“Why, I reckon I call it a balloon because it is a balloon. I don’t see that you can have a better reason, sir. Hello! One of the fellows has tumbled overboard. I fancy there isn’t much chance for him. By Jove! one of ’em’s jumped down on deck, and hauled him in again. Are we likely to overtake them? I would like to cheat old Davy.”
By this time Mr. Blume had seized the glasses, and, being now much nearer, could see for himself that the battered and wave-tossed object before him was a balloon in reality, though how its occupants came to be in such a plight he could but faintly conjecture.
“Run and tell the skipper,” he cried eagerly. Then, knowing beforehand what the captain would do, he ordered the man at the wheel to steer for the distressed aeronauts. In another minute the captain was on deck, having been just about ready to sit down to his breakfast. He fully endorsed the mate’s action, for he was not one to refuse succour to victims of the elements.
“Stand by to lower a boat,” he shouted, his order being promptly carried out. When sufficiently near for the purpose the boat was lowered, and her crew soon had the satisfaction of rescuing four exhausted men from the aerial vessel, which, relieved of their weight, slowly rose into the air, and floated southwards in the direction of the African coast.
The condition of the rescued men was truly pitiable, and they were saved none too soon. They had a painful story of peril to relate as soon as warmth, food, and rest had done their beneficent work.
“When we made our ascent from Valetta,” said the captain of the balloon, “the wind was just as I had hoped for it to be, and the people who saw us ascend had little conception of what was before us. Some seemed to imagine that the descent would take place within a few score yards of the place whence we ascended. But I knew better, although I little dreamed of the experience really in store for us. There was not much chance of landing on shore, and I expected to travel a short distance out to sea, and to be picked up, after a simple ducking, by a steamer which I had chartered to follow the balloon. But shortly after leaving the coast-line we noticed that the wind had gained strength, and was carrying us southwards at a rapid rate. Our water anchor was useful for a time, but unfortunately the rope broke; we lost our anchor; and the balloon rose several hundred yards.
“Soon, however, a terrific downpour of rain caused us to descend again, and the balloon was dragged along the surface of the sea. We were now in a very sorry plight, for the car was frequently under water, and we had to cling desperately to the ropes to save ourselves from drowning. We must all have perished hours ago, but for the courage of Mr. Calderon, my assistant, who made frequent dives into the car, and brought up the ballast, one bag at a time, an expedient which only raised the balloon by occasional fits and starts. We next threw away the greater part of our clothing, which was sodden and heavy with rain and sea-water. Even our money and the only bottle of spirits we had went overboard, for life itself depended on our being lightened to the utmost. In this connection I cannot refrain from animadverting on the conduct of Mr. Torrens, one of our passengers. He threw his coat overboard, but declined to part with any more of his clothes, even though very strongly urged to do so. Once, numbed with cold and fatigue, he lost his hold of the rope to which he was clinging, and fell into the sea. He will never be nearer death than he was at that moment, for, lightened of his weight, the balloon began to right itself, and we firmly believe that it would have risen and carried us to a place of safety, if we could have reconciled ourselves to abandoning him to his fate.
“The temptation to do so was a terrible one, I assure you.
“‘If we leave him to drown we shall be saved.’
“‘If we rescue him for the present we shall probably all be drowned.’