SENSATIONAL BALLOON TRIP.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 989, 22 October 1881, Page 2

SENSATIONAL BALLOON TRIP.

The Vienna correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph, writing on the 22nd August, reports: —Last night M. Eugene Godard, the celebrated French aeronaut, who was accompanied by three local journalists, very narrowly escaped a melancholy death by the descent of his balloon in the Danube. The start was effected from a large pleasure garden in the neighborhood of Schonbrunn, at a quarter-past 7. An immense crowd had assembled to witness the proceedings, and* cheered vociferously as the huge aerial craft rose majestically aloft. About an hour later, a thunderstorm of terrible violence broke out, and the gravesf apprehensions were entertained for M. Godard and his companions. As it afterwards proved, they were only too well founded. The balloon was caught in the midst of the thunder clouds, and thrice the lightning flashed witlKn a few yards of its terror-stricken crew. M. Godard, however, kept his presence of mind, and after vainly endeavoring, by emptying the sandbags, to steer clear of the storm, he decided to come down as quickly as possible. The balloon was then some 3000 feet high, and moving at the rate of 34 feet per second. The gaspipe was opened, and the balloon began to descend with fearful rapidity. Suddenly M. Godard exclaimed, “We shall fall into the Danube.” A fruitless attempt was made to use the anchor, but the trees were too far below and the speed too great. At any moment it appeared that they might be engulfed in the stream, whence, owing to the storm, all escape would be impossible. M. Godard hereupon cried out, “ Gentlemen,, we are one too many !” But, as none of his companions appeared disposed to withdraw, he threw out 25 kilogrammes of rope, and with the anchor attached to the remainder, endeavored to catch the brushwood on the river edge. This, fortunately, succeeded, and the car was secured within a few feet of the water. “ Thank God, we are saved !” shouted M. Godard, just as a tremendous shock imparted the welcome fact to his fellow travellers. Assistance was at hand, and an hour later the whole party were recovering their composure in a neighboring village inn. The descent accomplished at nine o’clock, near Klosterneuburg.