Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-11-20
AN yERONAUT'S PERIL.
His Voyage Across n Stormy Sea-Caught
in a Storm During the Night.


in Storm During the Night.
PARIS, November 19.-The aronaut
Capaza, who, in his balloon, the Gabizos,
accomplished on Sunday one Of the most
successful arial voyages of this century,
tclegnphs from Ajaccio the following &C.
count of his journey: "After waiting for
several days for northwesterly wind, NJ.
Fcudere, = member of the De Brazza Mis-
sion, and started at o'clock on Sunday
afternoon in my balloon, the Gabizos, from
the Place st. Michael, Marseilles. Our
intention was to reach Corsica. We took
with US some carrier pigeons,
and food and water enough to
last for three days As soon rs
the balloon was released she went
straight out to sea, almost skimming the
surface of the water. Then she arose, and
taking a westerly direction passed over
Toulon. As We passed over that city, NJ.
Foudere and l distinctly heard the report
of n cannon, followed by the sound of
steam whistles. / had arranged that
these signals should be given us when we
were sighted, so that in case We found it
necessary to land we should know that
boats were ready TO take us ashore, IL
was then six o'clock in the evening II
was almost dark, and the heavy black
clouds which loomed up in the distance
showed that a storm was coming upon us.
However, We decided to continue our
route, and let loose three pigeons to let
our friends on land know that we intend
ed to pass the night between sky and
earth.
"As we were approaching Hyeres sud-
den gala swept the balloon from the coast.
1t had become pitch dark, and we were
flying through the air at almost lightning
speed. With the greatest difficulty We
managed to strikea light, and then on
reading our compass we found We were
going out to sea, toward the coast of Africa.
Luckily, at about 7:30, the wind veered
round the west Then the storm broke
down upon us. Hail fell upon the balloon
and sounded rs il hundred drummers
were beating taps. 1t drove us down al
most to the level OF the sea. The half
hour that followed | shall not forget
to my dying day. The sea was rough and
wave after wave broke against the car Of
the balloon. One minute We were rising
Just above the foamlng crests, the next we
were being gdriycn down into IN abyss whose
depth the darkness prevented us from
seeing The awful sensation of being in the
presence of death without any chance Of
warding him of, came over us. Then we
took courage and decided if our balloon was
swamped We could at any rate swim for our
lives. or went our clothes, of flew our
shoes; We threw everything overheard ex-
cept the cal, and, i'm our desperate excitement
forgot that the cruel storm was heating on
our naked bodies.
"A light! thank God, light 1t must
have been about o'clock. The gale still
blew high, and we had given up all hope
when we caught sight OF that light. There
flashed its friendly rays, and our balloon
was being driven in its direction. ltturned
out to be the lighthouse on the island of
Sanguinaire, which lies to the south Ofthe
Gulf of Aiaccio. An hour later we
touched land i'll n field near Appicto, one
of the suburbs of Ajaccio. We had some
difficulty in landing because of our want
oi ballast The balloon bounced about,
giving us a terrible shaking up as We were
dragged over four miles Of rough country.
When we stood on terra iirma We found
we had reached our destination III six
hours. Ajaccio is 80 English miles from
Marscillcs ~ the crow flies, but the course
we were forced Ia take must have been
over 400 miles" "