ÉñÃصº

ÉñÃصº ½ÚÑ¡

¡¡¡¡Frightful indeed was the situation of these unfortunate men. They were evidently no longer masters of the machine. All their attempts were useless. The case of the balloon collapsed more and more. The gas escaped without any possibility of retaining it. Their descent was visibly accelerated, and soon afier midday the car hung within 600 feet of the ocean.¡¡¡¡It was impossible to prevent the escape of gas, which rushed through a large rent in the silk. By lightening the car of all the articles which it contained, the passengers had been able to prolong their suspension in the air for a few hours. But the inevitable catastrophe could only be retarded, and ifland did not appear before night, voyagers, car, and balloon must to a certainty vanish beneath the waves.¡¡¡¡They now resorted to the only remaining expedient. They were truly dauntless men, who knew how to look death in the face. Not a single murmur escaped from their lips. They were determined to struggle to the last minute, to do anything to retard their fall. The car was only a sort of willow basket, unable to fioat, and there was not the slightest possibility ofmaintaining it on the surface ofthe sea.¡¡¡¡Two mo're hours passed and the balloon was scarcely 400 feet above the water.¡¡¡¡At that moment a loud voice, the voice ofa man whose heart was inaccessible to fear, was heard. To this voice responded others not less determined. "Is everything thrown out?" "No, here are still 2,000 dollars in gold." A heavy bag immediately plunged into the sea. "Does the balloon rise?" "A little, but it willnot be long before it falls again." "What still remains to be thrown out?" "Nothing." "Yes! the car!" "Let us catch hold of the net, and into the sea with the car."¡¡¡¡This was, in fact, the last and only mode of lightening the balloon. The ropes which held the car were cut, and the balloon, afier its fall, mounted 2,000 feet. The five voyagers had hoisted themselves into the net, and clung to the meshes, gazing at the abyss.¡¡¡¡The delicate sensibility of balloons is well known. It is sufficient to throw out the lightest article to produce a difference in its vertical position. Th. e apparatus in the air is like a balance of mathematical precision. It can be thus easily understood that when it is lightened of any considerable weight its movement will be impetuous and sudden. So it happened on this occasion. But after being suspended for an instant aloft, the balloon began to redescend, the gas escaping by the rent which it was impossible to repair.¡¡¡¡The men had done all that men could do. No human efforts could save them now.¡¡¡¡¡­¡­