Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-27
AN AERoNAUT AT SEA.
Thrilling Adventures of NJ. Lhoste in a
Balloon on the North Sea.
AntaoeT.p Corr. london IeLe0rdph.

Azataoe11D Corr. London Telegraph.
The intrepid French aeronaut, NJ.
Lhoste, after various preliminary trips
| last week, in company with his friend.
M. Eloy, determined to make the attempt
/ to reach England on Friday evening, hav-
ing prediction for night trips. When
the time for starting approached, his
companion thought the weather looked
too threatening for aerial navigation, and
energetically endeavored to dissuade him
from his purpose, but without success
Even Eloy's refusal to encourage his
rashness by accompanying him had no
eHect upon his obstinate resolution to
make the trip. Accordingly at midnight
on Friday the balloon Pilastre de Rozier
cast off and rapidly ascended.
Almost Immediately the weather, which
had been hazy all the evening, set in very
thick, the result being that LhOste passed
the night i'll the midst of a fog, which not
only chilled him to the marrow. but pre-
vented him from obtaining the least idea
Whltner ne was drifting or even if he
were moving at all.
However, the weather cleared on Satur-
day morning, when, to his no small dis
gust, he found himself out to sea in the
neighbOrh0Od of Cape Grimes. He at
once threw out ballast, in order, if posi-
bic, to lind favorable current, and soon
rose to height of 1000 metres, at which
altitude he suffered severely, his face be-
ing half roasted by the heat of the sun,
whilst his feet were numbed and almost
frozen.
Two hours after he found himself over a
town of some sort, and drawing the valve
line, descended rapidly. and with the as
sistance of passers-by cast anchor on the
esplanade at Dunkirk. Being determined
to persevere, he calmly took breakfast in
his car, surrounded by a gaping crowd,
and aftnrp ardc cod hi, afO,.o of koI
last. Noticing favorable change in the
WIND, he ungrappled, and rose gradually
to height of 1000 metres. lie must have
Travelled quickly, for he soon found him
self over the sea, off the coast of Belgium.
Far up among the clouds he found ter
rlDle difference in the weather, for, almost
without warning, he sailed into violent
storm-waye. Here the beating of the rain,
the heaVy gusts of wind and the loud re-
VerberatiOns of the thunder put the sta
Dlllty OF the balloon to a fearful and un-
f0reseen test. The whole fabric was con-
Vulsed with continuous vibrations, and
tossed and pitched in a manner which
made it difficult for the giddy and be-
numDed ar0naut to keep his hold on the
car. However, with some difficulty he
managed to open the valve, and descend
ed at noon on Saturday to within, as far
as he could calculate, 800 metres of the
sea. Unfortunately, in the lower strata
there prevailed thick fog, which made it
impossible for him to ascertain his exact
whereabouts. He made another ascent
in hopes of finding the elements more pro-
pltlous, but the storm was still raging up
in the clouds, and he, therefore, consid-
ered IL prudent to keep nearer the sea.
AS the afternoon wore on he
noticed with alarm that the gas
in his balloon was dangerously de-
creasiDg, and he began to realize
his peril. At o'clock the ropes dangling
from the car touched the sea, and he knew
that the critical time had come. The
whole of his ballast, of which the car
could hold but comparatively limited
supply. had by this time become com
pletely exhausted.
He at once threw out one after another
instruments, cases and, indeed, every
movable article in the car. But the bal
loon responded languidly, and in very
few minutes the car itself touched water
and the sea broke furiously almost every
minute clean over the car, drenching its
unhappy occupant to the skin. The ropes
and lines, too, were dashed about in be-
Wlldering manner, and these combined
horrors had almost made NJ. Lhoste de-
spair, when he caught sight of the sails of
a fishing lugger, which turned out to be
the Noemi.
The Captain of the Noemi almost stimuli
taneously caught sight of the balloon,
which he for some time took to be ship
on 1re, and man9uvred round and round
accordingly, When, however, he ascer-
tanned what the strange craft really was
he at once launched boat, and with i'm
mense difficulty rescued the eronaut from
fate which, but for his timely appear
ance, would not long have been delayed.
Lhnste, found he had been rescued within
ten miles of the English coast
10 md INaI
were taken aboard the Noemi and landed
at Antwerp shortly after midnight,
Lhoste is full of gratitude to the Captain
of the Noemi.