VAN TASSELL'S DROP. FOR A MOMENT HE THOUGHT HE WAS LOST.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 354, 27 March 1889, Page 6

VAN TASSELL'S DROP. FOR A MOMENT HE THOUGHT HE WAS LOST.

4 1 could nob have had a belter day for the asconfc if it had been made according to my direction,' &aki Aeronaut. Van Tassell, as ho stood upon the sunny side of the ClitlHouso verandah atid shaded his eyes with his hands so that, he could the better see the glistening sand? of the .beach, and the crowds of people who were slowly wending their way to where a dark object lay upon the ground a few yaids> from high water mark. Van Tas&ell had been advertised to ascend in his balloon and drop to the earth by means of a parachute, and the dark object that was attracting so much attention was the balloon. Accompanied by James H. Whifceside and followed by a curious throng, the mronaub proceeded to where the air ship lay. When they had reached the s,pot from which it was. proposed to make the ascent, Whiteside pent a toy balloon aloft in order to test the direction of wind current.". The little red globe ascended several hundred feet and then floated out to sea. It was decided that it would be dangerous for Van Tassell to ascend at that spot, so the silken bag was lifted from its sandy resting place and earned about half a mile inland, wheie it | was inflated with gas. While the bag was slowly pulling out with gas, trains woio constantly arriving with people, and in a remarkably shoit space of time the hills in all directions were 1 dotted o\ or with human figures. The sun was shining brightly ; old ocean was as pretty as a woman's smile; and o\erbead not a breath of air was Stirling. As the aeronaut had truthfully said, he could not have had a belter day. In a shoit time all the gas on hind 'had been iorced into the balloon, and while the air-ship was? swaying to and lro as though impatient to be cut loose, it was discovered that there was not enough o>.ygen to bo had to permit the us>e of a basket. With the tmall amount of gas to be had the balloon was not capable of lifting the extia weight of a car. This did not discourage Van Tasscll, however, as he announced that ho would make the ascent sitting on a rope which, formed into a loop, and hanging where the car should propeily be located, formed a tolerably comfortable seat. When all was in readiness the jeronaut look his place, the ropes were cut, and amid the exclamations of the multitude the pretty balloon with its daring passengor sailed gracefully up toward the heavens. When he had reached an altitude of about 1,000 feet, Van Tassail was seen to grasp the lower ropes of his parachute, and leap from his seat. While the balloon without its passenger darted upwaicl and floated toward the Farraionos the thousands who had watched I the ascent held their breath and stilled the boating of their hearts while Van Tassell dropped like a shot for a distancs of 200 feet. Then one side of the parachute commenced to spread out, but it was seen that the professor's legs had become entangled in such a mnnnor as to prevent tho opposite side from doing likewise. A roar of horror arose from the crowd as they saw the man's danger and everybody expected to see the aeronaut land upon tho ground an unrecognisable mass. Van Tassell gave a few quick jerks upon his legs, and when at a height of about 500 feefc from the ground he (succeeded in disentangling himself from the ropes. When he had accomplished that, the parachute spread itselt nicely, and descended to the ground in safety. Van Tassell landing as ligh has a bird upon his feet, while the multitude testified their appreciation of his daring by awakening the echoes irom the. hills with their cheers. Van Tassell was" a little pale and said that for a j moment he thought he was lost. I