the aeroplane speaks-第8部分

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ll。　The　buildings　below　now　seem　quite　squat；　the　hills　appear　to　have　sunk　away　into　the　ground；　and　the　whole　country　below；　cut　up　into　diminutive　fields；　has　the　appearance　of　having　been　lately　tidied　and　thoroughly　spring…cleaned！　A　doll's　country　it　looks；　with　tiny　horses　and　cows　ornamenting　the　fields　and　little　model　motor…cars　and　carts　stuck　on　the　roads；　the　latter　stretching　away　across　the　country　like　ribbons　accidentally　dropped。

At　three　thousand　feet　altitude　the　Pilot　is　satisfied　that　he　is　now　sufficiently　high　to　secure；　in　the　event　of　engine　failure；　a　long　enough　glide　to　earth　to　enable　him　to　choose　and　reach　a　good　landing…place；　and；　being　furthermore　content　with　the　steady　running　of　the　engine；　he　decides　to　climb　no　more　but　to　follow　the　course　he　has　mapped　out。　Consulting　the　compass；　he　places　the　Aeroplane　on　the　AE　course　and；　using　the　Elevator；　he　gives　his　craft　its　minimum　angle　of　incidence　at　which　it　will　just　maintain　horizontal　flight　and　secure　its　maximum　speed。

Swiftly　he　speeds　away；　and　few　thoughts　he　has　now　for　the　changing　panorama　of　country；　cloud；　and　colour。　Ever　present　in　his　mind　are　the　three　great　'cross…country　queries。　‘‘Am　I　on　my　right　course？　Can　I　see　a　good　landing…ground　within　gliding　distance？''　And　‘‘How　is　the　Engine　running？''

Keenly　both　he　and　the　Observer　compare　their　maps　with　the　country　below。　The　roads；　khaki…coloured　ribbons；　are　easily　seen　but　are　not　of　much　use；　for　there　are　so　many　of　them　and　they　all　look　alike　from　such　an　altitude。

Now　where　can　that　lake　be　which　the　map　shows　so　plainly？　He　feels　that　surely　he　should　see　it　by　now；　and　has　an　uncomfortable　feeling　that　he　is　flying　too　far　West。　What　pilot　is　there　indeed　who　has　not　many　times　experienced　such　unpleasant　sensation？　Few　things　in　the　air　can　create　greater　anxiety。　Wisely；　however；　he　sticks　to　his　compass　course；　and　the　next　minute　he　is　rewarded　by　the　sight　of　the　lake；　though　indeed　he　now　sees　that　the　direction　of　his　travel　will　not　take　him　over　it；　as　should　be　the　case　if　he　were　flying　over　the　shortest　route　to　his　destination。　He　must　have　slightly　miscalculated　the　velocity　or　direction　of　the　side…wind。

‘‘About　ten　degrees　off；''　he　mutters；　and；　using　the　Rudder；　corrects　his　course　accordingly。

Now　he　feels　happier　and　that　he　is　well　on　his　way。　The　gusts；　too；　have　ceased　to　trouble　him　as；　at　this　altitude；　they　are　not　nearly　so　bad　as　they　were　near　the　ground　the　broken　surface　of　which　does　much　to　produce　them；　and　sometimes　for　miles　he　makes　but　a　movement　or　two　of　the　controls。

The　clouds　just　above　race　by　with　dizzy　and　uniform　speed；　the　country　below　slowly　unrolls；　and　the　steady　drone　of　the　Engine　is　almost　hypnotic　in　effect。　‘‘Sleep；　sleep；　sleep；''　it　insidiously　suggests。　‘‘Listen　to　me　and　watch　the　clouds；　there's　nothing　else　to　do。　Dream；　dream；　dream　of　speeding　through　space　for　ever；　and　ever；　and　ever；　and　rest；　rest；　rest　to　the　sound　of　my　rhythmical　hum。　Droning　on　and　on；　nothing　whatever　matters。　All　things　now　are　merged　into　speed　through　space　and　a　sleepy　monotonous　d…d…r…r…o…o…n…n…e　…　…　…　…　…。''　But　the　Pilot　pulls　himself　together　with　a　start　and　peers　far　ahead　in　search　of　the　next　landmark。　This　time　it　is　a　little　country　town。　red…roofed　his　map　tells　him；　and　roughly　of　cruciform　shape；　and；　sure　enough；　there　in　the　right　direction　are　the　broken　outlines　of　a　few　red　roofs　peeping　out　from　between　the　trees。

Another　minute　and　he　can　see　this　little　town；　a　fairy　town　it　appears；　nestling　down　between　the　hills　with　its　red　roofs　and　picturesque　shape；　a　glowing　and　lovely　contrast　with　the　dark　green　of　the　surrounding　moors。

So　extraordinarily　clean　and　tidy　it　looks　from　such　a　height；　and　laid　out　in　such　orderly　fashion　with　perfectly　defined　squares；　parks；　avenues；　and　public　buildings；　it　indeed　appears　hardly　real；　but　rather　as　if　it　has　this　very　day　materialized　from　some　delightful　children's　book！

Every　city　and　town　you　must　know　has　its　distinct　individuality　to　the　Pilot's　eye。　Some　are　not　fairy　places　at　all；　but　great　dark　ugly　blots　upon　the　fair　countryside；　and　with　tall　shafts　belching　forth　murky　columns　of　smoke　to　defile　clean　space。　Others；　melancholy…looking　masses　of　grey；　slate…roofed　houses；　are　always　sad　and　dispirited；　never　welcoming　the　glad　sunshine；　but　ever　calling　for　leaden　skies　and　a　weeping　Heaven。　Others　again；　little　coquettes　with　village　green；　white　palings　everywhere；　bright　gravel　roads；　and　an　irrepressible　air　of　brightness　and　gaiety。

Then　there　are　the　rivers；　silvery　streaks　peacefully　winding　far；　far　away　to　the　distant　horizon；　they　and　the　lakes　the　finest　landmarks　the　Pilot　can　have。　And　the　forests。　How　can　I　describe　them？　The　trees　cannot　be　seen　separately；　but　merge　altogether　into　enormous　irregular　dark　green　masses　sprawling　over　the　country；　and　sometimes　with　great　ungainly　arms　half　encircling　some　town　or　village；　and　the　wind　passing　over　the　foliage　at　times　gives　the　forest　an　almost　living　appearance；　as　of　some　great　dragon　of　olden　times　rousing　itself　from　slumber　to　devour　the　peaceful　villages　which　its　arms　encircle。

And　the　Pilot　and　Observer　fly　on　and　on；　seeing　these　things　and　many　others　which　baffle　my　poor　skill　to　describe　things；　dear　Reader；　that　you　shall　see；　and　poets　sing　of；　and　great　artists　paint　in　the　days　to　come　when　the　Designer　has　captured　Efficiency。　Then；　and　the　time　is　near；　shall　you　see　this　beautiful　world　as　you　have　never　seen　it　before；　the　garden　it　is；　the　peace　it　breathes；　and　the　wonder　of　it。

The　Pilot；　flying　on；　is　now　anxiously　looking　for　the　railway　line　which　midway　on　his　journey　should　point　the　course。　Ah！　There　it　is　at　last；　but　suddenly　（and　the　map　at　fault）　it　plunges　into　the　earth！　Well　the　writer　remembers　when　that　happened　to　him　on　a　long　'cross…　country　flight　in　the　early　days　of　aviation。　Anxiously　he　wondered　‘‘Are　tunnels　always　straight？''　and　with　what　relief；　keeping　on　a　straight　course；　he　picked　up　the　line　again　some　three　miles　farther　on！

Now　at　last　the　Pilot　sees　the　sea；　just　a　streak　on　the　north…eastern　horizon；　and　he　knows　that　his　flight　is　two…　thirds　over。　Indeed；　he　should　have　seen　it　before；　but　the　air　is　none　too　clear；　and　he　is　not　yet　able　to　discern　the　river　which　soon　should　cross　his　path。　As　he　swiftly　speeds　on　the　air　becomes　denser　and　denser　with　what　he　fears　must　be　the　beginning　of　a　sea…fog；　perhaps　drifting　inland　along　the　course　of　the　river。　Now　does　he　feel　real　anxiety；　for　it　is　the　DUTY　of　a　Pilot　to　fear　fog；　his　deadliest　enemy。　Fog　not　only　hides　the　landmarks　by　which　he　keeps　his　course；　but　makes　the　control　of　the　Aeroplane　a　matter　of　the　greatest　difficulty。　He　may　not　realize　it；　but；　in　keeping　his　machine　on　an　even　keel；　he　is　unconsciously　balancing　it　against　the　horizon；　and　with　the　horizon　gone　he　is　lost　indeed。　Not　only　that；　but　it　also　prevents　him　from　choosing　his　landing…place；　and　the　chances　are　that；　landing　in　a　fog；　he　will　smash　into　a　tree；　hedge；　or　building；　with　disastrous　results。　The　best　and　boldest　pilot　'wares　a　fog；　and　so　this　one；　finding　the　conditions　becoming　worse　and　yet　worse；　and　being　forced　to　descend　lower　and　lower　in　order　to　keep　the　earth　within　view；　wisely　decides　to　choose　a　landing…place　while　there　is　yet　time　to　do　so。

Throttling　down　the　power　of　the　engine　he　spirals　downwards；　keenly　observing　the　country　below。　There　are　plenty　of　green　fields　to　lure　him；　and　his　great　object　is　to　avoid　one　in　which　the　grass　is　long；　for　that　would　bring　his　machine　to　a　stop　so　suddenly　as　to　turn　it　over；　or　one　of　rough　surface　likely　to　break　the　under…carriage。　Now　is　perfect　eyesight　and　a　cool　head　indispensable。　He　sees　and　decides　upon　a　field　and；　knowing　his　job；　he　sticks　to　that　field　with　no　change　of　mind　to　confuse　him。　It　is　none　too　large；　and　gliding　just　over　the　trees　and　head　on　to　the　wind　he　skilfully　‘‘stalls''　his　machine；　that　is；　the　speed　having　decreased　sufficiently　to　avoid　such　a　manoeuvre　resulting　in　ascent；　he；　by　means　of　the　Elevator；　gives　the　Aeroplane　as　large　an　angle　of　incidence　as　possible。　and　the　undersides　of　the　planes　meeting　the　air　at　such　a　large　angle　act　as　an　air…brake；　and　the　Aeroplane；　skimming　over　the　ground；　lessens　its　speed　and　finally　stops　just　at　the　farther　end　of　the　field。

Then；　after　driving　the　Aeroplane　up　to　and　under　the　lee　of　the　hedge；　he　stops　the　engine；　and　quickly　lashing　the　joy…stick　fast　in　order　to　prevent　the　wind　from　blowing　the　controlling　surfaces　about　and　possibly　damaging　them；　he　hurriedly　alights。　Now　running　to　the　tail　he　lifts　it　up　on　to　his　shoulder；　for　the　wind　has　become　rough　indeed　and　there　is　danger　of　the　Aeroplane　becoming　unmanageable。　By　this　action　he　decreases　the　angle　at　which　the　planes　are　inclined　to　the　wind　and　so　minimizes　the　latter's　effect　upon　them。　Then　to　the　Observer；　‘‘Hurry　up；　old　fellow；　and　try　to　find　some　rope；　wire；　or　anything　with　which　to　picket　the　machine。　The　wind　is　rising　and　I　shan't　be　able　to　hold　the　'bus　steady　for　long。　Don't　forget　the　wire…　cutters。　They're　in　the　tool　kit。''　And　the　Observer　rushes　off　in　frantic　haste；　before　long　triumphantly　returning　with　a　long　length　of　wire　from　a　neighbouring　fence。　Blocking　up　the　tail　with　some　debris　at　hand；　they　soon　succeed；　with　the　aid　of　the　wire；　in　stoutly　picketing　the　Aeroplane　to　the　roots　of　the　high　hedge　in　front　of　it；　done　with　much　care；　too；　so　that　the　wire　shall　not　fray　the　fabric　or　set　up　dangerous　bending…stresses　in　the　woodwork。　Their　work　is　not　done　yet；　for　the　Observer　remarking；　‘‘I　don't　like　the　look　of　this　thick　weather　and　rather　fear　a　heavy　rain…　storm；''　the　Pilot　replies；　‘‘Well；　it's　a　fearful　bore；　but　the　first　rule　of　our　game　is　never　to　take　an　unnecessary　risk；　so　out　with　the　engine　and　body　covers。''

Working　with　a　will　they　soon　have　the　engine　and　the　open　part　of　the　body　which　contains　the　seats；　controls；　and　instruments　snugly　housed　with　their　waterproof　covers；　and　the　Aeroplane　is　ready　to　weather　the　possible　storm。

Says　the　Observer；　‘‘I'm　remarkably　pe