The National tribune., 1900-05-31
A NIGHT in A BALLOON.

A NIGHT in A BALLOON.
An American Womans Trip from Paris to
the Sea in Observation Of Leonids-A Lucky
Landing.
Dorothea Klumpke is the author Of an
article in the June Century describing an
astronomical trip in balloon at Paris, in
November, 1899. Miss Klumpke is an
American connected with the staff OF the
Paris Observatory, and is at the head of the
force whose work is to measure and reduce
star photographs. She has the degree OF
Doctor of Mathematical Sciences from the
University of Paris, where her thesis was
mathematical treatise on "The Rings OF
Saturn" She is held in much esteem by
astronomers. A plenty Of shooting-S stars
was seen, but the Leonids failed to come to
time, their ellipse having shifted 1,3O0,O 900
miles since 1866.
l do not know what good fairy overheard
my wish, Of many months ago, to take
trip in the blue sky. My surprise was
great when l learned that M. Jansen and
the representatives of the French Society OF
Aerial Navigation had chosen me their
delegate for the astronomical expedition
Of the Leonids, Nov. 16, 1899. After re-
Fiction, | accepted the unexpected invita-
ton. / am fond of travelling, and passion
ateIy fond of lofty nights. Towers, hills,
mountains, have always been for me places
of pilgrimage Now 1 had the mysterious
and alIuring anticipation of an ascent in
balloon.
During the day was plying the needle,
sewing warm aeronautic costume, in
which work kind friends assisted me. l
was addressing and sealing little souvenirs,
in case of no return, and listening with
feeling of strange emotion to the "Godspeed
you," l was upon the borders Of the un-
known, and this thought made the past and
the present as one. | gauged life's all too
rapid flight aware of the value OF each
fleeting moment.
The passengers of the "Centaure" were M.
Mallett, distinguished aeronaut, construc-
tor and pilot of the balloon; NJ. de Fonvielle,
the dean of the French aeronauts, who had
kindly offered me his assistance as Secre-
tary, and myself. on. Mallett, it will be re-
membered, was called to America in May,
1898, to construct for the United States the
military balloons which were used during
the Spanish-American war; We all
agreed to meet, in the afternoon Of the 18th
of November, at the gas factory Of the lie
Landy," Plaine St.-Denis, not far from the
ancient cathedral where repose the ashes
of the kings of France.
It was three minutes after 1 in the morn
ing. Panoramas of Incompatible beauty
spread at our feet. and long StreakS of light
swept off beyond the sight, and appeared as
a vast and luminous spiders web. This
enhancing spectacle lasted only an instant.
The city of light rapidly glided away, and
in its stead there emerged the little ceme-
terry of St.-Ouen, the barracks of Cour-
bevoie, and the SinuoSitieS OF the Seine,
from which aScended the YaporS OF the
night.
Our captain now uncoiled the guide-rope,
and an east wind rocked us gently, trans
porting us into pure regions. Below us the
of - 4
ancient chateau, and its marvellous terrace,
came out from the dusk of the early morn
ing. 1t was now 1:30 a. m. In the east
had risen the constellation of the Lion, in
the south the Great Dog, with Sirls, Orion,
and the. Bull, was in full maenificence; the
moon, southwark also, nearly full, sur
rounded by a halo, glorious in all the colors
of the rainbow, seemed to draw towards her
the great clouds which, like snow-clad
mountains, lifted themselves solemnly
against the dark-blue sky.
Every moment was to me OF vivid interest.
1t seemed that, in the absence of earth's
Jar and grind, the eye was Gle irer, the heart
more awake, and the soul filled to its brim
with divine, with reverent alteration. The
whiStiing of locomotives, the strokes of
pistons, the barking of dogs, the lowing of
cows, had their Significance; the chimes of
the Normandy churches filled the air with
harmony. Below, long white roads fur
reach green fields stretched out; here and
there were splatches of water in which the
siIvery rays of the moon lay mirrored.
Where were we? How could we identify
on the big chart of France the peaceful
little hamIets over whose quiet roofs we
were passing?
1t was NJ. Janssen's idea to dot the route
of the "Centaure" by throwing weighted
envelopes, bearing the Freach colors and
the Meudon Observatory seal, and address,
ed to those who should have the good for
tune to find them. These unknown friends
were entreated, in the name OF fraternity,
to open the envelope, to fill out the blanks
on the nclosed postcard addressed to the OBJ
servatory of Meudon, and to mail it at the
nearest postoffice. Our secretary carefully
inscribed on his notebook the number of
the dispatched envelopes. also the time of
their being thrown overheard. These |
cards enabled US, at later date, to trace
our itenerary ON the map of France.
From the balloon we three were inspect |
ing the country,-large fields surrounded |
by long and narrow canals. here and there
a road, "a few cottages, church steeple,-l
presenting the appearance of vast checker |
board. "Ah, lie drole de paysi" (''What a |
queer countryp), said M. de Fonveille. !
1--WE can not land here" 1t was well that
we followed his advice, as we learned later |
that these marshy fields were beds where |
the Normans cultivated leeches! All the |
while the east wind was bearing us toward |
the Atlantic Ocean. NJ. Mallett was eager |
Iy looking for suitable place to land-a
meadow, bordered by a hedge, near a high |
way and a hamlet. About o'clock sud- |
denly the wind blew with greater intensity, |
the mists thickened, and afar | perceived |
whitsh sheet of water, which, as | was
told later, was the port of St.-Germain- |
sur-Ay.
Our captain uncoiled the long anchor
rope. SkIlfully with one hand he east the
heavy anchor, while with the other he
opened wide the valve Of the balloon. We