The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-12

out. 1 was game, however. and let them
tie the lifeline to me and grasped the
bar in both hands.
1.-THE bag looked like live monster as
1t tugged and leaped at its leash 1t was
a ninety-footer of the kind then made to
rise with starting rapidity so that the
Jumper could get the most there was out
of the spectacular part of 1t. My nerve
almost failed me as the moments passed,
and If they had not given the signal to
let go when they did / would have ig
ANONYMOUSLY backed down. AS it was,
was on the point of turning round to
speak to Van Tasel when the jerk came.
II suppose it was a mere matter of
instinct, but l followed the instructions
to run few steps and leap with the bal
loon in order to lessen the shock OF the
sudden separation from the earth. My
legs were through rope loops and the line
would have held me had Inconsistencies
come, but with the first wave of fright
passed l actually began to enjoy myself.
Il looked down and sould see a won
derful panorama rapidly unfolding under
NE. l have seen the same thing many
times since, but a more novel sight never
struck my vision. Mountains seemed to
be slowly levelled and the waters Of the
ielhC BidhualS " FpiNdp ONtA VIC 1eAi Aht
then rapidly to recede. looked up and
was shocked to find the balloon gone.
Apparently I was suspended from moth
ing but a hundred feet OF taut rope. In
fact, the bag had simply gone into
cloud and was out OF sight.
1.-The next instant / hear the signal
shot from the professors revolver. My
hand went out in serch of the cutoff
rope. / clutched il, then I let go again.
My heart was in my throat. Just one
pull said my brain. Again my hand
went out. Again hesitated. only little
tug and then what? Well II had had
any idea of how long 1t took the old
style chute to open / would never have
plucked up courage enough TO pull that
cord. My heart was beating a tattoo in
my breast and 1t was about ali that
could do to hold on. ! cautiously tried
the rope. 1t seemed to be working Then
/ cut loose.
at was a clear drop Of several hundred
feet before there was any staying of the
downward momentum. sickness that
seemed mortal possessed me. A drown
ing man, they say, sees his life pass be-
fore him in review. saw nothing. l
felt everything. My only recollection Is
Of a horror, terrible black shape crouch.
ing just above me. ! did not even think
TO look at the Chute. / simply held on
and fell, fell.
"Then Just before Inconsistencies
came. just as I had made up my mind
that the thud was coming the next mo-
ment seemed to awake from a dream
to find myself sailing slowly, oh, so slow
ly, it seemed, down 10 earth again, al
though really at the rate Of 100 feet a SEE
ond. The change came so swiftly that
Il did not seem real.
mo yaq n arafffaaf
and most welcome sight had even seen
the lake the mountains. the tiny human
specks on the beach. OFF to one side /
saw the big balloon just topping over
for its drop. A minute later struck the
beach with a suddenness that Jared me
almost unconscious.
1.-THE next moment a half score of boat
men we're pulling IN my direction. A
special prize of S25 had been offered the
man who picked me UP II I landed in
the lake and the nearest man was hur-
riedly shouting TO me 20 jump In so he
could get me. promising to divide. I
thought too much Of my new tights, how
ever. and then the professor came up
beaming mis- congratulations. II seems I
had really made a star ascension While
/ had sat studying whether to pull or not
20 pull, the chute had followed the bal
loon out OF sight and when I came down
IL was veritable tumble from the
clouds.
"Since then I have made hundreds of
leaps, but ] have never entirely lost the
feeling OF dread my first journey gave
me. The 'chutes in use now open almost
At once after they are cut loose. and
man gets no such nervous shock as the
old ones with their slow, steady openings
gave.
1.-THE descent formerly was too rapid
for calculation, and no man could have
the least sensIbillty OF what was going
on about him. He simply held on and
hoped for the best. II the chute dld not
open he would never feel the impact
with the earth. He would be dead 10 all
feeling long before he reached IT,
Danger? No. not 80 very much. II
man kept his gear In good shape tho
chute always opened. Several times men
have been killed By It's failure 10 do so.
but II was because they dld not watch
their gear
1.-THE cutting loose was done by y pair
~ knives placed Ike scissors over the
connecting rope between chute and bag.
and n the lever IA net work, al man
nad 10 10 was 10 wait until the air inside
tbe bag cooled on ana lost its holstng
powers Then the descent Was more perl
lODf, because ~ the balloons weight. but
not much ~ the ar generally held out
fHi the earth vas reached"
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