chute emerged into the sunshine a few yards
away. The dog, with senses quicker than his own, had been conscious of
his master's presence, and hailed him as he passed. But the balloon
continued rapidly on its downward course, and, answering the barks with
consoling words, the aeronaut hurried to the earth. A moment or two
later he welcomed his strange little traveller from the clouds. The dog,
happily, suffered nothing, and even seemed to enjoy the experiment,
which might have proved both cruel and fatal.

Garnerin's dog was the pioneer of many human travellers in the same
machine. The master himself was the next to perform the feat, and,
watched by a large crowd, on October 22nd, 1797, he cut his parachute
loose from his balloon at a height of three thousand feet. A cry of
horror broke from the watchers as the parachute was seen to descend with
awful swiftness. But it flew open the next moment, and though M.
Garnerin was swung dangerously from side to side, he reached the ground
in safety. This swaying was due to the fact that he had not made a hole
in the top of his 'umbrella,' to allow the air to rush through.
Imprisoned in the dome, its only outlet was over the sides, and this
caused the apparatus to swing. M. Garnerin took advantage of the lesson,
and made the opening before his next flight.

This parachute was built like a huge umbrella, the cords supporting the
car coming from the outside ends of the 'ribs.' Being closed, when
detached from the balloon it, of course, descended at a great speed till
the rush of air became strong enough to force it open. It was used
without mishap in many descents, and is still the pattern for
parachutes.

Among many who sought to improve upon M. Garnerin's machine was an
Englishman, named Cocking. In 1836 he built a parachute with the sides
turned up instead of down, like an umbrella blown inside out, thinking
that it would give greater steadiness in the descent. Thus far he was
correct, but, being too sure of success, he allowed himself, without
first making experiments, to be cut loose from a balloon three thousand
feet up, and was instantly killed, the parachute being too weak in
construction. Sixteen years later another inventor made a parachute like
Garnerin's, but provided with large wings. Standing in an iron frame he
worked these wings with both arms, with the intention of directing the
parachute in its fall, thus, to a certain extent, turning it into a
flying machine. B