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Thoughts through Space – Sir Hubert Wilkins and Harold M Sherman

On the 11th, the first reports indicated continued bad weather at Aklavik, and I was undecided about making preparations for a start.

Finally, I had about concluded that it might be wise to warm up the engines in the hope that the weather might clear. When a more favorable report did come in, we started the motors. One gave us some trouble at the start. Mr. Klerekuper, desiring to get some motion pictures of our activities, set up several large magnesium flares.

We moved the machine slowly for his benefit, and after going a few feet the skis stuck fast in the snow, and we had to get out and dig them free. During the long spell on the somewhat salty ice the bottoms of the metal skis had become slightly pitted. With the help of the Eskimos - who pushed on the wings - we taxied around in a circle to polish the skis again before attempting to take off. Some of the Eskimos were busy smoothing down bumps on the snow.

We finally took off without further trouble, but with the moving pictures and the flares and the taxiing about, there had been much excitement.

I find that Sherman, during his "sittings" on the 10th and 11th, recorded no vivid impression of our having been in actual flight or of our having changed location, yet he did give a very complete description of the happenings at Point Barrow.

He wrote: "You checking conditions - hear motors turning over - distinctly see you and crew running across snow field in a hurry; lights on field - men gathered - late weather reports more favourable -attitude of men tonight; feel them acting as a group. Many people moving about - unusual activity at Point Barrow. Eskimo men and w)omen, heavily garbed, out watching - one motor acting up - takes long to warm up - seem to see plane move along runway on skis then, with men helping, return to starting point after some difficulty - motor turning over for taxiing purpose - checking plane’s traction and runway conditions - fixing certain uneven spots - packing them down and filling in - definite action preparatory to take off".

To this point Sherman’s "recording" is an almost exact and nearly complete description of the actual happening, yet he concluded: "You MIGHT take off after all."  We had taken off and had landed at Aklavik by the time he was "sitting."

It is such observations which make the study of mental phenomena so puzzling, and the interpretation of our experiences so difficult. I have become more and more inclined toward the belief that it is the highly emotional or exciting thoughts that are most apt to get through, and to make an impression on another mind.