Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-25

London Telegraph. !

L0nGO7 Ieieg!ap1
NJ. L'Hosfe, q young man of engag-
ing manners, I found today looking
very pale and fatigued from the per-
lis TO which he had 50 recently been
exposed. He is suffering most from
giddiness, bat hopes that days rest
will set him up again. As soon as
his health shall be quite restored. he
assured HE. with much earnestness,
he viii make another effort 10 cross
the channel, and expresses himself
confident Of ultimate success. VI.
L'Hoste said thai after various pre-
liminary trips last week. in compa-
ny with his friend, " Eloy. he de-
termined 10 make the attempt 10
reach England on Friday evening.
having predilication for night trips.
When the time for starting approach
ed, however. his coEpaaion thought
the weather looked too threatening
for aerial navigation. and energetic
ally esdeavored 10 dissuade him from
bis purpose, but without success.
Even Eloy's refusal 10 encourage mis-
rashness by accompanying him had
no effect upon his obstinate resolu-
ton 10 make the trip. Accordingly,
at midnight on Friday. the balloon
Pilastre de Roster cast OF and rapidly
assembled
Almost Immediately the weather,
which had been hazy all the evening.
set in very thick. the result being that
L'Hoste passed the night in fog,
which not only chilled him to the
marrow, but prevented him from OBJ
tanning the least idea whittier he was
drifting. or even if be was moving at
all However, the weather cleared on
Saturday morning. when to his great
disgust. he found himself oct at sea
in thu neighborhood of Cape Girls
neg. He at once threw out ballast,
in order, if possible, to find a favor
able current, and seon rose to a hight
of 5000 metres. at which altitude he
suffered severely. his face being half
roasted by the heat of the sun, while
his feet were numbed and almost fro
zen. Two hours later he found him.
self over town of some sort. and
drawing the valve cord, descended
rapidly, and with the assistance of
passers-by cast anchor on the espla-
made at DUnkirk. Being determined
to preserve, he calmly took breakfast
in his car. surrounded by gaping
crowd, and afterward increased his
store of ballast. Noticing a favor
able change in the wind. he ungrap-
pied. and rose gradually TO hight
of 5000 mertes
He must have Travelled quickly. for
he soon found himself over the sea.
off the coast of Belgium. Far up
among the clouds he found terrible
difference 10 the weather. for almost
without warning. he sailed into vi
client storm wave. Here the heating
of the rain, the heavy gusts of wind,
and the loud reverherations of the
thunder put the stability of the bal
loon to fearful and unforeseen test.
The whole fabric was eouvulsed with
continuous vibrations. and tossed
and pitched in manner which
made it difficult for the giddy and
benumbed aeroraut to keep his bold
Gu the car. However. with some diff
ficultv he managed to open the valve,
and descended at noon OF Saturday
to within. as far as could DC caiculst-
ed, 800 metres of the sea. Cnfortu-
nately, in the lower strata there pre-
vailed heavy fog. which made it inn
possible for him to ascertain his ex-
act Whereabouts. He made another
ascent IN hopes OF finding the ele-
ments more propitious, but the storm
was still raging up in the clouds, and
he therefore considered it prudent to
keep near the sea As the afternoon
wore on he noticed with alarm that
the gas in the balloon was dangerous
~ decreasing, and he began to rea-
lie his peril
At four o'clock the ropes dangling
from the car touched the sea, and he
knew the critical time had come
The whole of the ballast, of which the
car could hold bu: a comparatively
| limited supply, had by this time be-
come completely exhausted. He at
once threw out. one after another.
instruments. cases. and indeed. every
movable article in the car. Bat the
balloon responded languidly. and in
a few minutes the car itself touched
the water. and the sea broke furious
ly almost every minute clean over the
car, drenching its unhappy occupant
to the skin. The ropes and lines too.
| were dashed about in bewi'dered
manner, and all OF these combined
horrors almost made NJ L'Hoste de-
spair. when lie caught sis BIT of u fish
ing lugger, which turned out to be
the Nemi The captain Of the N9mi
| almost sirnul,aneou sly caught sight
of the balloon. which he for some
time took TO be ship on fire. and
maneuvered round aud round accord.
ingly. When, however, he ascertain
ed what the strange craft really was.
be as once launched q boat, and, with
immense difficulty. rescued the aero
maui from fate which. but for his
timely appearance, would not have
been long DELAYED L'Hoste found
he had been rescued with ten miles OF
the English coast He and his bal
loon. which had burst. were taken
aboard the N9mi. and landed at Ant
werp shortly after midnight. L'Hoste
is full of gratitude to the captain OF
the N9mi.