Chapter 11- Lighter than air

Five weeks after Mannering had mentioned the balloon at the testimonial dinner, Henry, Tom, Mannering and a couple of workmen finished unloading the balloon from the dray used as transport and laid out the fabric on the grass at the Exhibition Grounds, ready for inflation. As a form of low-key advertising, posters had been put up around the city and fliers handed out by Henry promoting the balloon’s inflation and short flight over the city. He was hopeful of attracting a big enough crowd to pay for the gas and possibly turn a small profit.

Tom skillfully joined the gas pipe to the new coupling flange and submerged the coupling under water to satisfy himself that no gas was leaking. The filling started at 6am and slowly there were signs of inflation.

At Tom’s suggestion the two workmen would constantly patrol the growing crowd on the downwind side of the balloon, instructing people not to light cigars, paper rolled cigarettes or pipes for fear of igniting any errant gas in the event of leakage.

‘Mannering, are you sure there was gas going into it?’ asked Henry after three hours. We seem to have been here forever with not much result.’

‘From the few people I found who had witnessed anything to do with the balloon, inflation took some time, but I agree it does seem to be taking it’s time. Perhaps there is a problem with the flow of gas?’

Tom double checked the pipe leading from the gasometer and found no kinks, obstructions or leaks. The valve, operated by a representative of the gas company was fully open.

‘There is nothing interrupting the supply of gas. Perhaps it is a low-pressure line, but you’d think the gas company would understand what we are doing here,’ lamented Tom as he slowly paced back-and-forth.

By 3 o’clock there was sufficient volume of gas to lift the balloon and give it its round shape and another hour of filling made no perceptible difference. It was apparent that the pressure of the supply was inadequate to force any more into the balloon.

At this stage a crowd of several thousand had paid and entered the gates of the grounds while another crowd of ‘dead heads’ had taken up vantage points on surrounding buildings and in trees where they could get a free view of proceedings.

“I think there was a deficiency of several thousand feet of gas,’ Mannering informed them after doing some calculations. ‘By my reckoning the balloon should have filled in five hours, we have been filling for over ten.’

‘We must make an attempt,’ said Henry. ‘If we do not with this crowd, we will have a riot on our hands.’

Ada, who has been watching proceedings from a shaded area, approached Henry and gazed at the balloon and said, ‘you will be safe? It does not look very robust.’

Henry took her hands in his. ‘It is safer I think than walking a thin rope! Besides these balloons have proven themselves during the Prussian war. Did Mannering you that one flew in a storm and landed in Norway, 900 miles from its launch site in Paris? Besides, I do not intend to go to any great height, just enough to go to the first place I can land,’ Henry assured her. He kissed her hands and turned to Tom.

‘I think it is time.’

The excitement of the crowd grew as they sensed that a lift off was imminent. Henry climbed onto the edge of basket under the balloon and holding on to the ropes with one hand he leaned out and addressed the crowd.

‘Thank you all for being here today, to witness this, my first flight as an aeronaut. In a few minutes I will begin my adventure by lifting off the ground and floating gently on the breeze. Where I land is at the mercy of the breeze, but will be in some open space downwind.’

With that he gave the crowd a wave and climbed into the basket that hung from ropes attached to the iron ring where the balloon webbing was attached. Tom shook his hand and reminded him of the emergency rope.

‘Remember, this is the rope to pull to descend. When you see a landing place, release some gas till you descend and land. OK? Good luck!’

‘Thanks Tom, I’m all set, release the ropes.’

Tom released the ropes to let the balloon soar, but to the astonishment of everybody, including Tom, Henry and Mannering the balloon failed to rise. Tom, Mannering and the workmen gathered around the basket and lifted it in the hope that it would somehow break some invisible bond with the earth and be enough to provide lifting momentum, but as soon as they let go the basket bumped to the ground.

The crowd roared and jeered, their patience nearly exhausted and more than a few turning into cynics.

Henry, Tom and Mannering had a quick conference.

‘I say we remove the basket,’ suggested Henry ‘It will reduce the weight considerably and I can sit on the iron ring.’

‘I think the idea is madness,’ exclaimed Mannering and Tom nodded his head in agreement.

‘The crowd have come to see a flight, not just a balloon partially fill with poor gas,’ countered Henry testily. ‘As pilot I say this was what we do.’

The other two men looked at each other, sharing their disagreement with knowing looks but they secure the balloon to the ground via the iron ring then disengage the basket. The activity soon had Ada hurrying over to them.

‘What was going on? Why are you removing the basket?’

‘It is too heavy, so I am going to make the flight sitting on the ring here. It will add to the excitement!’ explained Henry.

‘Tom, you cannot be seriously allowing him to entertain this idea...it is foolhardiness,’ exclaimed Ada.

‘Ada, Henry is pilot. Yes I agree with you, but he insists,’

‘I think I would prefer to see you on a thin rope above the harbour,’ she implored. ‘At least then you had some control.’

Henry kissed Ada on the cheek and gave her a confident smile and looked into her eyes before climbing onto the ring and holding a rope in each hand told Tom to release the tie-down ropes. The balloon rose gradually till Henry was at a height of just twenty feet, when it glided away to the north with the breeze in the direction of the railway yards. The crowd cheered in a tremendous roar from pent up boredom and in appreciation of the extreme bravery or foolhardiness of the aviator sitting in a totally exposed way on the iron ring and nothing beneath him.

Henry waved his hat to acknowledge the crowd. His excitement of the ascent soon faded, as the balloon had not sailed more than three hundred yards before it swooped towards a low building. Unable to do any more to aid lift other than hope through some reason the balloon would magically rise further, he clung the ropes tightly. Just before he collided with the tin roof Henry pushed his feet against the roof and was dragged, half running, up to its peak before finally being scrapped with a clatter off the uppermost edge.

Sweating profusely Henry now saw a larger wooden two story building ahead. It loomed far higher than the previous building and was approaching fast. Behind him he heard the shouts of some of the crowd who had managed to race out of the park and were following him at a run, keen to see a disaster unfold in front of them.

Panicking, Henry sat transfixed and imagined this was all a dream before reality returned and he leaned over to the release valve rope and pulled hard to be rewarded with the sound of escaping gas. The descend was quick, too quick Henry realised as he released his grip on the valve rope and gripped the balloon ropes as the ground rushed towards him. The jolt jarred his body as he hit the ground and was dragged bouncing and scraping as the balloon continued to travel on. Henry clung on, only to collide hard with a railway car before the balloon twisted around and the iron ring snagged on the edge of the railway car. He coughed and choked with the dust as he was nearly suffocated as the deflated balloon collapsed over him, an outhouse and part of a roadway.

I hope you are enjoying Tempting Fate. Henry has more excitement and adventure ahead.

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