The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-04-08
THE BALLOON.
Prof. Melville Makes a Fine Ascension
in the Same Old Balloon.

Prof. Melville Makes a Fine Ascension
in the Same Old Balloon.
Word was passed round Saturday that
Prof Emil Melville, with the assistance
Of sailors from H.B.M.S. Cormorant, was
initiating his balloon, the one used in the
two previous attempts to fly skyward
About half-past o'clock in the after
noon everybody rushed out at the init
enough, there it was, sailing gracefully
over the town, at an elevation OF two or
three thousand feet. People were dis
/ putting whether or not there was a man
/ to it, but a glance showed something
/ bigger than a trapeze bar, and a little
/ steady gazing was rewarded by the
vision of a streak of red, the aeronaut's
athletic costume. The form of the man
was deserted, also, going through move
ments on the bar, which made the bal
loon sag and sway at intervals. At a
point nearly over Palace Square the bal
loon was noticed to be descending,
which caused the rush of hundreds to
the water front TO see the finish of the
aerial voyage. Very few except persons
near there already were in time, al
though at its height the balloon did not
seem TO be travelling so very rapidly.
The aerOnaut let 90 when near the
surface of the water, dropping in about !
four or five feet depth on the reef inside !
the breakers off Kakaako. His balloon |
in a few seconds took the water, having |
Careened on its side under a gust of .
wind Mr. w. H. Hogs having hailed /
a boat, invited the ADVERTISER reporter
and Mr. F. Godfrey aboard, and this
party soon came up with Prof. Melville,
who was on a fishing barge, and the
boat was then headed for the balloon,
that was drifting rapidly to sea. A
steam launch with several officers and
men from the COrmOrant, however, was
the. first to reach the object, and taking
it in tow met the row boat party near
the barrel buoy. AS the COrmorant
party had not time to tow the balloon all
the way to port, they hitched it to the
buoy. Captain Larsen, with another
policeman, next arrived in a Whaleboat,
followed by two skitfs manned by young
lads. a portion of the balloon was
slowed in the whaleboat, the other three
boats were ranged in towing order ahead,
and the flOtilla started for a pull of
mile and quarter to port. On the way
Captain Larsen kept slowing the balloon,
and had it nearly all aboard when the
halted on the KakaakO reef
by the Myrtle Boat Club house.
The initiation of the balloon only occu-
pied half an hour, and it took leap and
nearly got away few seconds before
gave the word to let 90. The
aeronaut went up hanging by his toes.
He did not take the parachute, desiring
to test the lifting capacity of the balloon
before attempting the grand act, the
leap from the clouds" When at the
greatest altitude he could see over the
all round the island, and de-
'cribes the panorama as magnificent.
alace Square looked to him no bigger
han the palms of his hands. The Pro-
essor is determined to do the perform
lnce with the parachute at the earliest
opportunity. He wishes to thank Captain
larsen and the COrmorant men, with
others, for assistance rendered on Satur-
Law