ignalised the departure, the
voyagers saluted the crowd, who responded with loud shouts. The balloon
advanced until it began to traverse the sea, and every one with eyes
fixed upon the fragile machine, regarded it with fear. It had traversed
upwards of a league of its journey, and had reached the height of 700
feet above sea level, when a wind from the west drove it back toward the
shore, after having been twenty-seven minutes in the air.

"At this moment the crowd beneath perceived that the voyagers were
showing signs of alarm. They seemed suddenly to lower the grating of the
Montgolfiere. But it was too late. A violet flame appeared at the top
of the balloon, then spread over the whole globe, and enveloped the
Montgolfiere and the voyagers. "The unfortunate men were suddenly
precipitated from the clouds to the earth, in front of the Tour de Croy,
upwards of a league from Boulogne, and 300 feet from the sea beach.

"The dead body of Roziers was found burnt in the gallery, many of the
bones being broken. His brother was still breathing, but he was not able
to speak, and in a few minutes he expired."

De Maisonfort, who, against his own will, was left on the earth, was
witness of this sad event. He has given the following explanation of
it:--

"Some minutes after their departure the voyagers were assailed by
contrary winds, which drove them back again upon the land. It is
probable that then, in order to descend and seek a more favourable
current of air, which would take them out again to sea, Roziers opened
the valve of the gas balloon; but the cord attached to this valve
was very long, it worked with difficulty, and the friction which it
occasioned tore the valve. The stuff of the balloon, which had suffered
much from many preliminary attempts, and from other causes, was torn to
the extent of several yards, and the valve fell down inside the balloon,
which at once emptied itself."

According to this narrative, there was no conflagration of the gas in
the middle of the atmosphere, nor is it stated precisely whether the
grating of the Montgolfiere was lighted.

Maisonfort ran to the spot when the travellers fell, found them covered
with the cloth of the balloon, and occupying the same positions which
they had taken up on departing.

By a sad chance, that seems like irony, they were thrown down only a few
paces from the monument which marks the spot where Blanchard descended.
At the present day Frenchmen going to E