The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1894-03-03
ADRIFT In MIDAIR.
A Frenchmans Adventure In sgd
ney, Australia.

4
It was near midnight and the gate
OF the exposition would soon be CLOSED
In the various pavilions, with thei
nultitudinous attractions the orche.
tras were already attacking that go
Save the Queen" OF an altogether cor
ventional loyalty without which n
British ceremony ends And as, with tn
aim OF getting nearer to the Macquari
fort, where l thought more easily to re
gain my vessel in the roadstead, ha
made the tour of The galleries, foun,
myself unexpectedly before the circu
lar grating of the captive balloon
/ Blaming, but beneath the force o
the breeze which had arisen in tn,
evening, quivering greatly. line O
gas permitted me yet to read upon tn.
triumphal panel of the monuments
gate: Government of New South
Wales, Australian and Universal Expo
sition Of Sydney. Captive balloon,
after the model of the Paris exposition.
Visitors ascend four hundred yards
One hundred more than at the Place
du Carrousel! felt myself led into
temptation.
! - &sA& %<-J <4e%1Nl StA4 CCtCQ GEOGRAPHICALLY
toward my vest pocket had approached
| still nearer. 1t was the ticket seller for
tie aerial voyage who decided me by
the apostrophe: make haste, gentle
men; it is the last ascension of the
EVENING""
Resolutely threw him the half
pound exacted as the price of the pas
sage, and introduced myself into the
ring incrmbered with chairs A loose
footbridge formed the communication
between the platform and the car sus-
pended over shallow ditch. l passed
lcross it amid tfc resounding accords
OF the brasses with a flourish, and
scarcely was installed in the huge
osier basket when the footbridge was
Withdrawn and the door of the car.
which was padded on the inside, was
closed again The enormous cable.
which alone was to bind us to the
earth, began to unroll very rapidly on
its windlass at the command of the
captain.
1t was my first aerostatic debut, and,
as assembled on board the Condor
of the Andes, / did not fail to ex-
perience certain appr ehension. alto
gether nervous, a sort of involuntary |
right which, by reasoning and forcs,
81 will, was able to control l had
felt at first great sensation of empti-
uess; my respiration seemed cut off,
and as knew that I was susceptible
to vertigo only veltured with precau-
ton to look over the elbow rest of the
ear.
Wholly contrary to my expectations,
found myself instantly at ease, The
'ldes of the osier basket, mounting as
nigh as my breast seemed to me suf-
icient protection against my ambition.
md, completely treasured, realized
hat was restored to myself.
From that time looked toward the
arth. from which the balloon was NOV
ng away with rapidity which l /;
judged to be giddy, although it was :
nethodically regulated by the number :
t turns of the gigantic bobbin of the c
yindlass. In the depths of the night
Glow me sought to distinguish the I
iiferent streets of the city over which v
q were lowering; and the greater or q
SIS intensity of the lights served me as S
a indicating mark. l made out With Y
sactitude the park of the exposition, u
lie palace of the governor (Lord Loft a
y, with its double range of candle p
bra, then George and King streets, h
len Circular quay. Il
''Honored monsieur" said the cap p
in, addressing me- whom, on seeing me o
cp into the car, he had Immediately
cognized from my uniform as an Of b
er OF the French cruiser, do You see Il
wn there in the midst of the road x
cad the position lights of your ship?" 81
Yes, yes! | see it, captain; mon a
ours French nan-of-war!'' l.
Getting ahead of mine, this reply Ia
IS thrown by the very fresh voice of 81
slight and slender woman, who was &C
lching me with her skirt, and whom HI
ad not yet noticed. But l could not 10
lge of the features of the unknown; ar
, balloon, which cast shadow over 10
and seemed like an immense sinister Sc
SIS of vellum above our heads, pre-
tied me from doing SO. Nevertheless, ial
m the mere sound of her voice | up
med that she was quite young; her by
ton and accent undeniably pro- OF
lined that she was of good family th,
lady. de;
then had the curiosity to ascertain l
many travelling companions were enc
h me. walked through the circu- str
gallery which below the hoop of the gay
t. ng the car formed around d large '
ply space, but found no ether tray thi
: And, not without stumbling mil
ewardly over the bags of ballast Of me-
Condor OF the Andes, speedily re- dis
led to the point Of departure. len
e were still ascending. 30,
Three hundred and ten yardsl" said it v
captain, sententiously, pointing mel
to me the registering barometer saly
ened close to small lantern to one hal;
lie ropes. wo,