Cañon City record., 1907-10-31

of Italy or the frozen fields of Russia.
in the forests of Norway or the bleak
seas OF Albion. Lahm. for Instance.
carried a heavy overcoat which he
never used. and German money that
he could not spend.
Gambling on the Wind.
AS they flew along. the lieutenant
kept ever In mind his fathers caution
to hold the balloon low and straight,
he tried for this with all his skill.
being aided, of course. by the night:
for 1t is the sun that chiefly disturbs
a balloons equilibrium. Night. how
ever, means darkness. and darkness
means that a balloonist may lose his
bearings; but here. again, the lieuten-
ants low position was an advantage
for as they passed over the lights Of
town or village, their hundred yard
guide rope sometimes sweeping the
housetops, they were within easy hail
ing distance. and would shout down
questions through a speaking trumpet.
What town? What department? and
then listen for the answers. The only
difiiculty was that France abounds In
places with names that sound very
much alike, especially to a hurrying
aeronaut!
For two or three hours after the
start, the Americans sailed on with
four other balloons quite near them.
the Britannia" easily recognizable by
the shape. and the one of German
make by It's color; but as the night
advanced these companion aIrships
dropped from view. one by one. and
shortly after nine they found them
selves alone. Four hours from Paris
two hours from the sea! All we'll
with the United States" and the
wind straight to the west
Lahm and Hersey had their own
theory about this wind which appar-
emily was sweeping them to destruc-
tion: they believed that It would
change. The last weather kilograms
received before the start had reported
a low-pressure area over Ireland. Such
areas usually move from west to east,
and the wind usually blows toward
such an area. In other words. the
wind would probably turn to the north
as soon as the low-pressure had
reached England. II was a matter Of
hours. There was some uncertainty.
but II was q good gamble that II they
let the wind carry them freely out
over the sea. It would presently, At
the meteorological or aeronautical
moment, veer to the north and take
them safely to the shores OF England.
But II this did no happen? II prob
abilities were at fault and abe wind
did not behave In its accustomed man.
ner? Then what? Would they perish
In the Atlantic? That was q possibility
they did not discuss they had decided
to take the chance and they proposed
to race this underslzed, secondhand
balloon for all she was worth. But
there was one precaution that Lahm
took: as fast as bag OF ballast was
emptied. he tied In It's mouth q wooden
hoop brought along for the purpose.
and so made q number OF cone-anch-
orB, to be dragged In the sea. II the
worst should come, and perhaps re-
tard their progress until vessel could
rescue them. He had these cone-anch-
ors ready, but he hoped not to use
them; he was confident the wind
would change.
But would II change? No one who
has not Travelled In q balloon can real
ize the difiiculty experienced by an
aeronaut In determining the direction
OF the wind that carries him. From
the very fact that he goes with 1t, he
feels no wind at all. and can discover
which way he 10 moving only by noting
his lines Of progress over points on the
earth and then tracing this line on
the map. And n the earth ID shut on
by fog or darkness, then he has NO
means OF knowing anything about the
wind; he II literally lost In the skies.
In the present case. however. there
was no such uncertainty. Tho night
was clear and . fnll moon Was sAin-
ing: Lahrn and Herssy knew tAat the
wind was blowing them west, and they
knew exaotiy whore they were-rapid-
" nearing ~ Atlant1e ocean. rap11ly