at Lignieres,
within our lines. I landed alongside; in starting in again one
wheel was broken in the plowed frozen earth. In taking away the
"taxi" the park people completely demolished it for me. It was
rushed to Paris for repairs.

25.--I watch the others fly, and fume.

26.--Bucquet loaned me his "taxi." No view-finder; only a
wretchedly bad (oh, how bad!) sight-line.

At 12 o'clock.--Saw a Boche at 3800; took the lift.--Arrived at the
sun.--In turning, was caught in an eddy-wind, rotten tail
spin.--While coming down again I saw the Boche aiming at me 200
meters away; sent him ten shots: gun jammed; but the Boche seemed
excited and dived with his motor in full blast straight south. Off
we go! But I took care not to get too near so that he would not see
that my gun was out of action. The altimeter tumbled: 1600
Estrees-Saint-Denis came in sight. I maneuvered my Boche as well as
I could. Suddenly he righted himself and departed in the direction
of Rheims, banging away at me.

I tried bluffing; I rose 500 meters and let myself fall on him like
a pebble. When I began to think my bluff had not succeeded, he
seemed impressed and began to descend again. I placed myself at a
distance of 10 meters, but every time I showed my nose the
passenger aimed at me. The road to Compiegne: 1000 ... 800 meters.
When I showed my nose, the passenger, standing, stopped aiming and
made a sign that he gave himself up. All right! I saw under his
belly that four shells had struck the mark. 400 meters: the Boche
slowed up his "_moulin_" (motor). 200 meters, 20 meters. I let him
go and watched him land. At 100 meters I circled and found I was
over an aerodrome. But, having no more cartridges, I could not
prevent them from setting fire to their "taxi," a magnificent 200
H.P. Albatros. When I saw they had been surrounded, I landed and
showed the Boches my broken machine-gun. Sensation. They had fired
at me two hundred times: my bullets, before the breakdown, had gone
through their altimeter and their tachometer, which had caused
their excitement. The pilot said that an airplane had been forced
down two days before at Goyancourt: passenger killed, pilot wounded
in legs--had to have one amputated above the knee. I hope this
original confirmation will be accepted,