sion of 1,200 livres. The queen, who
was at play at the gambling table, placed a sum for him upon a card, and
presented him with the purse which she won.

Chapter VI. Zambeccari's Perilous Trip Across the Adriatic Sea.

There is not in the whole annals of aerostation a more moving
catastrophe than that of the unfortunate Comte Zambeccari, who, during
an aerial journey on October the 7th, 1804, was cast away on the waves
of the Adriatic.

The history of Zambeccari is dramatic throughout. After having been
taken by the Turks and thrown into the Bay of Constantinople, from which
he with difficulty escaped, he devoted himself to the study and practice
of aerial navigation. He fancied he could make use of a lamp supplied
with spirits of wine, the flame of which he could direct at will, in the
hope of thus being able to steer the balloon in whatever direction he
chose. One day his balloon damaged itself against a tree at Boulogne,
and the spirits of wine set his clothes on fire. The flames with which
the aeronaut was covered only served to increase the ascending power of
the balloon, and the frightened spectators, among whom were Zambeccari's
young wife and children, saw him carried up into the clouds out of
sight. He succeeded, however, in extinguishing the fire which surrounded
him.

In 1804, he organised a series of experiments at Milan, for which he
received, in advance, the sum of 8,000 crowns; but the experiments
failed, in consequence of the inclemency of the weather, the treachery
of his assistants, and the malice of his rivals.

At length, on the 7th of October, after a fall of rain which lasted
forty-eight hours, and which had delayed the announced ascent, he
resolved, whatever might happen, to carry it out, though all the chances
were against him. Eight young men whom he had instructed, and who had
promised him their assistance in filling the balloon, failed him at the
critical moment. Still, however, he continued his labours, with the
help of two companions, Andreoli and Grassetti. Wearied with his
long-continued efforts, dis-appointed and hungry, he took his place in
the car.

The two companions whom we have named went with him. They rose gently at
first, and hovered over the town of Bologna. Zambeccari says, "The lamp,
which was intended to increase our ascending force, became useless. We
could not observe the state of the barometer by the feeble light of a
lantern. The insupportable cold that prevail