The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1883-08-22
Porilous Adventure in a Balloon.



The following particulars are given by M'Hoste
Of his adventures IN attempting TO cross the Eng
lish Channel in balloon. At midnight the balloon
Pilastre de Rozier cast of and rapidly assembled.
Almost Immediately the weather which had been
hay all the evening, set in very thick, the result
being that L'HUste passed the night IN the midst
Of a Jog which not only chilled him to the morrow
but prevented him from obtaining the least idea
whittier he drifting, or even If ne were moving
ut all However the weather cleared the next NOR
ming when, 10 his small disgust, he found himself
out at sea IN the neighbOurhOOd of Cape Grisnez.
lie az threw out ballast, IN order, II possible,
30 find favourable current and soon rose to a
hight Of 1000 metres at which attitude he suffered
severely his face being half roasted by the heat Of
the whilst his feet numbed and almost fro
zen. Two hours later he found himself over town
Of some sort and drawing the valve line descended
rapidly and with the assistance Of passers by, cast
anchor on the esplanade at Dunkirk. Being deter
mined TO persevgre, he calmly took breakfast in his
car, surrounded by gaping crowd, aud afterwards
increased his store of ballast. Noticing a fay-
durable change in the wind, he ungrappled and
rose gradually TO a height of 5000 metres. He
must have travelled quickly, for he soon found
himself over the sea, OFF the coast Of Belgium.
Far up amongst the clouds he found terrible
difference in tho weather, for, almost without
warning, he sailed into a violent storm-wave.
Here the beating Of the rain, the heavy gusts Of
Hind, and the loud TCyerberatiOns of the thunder
put tl. STABILITY Of the balloon to a fearful and
unforeseen test. The whole fabric was convulsed
with continuous vibrations, ana tossed and pitched
ia manner which made II difficult for the giddy
aud benumbed aerOnaut TO keep his hold on the
ear. However, with some difficulty he managed
10 open the valve, and descended at noon on
Saturday to within. as far as he could calculate,
Sl1 metres Of the Unfortunately, IN the lower
strata there prevailed thick fog, which made 1t
impossible for him 10 ascertain his exact wherea-
bouts. He made another ascent IN hopes of find
ing the elements more propuous, but the storm
was still raging up in the clouds, and be therefore
considered II prudent TO keep nearer the sea. As
the afternoon wore on lie noticed with alarm that
the gas in his balloon was dangerously decreasing,
nnd he began to realise his peril At four O'Clock
the ropes dangling from the car touched the sea,
and he knew that tine critical time had come. The
whole of his ballast, of which the car could hold
but a comparatively limited supply, had by this
time become completely exhausted. He at once
threw cut one after another, instruments, cases,
and indeed every movable article in the car. But
the balloon responded languidly. and in a very
few minutes the car itself touched water, and the
sea broke furiOusy almost every minute clean
over the car, dTenching its unhappy occupant 10
the skin The ropes and lines too, were dashed
about an a boWldering manner and these com
bined horrors had almost made Mons. L'Hoste
despair, when he caught sight Of the sails of a
fishing luggeT, which turned out 10 be the Noemi.
The captain of the Noemi almost simultaneously
caught sight of the balloon which he for some time
took TO be a ship on fire, aud manpuvred round
and round accordingly. When however. he as
certained what the strange craft really was be at
once launched boat, and with immense difficulty
rescued the aerouaut from fate which but for
his timely appearance, would not long have been
DELAYED. L'Hoste found he had been rescued
within ten miles Of the English coast. He and the
balloon, which had burst, were taken aboard the
Noemi and landed at Antwerp shortly after mid
night. L'Hoste IS full Of gratitude 10 the captain
of the Noemi.