Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Horror of the Heights
Withsomanythingstothinkofthereisnotimetotroubleaboutoneself.AboutthistimeInotedhowunreliableisthecompasswhenaboveacertainheightfromearth.Atfifteenthousandfeetminewaspointingeastandapointsouth.Thesunandthewindgavememytruebearings.
"Ihadhopedtoreachaneternalstillnessinthesehighaltitudes,butwitheverythousandfeetofascentthegalegrewstronger.Mymachinegroanedandtrembledineveryjointandrivetasshefacedit,andsweptawaylikeasheetofpaperwhenIbankedherontheturn,skimmingdownwindatagreaterpace,perhaps,thanevermortalmanhasmoved.YetIhadalwaystoturnagainandtackupinthewind’seye,foritwasnotmerelyaheightrecordthatIwasafter.ByallmycalculationsitwasabovelittleWiltshirethatmyair-junglelay,andallmylabourmightbelostifIstrucktheouterlayersatsomefartherpoint.
"WhenIreachedthenineteen-thousand-footlevel,whichwasaboutmidday,thewindwassoseverethatIlookedwithsomeanxietytothestaysofmywings,expectingmomentarilytoseethemsnaporslacken.Ievencastloosetheparachutebehindme,andfasteneditshookintotheringofmyleathernbelt,soastobereadyfortheworst.Nowwasthetimewhenabitofscampedworkbythemechanicispaidforbythelifeoftheaeronaut.Butsheheldtogetherbravely.Everycordandstrutwashummingandvibratinglikesomanyharp-strings,butitwasglorioustoseehow,forallthebeatingandthebuffeting,shewasstilltheconquerorofNatureandthemistressofthesky.
