Evening star., 1937-06-20
PASS THROUGH MONSOON.
Miss Earhart and Navigator Go
Touring In Ranxoon.
ny AMELIA EARHART,


Touring In Ranxoon.
bY AMELIA EARHARr,
b. Radio to the Star.
RANGOON. Burma. June "a
The short jump from Akyab to Ran.
goon OF 400 miles produced the uors.
weather encountered in several thoy-
sands so far. After trying vestrr.
day to sneak underneath the mon.
soon. and again this morning. on ths
third try we pulled up to 5000 feet
to be sure OF missing the mountain
ridges and bargain through. The
sperry gyro-pilot kept the course bet
ter than human hand could and
gave q human pilot time to watch
temperatures and pressures and
r. p ms OF the engine instruments.
After two hours We let down, and
the bright grain plains beside the
1rrawaddy River smiled up at us.
Then We lodged about for 50 mile.
amid air squalls which momentarily
| curtalled the sun from view. The first
slRht OF Rangoon was the sun touch.
Ing the golden paeoda This great
structure stands on a rise Of ground
and could be seen for miles, vh!,.
the city was still but . shadow on
the horizon.
Shortly after landing rain poured
down so heavily that 1t was hazardous
to take of for Bangkok,
Consul Act. as Guide.
Fred Noonan and l decided to take
one hour and see something OF Ran.
coon. Mr.. Austin Brady. the Amer.
lean Consul, at whose home We STAYED
the night, lent his car and acted as
guide. pointing out places of interest
He explained that the road we drove to
town on was called Mandalay. and
actually Is the road to Mandalav,
which is famous place and lies a
days motor trip from Rangoon.
Around through the heart OF the
city We went. The streets are very col.
orful. People wear gay colors. There
are many rickshaVs and Charles,
which are one-horse vehicles, tho
inner furnishings Of which I can onlv
guess at, as most are shuttered. The
rickshaw runners all wear conical hats
made of old kerosene tins. at least
when 1t rains. I noticed some street
cars with compartments for women
only. These are reserved especially
Tor Indian women who are forbidden
all male association. However, women
in general here seem to have more
freedom and education than In most
places We have been.
Many are in business and thev havs
had vote for many years. The wide
spread education OF the Burmese is
mainly due to monastic school SUP.
ported by the public.
Sees No Fat People.
have seen no fat people. All s4em
slim and we'll built. Graceful lung.
yies worn in various styles accentuate
their slimness. Mr.. Brady's driver has
promised TO show me how to wind
these garments on and tasten them.
After sighting Golden Pagoda from
the air I had to examine 1t from the
ground. To enter. one must be I'm.
shod, and plod up long flights OF steps,
worn by numberless feet before. For
the first time on the trip Fred Noonan
failed me He would not take of his
shoes and socks and go inside with
me. He missed sight of hundreds
OF Buddhas of fall sizes in little stalls.
where drums and gonRs were sold
Devotees were kneeling on mats and
offering flowers before shrines. with
sing-song prayers and strange jewelled
| ornaments. There really was
woman smoking a "whacking white
cheroot." too.
These are made OF cornhusks and
filled with leaves and some tobacco.
They can be bought In size for we'd
dings to last three days.
AS far as distance is concerned.
hope to make Singapore tomorrow.
Whether or not the weather will per-
NIT is another question.
(Copyrisht. 1e31.j