New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-14
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THRi1LINu AoRoBATfo ADVENTURE OF AN AERO
NAur--A FALL INTO THE HUDSON


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On the afternoon of the Fourth, Mons, Aqguste
Buislay, of the gymnastio troupe, whose elegant
and graceful execution of the most dlHIc ut gym
nastie feats at the new BoweTy theateF nave oeeh
attracting large and enthusiastic aaaiea9es ior tae
mast two weeks, was advertised to make bal
! ioon ascension from Elmpark. Not only was he
/ to ascend skyward, but during his rise and pro-
| Fress he was 10 execute in md-aig, upon trapeze
nAn0ent from the balloon, some of the most diff
cult fenis peculiar to his profession. The ascent
| was made and the feats perfor@ed in accordance
with the programme, but denouement was
provided not set down ia the bills, which
very nearly cost the daring aeronaat his lite.
His balloon, which is of the genus Mont
golfer, differs from those we are accustomed
to seeing somewhat in it It's construction, but
especially in the manner in which it is filled.
IL ia constructed of water proof material,
chemically prepared, and is arranged with para
chues at the point Of its greatest bulge, which
closed during the ascent, but expanded when the
gas is allowed to escape and so retard the ma
chine in its descent bringing 1t to the ground with
a light and easy motion. The balloon is eighty
feet in circumference, aud is filled with rari6ed
air made by burning straw and other light infaul-
mable substances beneath it, When filed aud
oosed from its bonds It springs into the air like
4 shot from gun, and, in the winking of an eye is
hundreds of feet in the air. carrying with it what
ever is brave or fo0lhardy enough to accompany it
4 In its heayenward flight Below this bail of rari-
ned air hangs the trdpeze on which the gymnast
performs his. wonderful feats. This is simply the
ordinary two pieces Of pendent rope, supporting q
wooden har, similar to the apparatus to be found
| in every circus and every gymnasium
| On the afternoon of the fourth The Montgolfer
was duly Allied in the presence of large crowd at
Elm park, and, notwithstanding the threatened
storm and the couuseng OF his friends, the ntre.
pid Frenohman resolved to carry cut to the letter
minutes past s o'clock, he mounted the trapeze
and. giving the word to cut the balloon loose was
speedily flying upward with great velocity. From
the moment Of leaving terra frna the gPmngst
DOuld bA his fna TO ~
slender bar-feats of agility, strength and dex-
terity which usually make an audience SILVER with
fright when performed within few feet of the
ground. As long as the eye could see him he
continued gJEatin and poisiagupon his dangerous
perch, and il was almost relief when he dsan
peared from view, and his perilous situation no
longer made itself felt to those who witnessed The
start. The balloon assembled to a heiget of about
lseven thousand feet Edritting gradually toward
Il Q Jersey shore AT this height, only about two
| thirds OF The altitude usually obtained the balloon
became stationary for few moments, and then
/ began to descend. This was owing to the damp
ness Of the atmosphere severe storm then pre-
yailing (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 in
creased velocity with each foot of space it ira
Fersed, until it finally begun TO descend as ump
of lead, retarded only in its downward course by
| the parchntes attached t0it. 1t soon became ap-
| parent to Mons. Buisay that he had lost all con
rol of his apparatus, and that he must look to his
individual safety when nearing the earth again.
Most fortunately for him, the storm was driving
| him over the surface of the Hudson river in a
northerly direction. Fearing the balloon would
strike the water and entange him in its meshes
be, when sixty feet in the air, sprang from the
trapeze, cleaying the air like q rocket in his de-
scent, and striking the water feet foremost dis.
appeared beneath the surface.
This involuntary bath was taken near the Jerst y
shore, and was witnessed by several persons who
were sailing near the spot. Some of these hast
ened towards the place, but others, less human,
PR eeeded on their way, apparently not caring for
the life of a human being. Young Buislay, on
coming to the surface after bis first plunge, being
a fine swimmer as well as gymnast, struck out
manfully for the New York shore. The wind and
the tide were proved almost too much for him
however, and had NOT Mr.. Kaitar, 5of the Clare
mont garden, reached him as soon as he did he
must have been drowned. Mr.. Kaitor on first
seeing the difficulty in which the balloonist was
placed, had fastened to launch his boat and be
ready to render such assistance as might be re-
quired. When he reached young Bnislay that
gentleman was nearly exhausted BY his efforts at
both flying and swimming. He was taken 70 the
shore, and few drops of stimulating beverage
served to restore him to his aerobatic self Efforts
we're az once made to secure the unruly balloon
which had meantime quietly descended into the
river and the monster was finally landed, wet and
obstinate, but uninjured.