The　afternoon　was　already　far　advanced；　and　the　short　tropical　twilight　soon　gave　way　to　darkness；　when　the　intrepid　voyager　disappeared　completely　from　sight。　　Excitement　was　intense　that　night　in　Calcutta；　and　greater　still　the　next　day　when；　as　hour　after　hour　went　by；　no　news　save　a　series　of　wild　and　false　reports　reached　the　city。　　Trains　arriving　from　the　country　brought　no　intelligence；　and　telegraphic　enquiries　sent　in　all　directions　proved　fruitless。　　The　Great　Eastern　Hotel；　where　the　young　man　had　been　staying；　was　literally　besieged　for　hours　by　a　large　crowd　eager　for　any　tidings。　　Then　the　Press　gave　expression　to　the　gloomiest　forebodings；　and　the　town　was　in　a　fever　of　unrest。　　From　the　direction　the　balloon　had　taken　it　was　thought　that；　even　if　the　aeronaut　had　descended　in　safety；　he　could　only　have　been　landed　in　the　jungle　of　the　Sunderbunds；　beset　with　perils；　and　without　a　chance　of　succour。　　A　large　reward　was　offered　for　reliable　information；　and　orders　were　issued　to　every　likely　station　to　organise　a　search。　　But　ere　this　was　fully　carried　into　effect　messages　were　telegraphed　to　England　definitely　asserting　that　Mr。　Spencer　had　lost　his　life。　　For　all　this；　after　three　days　he　returned　to　Calcutta；　none　the　worse　for　the　exploit。
  Then　the　true　tale　was　unravelled。　　The　balloon　had　changed　its　course　from　S。E。　to　E。　after　passing　out　of　sight　of　Calcutta；　and　eventually　came　to　earth　the　same　evening　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Hossainabad；　thirty…six　miles　distant。　　During　his　aerial　flight　the　voyager's　main　trouble　had　been　caused　by　his　cramped　position；　the　galling　of　his　sling　seat；　and　the　numbing　effect　of　cold　as　he　reached　high　altitudes；　but；　as　twilight　darkened　into　gloom；　his　real　anxiety　was　with　respect　to　his　place　of　landing；　for　he　could　with　difficulty　see　the　earth　underneath。　　He　heard　the　distant　roll　of　the　waters；　caused　by　the　numerous　creeks　which　intersect　the　delta　of　the　Ganges；　and　when　darkness　completely　shut　out　the　view　it　was　impossible　to　tell　whether　he　was　over　land　or　sea。　　Fortune　favoured　him；　however；　and　reaching　dry　ground；　he　sprang　from　his　seat；　relinquishing　at　the　same　moment　his　hold　of　the　balloon；　which　instantly　disappeared　into　the　darkness。
  Then　his　wanderings　began。　　He　was　in　an　unknown　country；　without　knowledge　of　the　language；　and　with　only　a　few　rupees　in　his　pocket。　　Presently；　however；　seeing　a　light；　he　proceeded　towards　it；　but　only　to　find　himself　stopped　by　a　creek。　　Foiled　more　than　once　in　this　way；　he　at　length　arrived　at　the　dwelling　of　a　family　of　natives；　who　promptly　fled　in　terror。　　To　inspire　confidence　and　prove　that　he　was　mortal；　Mr。　Spencer　threw　his　coat　over　the　mud　wall　of　the　compound；　with　the　result　that；　after　examination　of　the　garment；　he　was　received　and　cared　for　in　true　native　fashion；　fed　with　rice　and　goat's　milk；　and　allowed　the　use　of　the　verandah　to　sleep　in。　　He　succeeded　in　communing　with　the　natives　by　dint　of　lead　pencil　sketches　and　dumb　show；　and　learned；　among　other　things；　that　he　had　descended　in　a　little　clearing　surrounded　by　woods；　and　bounded　by　tidal　creeks；　which　were　infested　with　alligators。　　Yet；　in　the　end；　the　waterways　befriended　him；　for；　as　he　was　being　ferried　across；　he　chanced　on　his　balloon　sailing　down　on　the　tide；　recovered　it；　and　used　the　tidal　waters　for　the　return　journey。
  The　greeting　upon　his　arrival　in　Calcutta　was　enthusiastic　beyond　description　from　both　Europeans　and　natives。　　The　hero　of　the　adventure　was　visited　by　rajahs　and　notables；　who　vied　with　each　other　in　expressions　of　welcome；　in　making　presents；　even　inviting　him　to　visit　the　sacred　precincts　of　their　zenanas。　　The　promised　parachute　descent　was　subsequently　successfully　made　at　Cossipore；　and　then　followed　a　busy；　brilliant　season；　after　which　the　wanderer　returned　to　England。　　By　September　he　is　in　Dublin；　and　makes　the　first　parachute　descent　ever　witnessed　in　Ireland；　but　by　November　he　is　in　Bombay　again；　whence；　proceeding　to　Calcutta；　he　repeats　his　success　of　the　year　before。　　Next　he　visits　Allahabad；　where　the　same　fortune　attends　him；　though　his　balloon　flies　away　in　a　temporary　escape　into　the　Jumna。　　By　May　he　is　ascending　at　Singapore；　armed　here；　however；　with　a　cork　jacket。
  Hence；　flushed　with　success；　he　repairs　to　the　Dutch　Indies；　and　demonstrates　to　the　Dutch　officers　the　use　of　the　balloon　in　war。　　As　a　natural　consequence；　he　is　moved　up　to　the　seat　of　the　Achinese　War　in　Sumatra；　where；　his　balloon　being　moored　to　the　rear　of　an　armoured　train；　an　immediate　move　is　made　to　the　front；　and　orders　are　forthwith　telephoned　from　various　centres　to　open　fire　on　the　enemy。　　Mr。　Spencer；　the　while　accompanied　by　an　officer；　makes　a　captive　ascent；　in　which　for　some　time　he　is　actually　under　the　enemy's　fire。　　The　result　of　this　plucky　experiment　is　a　most　flattering　official　report。　　In　all　the　above…mentioned　ascents　he　made　his　own　gas　without　a　hitch。
  Thence　he　travels　on　with　the　same　trusty　little　12；000　cubic　feet　balloon；　the　same　programme；　and　the　same　success。　　This　is　slightly　varied；　however；　at　Kobe；　Japan；　where　his　impatient　craft　fairly　breaks　away　with　him；　and；　soaring　high；　flies　overhead　of　a　man…of…war；　and　plumps　into　the　water　a　mile　out　at　sea。　　But　〃Smartly〃　was　the　word。　　The　ship's　crew　was　beat　to　quarters；　and　within　one　minute　a　boat　was　to　the　rescue。　　An　ascent　at　Cairo；　where　he　made　a　parachute　descent　in　sight　of　the　Pyramids　and　landed　in　the　desert；　completed　this　oriental　tour；　and　home　duties　necessitated　his　return　to　England。　　Among　exploits　far　too　many　to　enumerate　may　be　mentioned　four　several　occasions　when　Mr。　Percival　Spencer　has　crossed　the　English　Channel。
  It　fell　to　the　lot　of　the　second　son；　Arthur；　to　carry　fame　into　fresh　fields。　　In　the　year　1897　he　visited　Australia；　taking　with　him　two　balloons；　one　of　these　being　a　noble　craft　of　80；000　cubic　feet；　considerably　larger　than　any　balloon　used　in　England；　and　the　singular　fate　of　this　aerial　monster　is　deserving　of　mention。
  Its　trial　trip　in　the　new　country　was　arranged　to　take　place　on　Boxing　Day　in　the　Melbourne　Exhibition　ground；　and　for　the　lengthy　and　critical　work　of　inflation　the　able　assistance　of　British　bluejackets　　was　secured。　　To　all　appearance；　the　main　difficulties　to　be　provided　against　were　likely　to　arise　simply　from　a　somewhat　inadequate　supply　of　gas；　and　on　this　account　filling　commenced　as　early　as　10　a。m。　on　the　morning　of　the　day　previous　to　the　exhibition；　and　was　continued　till　6　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　by　which　time　the　balloon；　being　about　half　full；　was　staved　down　with　sandbags　through　the　night　till　4　o'clock　the　next　morning；　when　the　inflation　was　again　proceeded　with　without　hindrance　and　apparently　under　favourable　conditions。　　The　morning　was　beautifully　fine；　warm；　brilliant；　and　still；　and　so　remained　until　half…past　six；　when；　with　startling　rapidity；　there　blew　up　a　sudden　squall　known　in　the　country　as　a　〃Hot　Buster；〃　and　in　two　or　three　minutes'　space　a　terrific　wind　storm　was　sweeping　the　ground。　　A　dozen　men；　aiding　a　dead　weight　of　220　sandbags；　endeavoured　to　control　the　plunging　balloon；　but　wholly　without　avail。　　Men　and　bags　together　were　lifted　clean　up　in　the　air　on　the　windward　side；　and　the　silk　envelope；　not　yet　completely　filled；　at　once　escaped　from　the　net　and；　flying　upwards　to　a　height　estimated　at　10；000　feet；　came　to　earth　again　ninety　miles　away　in　a　score　of　fragments。　　Nothing　daunted；　however；　Mr。　Spencer　at　once　endeavoured　to　retrieve　his　fortunes；　and　started　straightway　for　the　gold…mining　districts　of　Ballarat　and　Bendigo　with　a　hot…air　balloon；　with　which　he　successfully　gave　a　series　of　popular　exhibitions　of　parachute　descents。　　Few　aeronauts　are　more　consistently　reliable　than　Mr。　Arthur　Spencer。　　A　few　summers　ago　in　this　country　he　was　suddenly　called　upon　to　give　proof　of　his　prowess　and　presence　of　mind　in　a　very　remarkable　manner。　　It　was　at　an　engagement　at　Reading；　where　he　had　been　conducting　captive　ascents　throughout　the　afternoon；　and　was　requested　to　conclude　the　evening　with　a　〃right　away；〃　in　which　two　passengers　had　agreed　to　accompany　him。　　The　balloon　had　been　hauled　down　for　the　last　time；　when；　by　some　mistake；　the　engine　used　for　the　purpose　proceeded　to　work　its　pump　without　previously　disconnecting　the　hauling　gear。　　The　consequence　of　this　was　that　the　cable　instantly　snapped；　and　in　a　moment　the　large　balloon；　devoid　of　ballast；　grapnel；　or　other　appliances；　and　with　neck　still　tied；　was　free；　and　started　skyward。
  The　inevitable　result　of　this　accident　must　have　been　that　the　balloon　in　a　few　seconds　would　rise　to　a　height　where　the　expansion　of　the　imprisoned　gas　would　burst　and　destroy　it。　　Mr。　Spencer；　however；　was　standing　near；　and；　grasping　the　situation　in　a　moment；　caught　at　the　car　as　it　swung　upwards；　and；　getting　hold；　succeeded　in　drawing　himself　up　and　so　climbing　into　the　ring。　Quickly　as　this　was　done；　the　balloon　was　already　distended　to　the　point　of　bursting；　and　only　the　promptest　release　of　gas　averted　catastrophe。
  Mr。　Stanley　Spencer　made　himself　early　known　to　the　world　by　a　series　of　parachute　descents；　performed　from　the　roof　of　Olympia。　　It　was　a　bold