Page:Wonderful Balloon Ascents, 1870.djvu/239

Rh strength to our arms to hold on by. My wife's limbs were benumbed, and at each jerk of the balloon she became weaker and weaker. The smack continued to approach us, and was now within 500 mètres. I pointed it out to my wife, and it renewed her courage. What was more tiring: was being obliged to hold her in my arms. The smack was then very near us, and I raised myself on the ropes and saluted our rescuers. They saw us and launched their boat, being 200 mètres ahead of us. The small boat was manned by the master (William Oxley) and the mate (James Bascombe). They came nearer to the car, and took hold of the rope. At this time their boat was nearly sinking, on account of the strong jerks of the balloon, but they did not lose courage, and taking hold of my wife's hand, who was like a corpse, dragged her as best they could into their boat. I saw the danger they were in, and I began to cut the ropes that were following the balloon. I had cut the greater part of them when I was dashed against the boat, and I let myself fall into it. I, like my wife, lay helpless in the bottom of the boat. The men let go the ropes of the car, and the balloon rushed off with a mighty speed towards Norway."

The daring aeronaut and his brave wife were conveyed to the smack by their gallant rescuers, and were landed safely at Grimsby. So little effect had their perilous adventure upon them, however, that M. Duruof made an ascent, at which his wife was also present, at the Crystal Palace on September 14th. The balloon was picked up a few days afterwards on the coast of Norway.

If this volume of "The Library of Wonders" had not had for its single object "balloons and their history," we