ors' lofty outlook at a height of several
thousand feet.

The flashings of the guns, the "flaming onions,"--i.e., strings of
phosphorus balls shot up to light the sky and to ignite any inflammable
substance with which they come in contact,--and the black puffs of smoke
from the bursting shells add a weird and startling brilliancy to the
surroundings. No matter how many times a man may fly at night the
immensity of the heavens above him, crowded with unknown worlds, cannot
fail to impress him with his own insignificance in the general scheme of
the universe, and Death itself appears of small importance compared to
the way in which he faces it.

The aviators, however, have little time for reflection, for on a long
flight they must keep a constant outlook for such landmarks as will
enable them from time to time to mark their exact position on the chart
and by comparison with their compass course and "ground speed" vary
their course according to changes in direction and velocity of wind. An
instrument called the "pitot tube" indicates the speed at which the
aeroplane passes through the air, but the speed at which the plane
travels in relation to the ground depends on the direction and velocity
of the wind. They must also watch the flashes from anti-aircraft
batteries and pin-point them on their maps if possible; aerodromes which
are lit up, train movements, the lighting of towns, the blaze of steel
factories; in fact everything of military importance must be recorded
and reported upon, if accurately located. The night aviator, however,
must be extremely careful in his observations, for it is very easy to
get lost and it is extremely difficult to keep an accurate check, on the
charts, of your exact position over the ground, even after long
practice; especially is this true when the flight covers three to four
hundred miles in distance and lasts from eight to nine hours.

After several hours of intense concentration the aviators approach their
target, and although they have charted the course constantly they now
spend some time in flying back and forth while they check off on a
large-scale map the landmarks about the target and satisfy themselves
that their long flight will not be valueless if the bombs are dropped
with accuracy. In the meantime the sound of the motors, together with
the telegraphed intelligence from other Hun towns, tells the enemy that
Allied night bombers are in the vicinity. The Huns in charge of the
a