New-York tribune., 1906-04-08

/ that my balloon, having lost a great dsai 81
I began to double up Then the long cyllns-..
| the balloon broke. What could do7 Fs.r
moment was in the presence OF dean. -
did feel? Simply expectant I wo1ds1sa -
would happen. What am I going 70 ss1 -
l die2' 7 asked myself. Am I inmOFtofS
behold friends who are dead2 VIII -
father hrstP had no regrets for my ou1 -
! life There did not seem time to think
own self.
THE descent had become a fall Lu.r-
was near the grassy turf OF BaRateus, -
some big boys were flying kites A s5gdls- -
/ struck me. cried to them to grasp tho ~ 2
my sixty yard long guide rope, the end Of -
had already almost touched the ground n =
run as last as they could with it againrt q
wind The bright young fellows grasnel b
I idea and the rope at the same lucky ln7t--.
The erect OF this help in extrernis was fu--F
ate BY this manRuvre they COnsideFahl1 n
sened the velocity Of my descent Yet asifv-|
struck the ground so hard that thuugtf n
first my bones were broken. Had Il not -
the assistance Of the boys. I believe 7 n
have been killed.
BARELY SAVED FROM DROWNTra
The sea has special terrors for the aslu--a
and often It has taken the lives OF bailou,-
who have helplessly dropped into It frum q
upper air.
Count Henri de Ia VauIx who n travs-
1900 miles through the sky from Paris 70 ~
in Russia, broke all balIooning records, tod ~
friends only the other day how he once baU
escaped death in the waves The count d ~
In this country. and has made several O1-r
sions in or near New York with members a n
Aero Club Of this city.
The most perilous and exciting balloon al
ever made" said the count was in the ba.t
of the Horizon in 1900 With several othsF n
looms we left Vincennes in August OF that =
in a tremendous storm. We had been urgii :
desist from the attempt. None better TIN
realized the danger. but It was IN vain uIs
NM. Oudet and LepiC to remain on the Fr0ur
As for myself. didn't care.
1T was about O'Clock at night that =
started. after several Of the other balloons L
been dashed against trees in starting. Hzppr
the Horizon escaped this danger, and before Il
furious gale we We're driven westward. In 81
tense darkness We were carried along 0l
rate Of q mile minute, until We caught g
OF the lighthouse Of La Heve at $50 o'cloct
We had every reason TO believe that 81
would be driven rar out 10 sea- but by foIl.
ate shift in the wind we were for a while C
rled down the coast. and hope returned % q
that we might Yet escape. Another turn O. o
wind and we heard below US the surf On O.
rocks and the roaring OF the billOWS a.
made the most terrible music my ears have O.
heard.
II gave up everything for lost. and my en-.
paniOns turned white with fear. for TO atts1
TO land among those rocks meant certain ds-e
Another instant and We were driven along a
reCtly over the waves. No one said a word ]
syllable. 1t seemed 70 all of Us that ws VIl
about TO end all. Now and then the car gUI
so low that the brine few in our faces 81
throwing out more ballast we succeeded a. 1
In rising into q counter current. which TIM
US toward the land again IL was then Oe,-
in the morning and pitch dark knew. h1l
ever, we were travelling rapidly, and % lrT-
II we had regained the land 7 dropped q bC-
overheard. At the sound OF its striking o.
ground. all three Of US shouted together Or 80
We knew that we We're saved. We dc7a1
at last In a forest. The balloon was VToc-4
but we We're unintured. It was an eLpNss
however. which I hOpa I may never hl1t .
repeat"