the basket also.

The new air-ship worked well, and the experimental flights were
successful with one exception--when the balloon came in contact with a
tree.

It was in October, 1901 (the 19th), when the Deutsch Prize Committee was
asked to meet again and see a man try to drive a balloon against the
wind, round the Eiffel Tower, and return.

The start took place at 2:42 P.M. of October 19, 1901, with a beam wind
blowing. Straight as a bullet the air-ship sped for the steel shaft of
the tower, rising as she flew. On and on she sped, while the spectators,
remembering the finish of the last trial, watched almost breathlessly.
With the air of a cup-racer turning the stake-boat she rounded the steel
spire, a run of three and three-fifth miles, in nine minutes (at the
rate of more than twenty-two miles an hour), and started on the
home-stretch.

For a few moments all went well, then those who watched were horrified
to see the propeller slow down and nearly stop, while the wind carried
the air-ship toward the Tower. Just in time the motor was speeded up and
the course was resumed. As the group of men watched the speck grow
larger and larger until things began to take definite shape, the white
blur of the whirling propeller could be seen and the small figure in the
basket could be at last distinguished. Again the motor failed, the speed
slackened, and the ship began to sink. Santos-Dumont threw out enough
ballast to recover his equilibrium and adjusted the motor. With but
three minutes left and some distance to go, the great dirigible balloon
got up speed and rushed for the goal. At eleven and a half minutes past