BRITISH 4 FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1921, Page 3

BRITISH 4 FOREIGN ITEMS.

CABLE NEWS.

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION, j AIRMEN’S HARDSHIPS. j (Received this day at 8 a.m.) NEW YORK, Jan 8. 1

The first word concerning undescribahle hardships suffered by three naval airmen who left New York in a balloon, on 13th Dec. has just been revealed in a letter received by the airmen’s wives. The letter .states they were driven by a gale and landed at Moose factory, James Bay, on twenty-first Dec. with little clothing, every possession being thrown out of the balloon in order to keep it up. The winds drove the machine far north the airmen being terribly distressed by hunger and cold. One of them asked a comrade to kill-him and eat him and rescue themselves. Finally hearing a dog bark ,they landed in the wilderness, where Indian trappers rescued them and the first news of their whereabouts was brought by Indian runners over the snow covered trails to Cochran, thence they telegraphed to civilisation. The airmen with guides were travelling far more than a week from Moose factory, which is the Hudson Bay Company’s trading post, but have not yet reached Cochran. One airman is Hinton, of fame.