Page:Accidents and disasters on land.pdf/10

 they kept, as far as could be judged, within about 80 yards of each other. When they had mounted to the height of about 900 yards, M. Le Pique fired his piece ineffectually; almost immediately after, the fire was returned by M. Granpree, and penetrated his adversary’s balloon; the consequence of which was its rapid descent, and M. Le Pique and his second were both dashed to pieces on a house-top, over which the balloon fell. The victorious Granpree then mounted aloft in the grandest style, and descended safe with his second, about seven leagues from the spot of ascension.

A remarkable instance of the fatal effects of the introduction of virulent animal matter into the human system, lately happened in the case of James Gray, a shepherd, then in the service of Mr Archbold of Heton, who, in the act of skinning a sheep which had died of disease (the thorter ill) and which was at the time in a state of putrescence, accidentally cut one of his fingers with the knife he was then using. The consequent effect of the poisonous matter into the wound was truly astonishing; for on his going home in the evening, he complained to his wife