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1907 June 13. Thursday at Baddeck. 88 Enquirer Cincinnatti . 0 . 14 Ap 1907 DARING BALLOON TRIPS BY SOCIETY WOM [[image]] [[image]] Hon. Mrs. Harbord and Party Ready to Start. thing has ever been done by any one --much less a woman. "On the first trip we left between 10 and 11 at night. Our object in going up at night was in order to reach the continent in time to see the beautiful landscape of France under the glamor of early daylight. You see, if we started in the daytime we would have to come down at night. In foreign countries this is sometimes awkward. "The sight beheld from a balloon at night is simply weird. Of course, you can distinguish nothing but the lights of the various towns, the rest of the landscape being absolutely black. London from a balloon at night is a marvelous spectacle, and so is Paris. There was a full moon when we started. The weather conditions were good, and we reached the neighborhood of est railway station, and we were soon on our way back to England, passing through Brussels. "I arrived home the following day--Saturday, and, at first, never dreamed of going off again; but, as weather conditions seemed ideal, I decided to take another trip almost immediately. "I left again on Sunday, going up about 1 p.m. We again crossed the [[torn page]] landing about four hours after reaching other side. We crossed the channel at altitude of about 4,000 feet. The trip w most interesting. We could trace ev town and village for miles in all directio the atmosphere being singularly clear observation. "In some respects these two last tr were my most interesting ones, but by means the most dangerous. Our descent the snowstorm was certainly exciting, say the least. On another occasion, whi I recall with particular vividness, reached our destination in rather a hur and somewhat inverted, it might be sa The basket turned over, and, I think, might safely claim to be the first women land in Belgium on our heads. "This was on the occasion of my first tr from Paris. It was on October 2 last yea Accompanied by Princess di Teano an Lord Royston, and navigated by the f mous aeronaut, M. Jacques Faure, we wer up from the Parc d'Aerostation at Suresne Our start was made at a few minutes afte 6 p.m. The wind at the time was ver strong, and it was at first suggested tha the attempt should be abandoned. W thought, however, that, by rising rapidl above the clouds, we might get into goo conditions and escape a drenching. So w started. "A Bad Spill." "After going up 4,000 feet we still found ourselves in the storm belt, and were blown in a northeasterly direction at the rate of 60 miles an hour. Before very long we came down to 2,000 feet, and began looking for a safe place to land. The night was horribly dark, but we could see the lights of a big city, and concluded that it was Antwerp, from the broad expanse of the Scheldt. "We realized that if we continued aloft much longer we would be soon sailing over the North Sea, and it was necessary to come down, as they say, at any price. Before long the dim coastline of the threatening sea loomed on our sight. A few more minutes and we would have been directly over it. "It was now impossible for us to pick and choose a spot for landing, so we hurriedly pulled both valves and ripping cord, and the great balloon came down with a rush. As I have said, the basket turned completely over, and the Princess and myself had a "spill." However, no bones were broken, though we were all shaken a little. It was just about 10 p.m., and we
