The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-01-11
Comte de Ia vaulx's Long to
BE Remembered Ex-
perience.
exPEcTEDTo MEET DEATH
Was Carried Out 90 Set But by Q
Caprice Of the Elements Again
Brought 10 Land and to
Safety.
Pnria Cor. London Globe.


Comte Henry de la Naulx, the WELL
known French aeronaut. has had many
and various adventures I'm his day. but
his latest one smacks somewhat OF
vaudeville. He and another acronaut.
81. Jaubert. went to Algeria TO sec tho
eclipse OF tho sun and TO take obserya-
lions from their balloon. the Ccntaure.
The trip was most successful. and
home very interesting scientific data
were secured. The trouble came after.
When the acronauts made their de-
scent the natives, thinking the aerial
monster had something TO do with tho
eclipse. were at first disposed TO give
its passengers n hostile reception; but
In the end they overcamc their fear
and aided tho voyagers from the clouds
TO anchor. When Comte dc In Naulx
and his companion had made every
thing fast they went OF In search or
yomething to eat. leaving their photo
graphic apparatus slung up to the rig
ging OF the balloon. The natives"
they argued. 'are 80 ignorant and SUI
perstltious that they VIII be afraid To
touch our cameras" But the native
has n very strong propensity for THEW
sng. and so soon as no had come TO
the conclusion that there was nothing
supernatural about the balloon or It's
passengers, he began TO look FOR plum
der. II did not take him long TO ind
It The result was that when tho aero
nauta returned TO the Centaure they
found IL stripped OF Its Photographic
apparatus. The natives had stolen all
the instruments. and although the
count tried TO brighten them by telling
them that I'm case OF incxpcrt handling
they would go or with terrible con-
sequences he might as well have saved
himself the trouble. Tho instruments
were not returned.
What Comte dc In Vaulx himself de-
scribes as the most thrilling OF his eX-
periences was the so-called "Concours
De Temple" which took place on Au-
gust 20, 1900. when he started In the
Horizon, inflated with $500 cubic yards
OF gas, with number OF other balloons,
in tho midst Of tremendous storm.
THE experiment" he nftcrward SAID
was exceedingly dangerous, and cv-
crybody urged that the balloons had
better wait Till the storm was over.
But as Commander Rcuard, who rep
resented the committee OF the Paris
exposition. was absent, and was re-.
placed by 81. Louis GODDARD, the latter
refused TO admit ~ any delay. and said
that he would not take upon himself
the responsibility or calling OF the
competition. | started with MAJ. GU
Diet and LEIPZIG, whom l had Nainly
tried TO persuade To remain upon the
ground. about : o'clock In the evening.
Several OF the balloons that had start
ed before me were dashed against the
trees, and the vast crowd assembled
feared a catastrophe at every moment.
The Horizon set OF, happily without
striking any obstacle, and we were
borne westward BY furious gale. The
night was dark. our pace was FROM
fifty TO sixty miles an hour. ana AT
$3.50 we were already In sight OF tho
lighthouse OF In Heve.
we expected TO be dashed out 10
sea, when suddenly strange caprice
OF the wind carried Us south, and Tor
/ "a while we hoped to keep away from
the coast. But soon after We again
saw lights ut Avranchcs and the heavy
surge along the coast, and the sound
of the waves roaring and dashins
against the rocks reached our ears,
My companions grew pale. and must
say I myself gave up everything Tor
lost for To- land among these rocks
meant certain death for US ALL and out
TO sea we could only expect short shritt
In such a bowling tempest. felt only
one satisfaCtion-that had hot VIII
ingiy undertaken such foolhardy cN-
plolt. the only one In which l ever IN
CURED serious danger. and that another
was responsible. In another instant
we were over the sen, with Immense
bllIows rolling below. My Cumpanions
remained silent, and we all expected
the worst. But happily luck again Ia
Vorcl us.
In the distance we perceived light
houses and the dark outlines OF tho
coast. toward which We seemed To DC
returning II was IL o'clock. The bal
loon sped along rapidly. and when
thought we were again over dry lana
I let a bottle fall. ! heard ~ with re-
lief strike the ground distinctly. anu
rnc,, y.c we're saEed. pulled at once
for all I was worth on the escape valve.
and I'm another moment our anchor
struck the ground. But the race that
ensued was terrific. We were loiteu
and hustled about I'm our basket n dis
tanco OF over mile. In the darkness
striking against branches of trees. and
each OF us holding on TO the car Tor
dear life. Al last she anchor caught
armIy In "A tree. and the balloon itself
was dashed into - grove. where the
silk was torn. and the car landed be-
side a hedge. We had, indeed. a mar
. n All En A