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tools and a lathe to work with. His reply was an immediate and enthusiastic "Yes."
    The only type of plane that I considered suitable for this work was a flying boat, and the Curtiss Company had only one of them in stock, so negotiations were made on the spot for its purchase.
    This sturdy little ship was a biplane, powered with a 160 H. P. 6 cylinder, water-cooled engine. It would carry Stevens and me, with our photographic and camping equipment and fuel enough to fly for 300 miles.
    A prominent manufacturer of aerial cameras was asked the name of the best aerial photographer in the country. Without hesitation he said, "Captain A. W. Stevens of the U. S. Army Air Corps," who was approached and asked to accompany us on the expedition.
    Stevens was enthusiastic in his desire to go but doubted the possibility of obtaining leave from the Army, but Dr. Rice communicated with the authorities in Washington and the leave was granted.
    Since that time Capt. Stevens has become internationally known for his excellent work in high-altitude flying, long-distance aerial photography, and parachute jumping. In 1929 he won the much cherished "McKay Trophy" given for the most meritorious accomplishment in the U. S. Army Air Service.
    Much special equipment was needed. The plan was fitted with a larger radiator to give the excess radiation essential for flying in the burning heat of the tropics, and over dense jungles where a forced

[[image in bottom left corner with caption]]
The proud possessor of a discarded shirt was the envy of the tribe.

[[ image in top right corner with caption]]
Pilot Hinton trading old clothes and trinkets for food, bows, arrows, and blow-guns.

landing meant death by starvation or at the hands of cannibal Indians.
    My past experience of being forced down in shark-infested waters and having the plane sink beneath me had taught me the importance of taking every precaution to avoid a like situation.
    We placed inflated automobile inner tubes in the four water-tight compartments of our plane, so that if, while making a landing on a rocky river, we punctured the hull or a compartment, we would not sink at once, and would be spared from the ravenous crocodiles and savage fish, the paranha.
    Our party consisted of 14 scientists and about 56 Indian bearers and canoe paddlers; Stevens as aerial photographer, myself as airplane pilot and Wilhusen as mechanic made up our aviation unit.
    Stevens and I flew ahead of the ground party and made sketch maps of the river indicating which branch they were to take, what to expect around each bend of the river, and where the Indian maloccas (house) were located.
    The various Indian tribes warred among themselves and therefore built their maloccas well back from the river bank to avoid detection by travellers on the river, but they were quite visible to the eyes of the airmen.
    Our sketch map completed, we would fly back and deliver it to the party who were ascending the river in canoes carrying gas, oil, provisions, the party of scientists and their instruments.
    Landing places on these rivers were few and far between. Often we could not make a landing near our party. It was necessary to to seal this information, and
         (Continued on page 30)

JULY 1934                        Eleven