, and no fewer than fifteen living souls were launched together
into the sky. Of these Nadar was captain, with the brothers Godard
lieutenants. There was the Prince de Sayn-Wittgenstein; there was the
Count de St. Martin; above all, there was a lady, the Princess de la
Tour d'Auvergne. The balloon came to earth at 9 o'clock at night near
Meaux, and, considering all the provision which had been made to guard
against rough landing, it can hardly be said that the descent was a
happy one. It appears that the car dragged on its side for nearly a
mile, and the passengers, far from finding security in the seclusion of
the inner chambers, were glad to clamber out above and cling, as best
they might, to the ropes.

Many of the party were bruised more or less severely, though no one was
seriously injured, and it was reported that such fragile articles as
crockery, cakes, confectionery, and wine bottles to the number of no
less than thirty-seven, were afterwards discovered to be intact, and
received due attention. It is further stated that the descent was
decided on contrary to the wishes of the captain, but in deference to
the judgment of the experienced MM. Godard, it being apparently their
conviction that the balloon was heading out to sea, whereas, in reality,
they were going due east, "with no sea at all before them nearer than
the Caspian."

This was certainly an unpropitious trial trip for the vessel that had so
ambitiously sought dominion over the air, and the next trial, which was
embarked upon a fortnight later, Sunday, October 18th, was hardly
less unfortunate. Again the ascent was from the Champ de Mars, and the
send-off lacked nothing in the way of splendour and circumstance.
The Emperor was present, for two hours an interested observer of the
proceedings; the King of Greece also attended, and even entered the car,
while another famous spectator was the popular Meyerbeer. "The Giant"
first gave a preliminary demonstration of his power by taking up, for a
cable's length, a living freight of some thirty individuals, and then,
at 5.10 p.m., started on its second free voyage, with nine souls on
board, among them again being a lady, in the person of Madame Nadar. For
nearly twenty-four hours no tidings of the voyage were forthcoming,
when a telegram was received stating that the balloon had passed over
Compiegne, more than seventy miles from Paris, at 8.30 on the previous
evening, and that Nadar had dropped the simple mes