“I had a few words with Hawker in the hotel. I found him looking the very picture of health, bright and youthful—as one could hardly believe after his journey into the Atlantic and across Scotland. He told me that already he had given the whole story of the flight. He talked with the greatest enthusiasm of his journey through Scotland. ‘You would hardly believe,’ he said, ‘how kind and appreciative they have been the whole way down. It has absolutely astonished me.’ I asked him whether he thought he would ever try the Atlantic again. One might have expected a very emphatic negative to such a suggestion, but all Hawker could say was, ‘I don’t know.’ He said it depended on the Sopwith firm, seeming to suggest that his own personal experiences and tastes were rather unimportant things.
“Commander Grieve does not look quite so fit as Hawker. I thought he looked a bit tired and strained, but the journey from Thurso would do that, even if he had not done before it the biggest feat in navigation the world has known since Columbus. When the train left at 10 o’clock there was a repetition of the scenes of arrival, only with a bigger crowd.
“Every corner of stair and platform and bridge where one could get a glimpse of Hawker and Grieve was crammed to the utmost. There was wild cheering and the police were busy. The two dived quickly into the Pullman as if a bit embarrassed with all this excitement; but, after many requests, appeared at the carriage door to be photographed. In a moment the train was away, and Edinburgh set to talking about the magnificent young heroes, and to-night will read of the acclamations all down the line.”
At Newcastle, some hundreds of people were on the platform when the train steamed in, and Harry and Grieve met with a great reception. The Lord Mayor and Sheriff (Mr. Cole), who were accompanied by other members of the Corporation, and Mr. Herbert Shaw, representing the Chamber of Commerce, congratulated them on their escape and wished them better luck next time. The Lord Mayor presented each of them with a volume of views of Newcastle and a case of cigarettes as a souvenir of the occasion.
After thanking the Lord Mayor, Harry held a miniature reception by shaking hands with some hundreds of people who passed in front of his carriage door.
In acknowledgement of their great welcome to him, Harry addressed the following message to Scotsmen, through the medium of the Press:
“I am deeply touched by all the marks of respect that have been shown to me, and particularly by the kindness and sympathy displayed towards my wife during a week that must have been a severe trial to her. Only the kindness shown to her could have enabled her to get through that trial.
“As for myself, I am simply overwhelmed by the warmth of the greeting showered on me everywhere since first I touched British soil on Sunday last. I shall remember it to my dying day. It almost makes me feel that it was worth while failing to have such an ovation as has been accorded to us. Certainly I am convinced that the public display of appreciation more than repays me for anything I have gone through, and convinces me that the attempt to cross the Atlantic was well worth while.
“I am not discouraged in the least by what has taken place, and I have not abandoned the idea of crossing the Atlantic. What I shall do is a matter for discussion with my friends and backers, but I am far from being out of the race.
“I have nothing to say about the criticisms of those who think the attempt under the conditions then prevailing was foolhardy, save to say that I do not regret anything I have done, and that under similar circumstances I should act in the same way. The attempt was well worth making, and it had to be made, for there was a danger of the honour of being first across the Atlantic being wrested from the old country. Someone else may succeed where I failed, but I hope that, whoever does succeed, the honour will rest with Britain.