FROM LONDON TO AUSTRALIA BY AEROPLANE 



261 



Photograoh by Sir Ross Smith 



THE SUEZ CANAL AT KANTARA AS SEEN FROM ABOVE 



Ivantara now lay below us — that vast series of store-dumps, a mushroom city beneath canvas, 

 which had sprung into being since the British occupation of Palestine" (see text, p. 277). 



the valleys. The lower steps of the 

 mountains were terraced, and wherever 

 a flat stretch of soil presented itself small 

 homesteads nestled, surrounded by culti- 

 vation. Sometimes we would be only a 

 few hundred feet above the ground when 

 crossing the crest of a ridge ; then we 

 would burst out over a valley several 

 thousand feet deep. 



Flying became extremely difficult at 

 this stage, owing to the bumpy nature of 

 the atmosphere. At times the machine 

 was literally tossed about like a leaf, 

 and for three-quarters of an hour we 

 experienced some of the roughest fly- 

 ing conditions of the whole journey. On 

 one occasion our altimeter did a drop of 

 1. 000 feet, and bumps of 400 and 500 

 feet, both upward and downward, were 

 frequent. I can only attribute this 

 aerial disturbance to the rough nature of 

 the country and the proximity of clouds 

 to the mountain tops. 



A strong following wind was blowing, 

 and I was very much relieved when we 

 got clear of the mountains and were fol- 

 lowing the coast down to Taranto. 



THE HEEL OE ITALY 



The town of Taranto presents a busy 

 scene from the air. A great number of 

 ships and transports were anchored off 

 shore, and as the air had now cleared 

 somewhat, we had a glorious view of 

 this great Mediterranean seaport, which 

 played such an important part in the 

 Eastern campaign. We could still dis- 

 cern long lines of tents in the British 

 camp, and everywhere there was the 

 great activity which characterizes a mili- 

 tary center. 



The town is small and picturesquely 

 situated at the head of a little inland bay. 

 which forms a magnificent natural har- 

 bor. Below us the boom protecting the 



