and foreigners alike, sat for hours in the only hotel, asking about the new telegrams and discussing whether it was at all possible to set up regular air service in Persia. We heard all sorts of strange and funny things from these "experts". One circumstance in particular aroused everyone's greatest concern. On the way from Enseli to Tehran a very high and wild mountain range has to be flown over. The climatic differences between the Caspian provinces and the inner Iranian plateau are enormous. It's humid down there, never cold in winter, not too hot in summer; dry as straw on top, icy in winter, scorching hot in summer. A balancing must take place, and so an eternal storm rages through the gorges of the mountains. There is a spot on the road from the Caspian Sea to Tehran where entire caravans were sometimes blown into the abyss by the hurricane. The people in Enseli said that this place would be impossible to pass with an airplane. Suggestions were made to avoid it. A foreign gentleman had the following bright idea, which he took seriously: "They just dig a tunnel through the mountains and let the machines fly in it!" The second suggestion was similarly childish and interesting: "Have a pilot fly back and forth over the mountains until he finds a spot that's relatively quiet. Then, with a large brush and white paint, they should make signs on top of the bare ridges. Then the other machines can easily find the right way.” Finally the planes had arrived. Free flights were now organised for propaganda purposes. We sent out invitations, the dignitaries showed up, and the whole population came. The first flight was reserved for the senior officer. But unfortunately he was the only one who was missing. We waited, we waited, we sent messengers to the city, they said the general was still busy. He didn't show up until nightfall, so everything had to be postponed until the next day. But again we waited in vain. Annoyed, we decided to start without the Emir. So we challenged our friends, the brave incompetent gentlemen of the past few weeks, but lo and behold, none could make up their minds to be the first passenger, each had some excuse. So I decided to fly myself and took my wife and secretary with me to encourage them. Surprisingly, numerous Persian ladies immediately reported for the second flight. The lords of creation continued to hold back. A palaver ensued. Because the men didn't like such a situation, they did everything to talk the women out of their crazy ideas. But in vain, the women won. We had trouble picking four women out of the crowd which rushed towards the aeroplane. The first came back so enthusiastic that we could only maintain order to any extent with the help of the gendarmes. Every veiled woman now also wanted to go up in the air. The first men reported for the third machine. But who? Two Mollahs, Islamic priests, with beautiful white turbans and beards beautifully dyed red. After landing they were so overwhelmed by the wonders of their experience that finally an officer applied for a turn. From then on we didn't have enough machines to handle the rush. The Persian women had broken the spell, only our general was still conspicuous by his absence. The gentlemen, who had shown their courage in the meantime, were already mocking him in low voices: he was nothing but afraid of flying, which is why he only came when it was already too dark. It seems the people were right. The next day we were told that his ladies, our first passengers, had sat him at home until he promised to fly with them that day. In fact, he checked in for the afternoon, showed up on time this time, and was stowed on the plane with his three wives. The plane took off, but suddenly, just as it was leaving the meadow, we were horrified to see something dark fall out and roll over a couple of times on the grass. The machine shuddered but fortunately the pilot had enough control over it, it climbed and flew on. The black dot, meanwhile, had risen and was walking leisurely over to the tents. It was our general who lost heart at the last moment. This story sounds so unusual that none of the pilots who joined us later wanted to believe it, even though it happened before the eyes of numerous witnesses. For a long time, people out there couldn't quite grasp the real dangers of flying. On the other hand, they were afraid
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