Evening star., 1937-06-18
SQUALLS WRENCH
|EARHART A|RPLANE
Ship Shot Up 1000 Feet as
Tropical DeIuge En-
veIopS Craft.
BY AMELIA EARHART.


CALCUTTA, India, June ia
tourist crossing India at 167 miles an
hour is cheated Of much. However,
had an unusually varied flight. We
left Karachi this morning at 7.34
am. local time I0:04 pm Wednes-
day, New York time), and reached
Calcutta at All pm. local time
(6:24 am. Thursday, New York time),
after passing over Allahabad Airport
as a check point, total distance Of
1890 miles.
Low clouds hung about during the
beginning of the flight, but these dis
appeared as We drew near the Sind
Desert. This is great barren stretch.
with rough ridges running almost at
right angles to our course. A SOUTH
erly wind whipped the sand into the
air until the ground disappeared from
view in regular dust bowl" fashion.
Mountains Halt Sand.
We flew along until the ridges grew
into mountains and poked their dark
backs like sharks through a yellow
sea. These acted as a barrier to the
sand, and the air cleared somewhat,
so We could again see what We were
flying over-dry river beds. a few
roads connecting villages, and then a
railroad.
We have been unable to navigate
by railroads until today, because none
were available, but after Central In
! dia was passed there we're many.
There are also rivers and mountains
which stand out if the visibility is
! good.
Today heavy ha7, curtailed the
| view after the sand had blown away.
Black eagles came flying out of the
| sky at 5000 feet. How they managed
to miss the plane I don't know.
have never had such an experience.
and only hope the birds along the
rest Of the route are smarter about
evading the faster-moving machine.
Like Nebraska in Snow
Allahabad is an ancient city on the
River Ganges. The surrounding coun.
try is whitish in color and in the
haze the trees were black spots.
felt We might be flying over Nebraska
after a December snowfall. even
though the temperature was 90 de-
grees at $500 feet.
| Green mountains piled up beyond
Allahabad and severe transforms over
| them blocked our way. AS I tried
going between the two air currents
shot US up a thousand feet while I
vainly pushed the planes nose down.
The rain, tropical deluge. engulied
us. After that gave these squalls
more distance, though the air was
very rough for miles around
| As the mountains melted into plains
hundred miles from Calcutta. the
low clouds disappeared and visibility
improved. We could see below many
towns and railways. This section is
the center Of the coal and iron in
dustry. Calcutta itself is jute man.
ufacturing center. Gray and green
and tan mosaic paddy fields surround
the city. The country is much vetter
than Karachi, with tropical vege-
tation.
Shirley Temple Film On.
Driving from the airport to the
home of our host, I was surprised
to see so many rickshaws. The streets
are very wide and thronged with every
kind Of conveyance, as we'll as with
myriad white-clad figures. Small
shops display wares next to tall office
buildings. Bulls wander at will on
the sidewalks or in the streets, where
Shirley Temple is showing in Captain
January"
Tomorrow's weather is not PROM
islng, but we will be up early in case
it is better than expected. The field
was rather wet when We landed and
had just escaped a shower. We are
taking on little fuel, since II it
rains tonight it will be difficult to
lift the load of the sod Tomorrow
We plan to call at Akyab or Rangoon,
Burma, en- route to Bangkok, Siam.
tCopyrisht, 1872