194 Aerrjiation* 



palled, and that they niuft now prepare for a very difagrcea- 

 ble delcent, on account of the continued violence of the wind. 

 About half an hour had elapfed fince their afcent. M. Gar- 

 nerin now opened the valve, and the balloon defcended through 

 black and cold clouds; they then defcried land again, and 

 alio the fea, towards which their courfe was fail carrying 

 them : indeed they were nearly over that arm of it into 

 which the Chehner empties itfelf. 



As foon as they had approached fufficiently near the earth, 

 they threw out their anchor and cable. When the balloon 

 firil touched the ground, it rebounded with confiderable vio- 

 lence ; this rebound was followed by about twenty more, 

 more violent than the firlt. The gufts of wind dragged them 

 over fields and hedges, which tore their hands and clothes ; 

 their anchor touched the ground feveral times, but dragged ; 

 and it was not till fome minutes had elapfed that it took a 

 fteady hold in a thicket near a houfe. Here they conceived 

 theinfelves to be releafed from all peril: but the inhabitants 

 of the houfe, alarmed at the balloon, would not afiift them j 

 nay, actually offered to fire on the adventurous travellers. In 

 the mean time the cable of the anchor broke, and they were 

 dragged through trees and branches, the balloon being agi- 

 tated to an extreme degree, and rebounding very violently. 

 At length they were driven againit a tree, and captain Sow- 

 den received a fevere blow on the back part of his head. The 

 balloon was now torn in the lower part, the cords broke, the 

 boat broke ; the travellers had hold of a tree, from which 

 they were torn by the violence of the wind. At lail, a bound 

 which the balloon made, enabled them to jump out. The 

 balloon, abandoned to itfelf, and much torn, fell about 200 

 paces further. 



The place where M. Garnerin and captain Sowdcn landed 

 was on a common, four miles beyond Colchefter, and fixty 

 miles from Ranelagh. The time that elapfed from cheir de- 

 parture to their landing on the common was three quarters 

 of an hour. • 



M. Garnerin's hands were much torn, and his legs and 

 thighs confiderably bruifed. Captain Sowdeir received a fe- 

 vere blow on the back part of his bead, and was much bruifed 

 and torn in other parts of hU body by the buuhes and trees 

 againit which they were driven. 



M. Garneiin pays the higheft tribute to the cflurage and 

 cool nets of his companion, who, after the balloon had flrft 

 rebounded, could feveral times have jumped out of it with 

 great eafie and faiety : but he perfifted in fharing the fate of 

 his companion, till they were both enabled to land in fafety. 



Captain 



