out a small scoopful of sand. Even' the warmer air over the 

 asphalt highway gave expansion sufficient to elevate the balloon 

 nearly 50 feet. The temperature was steadily rising and the speed 

 was less than two miles per hour. 



The shadow of the balloon was excellent company ; not only 

 was the black sphere projected in silhouette but the flag, the 

 basket, with its attachments and the profile of the pilot as well, 

 following along the ground (See Fig. 3). About this time the 

 course was plotted on the map and also visually, and a landing 

 spot selected. This was an easy matter for the distance and direc- 

 tion to be traversed in the 18 or 20 minutes remaining in the 

 hour's test could be readily forecast, and it was only necessary to 

 look out for a plot of ground free from high-tension or other 

 overhead wires, troublesome trees, home gardens, or cultivated 

 ground. The landing place having been decided upon, the pilot 

 settled down to a complete enjoyment of the trip. 



Drifting over a charming bungalow (See Fig. 4) one of the 

 inmates saw the shadow pass over her as she was watering the 

 lawn, and looking up at the solitary individual in the balloon, 

 asked him if he was not lonely up there and didn't he want com- 

 pany? Replying that nothing would suit him better, "But", he 

 facetiously added, "You see, I'm on my way to San Francisco for 

 a luncheon engagement and I cannot stop to take you on." 



Such is the extreme stillness of the air in balloon flight that 

 sounds can be heard for long distances. I have found by ex- 

 perience that a man's shout may be heard at 1,500 f.eet altitude, 

 a cock's crow at 5,000 feet, the barking of a dog a thousand feet 

 higher, and the noise of a train at 8,500 feet. In night flights the 

 sounds of the woodfolk scurrying along their trails in the brush 

 the drowsy chirping of the birds in the trees below, and the shrill 

 cries of the bats are all most interesting and lend enchantment 

 to the mysterious darkness into which the balloon is drifting. In 

 daylight flights during a gale, ofttimes the only indication that 

 the balloonist has of the storm is the swaying of the trees as 

 shown by his field glasses, and, as he nears the ground, the sound 

 of wind in the trees or the whistling of the wind through the brush 

 or cornfields. 



It doubtless is the experience of every balloonist, but the 

 pilot in the present instance certainly felt a keen regret that his 

 flight was about over. Reaching up he gave the valve-cord a one 

 and one-half second pull, and immediately followed this movement 

 by throwing out four and one-half pounds of sand and cutting 

 the drag-rope. The little balloon responded instantly to'the gas 

 emission by falling, but the descent was checked by the release of 

 ballast, and the drag-rope retarded its forward motion. The land- 



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