midday
All their attempts were useless . The case of the balloon collapsed more and more . The gas escaped without any possibility of retaining it . Their descent was visibly accelerated , and soon after midday the car hung within 600 feet of the ocean . It was impossible to prevent the escape of gas , which rushed through a large rent in the silk . By lightening the car of all the articles which it contained , the passengers had been able to prolong their suspension in the air for a few hours . But the inevitable catastrophe could only be retarded , and if land did not appear before night , voyagers , car , and balloon must to a certainty vanish beneath the waves .