A BALLOON ATTACKED BY A BULL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 761, 17 November 1876, Page 3

A BALLOON ATTACKED BY A BULL.

On Wednesday, on the occasion of the Police Fete at the Alexandra Palace, Mr J. Morton, the aeronaut to the company, together With Mr Silvanus Tanner, made a most successful ascent, and soon attained an altitude of 8000 feet, at which height they passed over the east of London into Kent, crossing the Thames no less than three times. Upon arriving near Eltham, they descended in a large meadow, and were just in the act of letting off the gas when a tremendous bellowing was licard, and on looking in the direction whence the sound proceeded, a large bull was seen rushing wildly towards them. Mr Tanner, fully realising the danger of the situation, with great presence of mind, immediately seized the two rculaining hags of ballast, and threw them bodily out of the car. The balloon rose, but only just in time to escape

tlxo horns of the infuriated animal, who, upon seeing the balloon suspended over him, turned his attention to tho bags of sand, tlio contents of which ho soon scattered in' all directions. In this attack his horns came in contact \rith tho grapnel rope, and tho jerk releasing tho grapnel, set the ballodn free, but, at tho same time, threw Mr Morton, who was attending to tho rope, out of the car. Fortunately, ho succeeded In clutching tho netting, and, with Mr Tanner’s assistance, was hauled into tile balloon before it bird ascended many hundred feet. The aeronauts 'sailed away for about a mile, when they found a safe haven in the grounds Of Mr M‘Ewing, of Mottinghain House.