precious gas extravagantly I breathe
at intervals and economic the oxy-
gen in that way. I must move around
less or, still better, lie in the bunk.
My old friend, the massive Valka,
has grown very pale. For some rea-
son his nose has started to bleed
He has hard time stopping it and
now, putting on the oxygen mask, he
guides the plane on its course over
the Rocky Mountains to the ocean
The plane skins over the tops of the
clouds. Chkalov is exhausted after
an hour at the controls and asks for
relief.
Engine Is Normal.
What strenuous procedure at
such an altitude! The pulse beat Is
l40. the heart stings. But as soon as
put on the mask and grasp the stick
it all passes quickly. I take a look
at the instruments. Everything nor
NAL I listen to the engine. All
the power it can give is being squeezed
out of it. The plane glides along,
leaning on the invisible particles of
rarified air.
Ahead the clouds reach still higher
and the distar-e of 6,l00 meters
which separates me from the earth
is not enough to lift me above the
clouds. What now, shall I turn to
the right9 But that would mean
flying back! We throw caution aside
and now must risk smashing straight
through the clouds I make a turn
OF SO degrees to the left and, with
some evaporation, head right into
the muddy, formless mass Of uninvit-
ing clouds
The clock says u O'Clock. That
means the goth of June is beginning.
But while that is true according to
Greenwich time, actually it will not
soon be morning. as the clock indi-
Gates, but real, dark night
At times the plane is tossed about
roughly and its long wings vibrate
pteously AS before, I hold to the
compass course of 1870. Our altitude
is still 5000 meters. According to our
calculations. we should soon reach the
shore. Beliakov writes that the oxy-
gen is gone. Bad business. I don't
want to 60 down. There is no ice now,
and I am prepared to go far as pos
sible until We get out Of the clouds.
But there's no help for tits i'm
possible to fly long at 5000 meters
without oxygen and so I begin grad
ually to lose altitude. After an hour
Of flying, We are at 1000 meters. Be-
low, the clouds begin to darken, and
then the clouds suddenly fly upward,
and find myself between two layers.
The lower, broken layer lies right over
the water. All, water! That means
we have crossed the Rockies.
Reach Pacific Ocean.
We have reached the Pacific Ocean
after all, although it has cost us an
extra four hours Of flying over the
rough Rocky Mountains. The shore
Is invisible, hidden by clouds.
Beliakov is all in after working for
the last hour without oxygen. But
there is no danger now, Sashenka
There Is still six hours before night
fall. Give us the course along the
short and lie down and rest.
We set our new course at 108 de-
grees. That should gradually bring
us to land. Sasha and I look atten-
lively in the direction Of the shore.