The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-10-20
Human Flying, from Time ImmemOrial
to the Year 1900.

they fell and were killed. There is no
doubt that this fable has trua basis in
an experiment to fly which had a fatal
result, and was afterwards recorded py
the ancient historians in their usual in
correct and absurd manner.
9. Absris, Scythian, assembled in the
air on an arrow, supported and propelled
with peculiar wings, moved by mechan-
ism, according to the historian DiOdorus
of Sicily.
8 Strsbo mentions that the Eupro-
bates tried to ascend in the air, and eli
ed their wings for that purpose with
smoke" Cheated air, gasO.
f. Archytas, geometrician of Tarentum,
Greece, tried also to fly. 1t Is not men
toned by what means, but only that final
ly he broke his neck in consequence.
s. 1147, Turk, in ConstanJinople, at
tempted to fly on the occasion of the public
festival during the visit of the Emperor
Emmanuel to the Sultan Chisarthian, with
q large gown extending beyond his arms
and legs, probably suggested by the con-
structlon of bats wings. He supposed
that he would be able 10 descend gently,
reaching the ground several thousand
feet from the high building from which
he started. He had announced this ex-
time to and fro before taking the leap,
and, when he did so, descended perpen-
dicularly, and was instantly killed, beng
dreadiully mangled. This is mentioned
by the historian Knolles.
6. Roger Bacon, the well known
English monk OF the thirteenth century,
made machine in which one could sit
down, and by means OF wings, moved by
II a. ;-d
and sustain ones self for short time.
T. Elmer, a monk Of Malmesbury,
made, according to Milton, in his history
of Great Britain, wings attached to his
hands and feet, and flew with them from
the top OF the Tower in London distance
of one-eighth of q mile. s. strong wind
interiered with his balance, and he came
down rather suddenly and broke Goth
legs. But he ascribed this failure-still
confident OF final success in the art Of
| flying-to his neglect in making himself
a tail also, to serve as 6 rudder. Where
with he intended to move the tail is
problem.
s. g. b. Dante, mathematician in Perugia
Italy, after having long practiced flying
| over the surface of the Lake of Tnrasl
meme, in 1860, started from the highest tow
er in the li,y, and remained floating three
hundred feet high, directing his course u
determined point. Unfortunately, one
of his wings became damaged, ana he fell
on roof of church and broke q leg
whereupon he was nicknamed the modern
Icarus. Later he taught mathematics II
| Venice, and lectured publicly On the ar
| OF flying, and tne means necessary for sue
cess. Many Italians, Frenchmen aaC
Germans, encouraged by this, studied tbt
! subject at that time, and experimental
extensively.
8. q musician in Nuremberg few very
deXterously about the year 1895, by means
of two very large wings. AN Italian
named Buratini, Brought the secret O
their construction to France, but nobody
would risk any money to realize hi
! plans.
10. Bolori, an Italian matchmaker il
| Troyes, France, after previously studying
the flight Ct birds, mace Wigs wiz
which he few from church SPIKE three
times across different parts of the Rive
| Seine. 4 strong wind, however, caused
| him to fall, not Witnstandins his utmcs
exextioEs against it, and be was killed.
II. Keiner, locksmith in Sable
France, offered flying machines for sal.
in the y ear 1860. He ascenced, with Oh,
Of them, to the height OF one hundred
feet, and came down safely.
-. Cook and Oliver, two Englishmen
at Malmesbury, assembled, in 1860, and, b,
means of wings attached TO the arms anl
legs, kept floating for q considerable time
and came down without sccideat.
IL. Elnero de Malmelio, Spanish
monk, about the same time, tried TO fly il
the same manner, and, ct first. with goOt
success, but atterward it cost him hi.
life.
IA. The jesuit priest Lana projected, il
1910, an aerial vessel, supported by fou
globes, each of twenty-tour feet diameter
and having vacuum inside. The vesse
Was provided with mssts and sails. Thi
was. however, evidently absurd, and was
of course, never tried. The plan ant
model were all that ever appeared, as i
OfGen the case with visionary inventions
10. Ia the history Of the travels of th'
French Ambassador to the Court Of Siam
in 1884, published in Paris a few yesr
later, IS mentioned q Sia1aese pyrOte ch
mist, who assembled on q colossal ky-rock
ct several hundred feet high in the air
and then opened large umbrella. Will
which he came down slowly. This is re
markabie, proving that the use of para
chutes was known nearly two hundred
yeare ago in Eastern Asia.
Is. d. Schyf made, in 174g. in Zaan
dam, Holland, a flying ship. called, "th,
rev post ard travelling nlachiIe;" bu
the new invention, ike that Of Lana (No
14) was confined only to models, an,
drawings finely engraved on copper, ant
extensively published at the time, and re
published in 1912
II. Don Francisco Gusman, of Lisbon
Portugal, made, in 1745. an eagle, O,
which he sat. and of which he moved th
wings. He few with it across the Rive
Tay, but the inquisitio. considered it sor
CRY and witchcraft, and ne very wisel,
absconded secretly, in order to escape tn
rack and stake.
IS. Father Galven, Dominican monk
published, in ITS, work entitled L'AT
de NG0igelr dams les Airs (Tbe Art OF Nav
igating the Air), and proposed colossa
aerial ship, OF not less volume than 100,
600, 100000 cubic feet, made of canva'
According to false reasoning, he SUP
posed that the pressure of the air woul
keep it up without any other apparatu!
simply because it was open below. Thi!
however, is another illusion.
10. Des FORCES, Able of ELampe.
tried, In l712, TO lily with wings similar
those Of insects, and to descend in gon
dola provided with parachute, but nc
with successful result
20. Bacqueville, in 1878, flew from tn
top OF his house in Paris, Rue Malaqua
across the Rue de Saint Peres and tn
River Seine, but he fell on sloop an
was injured.
81. Dumier projected, in 1888, an seris
slOop, which could be steered at will. ]
was not, however, executed ON prac.ics
scale.
20. Murray, in Portsmouth, Englan,
1900, made divers inter cstipg experiment
in flying, and with the parachute; but
blast Of wind made him fall, and he die
in consequence of injuries r. ceived.
%. Calais, in Paris, in 1897, flew wit
wings attached to his shoulders, and whic
, he moved by his arms and legs. He ha
I-2s