CHAPTER VI
By Thursday, August 21st, 1913, Harry had made good progress towards recovery, and expected to be ready to make a second attempt on Saturday, August 23rd, exactly a week after his first effort. Pickles held himself in readiness in case Harry should still be unable to proceed. However, by Monday morning, the 25th, Harry had completely recovered from the effects of sunstroke and the exhaust gases, and a start was made at 5.30 a.m.
Public interest was not lacking through his being the only competitor. As a matter of fact, the previous failure served to enhance the appreciation of the difficulties with which the aviator had to contend on such a journey. The physical trial was dramatically revealed through the pilot’s collapse at Yarmouth on August 16th, and in the second attempt a special sporting touch was introduced by the doubtful possibility of his getting further or not so far, which more than compensated for the absence of other competitors to provide a neck-to-neck race.
Harry tested the machine on Saturday the 23rd, and was well satisfied with everything. The engine had been muffled by the fitting of a longer exhaust-pipe. Although at dawn on Monday the atmosphere was bright and clear, a thick mist rolled up, and as Harry, this time making a flying start, passed above the starting-line punctually at 5.30 a.m., only a fleeting glimpse of the machine was enjoyed by those aboard the Enchantress, as she sped overhead.
Nevertheless, in the Solent Harry found the weather clearer than on the other occasion, but in the Channel he met with a good deal of fog and had to rely on his compass several times while skirting the South Coast. He was wearing helmet and goggles and running no risk of sunstroke this time. Seeing that he and Kauper had been over this stage of the course only a week before, he hoped they would reach Ramsgate in slightly better time, but the fog was against them, and it was not until 8.08 a.m. that they alighted at Ramsgate, having taken 159 minutes from Southampton, or 15 minutes longer than when they made their first attempt. They expected to sacrifice a little speed through the provision of the longer exhaust-pipe, which would offer a slight additional resistance to the free passage of the burnt gases from the engine.
Photo by]
[J. Cecil Gould, Weybridge.
THE SOPWITH DOLPHIN, PUT THROUGH ITS INITIAL TESTS BY HARRY.]