The Black Eagle

By John Peer Nugent

With a touch light enough to keep his outsized character up in the air, and restrained enough to document the baldly preposterous, Mr. Nugent has outlined the rogue career of an international adventurer, Humbert Fauntleroy Julian, now 73. ""My strategy,"" Julian once explained to Aly Khan, ""is simple. Volunteer for all wars, never have enough money to become complacent, make headlines, and always leave calling cards."" This accurate pinnacle statement occurs after Julian's run toward very lucrative headwaters. His first solo in 1919 led to activities as a stunt pilot and jumper, Garvey booster and Harlem playboy, and then he was invited by Halle Selassie to lend prestige to the Ethiopian airforce of three planes. He crashed in one of them. After that he moved in and out of wars and uniforms like quicksilver. With his charm and a lordly manner, Julian pursued several sub-vocations, but it was his gun running, in South America, the Caribbean and most especially in the Congo, which attracted great attention, particularly in the consulates. Nugent has filled in the name on those calling cards and it's all entertaining.

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