PLIGHT TO NORWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 116, 9 October 1914, Page 6

PLIGHT TO NORWAY.

GRAPHIC ACCOUNT, BY LIEUT.

GRAN*

"I can hardly believe it that I am in Norway now. A hours ago I was sitting at Criiden Bay, in Scotland, having lunch, and now I am having tea in a lonely hut on the barren Norwegian coast some twenty miles south of Stavenger.

"Before I started out on this flight I made up my mind to write a diary under way. Well, my diary is written, but. I am afraid, in too tew words. I did not manage more."

Tho above is part of a vivid message to the Daily Mail from lieutenant Gran, the Norwegian explorer-airman, who made a wonderful Might from Scotland to Norway last month. FEW MOMENTS OF ANXIETY. Lieutenant Gran left Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, at 1.8 p.m., and arrived at Klep, mar Staveng.ii, four hours and ten minutes later, covering the distance of 320 miles at an average speed ot just over seventy-six miles an hour. His diary, written most.y as he Hew, shows mat ho had only a lew moments of anxiety practical y at the end of his voyage, wtien ins petrol was diminishing aiui he.became "sea-sick." Jtlis llig.it was the iongest ever accomplished out of sigtit of land. WRITING UNDER DIFFICULTIES. The fol.owing is tine daring lieutenant's diary of the journey: 1.15 p.m. —Under way again. The Bullers of lJurlian is under me some IwUO feet, iam toilowing the coast, steering north .by east. Ajiead it looks veiy gloomy. 1 hope I shall not run into log again, as I did this morning . 1.30 p.m.—The coast of Scotland ,s no more. What a strange feeling to be so lonely! 1 have passed some ships, but now there is nothing but sea underneath me and threatening clouds above me, 1500 feet up. I can judge by the '•white horses" that it is blowing fresh from the north-west. I allow for drift, | and steer north-east.

2.15 p.m.—One hour gone. I have made up my mind to carry on. It must be done now. Writing is difficult. The machine is thrown about a good deal. The compass works splendidly, thanks to my friend Pierce (Mr. S. Pierce, of the Bleriot School, Lieut. Gran's technical adviser). Some fog now and then, i but I have seen the sun and checked my course.

4.5 p.m.—l hardly know what to believe. Thick fog, and, as far as I can judge, a strong north-east wind. The motor works to perfection, but somehow m big petrol tank ha« run empty. No vessels about, but I cannot see many hundred yards ahead of me. NORWAY IN SIGHT.

This is the last entry in my diary. From this moment it cleared a little and the wind became stronger, and, as far as I, could judge, more westerly. The machine wa3 thrown horribly aboiH, and I had great difficulties in keeping my course.

At 4.30 p.m. I got into thick fog again. Up till this I had kept quite cheerful, but now I feared that any flight would finish up in the water. I felt sea-sick. My petrol was every moment decreasing. It was not very pleasant.

I started climbing. At about 3000 ft there was still fog. At 0000 feet I could see the sun. I got above tho clouds and into glorious sunshine. Under me was an ocean of white clouds; ahead of me—l oould hardly believe it—lay a mountainous coast with snow-clad peaks. It was Norway! ""THE COMING OF WAR." What a wonderful moment! I had done it after all! It was the Norwegian inland saw. The coastline could not be far off. I altered my course a little, cut off my petrol, and volplaned gently down through the clouds. Five minutes downwards, and the blue sky appeared. I saw a little boat. I passed over a huge steamer and sailed in towards a white, sandy beach.

At 5.17 p.m., English time, I reached land, and a minute afterwards I landed on the sands of an inland lake twenty miles south of Stavanger. The journey across had taken me 4 hours 10 minutes; and now l am home. The machine is ready for another (light. I am afraid I frightened the people hers in this lonely place a little. I saw when I sailed over the farmhouses here women and children run for their lives. They thought it was "the coming of war."

How wonderful to be here! Hero is summer! ,As wc pass along in the steamer through the fiords boats and ships approach us with music and song. I am glad to see my good fortune is appreciated.