2 



Just before eight (the plane was supposed to leave 

 at seven fifteen) the gate marked "Cienfuegos, Kings- 

 ton, Barranquilla" was opened. We went downstairs, 

 out a door, and along a narrow board walk to the little 

 landing where our plane was waiting, then one by one 

 across a gangway to the top of the plane, and down the 

 steps inside. Seats were facing pairs on both sides 

 of the aisle, like Pullmans made up for daytime. In 

 our compartment and across the aisle were a young oil 

 man named Eoover, going back after leave to his post 

 at Barcelona, Venezuela, and a Venezuelan family named 



p $ father, mother, son about sixteen and daughter 



about ten; they had been in the United States for sev- 

 eral months, and were to break up at Barranquilla, son 

 to go to school in Bogota, others home to Venezuela. 



The stevrard made sure that every life-belt was fas- 

 tened, and with a deafening roar the plane began to 

 beat its way through the water. We seemed to have 

 nosed under for the water completely covered the win- 

 ders. Presently there was a sudden hush (the mere noise 

 of the plane's engines) as the windows cleared and we 

 stopped tearing up the water and began to rise at a 

 very low angle. As long as we were rising the motion 

 was rough and unpleasant; Clara had sharp pains in her 

 ears and the little girl began to scream and hold her 

 hands over her ears. After we had finally finished 

 climbing and started on our course the plane steadied 

 and all was well; passengers unstrapped their belts and 

 relaxed, stretched, or stood up in the aisle, and ears 

 stopped hurting until time to come down (which proved 



to be even worse ! ) . The steward passed magazines 



Saturday Evening Post, Collier N s, etc and there was 



a little conversation, now and then, but the windows 

 provided the best entertainment. First we had a marvel- 

 lous view of the Florida Keys, spread out far below 

 like a dainty little colored relief map, with a few 

 miniature boats not far from shore. Then came water 

 and more water, too blue to be real, but with plenty 

 of variety in the sharp shadings and colorings* that 

 marked the various depths and underwater formations. 



Soon after ten we sighted Cuba, and then crossed the 

 island from north to south, a spruce little toy country 

 laid out in clearly marked plots of cultivated land, 

 light green plots and dark green plots in sharp contrast, 

 many of them, neatly squared. On the south shore we saw 

 a city of bright little houses built around a small har- 

 bor that looked almost like a lake. The steward passed 

 landing cards for us to fill out, and the plane came 

 slowly and roughly down to hit the water deliberately 



