NO SUPPLIES OF FUEL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22432, 20 June 1938, Page 16

NO SUPPLIES OF FUEL

Miss Batten’s Setback At Thies PETROL BROUGHT FROM DAKAR New Zealand Flyer’s Autobiography (Published by "The Press” under special arrangement.) CHAPTER X (continued) “They must have thought you would go to Dakar,” said one of the officers. . “No, all arrangements for me to land here were made months ago,” I protested. “Would you please telephone Dakar for me?” I asked the officer, giving him the telephone number and name of the agent, which I had fortunately obtained before leaving England. Just then a motor-car drove up and but stepped the Commandant of the base, who proved to be as kind as he was efficient. As soon as I had explained the situation to him he ordered the officer to telephone immediately. It was imperative that the fuel should arrive that night if I were to lower the record, and this delay only made me more determined than I might otherwise have been. ' “Would you care to have something to eat, and are you not in need of rest?” inquired the Commandant.. “Yes, I would like some sandwiches,” I replied, but rest was out of the question, for there was the engine schedule to be done and the throttle lever to be adjusted, I explained. "The military mechanics will help you,” said the Commandant, calling up three smart-looking men. I was determined to arrange everything in readiness for the early takeoff before leaving the aerodrome. Th.e officer arrived back to say that the agent had not expected me so soon, and that the supplies would arrive in the morning. V “That's no good!” I cried. “They must start immediately. It- is imperative that the supplies arrive to-night. I’ don't-care if they haveto drive 65 kilometres from Dakar in the darkness,” I said, as the thought occurred to me that there were probably wild animals lurking in the dark green jungle I had seen from the air. “I haven’t flown 300(1 miles to be held up by a wretched agent,” I continued. “Anyway, this will teach them a lesson.” It was difficult to control my anger, for I was tired and hungry, and this hold up was quite unexpected. “I will speak to the agent myself,” promised the Commandant, “arid we will have the supplies here for you tonight somehow or other.” Careful Attention to Engine As soon as he had left I walked over to the aeroplane, where the mechanics were waiting for me, and removed all the cowling from the engine, which was still warm. “I think we will start with the filters,” I said, taking the tool-kit from the locker and handing a pair of pliers to one of the mechanics. “You fetch an oil-tray and drain the main tank,” I told the , second man, “and you can help me remove the oil-cups from the cylinder ' heads,” I said to the third. We were soon hard at work cleaning jetsi petrol filters, oil-filters, and removing plugs, adjusting rnagneto points. Progress was a little slow, for no one spoke’ English, and although I managed to make myself understood quite well in ordinary conversation it was difficult to explain the technical terms in French to the mechanics. However, we managed quite well, and when the Commandant returned he found us all busily working. “They are starting immediately with the supplies of fuel,” he said, “and- ex--1 pect to arrive in about four hours, so tout est bien qui flnit bien,” he added with a smile. I put down the set of clearance gauges and got up, from my position under the engine, wiping oil from my hands with a piepe of waste cloth. “It was very kind of you to speak to the agent for me,” I told the Commandant. *T do indeed feel. grateful to. you.” “There is no need for you to do the , work on the engine yourself; you must be tired,” he said, calling up two , more men. “We have many mechanics, and you can sit down by the engine, and supervise the work.” A box was brought, and I was thankful to sit down and eat the sandwiches which had arrived from the Commandant’s bungalow. . Load of Fuel Arrives At about 10.30 p.m., when the engine schedule was almost Completed and -one of the mechanics was in . the cockpit, adjusting the throttle, we • heard the throb of an engine, and. a vehicle pulled up outside the harigar. The -big doors had .been shut to keep out the night insects, and when they were now pushed back they revealed a lorry, out of which stepped the agent and a number of native boys, who commenced lifting down the big petroltins which contained the precious fuel supply. Overjoyed at their arrival I un-r fastened the caps on all five tanks, and refuelling operations were soon in full swing. It was a slow business though, and took .quite an hour, for the tanks had to be filled by means of a hand-pump, which , the native boys took turns at working.

At last the work was completed, and all the native boys crowded into the lorry, where is was • decided; they should sleep i for the night, as it was too late for them to go to the village. The headlights of the lorry could be requisitioned, too, and with those of the Commandant’s car would help to light a patch for the take-off. The machine was well overloaded with petrol, and I felt anxious about’ taking such a heavy load off the aerodrome,' which was barely big enough to allow as long a run as I should ‘have liked. The" night was very calm, and the wind-sock on the hangar hung limp and motionless. “If only a wind would spring up it would help the take-off tremendously,” ! said, looking up at the sky. The moon had risen, and was shining down through a gap in the clouds, "which seemed to press in.; unending procession' aero* the sky.'The air seemed very still and almost fore boding. ; “Do you think there will, be a storm?” I asked the Commandant. ■ He looked up. “I think it will rain,” he answered: then, as if to reassure me, added, “But it will probably pass over ...before you are ready to start. Anyway, if there is no wind you can take off from comer to comer, and that will give you- a much longer, run.” Not Happy About Take-off .; I was not at all happy about the take-off. We must lighten the machine

somehow. Climbing into the cockpit! removed the heavy signal pistol, .my revolver and the rockets and cotnos* and the torch. Patting the thinß® the floor of the hangar, I opened the locker, and very soon all the jaaaam equipment was in a heap on tlte ground. I had decided to leave everything gs» cept absolute necessities at Thics. The two firearms, cartridges, tool-fat and spare engine parts alone weighed many pounds. The big presented to the Commandant. Smiting at my own optimism, Isurveyed the assorted collection and selected evening dresses, which ■weighed practically nothing, and to the surprtsec* all present, put them back into the locker. After all, if I crossed the Atlantic successfully they would be more useful than the. tool-kit. I explained to the Commandant. If I didn t-~ well. . , He turned away, and I boil once more over the varied assortment Only the log-books, the emergency rations, thermos flask, and my little bag of personal effete went back into the aeroplane. The agent, who peawed a good friend, took charge qfthe jettisoned equipment, and promised,"* send everything back to England 1W me. All was now in readiness form# start. It all depended now on a hand and accurate navigation, mef* was sure that the engine on whsca-* pinned my faith would not fautg and every inch of the sturdy siwff wings of the aeroplane looked the vßy essence of power itself. f... Stepping into the car I drove w»“ the Commandant to his bungaio** where it had been arranged 1 snook* stop for the night, as the village was too far away and I had not forgotten the declaration about the plague wmen I had so eagerly signed at Casablanca. It was only a few minutes’ drive w - the white bungalow, and as we aUtpjpeg up on to the verandah a negro W hurried forward to open the douroe wire-gauze doors, leading into a room much more comfortably furnished IBM I had expected. It was good to res* on the soft divan while the Command; ant prepared a cool drink for roe ana ordered the native servant to serve dinner. I should have been quite happy to go to sleep immediately, bid Commandant wisely insisted that i should eat first. Reluctantly I rose to my feet, and taking my bag. yro l into the tiny bathroom. A curtameor off corner of the room disclosed a men square on which was a large can « water with a dipper. This was something like the bams I had encountered in Java, where the water-containers had been much larger and of stone, and there had been two dippers, wxm which- one tipped the water mrer oneself. Feeling decidedly refreshed after the bath, I slipped into a wrote frock and put some sunburn cream on my face, which was hardly recognisable in the mirror.

(To be ContinuedJ