the dominion of the air-第49章

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he　inventor　of　a　manumetric　flying　machine；　and　there　are　accounts　of　the　flying　leaps　of　several　hundred　feet　which　he　was　enabled　to　take　by　means　of　the　machine　he　constructed。　　Again；　in　1882　we　find　him　an　inventor；　this　time　of　the　patent　asbestos　fire　balloon；　by　means　of　which　the　principal　danger　to　such　balloons　was　overcome。

At　this　point　it　is　needful　to　make　mention　of　the　third　generationthe　several　sons　who　early　showed　their　zeal　and　aptitude　for　perpetuating　the　family　tradition。　　It　was　from　his　school　playground　that　the　eldest　son；　Percival；　witnessed　with　intense　interest　what　appeared　like　a　drop　floating　in　the　sky　at　an　immense　altitude。　　This　proved　to　be　Simmons's　balloon；　which　had　just　risen　to　a　vast　elevation　over　Cremorne　Gardens；　after　having　liberated　the　unfortunate　De　Groof；　as　mentioned　in　a　former　chapter。　　And　one　may　be　sure　that　the　terrible　reality　of　the　disaster　that　had　happened　was　not　lost　on　the　young　schoolboy。　　But　his　wish　was　to　become　an　aeronauts；　and　from　this　desire　nothing　deterred　him；　so　that　school　days　were　scarcely　over　before　he　began　to　accompany　his　father　aloft；　and　in　a　very　few　years；　i。e。　in　1888；　he　had　assumed　the　full　responsibilities　of　a　professional　balloonist。

It　was　in　this　year　that　Professor　Baldwin　appeared　in　England；　and　it　is　easy　to　understand　that　the　parachute　became　an　object　of　interest　to　the　young　Spencer；　who　commenced　on　his　own　account　a　series　of　trials　at　the　Alexandra　Palace；　and　it　was　now；　also；　that　chance　good　fortune　came　his　way。　　An　Indian　gentleman；　who　was　witness　of　his　experiments；　and　convinced　that　a　favourable　field　for　their　further　development　existed　in　his　own　country；　proposed　to　the　young　aspirant　that　he　should　accompany　him　to　India；　with　equipment　suited　for　the　making　of　a　successful　campaign。

Thus　it　came　about　that　in　the　early　days　of　1889；　in　the　height　of　the　season；　Mr。　Percival　Spencer　arrived　at　Bombay；　and　at　once　commenced　professional　business　in　earnest。　　Coal　gas　being　here　available；　a　maiden　ascent　was　quickly　arranged；　and　duly　announced　to　take　place　at　the　Government　House；　Paral；　the　chief　attraction　being　the　parachute　descent；　the　first　ever　attempted　in　India。

This　preliminary　exhibition　proving　in　all　ways　a　complete　success；　Mr。　Spencer；　after　a　few　repetitions　of　his　performance；　repaired　to　Calcutta；　but　here　great　difficulties　were　experienced　in　the　matter　of　gas。　　The　coal　gas　available　was　inadequate；　and　when　recourse　was　had　to　pure　hydrogen　the　supply　proved　too　sluggish。　　At　the　advertised　hour　of　departure　the　balloon　was　not　sufficiently　inflated；　while　the　spectators　were　growing　impatient。　　It　was　at　this　critical　moment　that　Mr。　Spencer　resolved　on　a　surprise。　　Suddenly　casting　off　the　parachute；　and　seated　on　a　mere　sling　below　the　half…inflated　balloon；　without　ballast；　without　grapnel；　and　unprovided　with　a　valve；　he　sailed　away　over　the　heads　of　the　multitude。

The　afternoon　was　already　far　advanced；　and　the　short　tropical　twilight　soon　gave　way　to　darkness；　when　the　intrepid　voyager　disappeared　completely　from　sight。　　Excitement　was　intense　that　night　in　Calcutta；　and　greater　still　the　next　day　when；　as　hour　after　hour　went　by；　no　news　save　a　series　of　wild　and　false　reports　reached　the　city。　　Trains　arriving　from　the　country　brought　no　intelligence；　and　telegraphic　enquiries　sent　in　all　directions　proved　fruitless。　　The　Great　Eastern　Hotel；　where　the　young　man　had　been　staying；　was　literally　besieged　for　hours　by　a　large　crowd　eager　for　any　tidings。　　Then　the　Press　gave　expression　to　the　gloomiest　forebodings；　and　the　town　was　in　a　fever　of　unrest。　　From　the　direction　the　balloon　had　taken　it　was　thought　that；　even　if　the　aeronaut　had　descended　in　safety；　he　could　only　have　been　landed　in　the　jungle　of　the　Sunderbunds；　beset　with　perils；　and　without　a　chance　of　succour。　　A　large　reward　was　offered　for　reliable　information；　and　orders　were　issued　to　every　likely　station　to　organise　a　search。　　But　ere　this　was　fully　carried　into　effect　messages　were　telegraphed　to　England　definitely　asserting　that　Mr。　Spencer　had　lost　his　life。　　For　all　this；　after　three　days　he　returned　to　Calcutta；　none　the　worse　for　the　exploit。

Then　the　true　tale　was　unravelled。　　The　balloon　had　changed　its　course　from　S。E。　to　E。　after　passing　out　of　sight　of　Calcutta；　and　eventually　came　to　earth　the　same　evening　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Hossainabad；　thirty…six　miles　distant。　　During　his　aerial　flight　the　voyager's　main　trouble　had　been　caused　by　his　cramped　position；　the　galling　of　his　sling　seat；　and　the　numbing　effect　of　cold　as　he　reached　high　altitudes；　but；　as　twilight　darkened　into　gloom；　his　real　anxiety　was　with　respect　to　his　place　of　landing；　for　he　could　with　difficulty　see　the　earth　underneath。　　He　heard　the　distant　roll　of　the　waters；　caused　by　the　numerous　creeks　which　intersect　the　delta　of　the　Ganges；　and　when　darkness　completely　shut　out　the　view　it　was　impossible　to　tell　whether　he　was　over　land　or　sea。　　Fortune　favoured　him；　however；　and　reaching　dry　ground；　he　sprang　from　his　seat；　relinquishing　at　the　same　moment　his　hold　of　the　balloon；　which　instantly　disappeared　into　the　darkness。

Then　his　wanderings　began。　　He　was　in　an　unknown　country；　without　knowledge　of　the　language；　and　with　only　a　few　rupees　in　his　pocket。　　Presently；　however；　seeing　a　light；　he　proceeded　towards　it；　but　only　to　find　himself　stopped　by　a　creek。　　Foiled　more　than　once　in　this　way；　he　at　length　arrived　at　the　dwelling　of　a　family　of　natives；　who　promptly　fled　in　terror。　　To　inspire　confidence　and　prove　that　he　was　mortal；　Mr。　Spencer　threw　his　coat　over　the　mud　wall　of　the　compound；　with　the　result　that；　after　examination　of　the　garment；　he　was　received　and　cared　for　in　true　native　fashion；　fed　with　rice　and　goat's　milk；　and　allowed　the　use　of　the　verandah　to　sleep　in。　　He　succeeded　in　communing　with　the　natives　by　dint　of　lead　pencil　sketches　and　dumb　show；　and　learned；　among　other　things；　that　he　had　descended　in　a　little　clearing　surrounded　by　woods；　and　bounded　by　tidal　creeks；　which　were　infested　with　alligators。　　Yet；　in　the　end；　the　waterways　befriended　him；　for；　as　he　was　being　ferried　across；　he　chanced　on　his　balloon　sailing　down　on　the　tide；　recovered　it；　and　used　the　tidal　waters　for　the　return　journey。

The　greeting　upon　his　arrival　in　Calcutta　was　enthusiastic　beyond　description　from　both　Europeans　and　natives。　　The　hero　of　the　adventure　was　visited　by　rajahs　and　notables；　who　vied　with　each　other　in　expressions　of　welcome；　in　making　presents；　even　inviting　him　to　visit　the　sacred　precincts　of　their　zenanas。　　The　promised　parachute　descent　was　subsequently　successfully　made　at　Cossipore；　and　then　followed　a　busy；　brilliant　season；　after　which　the　wanderer　returned　to　England。　　By　September　he　is　in　Dublin；　and　makes　the　first　parachute　descent　ever　witnessed　in　Ireland；　but　by　November　he　is　in　Bombay　again；　whence；　proceeding　to　Calcutta；　he　repeats　his　success　of　the　year　before。　　Next　he　visits　Allahabad；　where　the　same　fortune　attends　him；　though　his　balloon　flies　away　in　a　temporary　escape　into　the　Jumna。　　By　May　he　is　ascending　at　Singapore；　armed　here；　however；　with　a　cork　jacket。

Hence；　flushed　with　success；　he　repairs　to　the　Dutch　Indies；　and　demonstrates　to　the　Dutch　officers　the　use　of　the　balloon　in　war。　　As　a　natural　consequence；　he　is　moved　up　to　the　seat　of　the　Achinese　War　in　Sumatra；　where；　his　balloon　being　moored　to　the　rear　of　an　armoured　train；　an　immediate　move　is　made　to　the　front；　and　orders　are　forthwith　telephoned　from　various　centres　to　open　fire　on　the　enemy。　　Mr。　Spencer；　the　while　accompanied　by　an　officer；　makes　a　captive　ascent；　in　which　for　some　time　he　is　actually　under　the　enemy's　fire。　　The　result　of　this　plucky　experiment　is　a　most　flattering　official　report。　　In　all　the　above…mentioned　ascents　he　made　his　own　gas　without　a　hitch。

Thence　he　travels　on　with　the　same　trusty　little　12；000　cubic　feet　balloon；　the　same　programme；　and　the　same　success。　　This　is　slightly　varied；　however；　at　Kobe；　Japan；　where　his　impatient　craft　fairly　breaks　away　with　him；　and；　soaring　high；　flies　overhead　of　a　man…of…war；　and　plumps　into　the　water　a　mil