In the year 1850 I returned to Hamburg, and before ascending gave lectures on aërostation at the Ton Halle, after which a new cirque was erected outside the Dammthor, where I made several ascents.
When the fine weather commenced two or three distinguished men came northward on purpose to accompany me. The first was Count Schaffgotsch, of Berlin, a scientific man and well-known amateur chemist. The Count, by his own wish, was the only passenger on May 22nd, when we journeyed into Hanover.
On May 26th Count Paul Esterhazy did me the honour of taking a seat by my side, and opposite to us sat Captain James, an Englishman, and a merchant of Hamburg.
We had a splendid trip in the direction of Lubeck, and there was one incident attending it which vastly pleased the Hungarian nobleman, and produced no small amount of excitement at our descent.
As we were travelling rapidly in the direction of the East Sea it was necessary to come to an anchorage, after emerging rather suddenly from a dense cloud. On the leeward side of a wood a good landing place was descried, but in scudding over the tree tops the grapnel caught a lofty branch, and the “Sylph” was brought up unexpectedly while we were yet hovering over the forest. There were only two courses open to us for getting free; the first was to slip the cable and leave the grapnel behind; the second remedy was for one passenger to descend the rope and loosen the iron, and get down the tree as best he could. My own duty consisted in remaining by the “Sylph,” for the guidance of the remaining passengers, but fortunately Captain James was ready for the emergency, and dashed over the side of the car in British seaman fashion, lowering himself away hand under hand as we cheered him down until he was lodged in the branches, and reported that he could push out the flukes of the grapnel in a “brace of shakes.”
The noble fellow lost his hat in descending, which was blown away and stuck in a bough.
Before the iron was pushed out, I asked what height Captain James had to go down and whether he could manage the tree.
“Never mind me,” said the sailor, “look out for a lurch and do not go far, as I shall be rather out of my reckoning when I get below.”
Having cleared the trees I threw open the valve to its full extent, and we made good a landing not far from the place where James landed on the tree top.
Two or three men were immediately sent to the wood with Mr. H——, our fellow voyager, to assist Captain James.