42O The Wreck of "Santos Dumont No. 6" 



to get the balloon ashore. But deflation was proceeding 

 too rapidly, and the second ascent was short-lived. Had 

 M. Dumont been able to stop deflation at this time the balloon 

 could certainly have been got ashore without damage. That 

 he was not able to do so, or, at any rate, did not do so, lends 

 probability to the statement that he had "pulled the emergency 

 cord" and that the escape of gas was beyond his control. It 

 is interesting to note that M. Richard, the director of the 

 Musee Oceanographique, who was on board the "Princesse 

 Alice" at this moment, observed the escaping hydrogen rising 

 in the denser air, exactly like the hot air from a chimney. The 

 balloon sank till the girder reached the water. The condition 

 of the balloon as regards inflation had now changed. At tlu 

 time of its second ascent the after end was deflated. During the 

 short time that it was being towed as a kite and was in a hori- 

 zontal position the gas seemed to be equally distributed through 

 the balloon. When it sank for the last time to the water the 

 foremost end was hanging empty while the after end was inflated. 

 A photograph (Frontispiece) at this time shows the whole of 

 the girder flush with the water. If the escape of gas could have 

 been arrested the balloon could still have been towed to land. 

 By this time Mr Wedderburn, the Prince's whaling master, 

 had pulled up and put his boat alongside the sinking girder. 

 There was still plenty of gas in the balloon to keep it clear of 

 the wreckage in the water, and the situation ceased to cause 

 anxiety. M. Santos Dumont could be rescued at any moment. 



During all this trying time M. Santos Dumont's presence of 

 mind and coolness provoked the admiration of every one who 

 was able to witness it. It was not till the water had reached 

 his chin that he let Wedderburn haul him into his whaler. 



The operation now became one of ordinary salvage. The 

 launch tugged away at the tow-rope, but it was soon apparent 

 that the girder had anchored itself as the water shoaled. The 

 bow end to which the tow-rope was secured was above water; 

 the stern end, with wrecked propeller and rudder enveloped in 

 an inextricable entanglement of kinked pianoforte wire, had 

 hooked on the bottom. One of M. Dumont's artificers now 

 arrived, and he detached the balloon and took it ashore. The 



