Related article: ment and alarm, the remainder of the rope uncoiled with frightful rapidity, and tbeing inadequately secured to the drum of the wind- lass, our " captive " became a " free agent " in less time than it has taken me to record the occur- rence. The curious part of the business was that instead of the balloon appearing to its unwilling voyageurs to mount higher it seemed to be quite stationary, whilst the earth sank lower and lower every second ! The feelings of the oc- cupants of the car can be better imagined than described. All three of Buy Vasodilan us were perfectly ignorant of aeronautics, and knew no more which was the valve line than the proper use of it. We were quite destitute of refreshments or water, and for my own part I was in too great a funk to venture to look over the side to try and discover what had become of Lieutenant Gale. Judge, then, our mental relief when his cap suddenly made its appearance in the open- ing of the car, arid we Welcomed his burly form once more ! It helped to restore confidence, if not courage, to all of us as our experienced pilot soon relieved all .anxiety as to our safety, but ex- plained that it would be far too dangerous to attempt to descend in the immediate neighbourhood of Paris. It was a lovely summer's evening, but soon became cold enough without an overcoat, or any stimulant to sustain the warmth and cravings of the in- ward man ; and I must confess to having strained my eyes to the utmost in the hope of discovering a favourable spot for approaching terrdfirmd at the earliest possible opportunity. The Seine was traceable like a silver thread, winding amongst the beautifully wooded districts through which it winds past St. Cloud, Sevres, Marly, Meudon and St. Germain, to Poissy ; and it was not until reaching the latter spot that the country became sufficiently open and suitable to attempt a descent. It was now getting dusk, more- over, and I cannot remember ever having been so hungry before or since, even whilst coursing on Beacon Hill, Stonehenge, White Horse Hill, or Kingston Warren, at the end of a fatiguing day's coursing. Poor Bob Clifton was in wonderful spirits all the journey, and, like myself, was of some little use to Lieutenant Gale in looking after the grapnel, whereas Prince Murat's enormous size necessitated perfect quiet on his part for fear of overbalancing the car. I remember clinging ** like Purchase Vasodilan grim death " to one of the ropes connected with the hoop above, and luckily I did so, owing to the sudden and perilous lurch the car gave on the Prince's side when the grapnel suddenly fastened in one of the low withy trees that marked the boundary of the meadow near the railway- station of Verneuil on the Paris and Rouen line in which we safely descended. The course of the balloon had been followed for some distance by a lot of peasants of both sexes, who, with the railway ofHcials, lent us every assistance to secure an easy descent, which was successfully accomplished. We were fortunate in reaching "mother earth " at no great distance from a little cahant where I was well known, from having Buy Vasodilan Online finished many a fishing excursion with a feast of exquisitely cooked gudgeon and other piscatorial spoils down the Seine from St. Germain. W. H. L. i 1899] 213 "Our Van.' Sport under National Hnnt Rules. — In the number of Baily of 1898 corresponding with this, I wrote as follows, speaking of the sport that had been witnessed from the end of the fiat racing of 1897 to mid-February, 1898: "Taken as a whole the racing has been flat, stale and unprofitable. The under- Buy Cheap Vasodilan current, the existence of which is made known by conversation, is not clean, and a general feeling prevails that things are in a bad way with racing under National Hunt rules. Every week sees some result that is an outrage upon common sense, but the National Hunt stewards do no- thing on their own initiative. . . . It is not the cases of foul riding, intentional and accidental, that are complained of, but the system of trying and not trying as it suits owner, trainer, or jockey, or who- ever it is that pulls the strings. The thing is seen every day, so to speak, and matters are about as bad as they can be.*' I have reproduced these words Order Vasodilan Online of a twelvemonth since, for they ex- press what I would say to-day, except it might be that I should use perhaps stronger terms did I write anything fresh. Things were bad enough a year ago, and during the present season they have become worse rather than better. The National Hunt Committee is continually being called upon to '* do something." The appeal is not Purchase Vasodilan Online unreasonable; but does it occur to anyone to examine the constitution of the body to which they appeal. It will be found that the committee consists of some forty gentlemen, all of them of high standing in the racing world, and of unimpeachable integrity. A body so numerically strong and consisting of men who either are or have been prominent owners, should be capable enough of administering the aflairs of steeple- chasing and bardie racicir : b*Jt the fact is that a very large majority of them take littie or absolutely no personal and prac- tical interest in racing under National Hunt rules. The out- sider would hardly credit the statement, but it is inc oniroveni'oie that of the forty odd men.bers of the committee it is not possible to name more than half a dozen « ho take sustained interest in m*ir.:er racing, for no one can cali the ruiming of a horse occasionally sustained interest. It is Order Vasodilan inr.pos- sible to read a hst of the names of those constituting the corr.mittee and not feel the greatest confi- dence in justice being done when- ever their decision is calied for : but It is equally obvious that the interests of a sport are Ijetter guarded by people intimately associated with it than by jt.tn out of touch, however morthy they may be individ^iy. I should betray gross ignorance of prevailing opinion if 1 was not aware that many flat T2krir.^ owners look askance at sport under National Hunt rules. If, as is very probable, any of these are to be found on the National Hunt Committee, it is only reavjn- able to ask them to do something to improve matters. For w},at other purpose is one elected a memlier if not to further the in- terests of the sport ? One writes in this strain because it is one s