第12章

Thefirst—mentionedstationwaspresidedoverGodard，thelatterbyM。Yon，assistedbyM。Dartois。

Itwasnotdoubtedthattheresourcesofthecitywouldbeabletosupplythelargedemandthatwouldbemadeforsuitablematerial;butsilkasafabricwasatoncebarredonthescoreofexpensealone。Asinglejourneywasallthatneededtobecalculatedonforeachcraft，andthuscalicowouldservethepurpose，andwouldadmitofspeedymakingup。Slightdifferencesinmanufacturewereadoptedatthetwofactories。

AttheNorthernstationplainwhitecalicowasused，sewnwithasewingmachine，whereasattheOrleansstationthematerialwascolouredandentrustedonlytohandstitching。Theallimportantdetailofvarnishwassuppliedbyamixtureoflinseedoilandtheactiveprincipleofordinarydriers，andthis，laidonwitharubber，renderedthematerialgas—tightandquicklydryenoughforuse。Hundredsofhands，menandwomen，wereemployedatthetwofactories，atwhichsomesixtyballoonswereproducedbeforetheendofthesiege。Muchofthemoreimportantworkwasentrustedtosailors，whoshowedspecialaptness，notonlyinfittingoutandriggingtheballoons，butalsointheirmanagementwhenentrustedtothewinds。

Itmusthavebeenanimpressivesightforfriendorfoetowitnessthedepartureofeachaerialvesselonitsventuresomemission。Theboldplungeintospaceabovetheroofsoftheimprisonedcity;therapidclimbintotheskyand，later，thepearldrophighinairfloatingawaytoitsuncertainandhazardoushaven，runningthegauntletoftheenemy’sfirebydayorbravingwhatatfirstappearedtobeequaldanger，attendingthedarknessofnight。Itwillbeseen，however，that，ofthetwoevils，thatofthedarknesswasconsideredtheless，eventhough，withstrangeandunreasonableexcessofcaution，theaeronautswouldnotsuffertheuseoftheperfectlysafeandalmostindispensableDavylamp。

Beforeanyfreeascentswereventuredon，twooldballoonswereputtosomepracticaltrialasstationaryobservatories。OneofthesewasmooredatMontmartre，theotheratMont—souris。

Fromthesecentresdaily，whentheweatherpermitted，captiveascentsweremade——fourbydayandtwobynight——towatchandlocatethemovementsoftheenemy。Thesystem，asfarasitwent，waswellplanned。Itwassafe，and，tofavourexpedition，messageswerewritteninthecaroftheballoonandsliddownthecabletotheattendantsbelow。Thenetresult，however，fromastrategicpointofview，doesnotappeartohavebeenofgreatvalue。

Ereyettheballoonswereready，certainboldandeventfulescapeswereventuredon。M。Duruof，alreadyintroducedinthesepages，trustinghimselftotheoldcraft，"LeNeptune，"

inunskyworthycondition，madeafastplungeintospace，and，catchingtheupperwinds，wasborneawayforaslongaperiodascouldbemaintainedatthecostofaprodigalexpenditureofballast。Theballoonissaidtohavedescribedavisibleparabola，likethetrajectoryofaprojectile，andfellatEvreuxinsafetyandbeyondtherangeoftheenemy’sfire，thoughnotfarfromtheirlines。Thiswasonthe23rdofSeptember。Twodaysafterwardsthefirstpracticaltrialwasmadewithhomingpigeons，withtheideaofusingtheminconnectionwithballoonsfortheestablishmentofanofficiallysanctionedpost。MM。MauginandGrandchampconductedthisvoyageinthe"VilledeFlorence，"anddescendednearVernouillet，notfarbeyondLeForetdeSt。Germain，andlessthantwentymilesfromParis。Theserviceabilityofthepigeon，however，wasclearlyestablished，andanotecontributedbyMr。Glaisher，relatingtothebreedingandchoiceofthesebirds，maybeconsideredofinterest。Mr。R。

W。Aldridge，ofCharlton，asquotedbyMr。Glaisher，statedthathisexperiencewenttoshowthatthesebirdscanbeproducedwithdifferentpowersoforientationtomeettherequirementsofparticularcases。"Thebirdrequiredtomakejourneysunderfiftymileswouldmateriallydifferinitspedigreefromonecapableofflying100or600miles。

Attention，inparticular，mustbegiventothecolouroftheeye;ifwantedforbroaddaylightthebirdknownasthe’PearlEye，’fromitscolour，shouldbeselected;butifforfoggyweatherorfortwilightflyingtheblack—orblue—eyedbirdshouldreceivethepreference。"

Onlyasmallminority，amountingtoaboutsixtyoutof360

birdstakenup，returnedtoParis，butthesearecalculatedtohaveconveyedamongthemsome100，000messages。Toreducethesepigeonmessagestothesmallestpossiblecompassamethodofreductionbyphotographywasemployedwithmuchsuccess。A

longlettermight，inthisway，befaithfullyrecordedonasurfaceofthinnestphotographicpaper，notexceedingthedimensionsofapostagestamp，and，whenreceived，nomorewasnecessarythantosubjectittomagnification，andthentotranscribeitandsendafaircopytotheaddressee。

ThethirdvoyagefromParis，onSeptember29thwasundertakenbyLouisGodardintwosmallballoons，unitedtogether，carryingbothdespatchesandpigeons，andasafelandingwaseffectedatMantesThissuccessfulfeatwasrivalledthenextdaybyM。Tissandier，whoascendedaloneinaballoonofonlysome26，000cubicfeetcapacityandreachedearthatDreux，inNormandy。

Thesevoyagesexhaustedthestoreofready—madeballoons，butbyaweeklaterthefirstofthosebeingspeciallymanufacturedwasready，andconveyedinsafetyfromthecitynolessapersonagethanM。Gambetta。

ThecourageousresolveofthegreatmancausedmuchsensationinParis，themoresobecause，owingtocontrarywinds，thedeparturehadtobepostponedfromdaytoday。Andwhen，atlength，onOctober7th，Gambettaandhissecretary，withtheaeronautTrichet，actuallygotaway，incompanywithanotherballoon，theywerevigorouslyfiredatwithshotandshellbeforetheyhadclearedSt。Denis。FartheroutovertheGermanpoststheywereagainunderfire，andescapedbydischargingballast，not，however，beforeGambettahadbeengrazedbyabullet。YetoncemoretheywereassailedbyGermanvolleysbefore，about3p。m。，theyfoundahavennearMontdidier。

Theusualdimensionsofthenewballoonsgaveacapacityof70，000cubicfeet，andeachofthese，wheninflatedwithcoalgas，wascalculatedtoconveyafreightofpassengers，ballast，anddespatchesamountingtosome2，000pounds。Theirdespatchbecamefrequent，sometimestwointhesametwenty—fourhours。

InlessthanasingleweekinOctoberasmanyasfourballoonshadfalleninBelgium，andasmanymoreelsewhere。Uptillnowsomesixteenventureshadendedwell，butpresentlytherecametrouble。OnOctober22ndMM。IglesiaandJouvencelfellatMeaux，occupiedbythePrussians;theirdespatches，however，weresavedinadungcart。Thetwenty—thirdvoyageendedmoreunhappily。Onthisoccasionasailoractedasaeronaut，accompaniedbyanengineer，EtienneAntonin，andcarryingnearly1，000poundsofletters。ItchancedthattheydescendednearOrleansontheverydaywhenthattownwasre—occupiedbytheenemy，andbothvoyagersweremadeprisoners。Theengineer，however，subsequentlyescaped。Threedayslateranothersailor，alsoaccompaniedbyanengineer，fellatthetownofFerrieres，thenoccupiedbythePrussians，whenbothweremadeprisoners。Inthiscase，also，theengineersucceededinmakinghisescape;whilethedespatcheswererescuedbyaforesterandforwardedinsafety。

AtaboutthisdateW。deFonvielle，actingasaeronaut，andtakingpassengers，madeasuccessfulescape，ofwhichhehasgivenagraphicaccount。Hehadbeenbaulkedbymorethanoneseriouscontretemps。Ithadbeendeterminedthatthedepartureshouldbebynight，andNovember19thbeingfixedupon，theballoonwasinprocessofinflationunderagentlewindthatthreatenedatraveltowardsPrussiansoil，when，asthemomentofdepartureapproached，alargeholewasaccidentallymadeinthefabricbytheendofthemetalpipe，anditwasthentoolatetoeffectrepairs。Thenextandfollowingdaystheweatherwasfoul，andthedeparturewasnoteffectedtillthe25th，whenhesailedawayoverthefamiliarbutdesolatedcountry。

Heandhiscompanionswerefiredat，butonlywhentheywerewellbeyondrange，andinlessthantwohoursthepartyreachedLouvain，beyondBrussels，some180Englishmilesinadirectlinefromtheirstartingpoint。Thiswasthedayafterthe"Villed’Orleans"balloonhadmadetherecordvoyageanddistanceofallthesiege，fallinginNorway，600milesnorthofChristiania，afteraflightoffifteenhours。

AttheendofNovember，whenoverthirtyescapevoyageshadbeenmade，twofataldisastersoccurred。AsailorofthenameofPrinceascendedaloneonamoonlessnight，andatdawn，awayonthenorthcoastofScotland，somefishermensightedaballoonintheskydroppingtothewestwardintheocean。TheonlysubsequenttraceofthisballoonwasabagofdespatchespickedupintheChannel。Curiouslyenough，twodayslateralmostthesamestorywasrepeated。Twoaeronauts，thistimeinchargeofdespatchesandpigeons，werecarriedouttoseaandnevertraced。

Undeterredbythesedisasters，anotableescapewasnowattempted。AnimportanttotaleclipseofthesunwastooccurinatrackcrossingsouthernSpainandAlgeriaonDecember22nd。Anenthusiasticastronomer，Janssen，wascommissionedbytheAcademyofSciencestoattendandmakeobservationsofthiseclipse。ButM。JanssenwasinParis，aswerealsohisinstruments，andtheeclipsetracklaynearlyathousandmilesaway。Theoneandonlypossiblemodeoffulfillinghiscommissionwastotrytheoff—chanceaffordedbyballoon，andthischanceheresortedtoonlytwentydaysbeforetheeclipsewasdue。

Takingwithhimtheessentialpartsofareflectingtelescope，andanactiveyoungsailorasassistant，heleftParisat6

a。m。androseatonceto3，600feet，dippingagainsomewhatatsunrise（owing，ashesupposed，tolossofheatthroughradiation），butsubsequentlyascendingagainrapidlyundertheincreasedaltitudeofthesuntillhisballoonattaineditshighestlevelof7，200feet。Fromthiselevation，shortlyafter11a。m。，hesightedthesea，whenhecommencedadescentwhichbroughthimtoearthatthemouthoftheLoire。Ithadbeenfasttravelling——some300milesinlittlemorethanthreehours——andthegroundwindwasstrong。Nevertheless，neitherpassengersnorinstrumentswereinjured，andM。JanssenwasfullyestablishedbythedayofeclipseonhisobservinggroundatOran，ontheAlgeriancoast。Itisdistressingtoaddthatthephenomenonwashiddenbycloud。InthemonththatfollowedthissplendidventurenofewerthanfifteenballoonsescapedfromParis，ofwhichfourfellintothehandsoftheenemy，althoughforgreatersecurityallascentswerenowbeingmadebynight。

OnJanuary13th，1871，anewdeviceforthereturnpostwastried，and，inadditiontopigeons，sheepdogsweretakenup，withtheideaoftheirbeingreturnedtothecitywithmessagesconcealedwithintheircollars。Thereisapparentlynorecordofanymessagehavingbeenreturnedtothetownbythisingeniousmethod。OnJanuary24thaballoon，pilotedbyasailor，andcontainingalargefreightofletters，fellwithinthePrussianlines，butthepatriotismofthecountrywasstrongenoughtosecurethedespatchesbeingsavedandentrustedtothesafeconveyanceofthePostOffice。Thenfollowedthetotallossofaballoonatsea;butthiswasdestinedtobethelast，saveone，thatwastoattemptthedangerousmission。Thenextday，January28th，thelastofficialballoonleftthetown，mannedbyasinglesailor，carryingbutasmallweightofdespatches，butorderingtheshipstoproceedtoDieppefortherevictuallingofParis。

Fiveadditionalballoonsatthattimeinreadinesswereneverrequiredfortheriskyserviceforwhichtheyweredesigned。

Therecanbelittledoubtthathadthesiegecontinuedamoreelaborateuseofballoonswouldhavebeendeveloped。SchemeswerebeingmootedtoattemptthevastlymoredifficulttaskofconveyingballoonsintoParisfromoutside。WhenhostilitiesterminatedtherewereactuallysixballoonsinreadinessforthisventureatLisle，andwaitingonlyforanortherlywind。

M。deFonvielle，possessedofbothcourageandexperience，waspreparedtoputinpracticeamethodofguidingbyasmallpropellingforceaballoonthatwasbeingcarriedbysufficientlyfavouringwindswithinafewdegreesofitsdesiredgoal——andinthecaseofParisthegoalwasanareaofsometwentymilesindiameter。Withintheinvestedareaseveralattemptswereactuallymadetocontrolballoonsbymethodsofsteering。ThenamesofVertandDupuydeLomemustherebespeciallymentioned。Theformerhadelaboratedaninventionwhichreceivedmuchassistance，andwassubsequentlyexhibitedattheCrystalPalace。ThelatterreceivedagrantofL1，600toperfectacomplexmachine，havingwithinitsgasenvelopeanairchamber，suggestedbytheswimmingbladderofafish，havingalsoasailhelmandapropellingscrew，tobeoperatedbymanuallabour。

Therelationofthisinventiontoothersofsimilarpurposewillbefurtherdiscussedlateron。Butanactualtrialofadirigiblecraft，thedesignofAdmiralLabrousse，wasmadefromtheOrleansrailwaystationonJanuary9th。Thismachineconsistedofaballoonofaboutthestandardcapacityofthesiegeballoons，namelysome70，000cubicfeet，fittedwithtwoscrewsofabout12feetdiameter，butcapableofbeingreadilyworkedatmoderatespeed。Itwasnotasuccess。M。Richard，withthreesailors，madeatentativeascent，andusedtheirbestendeavourstocontroltheirvessel，butpracticallywithoutavail，andthemachinepresentlycomingtoearthclumsily，aportionofthegearcaughtinthegroundandthetravellerswerethrownoverandroughlydraggedforalongdistance。

Fairlylookedat，theaerialpostofthesiegeofParismustberegardedasanambitiousand，onthewhole，successfulenterprise。Sometwomillionandahalfofletters，amountinginweighttosometentons，wereconveyedthroughthefourmonths，inadditiontowhichatleastanequalweightofotherfreightwastakenup，exclusiveofactualpassengers，ofwhomnofewerthantwohundredweretransportedfromthebeleagueredcity。Oftheseonlyonereturned，sevenoreightweredrowned，twicethisnumberweretakenprisoners，andasmanyagainmoreorlessinjuredindescents。Fromapurelyfinancialpointofviewtheundertakingwasnofailure，asthecost，greatasitnecessarilybecame，was，itissaid，fairlycoveredbythepostage，whichitwaspossibleandbynomeansunreasonabletolevy。Therecognisedtariffseemstohavebeen20centimesfor4grammes，orattherateofnotgreatlymorethanashillingperEnglishounce。Surelyhardlyonaparwithfameinpricesinatimeofsiege。

IthasalreadybeenstatedthatthedefendersofParisdidnotderivesubstantialassistancefromtheservicesofsuchareconnoitringballoonasisgenerallyusedinwarfareateveryavailableopportunity。Itispossiblethatthepeculiarcircumstancesoftheinvestmentofthetownrenderedsuchreconnaissanceofcomparativelysmallvalue。But，atanyrate，itseemsclearthatdueopportunitywasnotgiventothisstrategicmethod。M。Giffard，whoatthecommencementofthesiegewasinParis，andwhoseexperiencewithacaptiveballoonwassecondtonone，madeearlyoverturestotheGovernment，offeringtobuildforL40，000asuitableballoon，capableofraisingfortypersonstoaheightmof3，000feet。Fortyaerialscouts，itmaybesaid，arehardlyneededforpurposesofoutlookatonetime;butitappearsthatthiswasnottheconsiderationwhichstoodinthewayofM。Giffard’sofferbeingaccepted。AccordingtoM。deFonvielle，theGovernmentrefusedtheexperiencedaeronaut’sproposalonthegroundthatherequiredaplaceintheChampsElysees，"whichitwouldbenecessarytoclearofafewshrubs"！

CHAPTERXIX。THETRAGEDYOFTHEZENITH。"——THENAVIGABLEBALLOON

Themechanicalairshiphad，bythistime，asmaybeinferred，begunseriouslytooccupytheattentionofboththeoreticalandpracticalaeronauts。OneoftheearliestmachinesdeservingofspecialmentionwasdesignedbyM。Giffard，andconsistedofanelongatedballoon，104feetinlengthand39feetingreatestdiameter，furnishedwithatriangularrudder，andasteamengineoperatingascrew。Thefireoftheengine，whichburnedcoke，wasskilfullyprotected，andthefuelandwaterrequiredweretakenintocalculationassomuchballasttobegraduallyexpended。Inthisvessel，inflatedonlywithcoalgas，andsomewhatunmanageableanddifficulttobalance，theenthusiasticinventorascendedalonefromtheHippodromeandexecutedsundrydesiredmovements，notunsuccessfully。Butthetrialwasnotoflongduration，andthedescentprovedbothrapidandperilous。Hadthetrialbeenmadeinsuchaperfectcalmasthatwhichprevailedwhencertainsubsequentinventionsweretested，itwasconsideredthatM。Giffard’svesselwouldhavebeenasnavigableasaboatinthewater。Thisunrivalledmechanician，afterhavingmadegreatadvancesinthedirectionofhighspeedenginesofsufficientlightness，proceededtodesignavastlyimproveddirigibleballoon，whenhisendeavourswerefrustratedbyblindness。

Ashasbeenalreadystated，M。DupuydeLome，attheendofthesiegeofParis，wasengagedinbuildinganavigableballoon，which，owingtotheunsettledstateofaffairsinFrance，didnotreceiveitstrialtilltwoyearslater。Thisballoon，whichwasinflatedwithpurehydrogen，wasofgreatercapacitythanthatofM。Giffard，beingcigarshapedandmeasuring118feetby48feet。Itwasalsoprovidedwithaningeniousarrangementconsistingofaninternalairbag，capableofbeingeitherinflatedordischarged，forthepurposeofkeepingtheprincipalenvelopealwaysdistended，andthusofferingtheleastpossibleresistancetothewind。Thepropellingpowerwasthemanuallabourofeightmenworkingthescrew，andthesteeragewasprovidedforbyatriangularrudder。Thetrial，whichwascarriedoutwithoutmishap，tookplaceinFebruary，1872，intheFortofVincennes，underthepersonaldirectionoftheinventor，whenitwasfoundthatthevesselreadilyobeyedthehelm，andwascapableofaspeedexceedingsixmilesanhour。

Itwasnottillnineyearsafterthisthatthenextimportanttrialwithairshipswasmade。ThebrothersTissandierwillthenbefoundtakingthelead，andanappallingincidentintheaeronauticalcareerofoneofthesehasnowtoberecorded。

Inthespringof1875，andwiththeco—operationofFrenchscientificsocieties，itwasdeterminedtomaketwoexperimentalvoyagesinaballooncalledthe"Zenith，"oneofthesetobeoflongduration，theotherofgreatheight。Thefirstofthesehadbeensuccessfullyaccomplishedinaflightoftwenty—fourhours’durationfromParistoBordeaux。ItwasnowAprilthe15th，andtheloftyflightwasembarkeduponbyM。GastonTissandier，accompaniedbyMM。Croce—SpinelliandSivel。Undercompetentadvice，provisionforrespirationonemergencywasprovidedinthreesmallballoons，filledwithamixtureofairandoxygen，andfittedwithindiarubberhosepipes，whichwouldallowthemixture，wheninhaled，topassfirstthroughawashbottlecontainingaromaticfluid。Theexperimentsdeterminedonincludedananalysisoftheproportionofcarbonicacidgasatdifferentheightsbymeansofspecialapparatus;spectroscopicobservations，andthereadingsregisteredbycertainbarometersandthermometers。A

novelandvaluableexperiment，alsoarranged，wasthatoftestingtheinternaltemperatureoftheballoonascomparedwiththatoftheexternalair。

Ascendingat11。30a。m。underawarmsun，theballoonhadby1

p。m。reachedanaltitudeof16，000feet，whentheexternalairwasatfreezingpoint，thegashighintheballoonbeing72

degrees，andatthecentre66degrees。Erethisheighthadbeenfullyreached，however，thevoyagershadbeguntobreatheoxygen。At11。57，anhourpreviously，Spinellihadwritteninhisnotebook，"Slightpainintheears——somewhatoppressed——itisthegas。"At23，000feetSivelwroteinhisnotebook，"Iaminhalingoxygen——theeffectisexcellent，"afterwhichheproceededtourgetheballoonhigherbyadischargeofballast。

TherestoftheterriblenarrativehasnowtobetakenfromthenotesofM。Tissandier，andastheseconstituteoneofthemostthrillingnarrativesinaeronauticalrecordswetranscribethemnearlyinfull，asgivenbyMr。Glaisher:——

"At23，000feetwewerestandingupinthecar。Sivel，whohadgivenupforamoment，isre—invigorated。Croce—Spinelliismotionlessinfrontofme……Ifeltstupefiedandfrozen。I

wishedtoputonmyfurgloves，but，withoutbeingconsciousofit，theactionoftakingthemfrommypocketnecessitatedaneffortthatIcouldnolongermake……Icopy，verbatim，thefollowinglineswhichwerewrittenbyme，althoughIhavenoverydistinctremembranceofdoingso。Theyaretracedinahardlylegiblemannerbyahandtremblingwithcold:’Myhandsarefrozen。Iamallright。Weareallallright。Foginthehorizon，withlittleroundedcirrus。Weareascending。Crocepants;heinhalesoxygen。Sivelcloseshiseyes。Crocealsocloseshiseyes……Sivelthrowsoutballast’——theselastwordsarehardlyreadable。Sivelseizedhisknifeandcutsuccessivelythreecords，andthethreebagsemptiedthemselvesandweascendedrapidly。Thelastremembranceofthisascentwhichremainscleartomerelatestoamomentearlier。

Croce—Spinelliwasseated，holdinginonehandawashbottleofoxygengas。Hisheadwasslightlyinclinedandheseemedoppressed。Ihadstillstrengthtotaptheaneroidbarometertofacilitatethemovementoftheneedle。Sivelhadjustraisedhishandtowardsthesky。Asformyself，Iremainedperfectlystill，withoutsuspectingthatIhad，perhaps，alreadylostthepowerofmoving。Abouttheheightof25，000

feettheconditionofstupefactionwhichensuesisextraordinary。Themindandbodyweakenbydegrees，andimperceptibly，withoutconsciousnessofit。Nosufferingisthenexperienced;onthecontrary，aninnerjoyisfeltlikeanirradiationfromthesurroundingfloodoflight。Onebecomesindifferent。Onethinksnomoreoftheperilouspositionorofdanger。Oneascends，andishappytoascend。Thevertigooftheupperregionsisnotanidleword;but，sofarasIcanjudgefrommypersonalimpression，vertigoappearsatthelastmoment;itimmediatelyprecedesannihilation，sudden，unexpected，andirresistible。

"WhenSivelcutawaythebagsofballastattheheightofabout24，000feet，Iseemedtorememberthathewassittingatthebottomofthecar，andnearlyinthesamepositionasCroce—Spinelli。Formypart，Iwasintheangleofthecar，thankstowhichsupportIwasabletoholdup;butIsoonfelttooweakeventoturnmyheadtolookatmycompanions。SoonI

wishedtotakeholdofthetubeofoxygen，butitwasimpossibletoraisemyarm。Mymind，nevertheless，wasquiteclear。Iwishedtoexplain，’Weare8，000metreshigh’;butmytonguewas，asitwere，paralysed。AllatonceIclosedmyeyes，and，sinkingdowninert，becameinsensible。Thiswasabout1。30p。m。At2。8p。m。Iawokeforamoment，andfoundtheballoonrapidlydescending。Iwasabletocutawayabagofballasttocheckthespeedandwriteinmynotebookthefollowinglines，whichIcopy:

"’Wearedescending。Temperature，3degrees。Ithrowoutballast。Barometer，12。4inches。Wearedescending。SivelandCrocestillinafaintingstateatthebottomofthecar。

Descendingveryrapidly。’

"HardlyhadIwrittentheselineswhenakindoftremblingseizedme，andIfellbackweakenedagain。Therewasaviolentwindfrombelow，upwards，denotingaveryrapiddescent。AftersomeminutesIfeltmyselfshakenbythearm，andIrecognisedCroce，whohadrevived。’Throwoutballast，’hesaidtome，’wearedescending’;butIcouldhardlyopenmyeyes，anddidnotseewhetherSivelwasawake。IcalledtomindthatCroceunfastenedtheaspirator，whichhethenthrewoverboard，andthenhethrewoutballast，rugs，etc。

"Allthisisanextremelyconfusedremembrance，quicklyextinguished，foragainIfellbackinertmorecompletelythanbefore，anditseemedtomethatIwasdying。Whathappened？

Itiscertainthattheballoon，relievedofagreatweightofballast，atonceascendedtothehigherregions。

"At3。30p。m。Iopenedmyeyesagain。Ifeltdreadfullygiddyandoppressed，butgraduallycametomyself。Theballoonwasdescendingwithfrightfulspeedandmakinggreatoscillations。

Icreptalongonmyknees，andIpulledSivelandCrocebythearm。’Sivel！Croce！’Iexclaimed，’Wakeup！’Mytwocompanionswerehuddledupmotionlessinthecar，coveredbytheircloaks。Icollectedallmystrength，andendeavouredtoraisethemup。Sivel’sfacewasblack，hiseyesdull，andhismouthwasopenandfullofblood。Croce’seyeswerehalfclosedandhismouthwasbloody。

"Torelatewhathappenedafterwardsisquiteimpossible。I

feltafrightfulwind;wewerestill9，700feethigh。Thereremainedinthecartwobagsofballast，whichIthrewout。I

wasdrawingneartheearth。Ilookedformyknifetocutthesmallropewhichheldtheanchor，butcouldnotfindit。Iwaslikeamadman，andcontinuedtocall’Sivel！Sivel！’BygoodfortuneIwasabletoputmyhanduponmyknifeanddetachtheanchorattherightmoment。Theshockoncomingtothegroundwasdreadful。Theballoonseemedasifitwerebeingflattened。

Ithoughtitwasgoingtoremainwhereithadfallen，butthewindwashigh，anditwasdraggedacrossfields，theanchornotcatching。Thebodiesofmyunfortunatefriendswereshakenaboutinthecar，andIthoughteverymomenttheywouldbejerkedout。Atlength，however，Iseizedthevalveline，andthegassoonescapedfromtheballoon，whichlodgedagainstatree。Itwasthenfouro’clock。Onsteppingout，Iwasseizedwithafeverishattack，andsankdownandthoughtforamomentthatIwasgoingtojoinmyfriendsinthenextworld;butI

cameto。Ifoundthebodiesofmyfriendscoldandstiff。I

hadthemputundershelterinanadjacentbarn。Thedescentofthe’Zenith’tookplaceintheplains155milesfromParisasthecrowflies。Thegreatestheightattainedinthisascentisestimatedat28，000feet。"

Itwasin1884thatthebrothersTissandiercommencedexperimentswithascrew—propelledairshipresemblinginshapethoseconstructedbyGiffardandDupuydeLome，butsmaller，measuringonly91feetby30feet，andoperatedbyanelectricmotorplacedincircuitwithapowerfulbatteryofbichromatecells。TwotrialsweremadewiththisvesselinOctober，1883，andagaininthefollowingSeptember，whenitproveditselfcapableofholdingitscourseincalmairandofbeingreadilycontrolledbytherudder。