From the land two huge birds seemed to rise into the air—two seaplanes which approached at full speed and then sank like gigantic water-fowls on the gently moving surface of the sea.
They shot down with their floats just brushing the surface of the water, till within a stone's throw of the "Deutschland," made a lightning turn, crashing by us, approached again and sprang literally over our heads, racing low down over the conning-tower, with cheers and waving of caps....
This was our reception from the latest weapon of the German Navy.
One should not make comparisons. But as we once more approached the German coast, surrounded and protected by the German Marine, I suddenly found myself comparing this with our arrival in America.
No one could have been received with more hearty enthusiasm than we had been by the Americans. A free, untroubled people, they rejoiced in a bold deed, and openly declared their sympathy for a new and unheard of enterprise, which it had required men to fulfil.
But here we were more than bold and interesting adventurers. Here our own people received us again as helpmates in their mighty struggle. Here the delightful spectacle of her power under the sea, on the sea, and in the air was presented to us.
This was for me the real meaning of the glorious greeting of our airmen. This was what I felt as the look-out boats accompanied us safely as far as the outer Weser, where we cast anchor before the Hohenweg lighthouse, for the first time after many a long day.
CHAPTER XV
THE RECEPTION OF THE "DEUTSCHLAND" BY
THE GERMAN PEOPLE
From the outskirts of Heligoland as far as the outer Weser we had been received by the Navy. On the voyage up the Weser and at Bremen the whole nation received us.
On the afternoon of the 23rd August the "Deutschland" had struck anchor at the mouth of the Weser. The news had been spread by telegraph throughout the whole country—this longed-for news, which awakened unbounded rejoicings.