Joan Pilots Her Through India

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22249, 13 November 1937, Page 7 (Supplement)

Joan Pilots Her Through India

"Oh, dear," sighed Lady Gay, "I do declare—" At that moment in bustled Aunt Amelia. "I'm going for another trip, Lady Gay," said Auntie, "and I've just come to say good-bye. Sorry I can't stop now. Au revoir!" In five minutes, Aunt Amelia, •with Peter, Pam, and Paul aboard, was underway, leaving "The Press Ship" far behind. They had gone quite a good way before anyone spoke.

"Isn't it getting hot," said Pam, "I'll ask Auntie where we are?" She did not have a chance, however, for at that moment Auntie swooped down, turned a double somersault, and the three children nearly fell out. "My goodness, what's she doing?" gasped Paul. Just then , Auntie "It's all right, my dears, I'm going to land." And land she did. right in the middle of a rice field. "My goodness!" exclaimed Auntie, "it must be India!" It was, and 'the Indian native was terribly angry until Auntie explained, and gave him one Of her big smiles. It was a large rice field on the Delta of the river, the Ganges. That is the chief district for rice-growing in India. They left this a little later, and went to Agra. The city where the beautiful building, the Taj Mohal .is situated. This was built by a Kajah, in memory of his lovely wife. While there they noticed the many exquisitely carved walls, arches, and doorways, which were studded with precious jewels. They ■were all sorry to leave the place, but time was going, so they visited next the capital of Jndia, Delhi. They also visited the Punjab, a great wheat-growing area, in the north-west, and then passing over the Vindohyn Hills, and over the triangular plateau, the Decaan where millet is grown. They saw the people below scattered all round in fields of millet. The people of India, they saw, wore

very light garments, because of the very hot weather they have. In a certain part of the year the heat in India is so terrific that most of the people go to mountain resorts in the Himalayas, where it is very much cooler. There are quite a few of these places, such «s Simla, Lahore, and Darjeeling. At Hyderabad they were given some fruit by the friendly natives —pineapples, coconuts, pomegranates, melons, and bananas. Auntie told the children to save these for the return journey to "The Press Ship." On the way.to Madras, which was to be their last port of call, they passed over many villages, each with its cluster of thatched huts, its rude temple, and all its fields of millet, tobacco, cotton, and rice. "My goodness," said Pam, "We'll have a lot to tell Lady Gay." Leaving Madras, and saying good-bye to everyone, they took off, but, had not gone very far when Auntie discovered she wanted refuelling. She landed at Kandy, in Ceylon, and left the children to amuse themselvts. "I know," cried Paul, "we'll go to the temple." This happened to be the Great Temple of Buddha, where the sacred tooth is kept. There were beggars, some crippled, all round the doorway, crying out for alms. It was a pitiful sight, but they did not have any money or rupees to give them, so they hurried back to the aeroplane. They were terribly sorry to leave, and it was with many a longing backward glance they set off again. "Phew!" said Peter, "what an exciting day." It took them exactly a day to reach "The Press Ship," for Aunt Amelia was an exception in the way of aircraft. Flying right in through an open window, she landed in a pile of letters that Lady Gay was opening. Fruit was scattered everywhere then, but just this once Auntie was forgiven. —JOAN GOODE.

When is it a good thing to lose your temper? When it is a bad one. When does a man remind you of a candle? When he smokes as he goes out, —LOYAL GIBSON,'A.B., Woolridge's road, Harewood.