SUCCESSFUL BALLOON ASCENT AND PARACHUTE DESCENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 29 January 1908, Page 69

SUCCESSFUL BALLOON ASCENT AND PARACHUTE DESCENT.

Caledonian. Ground on "Wednesday at- about . 6 x o'clock- Captain 7<Tonaseen - carried, out" J his ' expressed i <-]etefininati6n" of ■> making ft - successi fill" -'asceht" and • descent,' and that ; under circumstances y " which show that f no ." risk '.is' to - be permitted • to deter "*ah j aeronaut j from f doing that- which, 'he says" ' he, will "do.- "- - ". " r --->"■ ' .The J gusts : of vrind ■ which.- had prevailed * I' during the day had- died down. 'Now andj iheg^-ti fitful zepHy_r -would- blow- 'from the

south,' but -from the clouds overhead it~ could be ' seen-, that in a. skyward direction the breeze was much, stronger. .It was' this circumstance which, 'placed the feat out' of the category, .of ordinary- balloon ascents. -In a,- descent, to the northward of-<the point of- ascension the"' intrepid adventurer^ "must 'alight _ on., the Jwa,ter except his- luot, or^the wind, should"carry • him "over t the . mainland, and it was the' uncertainty .attending ,this. that marked the .feat as 1 -one requiring, more than ordinary courage.,-" The- contingency -"of alighting , in the was considered to be sufficiently' guarded against by the aeronaut providing- himself. with the lifebelt which encircled his- < 'waist.' "i" i . ' • There were but few close spectators on' tho ground, but on, the overlooking hills arid at points -on the higher streets knots of people' were oh. ihe look-out. " At the time - mentioned their '.patience was- rewarded.- -From' the ground the balloon suddenly shot skyward,- its graceful pear--ehaped outline showing- distinctly against the gloomy sky. " Dependent from it, at^ the' end of what seemed to be a thread, was a dark knot, \whioh was assumed to ,be the adventurous voyager. When " the balloon reached 1 an altitude of what the captain declares to be between 2000 ft 'arid 3000 ft, its ceased, and it "began' to" sail away majestically northward. Suddenly, ,when at a point over the bay and. opposite th« railway engine sheds, something * dark was seen- to shoot downward like an arrow. Then the upper -j part -of the. gliding streak expanded into an umbrella or parachute, * from which the aeronaut' hung by his hands. Slowly it sank towards ' the earth, or rather - the water, much to the relief of the spectators,for everyone knew that there -the water was shallow although it was high water,, and. that, the- underlying mud. gave "firm going. t 'In what 'seemed- to' be a few seconds. 1 / * he ' descent was accomplished. With a' " splash, /which, was quite ' visible from the high-ground the aeronaut fell onhis ..back, but quickly , gained his feet, and was/se§n injabo'ut 2ft, "of water making 'Jor'; 'the-,.. -shore, 1 meeting'- numbers who. had/ .rushed" in_to .see-'How.^he. had- fared. " They . - were> quickly , reassured, - however, tb.el.cap.tain^met them "with, a smiled and assured them that. He was "all richt;" " ]■ Meanwhile - the balloon continued its northward course. Divested pf its burden it .turned turtle, atod- from the mouth."which / w-as now ' uppermost/ cam© jete of smoke that ,had' obtained admission with the, hot air. Slowly it', began to contract ."to. sink with accelerated, speed, and. finally- came to a restirig-place qn the' cross wharf, , just where it could be ' conveniently 'eecured.% The . feat was therefore - doubly ;suocessf ul. . The balloon was' - retrieved, and the balloonist , alighted in shallow water. . . - - " ' ' s Prof essor. Baarnes made^another successful ascent and descent 'on. Saturday from the Caledonian .Ground, as an additional attraction to the Civil Service. Clubs' isports. • , ,