Page:Wonderful Balloon Ascents, 1870.djvu/191

Rh moment:—"We continued our furious course. It was not a descent, but a fall. The earth approached with a frightful rapidity. About thirty yards yet separate us from it. In two or three seconds we shall touch! Below we see the trees bent with the force of the wind. Why did not our conductor seize this moment, for which he ought to have been prepared, to throw overboard some of the ballast, of which I am confident twenty sacks remained, and thus in an instant check our precipitous descent, and allow us time to reconnoitre the ground underneath, and see if the wind was favourable? Who is it that's in such a hurry to descend in this manner? Why? But there is no time to speak a word, or one second to lose! I hastily draw my wife with me into a corner of the platform, and placing her hands on two of the suspending ropes, I put my arm round her, and hold on to them myself and wait. The wind blew with such terrific violence near the surface of the earth that our fall, notwithstanding the impetus we had acquired, although not stopped was diverted, our diagonal course becoming more oblique and then horizontal. Most fervent prayers were offered up from every heart during our descent.

"'Hold on—hold on! Ah!'

"Such was the force of the shock that every one's hands were strained and forced to let go their hold, and many were thrown on their heads. The balloon rebounded with an immense spring. The platform of the car was in a dreadful state of confusion, but every one hastened to take his place again, well knowing that it was the only chance of safety.

"'Look out—hold on!'

"Villages and fields fled past us with lightning speed.