JOURNEY STAGES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 670, 24 October 1933, Page 6

JOURNEY STAGES

A POIGNANT RECORD In the history of human courage are many diaries, which men about to die have written in the black script of tragedy. Pew such diaries speak as plainly as the words which Kingsford Smith jotted down in his note hook, flying or halted: — "Passing Athens. . . . Still getting these nervous attacks. . . . Guess I'm too old and worn-out for these capers. . . . ". . . towards Baghdad. Nasty feeling, as if I was going to faint . . . "Baghdad last night . . . couldn't sieep for nerves . . . feel p.retty rotten . . . "Landed Gwardar, terribly sick, at 4.15. Could not sleep until 2 a.m. . . . Couldn't eat. No food now for 36 hours ... ' ' 300 miles from Jask. I feel terribly sick . . . . . had very bad turn, and had to come down to 200 feet. Thought I was fainting ... ". . . "from Karachi . . . Afraid to go up high, 'in case of feeling suddenly faint, and not being able to reacii ground before passing out . . . ". . . wish I was as reliable as this machine and engine . . . ". . . To Sumbawa . . . just^had an unpleasant sick feeling . . . ". . . last day of the rush. . . . ". . . hang on somehow for another nine hours . . ." Who is to blame? Who was it that sent "Smithy" after his 17 years of flying, at 36 years old, with 100,000 miles of worldfamed flight already written opposite his name, up into the air all alone, sick and sleepless, and fainting, for another journey of 12,000 miles?