New-York tribune., 1906-04-06
MISTOOK BOG FOR LAND.
Nocquet Probably Deceived bg Ap-
pearance of Marshes.

Ihose interested in hallooning in this city be
49, Nid' al the mystery surrounding the death
OF Faul Nocquet is practically cleared up The
puzzle 10 most OF them is that Nocquet chose a
barren sand bank for landing place This Is
dispelled by DR.. Thomas's statement based on his
examination OF the scene OF the landing thar No.
quet was going seaward. and deliberately CROSSED
Great South Bay to make sensational END 20 a
perfect balloon trip.
The Illusion produced by his height ahov. the
water, it IS pointed out. turned morass ana ousg-
rnlrs into apparently solid ground This In Some
way explains the superhuman task he undertook
when he started for the lights Of AmityviIe. seven
miles away.
Dr' Thomas and Israel Ludlow. after their re-
turn from Jones's Beach yesterday were firmly
OF the opinion that the balloon had been prooaad.
ing seaward and not returning after being blown
out 10 sea
Nocquet did not mean to go UP II the wind
blew from the quarter that fl did sat5 nv
Thomas, but when he found that the ,v,r,7 - =
take him over the same course followed nv ma tba
Gay ne1ore ne changed his mind. I am firmly con
Nhced that he did not go out 10 sea, but an
pIoached the beach from the northeast-the land
WaTd slde' picking the beach deliberately for his
descent believing it 10 be the edge of the main
land That he was in sound mental cor5t+to
WHeh ne landed is shown by the perfect landing
'iI'l ne made He came down gradually and
aIter landing. dragged his balloon back a hundred
yards or more to keep it from the tide He did
alIlOuEn
away the rip strip 10 land. Had he done so the
envelope lying fiat on the ground. would have been
& prominent object. - ~
That he tried 10 struggle through to AnnitvviIIe
& was no proof OF disordered mind. From my own
experience on the day before NOcQuet ascended
Know now deceptive is the appearance Of the land
viewed from height. When Nocquet passed over
Gieal ,South Bay II was by moonlight which is
most deceptive at best. At his altitude the sand
alG Inud banks the low lying and larger islands
80 'ile grass covered quagmtres and mOrass must
nave 4ooked lke solid ground, broken the bitches
IIlat generally drain the marshes along the coast
me swallow waters of the bay between the island
and the mainland full of seaweed and eel grass
eLtlsL on the surface or near to II. This seen az
considerable height, would look as solid and in
NIlng place 10 land a cornheld
l., MheH ne ielt the balloon for his fatal walk he
knew what he was doing. AT no time did he lose
ms nina When he came 10 particularly bad
piace ne turned out for it, walking around Several
ZINES ZINES ne reLTaced his steps when he came 10 an
While Nocquet's death is deplored by all the
members OF the Aero Club, it will not cause anV
delay In their plans Had the sculptor's death been
~ any way caused by his balloon IL would prob
ably nave proved serious setback to the new
sport AS II Is, however the balloon in itself had
nothing 70 do with II. In fact the successful land
ing on the outer mark Of safety has been direct
encouragement 10 the enthusiasts, showing that
It is possible go with some chance of safety he
yond the limit set by De la Naulx and his compan-
ions Monday.
The Pittsfeld Gas Company has informed the
Aero club that II viii have everything in readiness
bE the Uh or eth Of the month. and several as
tensions may he made there next week Leo
stevens has Major Milers aiTship almost in readi-
ness Tor a trial trip and that. too, probably will
he tried out next week.