New-York tribune., 1870-11-05
THE PERus OF BALLOONING.

FAILURE TO PASS THE ENEMY's LINEs-DEsCENr
UNDER PRUSsIAN FIRE - THREE HOURS IN
MUD AND WATER.
IYROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Tours, Oct. II. - The following letter from
Paris Oct H. describes unfortunate trip in which the
aeronauc adventures did not succeed In escaping from
that citr:
Ny DEAR BROTHER Doubling whether my letter OF
the 9th will have reached yOu and fearing that you may
have heard Of the accident which happened to me- to
relieve your anxiety, write 70 describe 10. Our balloon
left on the day with that Of NJ. Gambetta II may
have been that the atmospheric conditions were unfavor
able TO the ascension but in case, our balloon was
too slightly constructed for learn from the gas
establishment that, although Its cubic contents were
only 400 metres it absorbed 2,loo-a fact denot-
ing q frghtful escape. The fact is that
after mounting rapidly to the hight OF about l6oo
yards and within quarter OF an ur OF our departure
from La yilete, we fell with fearful rapidity and
although we threw out all our ballast came down at
quarter before g. about three miles northeast Of the
fortress Of st. Denis, only hundred yards from the
Prussan lines, and near the village Of Dugny where the
enemy occupies an important position in windmill.
While yet in the air had been fired upon, and we
we heard dozens Of bullets whstling between the car
and the balloon What q fright were in As our
balloon touched the ground for second time, after
bound jumped out and succeeded In holding II down
till my companions the aeronaut and young Frederick
escaped ghtened Of weight the balloon sprung up
again, hope Correspondence wh1ch IL carried
away may have ultimately reached Its destination.
There were in a bag all the correspondence with the
nendant Pesser and the Minister Of War; beside several
letters and newspapers, revolver, and my clothes
The Prussians opened fire upon immediately We
were in q eabbage-feld flooded knee-deep in water
The bullets whistled about in all directions, and
strewed cabbage-stalks at feet. We walked on as
fast as we could through the mire and tore up letter
which had written to you and which might have CON-
promised me had the Prussians found 1t. The fire
ing from the windmill, we went toward it, as all
seemed quiet, but when within only 40 or 20 yards we
were fired upon again with voes Of 90 90 shots at
time Having heard French spoken in an opposite drec
on we turned round thinking we were saved but pres
emily our own Francstireurs opened upon u.s. and We
were between two Hres In this extremity laid down
under some willow trees and not upon the ground, but
in the water For fully half hour we heard bullets
whstling over our heads from the Prussans and from
the Francstireurs Presently the Fort de rEs Of
the st. Denis forts Joined in the chorus with it's cannon
and sent IS shells at the Prussans Some OF these
DrOiectiles set fire TO chateau. We eunered
thousand deaths. shall never forget II. told my
cOmpaniOns that only chance was 10 lie motioness
NV nrincipal fear lest limbs should be no be-
numbed from the wet that we should be unaDle 70 move
We remained In positions fully three hours and
half The Prussians must have thought us dead when
night came crept away all fours, and came to
ditch six ards wide and full OF water My companions
could not SWIM and scarcely know how they got Scross
H. for before attempting the passage tried the depth at
six different places and found II up TO my neck After
two hours difficult marching we came upon a post OF
Francs treurs, who luckily dla not pre upon us we
NE 1T morning made ourselves known 10 Gen Belle
mare and were allowed to return TO Paris will tell
you the rest another time AZ Dugny pnIeG a ,aree
ihe Prussans turned out OF the place thal start
again In another balloon soon