The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-19
from the n. Y. Times, July 9th.
Adventures Of an AerGnaut.

On the afternoon of the Fourth Mons Au-
guste Buislay. of the gymnastic troupe, whose
elegant and graceful execution of the most
difficult gymnastic feats at the New Bowery
Theatre have been attracting large and en-
thusiastic audiences for the past two weeks,
was advertised to make balloon ascension
from Elm Park. Not only was he to ascend
skyward, but during his rise and progress he
was to execute in mid air, upon q trmpe=e
pendant from the balloon, some of the most
difficult feats peculiar to his profession The
ascent was made and the feats performed in
accordance with the programme, but de-
noumcnt was provided not set down in the
bills, which very nearly cost the daring
aeronaut his life. The Montgoltier was duly
filed in the presence of large crowd at Elm
Park, and Notwithstanding the threatened
storm and the counscing Of his friends, the
intrepid Frenchman resolved to carry out to
the letter of his announcements. Accordingly,
at few minutes past ) O'clock he mounted
the trape=e, and giving the word to cut the
balloon loose was speedily flying upward
with great velocity. From the moment of
leaving terra tirma the gymnast could be seen
executing his perilous teats upon the slender
bar-feats of agility, strength and deXterity
which usually make an audience SILVER with
fright when performed within a few feet of
the ground. AS long as the eye could see
him, he continued gyratlng and posing upon
lief when he disappeared from view, and his
perilous situation no longer made itself felt
to those who witnessed the start. The bal
loon assembled to height of about 1000 feet,
drifting gradually to the Jersey shore. At
this height, only about two-thirds of the
altitude usually obtained. the balloon became
stationary for a few moments and then be-
gan to descend This was owing to the
dampness of the atmospheric severe rain
storm then prevailing, which served to render
dense the hot air with which the balloon was
inflated, and finally to render imperative its
sustaining qualities. The machine began to
descend gradually, acquiring increased velo-
city with each foot of space it traversed,
UNTIL it finally began to descend as lump
of lead, retarded only in its downward course
by the parachutes attached to it. 1t soon
became apparent to Monsieur Buisay that
he had lost all control of his apparatus, and
that he must look to his individual safety
when nearing the earth again. Most fortu-
nately for him, the storm was driving him
over the surface of the Hudson River in
northcrly direction. Fearing the balloon
would strike the water and entangle him in
its meshes, he, when sixty feet in the air,
sprang from the trapeze, cleaving the air like
a rocket in his descent, and striking the
water feet foremost disappeared beneath the
surface. This involuntary bath was taken
near the Jersey shore, and was witnessed by
several persons VINO were sailing nedT Tue
spot. Some of these FASTENED toward the
place, but others, less humane, proceeded on
their way, apparently not caring for the life
of a human being. Young Buislay, on COM
ing to the surface after his first plunge, being
a fine swimmer as we'll as gymnast, struck
out manfully for the New York shore. The
wind and tide proved too much for him,
however, and had not Mr.. Kiator, of the
Caremount Garden, reached him as soon as
he did, he must have been drowned. Mr..
Kiator, on first seeing the difficulty in which
the balloonist was placed, had FASTENED to
launch his boat and be ready to render such
assistance might be required. When he
reached young Buislay that gentleman was
nearly exhausted by his efforts both at flying
and swimming. He was taken to-the shore,
and few drops of stimulating beverage
served to restore him to his acrobatic self
Efforts were at once made to secure the
unruly balloon, which had meantime quietly
descended into the river, and the monster
uninjured.~
A