o Vale, when it was seen
suddenly to collapse, while still at a considerable altitude, and then
to fall quickly in an unshapely mass. Some young men who were near the
spot where the balloon fell, hastened to render assistance. The balloon
dropped into the car as it descended, completely covering it, and
ultimately both fell in a field near Scout Lane, three miles from
Nottingham. The car struck the ground and rebounded several feet, and
then fell again, when it was seized and stopped by the young men, who
had followed it. At the bottom of the car lay stretched the body of the
unfortunate aeronaut. He was lifted out and found to be breathing, but
quite insensible. He was conveyed to the nearest dwelling, and means
were adopted to restore animation, but without effect. Two medical
gentlemen, named Robertson and Maltby, afterwards saw him, and it was
discovered that his left thigh was fractured, and some of the ribs on
his left side were broken, but they considered it very probable that the
unfortunate man had died through suffocation, as a handkerchief, which
had been found in his mouth, had probably been placed there by himself
when he found that he was in danger of being stifled by the gas from the
collapsing balloon.

On another occasion, still more recent, a perilous balloon voyage was
accomplished by an aeronaut named Vouens. He ascended from the Bellevue
Gardens, near Huddersfield, in a balloon which was capable of containing
20,000 cubic feet of gas. Its height was 50 feet, and it expanded to
100 feet in circumference. Away floated the balloon in a westerly
direction, oscillating for a considerable distance in a most
extraordinary and unusual manner. Mr Vouens experienced a stronger
breeze than he had anticipated, and, the current changing rapidly, his
energy and knowledge as an aeronaut were very severely taxed. A fresh
current drove him to the east for a time, but presently another gust
unexpectedly sent him in the direction of Halifax, and thence towards
Bradford, in a northerly course. After the lapse of twenty minutes the
balloon and its occupant pierced the clouds. Mr Vouens then began to
make observations, for the purpose of selecting a suitable site, on
which to descend; and in a few minutes concentrated his attention upon a
field, in which a _fete_ was being held. The breeze, however, carried
him some three miles further, and a second time Mr Vouens attempted to
lower himself in a field adjo