A VOYAGE IN A BALLOON (1852) by Jules Verne REDACTOR'S NOTE From _Sartain's Union Magazine of Literature and Art_ (Philadelphia:1849-1852): May 1852: VOL. X. No. 5: p. 389-395. John Sartain (1808-1897) was an English artist and engraver skilledin the art of mezzotint who emigrated to the United States; in 1848he purchased a one-half interest in the "Union Magazine", a New Yorkperiodical, which he transferred to Philadelphia. The name was changedto "Sartain's Union Magazine", and during the four years of itsexistence the journal became widely known, publishing works of Poe andother literati. The article here is a translation of "La science enfamille / Un voyage en ballon. / (Réponse à l'énigme de juillet. )", In:_Musée des Familles. Lectures du soir_, Paris, seconde série. Vol. 8, no. 11 (August 1851), pp. 329-336 (5 illustrations by A. De Bar, twochapters). This is a different version from the one published by Hetzel;"Un drame dans les airs", in: _Le Docteur Ox_, 19 October 1874, (ed. C &D) (6 illustrations by Emile Bayard, only one chapter!). In this early work we see the ingredients of Verne's later _VoyagesExtraordinaires_; characters brought or thrown together on a journey toafar; introduction of new characters part way through the story; carefulscientific explanation of critical events (the ascension, fillingthe balloon, rising and falling, ballast); use of dialogue to conveyscientific information (the history of ballooning); use of scientificinstruments (barometer, compass); chapter heads to presage thestory; escapes from perilous events caused by scientific or naturalcatastrophes. One may also wonder why Hetzel removed the description of the inflationof the balloon with hydrogen gas. In fact hydrogen is barely mentionedin the revised story. Could it be that while Hetzel approved of Verne'sscientific descriptions of impossible undertakings, when it came to realexploits such as ballooning he did not want his juvenile readersexperimenting with the "hogsheads of sulphuric acid and nails" toproduce explosive hydrogen? In fact in the Hetzel version the liftinggas hydrogen is replaced with "illuminating gas", an inferior, thoughlighter than air material, but one which his readers would finddifficult to use for deadly experimentation. It may also be that Verne had little to do with this volume; Hetzel mayhave edited the collection so that it would count as one of the requiredvolumes Verne was to produce annually. The correspondence archives mayshed some light. Ms. Wilbur also translated other articles on ballooning from the French. It is also interesting that she retained in her translation the originalunits which Verne used (metre, feet, leagues), a practice forgottenuntil recently. This may be the first appearance of a work by JulesVerne in the English language. Norman M. WolcottRockville, Maryland A VOYAGE IN A BALLOON by JULES VERNE Translated from the French by Anne T. Wilbur 1852 I. My Ascension at Frankfort--The Balloon, the Gas, the Apparatus, theBallast--An Unexpected Travelling Companion--Conversation in theAir--Anecdotes--At 800 Metres[A]--The Portfolio of the Pale YoungMan--Pictures and Caricatures--Des Rosiers and d'Arlandes--At 1200Metres--Atmospheric Phenomena--The PhilosopherCharles--Systems--Blanchard--Guyton-Morveaux--M. Julien--M. Petin--At1500 Metres--The Storm--Great Personages in Balloons--The Valve--TheCurious Animals--The Aerial Ship--Game of Balloons. [Footnote A: A metre is equal to 39. 33 English inches. ] In the month of September, 1850, I arrived at Frankfort-on-the-Maine. Mypassage through the principal cities of Germany, had been brilliantlymarked by aerostatic ascensions; but, up to this day, no inhabitant ofthe Confederation had accompanied me, and the successful experiments atParis of Messrs. Green, Godard, and Poitevin, had failed to induce thegrave Germans to attempt aerial voyages. Meanwhile, hardly had the news of my approaching ascension circulatedthroughout Frankfort, than three persons of note asked the favour ofaccompanying me. Two days after, we were to ascend from the Place de laComédie. I immediately occupied myself with the preparations. Myballoon, of gigantic proportions, was of silk, coated with gutta percha, a substance not liable to injury from acids or gas, and of absoluteimpermeability. Some trifling rents were mended: the inevitable resultsof perilous descents. The day of our ascension was that of the great fair of September, whichattracts all the world to Frankfort. The apparatus for filling wascomposed of six hogsheads arranged around a large vat, hermeticallysealed. The hydrogen gas, evolved by the contact of water with iron andsulphuric acid, passed from the first reservoirs to the second, andthence into the immense globe, which was thus gradually inflated. Thesepreparations occupied all the morning, and about 11 o'clock, the balloonwas three-quarters full; sufficiently so;--for as we rise, theatmospheric layers diminish in density, and the gas, confined within theaerostat, acquiring more elasticity, might otherwise burst its envelope. My calculations had furnished me with the exact measurement of gasrequired to carry my companions and myself to a considerable height. We were to ascend at noon. It was truly a magnificent spectacle, that ofthe impatient crowd who thronged around the reserved enclosure, inundated the entire square and adjoining streets, and covered theneighbouring houses from the basements to the slated roofs. The highwinds of past days had lulled, and an overpowering heat was radiatingfrom an unclouded sky; not a breath animated the atmosphere. In suchweather, one might descend in the very spot he had left. I carried three hundred pounds of ballast, in bags; the car, perfectlyround, four feet in diameter, and three feet in height, was convenientlyattached; the cord which sustained it was symmetrically extended fromthe upper hemisphere of the aerostat; the compass was in its place, thebarometer suspended to the iron hoop which surrounded the supportingcord, at a distance of eight feet above the car; the anchor carefullyprepared;--all was in readiness for our departure. Among the persons who crowded around the enclosure, I remarked a youngman with pale face and agitated features. I was struck with hisappearance. He had been an assiduous spectator of my ascensions inseveral cities of Germany. His uneasy air and his extraordinarypre-occupation never left him; he eagerly contemplated the curiousmachine, which rested motionless at a few feet from the ground, andremained silent. The clock struck twelve! This was the hour. My _compagnons du voyage_had not appeared. I sent to the dwelling of each, and learned that onehad started for Hamburg, another for Vienna and the third, still morefearful, for London. Their hearts had failed them at the moment ofundertaking one of those excursions, which, since the ingeniousexperiments of aeronauts, are deprived of all danger. As they made, asit were a part of the programme of the fête, they had feared beingcompelled to fulfil their agreements, and had fled at the moment ofascension. Their courage had been in inverse ratio to the square oftheir swiftness in retreat. The crowd, thus partly disappointed, were shouting with anger andimpatience. I did not hesitate to ascend alone. To re-establish theequilibrium between the specific gravity of the balloon and the weightto be raised, I substituted other bags of sand for my expectedcompanions and entered the car. The twelve men who were holding theaerostat by twelve cords fastened to the equatorial circle, let themslip between their fingers; the car rose a few feet above the ground. There was not a breath of wind, and the atmosphere, heavy as lead, seemed insurmountable. "All is ready!" exclaimed I; "attention!" The men arranged themselves; a last glance informed me that everythingwas right. "Attention!" There was some movement in the crowd which seemed to be invading thereserved enclosure. "Let go!" The balloon slowly ascended; but I experienced a shock which threw me tothe bottom of the car. When I rose, I found myself face to face with anunexpected voyager, --the pale young man. "Monsieur, I salute you!" said he to me. "By what right?"-- "Am I here? By the right of your inability to turn me out. " I was confounded. His assurance disconcerted me; and I had nothing tosay in reply. I looked at him, but he paid no regard to my astonishment. He continued: "My weight will disturb your equilibrium, Monsieur: will you permitme--" And without waiting for my assent, he lightened the balloon by two bagsof sand which he emptied into the air. "Monsieur, " said I, taking the only possible course, "you arehere, --well! you choose to remain, --well! but to me alone belongs themanagement of the aerostat. " "Monsieur, " replied he, "your urbanity is entirely French; it is of thesame country with myself! I press in imagination the hand which yourefuse me. Take your measures, --act as it may seem good to you; I willwait till you have ended--" "To--" "To converse with you. " The barometer had fallen to twenty-six inches; we had attained a heightof about six hundred metres, and were over the city; which satisfied meof our complete quiescence, for I could not judge by our motionlessflags. Nothing betrays the horizontal voyage of a balloon; it is themass of air surrounding it which moves. A kind of wavering heat bathedthe objects extended at our feet, and gave their outlines anindistinctness to be regretted. The needle of the compass indicated aslight tendency to float towards the south. I looked again at my companion. He was a man of thirty, simply clad; thebold outlines of his features betokened indomitable energy; he appearedvery muscular. Absorbed in the emotion of this silent suspension, heremained immovable, seeking to distinguish the objects which passedbeneath his view. "Vexatious mist!" said he, at the expiration of a few moments. I made no reply. "What would you? I could not pay for my voyage; I was obliged to takeyou by surprise. " "No one has asked you to descend!" "A similar occurrence, " he resumed, "happened to the Counts of Laurencinand Dampierre, when they ascended at Lyons, on the 15th of January, 1784. A young merchant, named Fontaine, scaled the railing, at the riskof upsetting the equipage. He accomplished the voyage, and nobody waskilled!" "Once on the earth, we will converse!" said I, piqued at the tone oflightness with which he spoke. "Bah! do not talk of returning!" "Do you think then that I shall delay my descent?" "Descent!" said he, with surprise. "Let us ascend!" And before I could prevent him, two bags of sand were thrown out, without even being emptied. "Monsieur!" said I, angrily. "I know your skill, " replied he, composedly; "your brilliant ascensionshave made some noise in the world. Experience is the sister of practice, but it is also first cousin to theory, and I have long and deeplystudied the aerostatic art. It has affected my brain, " added he, sadly, falling into a mute torpor. The balloon, after having risen, remained stationary; the unknownconsulted the barometer, and said: "Here we are at 800 metres! Men resemble insects! See, I think it isfrom this height that we should always look at them, to judge correctlyof their moral proportions! The Place de la Comédie is transformed to animmense ant-hill. Look at the crowd piled up on the quays. The Zeildiminishes. We are above the church of Dom. The Mein is now only a whiteline dividing the city, and this bridge, the Mein-Brucke, looks like awhite thread thrown between the two banks of the river. " The atmosphere grew cooler. "There is nothing I will not do for you, my host, " said my companion. "If you are cold, I will take off my clothes and lend them to you. " "Thanks!" "Necessity makes laws. Give me your hand, I am your countryman. Youshall be instructed by my company, and my conversation shall compensateyou for the annoyance I have caused you. " I seated myself, without replying, at the opposite extremity of the car. The young man had drawn from his great coat a voluminous portfolio; itwas a work on aerostation. "I possess, " said he, "a most curious collection of engraving, andcaricatures appertaining to our aerial mania. This precious discoveryhas been at once admired and ridiculed. Fortunately we have passed theperiod when the Mongolfiers sought to make factitious clouds with thevapour of water; and of the gas affecting electric properties, whichthey produced by the combustion of clamp straw with chopped wool. " "Would you detract from the merit of these inventions?" replied I. "Wasit not well done to have proved by experiment the possibility of risingin the air?" "Who denies the glory of the first aerial navigators? Immense couragewas necessary to ascend by means of those fragile envelopes whichcontained only warm air. Besides, has not aerostatic science made greatprogress since the ascensions of Blanchard? Look, Monsieur. " He took from his collection an engraving. "Here is the first aerial voyage undertaken by Pilatre des Rosiers andthe Marquis d'Arlandes, four months after the discovery of balloons. Louis XVI. Refused his consent to this voyage; two condemned criminalswere to have first attempted aerial travelling. Pilatre des Rosiers wasindignant at this injustice and, by means of artifice, succeeded insetting out. This car, which renders the management of the balloon easy, had not then been invented; a circular gallery surrounded the lower partof the aerostat. The two aeronauts stationed themselves at theextremities of this gallery. The damp straw with which it was filledencumbered their movements. A chafing-dish was suspended beneath theorifice of the balloon; when the voyagers wished to ascend, they threw, with a long fork, straw upon this brazier, at the risk of burning themachine, and the air, growing warmer, gave to the balloon a newascensional force. The two bold navigators ascended, on the 21st ofNovember, 1783, from the gardens of La Muette, which the Dauphin hadplaced at their disposal. The aerostat rose majestically, passed theIsle des Cygnes, crossed the Seine at the Barrière de la Conference, and, directing its way between the dome of the Invalides and L'EcoleMilitaire, approached St. Sulpice; then the aeronauts increased thefire, ascended, cleared the Boulevard, and descended beyond the Barrièred'Enfer. As it touched the ground, the collapsed, and buried Pilatre desRosiers beneath its folds. " "Unfortunate presage!" said I, interested in these details, which sonearly concerned me. "Presage of his catastrophe, " replied the unknown, with sadness. "Youhave experienced nothing similar?" "Nothing!" "Bah! misfortunes often arrive without presage. " And he remained silent. We were advancing towards the south; the magnetic needle pointed in thedirection of Frankfort, which was flying beneath our feet. "Perhaps we shall have a storm, " said the young man. "We will descend first. " "Indeed! it will be better to ascend; we shall escape more surely;" andtwo bags of sand were thrown overboard. The balloon rose rapidly, and stopped at twelve hundred metres. The coldwas now intense, and there was a slight buzzing in my ears. Nevertheless, the rays of the sun fell hotly on the globe, and, dilatingthe gas it contained, gave it a greater ascensional force. I wasstupified. "Fear nothing, " said the young man to me. "We have three thousand five hundred toises of respirable air. You neednot trouble yourself about my proceedings. " I would have risen, but a vigorous hand detained me on my seat. "Your name?" asked I. "My name! how does it concern you?" "I have the honour to ask your name. " "I am called Erostratus or Empedocles, --as you please. Are youinterested in the progress of aerostatic science?" He spoke with icy coldness, and I asked myself with whom I had to do. "Monsieur, " continued he, "nothing new has been invented since the daysof the philosopher Charles. Four months after the discovery ofaerostats, he had invented the valve, which permits the gas to escapewhen the balloon is too full, or when one wishes to descend; the car, which allows the machine to be easily managed; the network, whichencloses the fabric of the balloon, and prevents its being too heavilypressed; the ballast, which is used in ascending and choosing the spotof descent; the coat of caoutchouc, which renders the silk impermeable;the barometer, which determines the height attained; and, finally, thehydrogen, which, fourteen times lighter than air, allows of ascension tothe most distant atmospheric layers, and prevents exposure to aerialcombustion. On the 1st of December, 1783, three hundred thousandspectators thronged the Tuileries. Charles ascended, and the soldierspresented arms. He travelled nine leagues in the air: managing hismachine with a skill never since surpassed in aeronautic experiments. The King conferred on him a pension of two thousand livres, for in thosedays inventions were encouraged. In a few days, the subscription listwas filled; for every one was interested in the progress of science. " The unknown was seized with a violent agitation. "I, Monsieur, have studied; I am satisfied that the first aeronautsguided their balloons. Not to speak of Blanchard, whose assertions mightbe doubted, at Dijon, Guyton-Morveaux, by the aid of oars and a helm, imparted to his machines perceptible motions, a decided direction. Morerecently, at Paris, a watchmaker, M. Julien, has made at the Hippodromeconvincing experiments; for, with the aid of a particular mechanism, anaerial apparatus of oblong form was manifestly propelled against thewind. M. Petin placed four balloons, filled with hydrogen, injuxtaposition, and, by means of sails disposed horizontally andpartially furled, hoped to obtain a disturbance of the equilibrium, which, inclining the apparatus, should compel it to an oblique path. Butthe motive power destined to surmount the resistance of currents, --thehelice, moving in a movable medium, was unsuccessful. I have discoveredthe only method of guiding balloons, and not an Academy has come to myassistance, not a city has filled my subscription lists, not agovernment has deigned to listen to me! It is infamous!" His gesticulations were so furious that the car experienced violentoscillations; I had much difficulty in restraining him. Meanwhile, theballoon had encountered a more rapid current. We were advancing in asoutherly direction, at 1200 metres in height, almost accustomed to thisnew temperature. "There is Darmstadt, " said my companion. "Do you perceive itsmagnificent chateau? The storm-cloud below makes the outlines of objectswaver; and it requires a practised eye to recognise localities. " "You are certain that it is Darmstadt?" "Undoubtedly; we are six leagues from Frankfort. " "Then we must descend. " "Descend! you would not alight upon the steeples!" said the unknown, mockingly. "No; but in the environs of the city. " "Well, it is too warm; let us remount a little. " As he spoke thus, he seized some bags of ballast. I precipitated myselfupon him; but, with one hand, he overthrew me, and the lightened balloonrose to a height of 1500 metres. "Sit down, " said he, "and do not forget that Brioschi, Biot, andGay-Lussac, ascended to a height of seven thousand metres, in order toestablish some new scientific laws. " "We must descend;" resumed I, with an attempt at gentleness. "The stormis gathering beneath our feet and around us; it would not be prudent. " "We will ascend above it, and shall have nothing to fear from it. Whatmore beautiful than to reign in heaven, and look down upon the cloudswhich hover upon the earth! Is it not an honour to navigate these aerialwaves? The greatest personages have travelled like ourselves. TheMarquise and Comtesse de Montalembert, the Comtesse de Potteries, Mlle. La Garde, the Marquis of Montalembert, set out from the Faubourg St. Antoine for these unknown regions. The Duc de Chartres displayed muchaddress and presence of mind in his ascension of the 15th of July, 1784;at Lyons, the Comtes de Laurencin and de Dampierre; at Nantes, M. DeLuynes; at Bordeaux, D'Arbelet des Granges; in Italy, the ChevalierAndreani; in our days, the Duke of Brunswick; have left in the air thetrack of their glory. In order to equal these great personages, we mustascend into the celestial regions higher than they. To approach theinfinite is to comprehend it. " The rarefaction of the air considerably dilated the hydrogen, and I sawthe lower part of the aerostat, designedly left empty, become by degreesinflated, rendering the opening of the valve indispensable; but myfearful companion seemed determined not to allow me to direct ourmovements. I resolved to pull secretly the cord attached to the valve, while he was talking with animation. I feared to guess with whom I hadto do; it would have been too horrible! It was about three-quarters ofan hour since we had left Frankfort, and from the south thick cloudswere arising and threatening to engulf us. "Have you lost all hope of making your plans succeed?" said I, withgreat apparent interest. "All hope!" replied the unknown, despairingly. "Wounded by refusals, caricatures, those blows with the foot of an ass, have finished me. Itis the eternal punishment reserved for innovators. See these caricaturesof every age with which my portfolio is filled. " I had secured the cord of the valve, and stooping over his works, concealed my movements from him. It was to be feared, nevertheless, thathe would notice that rushing sound, like a waterfall, which the gasproduces in escaping. "How many jests at the expense of the Abbé Miolan! He was about toascend with Janninet and Bredin. During the operation, their balloontook fire, and an ignorant populace tore it to pieces. Then thecaricature of _The Curious Animals_ called them _Maulant, Jean Mind, andGredin_. " The barometer had began to rise; it was time! A distant muttering ofthunder was heard towards the south. "See this other engraving, " continued he, without seeming to suspect mymanoeuvres. "It is an immense balloon, containing a ship, large castles, houses, &c. The caricaturists little thought that their absurditieswould one day become verities. It is a large vessel; at the left is thehelm with the pilot's box; at the prow, _maisons de plaisance_, agigantic organ, and cannon to call the attention of the inhabitants ofearth or of the moon; above the stern the observatory and pilot-balloon;at the equatorial circle, the barracks of the army; on the left thelantern; then upper galleries for promenades, the sails, the wings;beneath, the cafés and general store-houses of provisions. Admire thismagnificent announcement. 'Invented for the good of the human race, this globe will depart immediately for the seaports in the Levant, andon its return will announce its voyages for the two poles and theextremities of the Occident. Every provision is made; there will be anexact rate of fare for each place of destination; but the prices fordistant voyages will be the same, 1000 louis. And it must be confessedthat this is a moderate sum, considering the celerity, convenience, andpleasure of this mode of travelling above all others. While in thisballoon, every one can divert himself as he pleases, dancing, playing, or conversing with people of talent. Pleasure will be the soul of theaerial society. ' All these inventions excited laughter. But before long, if my days were not numbered, these projects should become realities. " We were visibly descending; he did not perceive it! "See this game of balloons; it contains the whole history of theaerostatic art. This game, for the use of educated minds, is played likethat of the Jew; with dice and counters of any value agreed upon, whichare to be paid or received, according to the condition in which onearrives. " "But, " I resumed, "you seem to have valuable documents on aerostation?" "I am less learned than the Almighty! That is all! I possess all theknowledge possible in this world. From Phaeton, Icarus, and Architas. Ihave searched all, comprehended all! Through me, the aerostatic artwould render immense services to the world, if God should spare my life!But that cannot be. " "Why not?" "Because my name is Empedocles or Erostratus!" II. The Company of Aerostiers--The Battle of Fleurus--The Balloon over theSea--Blanchard and Jefferies--A Drama such as is rarely seen--3000Metres--The Thunder beneath our Feet--Gavnerin at Rome--The Compassgone--The Victims of Aerostation--Pilatre--At 4000 Metres--The Barometergone--Descents of Olivari, Mosment, Bittorf, Harris, Sadler, and MadameBlanchard--The Valve rendered useless--7000 Metres--Zambecarri--TheBallon (sic) Wrecked--Incalculable Heights--The CarOverset--Despair--Vertigo--The Fall--The Dénouement. I shuddered! Fortunately the balloon was approaching the earth. But thedanger is the same at 50 feet as at 5000 metres! The clouds wereadvancing. "Remember the battle of Fleurus, and you will comprehend the utility ofaerostats! Coulee, by order of the government, organized a company ofaerostiers. At the siege of Maubeuge, General Jourdan found this newmethod of observation so serviceable, that twice a day, accompanied bythe General himself, Coutelle ascended into the air; the correspondencebetween the aeronaut and the aerostiers who held the balloon, wascarried on by means of little white, red, and yellow flags. Cannons andcarbines were often aimed at the balloon at the moment of its ascension, but without effect. When Jourdan was preparing to invest Charleroi, Coutelle repaired to the neighbourhood of that place, rose from theplain of Jumet, and remained taking observations seven or eight hours, with General Morelot. The Austrians came to deliver the city, and abattle was fought on the heights of Fleurus. General Jourdan publiclyproclaimed the assistance he had received from aeronautic observations. Well! notwithstanding the services rendered on this occasion, and duringthe campaign with Belgium, the year which witnessed the commencement ofthe military career of balloons, also saw it terminate. And the schoolof Meuon, founded by government, was closed by Bonaparte, on his returnfrom Egypt. 'What are we to expect from the child which has just beenborn?' Franklin had said. But the child was born alive! It need nothave been strangled!" The unknown hid his forehead in his hands, reflected for a few moments, then, without raising his head, said to me: "Notwithstanding my orders, you have opened the upper valve!" I let go the cord. "Fortunately" continued he, "we have still two hundred pounds ofballast. " "What are your plans?" said I, with effort. "You have never crossed the sea?" I grew frightfully pale, terror froze my veins. "It is a pity, " said he, "that we are being wafted towards the Adriatic!That is only a streamlet. Higher! we shall find other currents!" And without looking at me, he lightened the balloon by several bags ofsand. "I allowed you to open the valve, because the dilatation of the gasthreatened to burst the balloon. But do not do it again. " I was stupified. "You know the voyage from Dover to Calais made by Blanchard andJefferies. It was rich in incident. On the 7th of January, 1785, in anortheast wind, their balloon was filled with gas on the Dover side;scarcely had they risen, when an error in equilibrium compelled them tothrew out their ballast, retaining only thirty pounds. The wind driftedthem slowly along towards the shores of France. The permeability of thetissue gradually suffered the gas to escape, and at the expiration of anhour and a half, the voyagers perceived that they were descending. 'What is to be done?' said Jefferies. --'We have passed over onlythree-fourths of the distance, ' replied Blanchard 'and at a slightelevation. By ascending we shall expose ourselves to contrary winds. Throw out the remainder of the ballast. ' The balloon regained itsascensional force, but soon re-descended. About midway of the voyage, the aeronauts threw out their books and tools. A quarter of an hourafterwards, Blanchard said to Jefferies: 'The barometer?'--'It isrising! We are lost; and yet there are the shores of France!' A greatnoise was heard. 'Is the balloon rent?' asked Jefferies. --'No! theescape of the gas has collapsed the lower part of the balloon'--'But weare still descending. We are lost! Everything not indispensable must bethrown overboard!' Their provisions, oars and helm were thrown out intothe sea. They were now only 100 metres in height. 'We are remounting, 'said the Doctor. --' No, it is the jerk caused by the diminution ofweight. There is not a ship in sight! Not a bark on the horizon! To thesea with our garments!' And the unfortunate men stripped, but theballoon continued to descend. 'Blanchard, ' said Jefferies, 'you wereto have made this voyage alone; you consented to take me; I willsacrifice myself to you! I will throw myself into the water, and theballoon, relieved, will re-ascend!'--' No, no, it is frightful. ' Theballoon collapsed more and more, and its concavity forming a parachute, forced the gas against its sides and accelerated its motion. 'Adieu, myfriend, ' said the Doctor. 'May God preserve you!' He was about to havetaken the leap, when Blanchard detained him. 'One resource remains tous! We can cut the cords by which the car is attached, and cling to thenetwork? perhaps the balloon will rise. Ready! But the barometer falls!We remount! The wind freshens! We are saved!' The voyagers perceivedCalais! Their joy became delirium; a few moments later, they descendedin the forest of Guines. I doubt not, " continued the unknown, "that insimilar circumstances you would follow the example of Doctor Jefferies. " The clouds were unrolling beneath our feet in glittering cascades; theballoon cast a deep shadow on this pile of clouds, and was surrounded bythem as with an aureola! The thunder growled beneath our feet! All thiswas frightful! "Let us descend!" exclaimed I. "Descend, when the sun is awaiting us yonder! Down with the bags!" Andhe lightened the balloon of more than fifty pounds. At 3000 metres weremained stationary. The unknown talked incessantly, but I scarcelyheard him; I was completely prostrated, while he seemed in his element. "With a good wind, we shall go far, but we must especially go high!" "We are lost!" "In the Antilles there are currents of air which travel a hundred leaguesan hour! On the occasion of Napoleon's coronation, Gavnerin let off aballoon illuminated with coloured lamps, at eleven o'clock in theevening! The wind blew from the N. N. E. ; the next morning at daybreak theinhabitants of Rome saluted its passage above the dome of St. Peter's. We will go farther. " I scarcely heard him; everything was buzzing around me! There was anopening in the clouds! "See that city, my host;" said the unknown. "It is Spire. Nothing else!" I dared not lean over the railing of the car. Nevertheless I perceived alittle black spot. This was Spire. The broad Rhine looked like a riband, the great roads like threads. Above our heads the sky was of a deepazure; I was benumbed with the cold. The birds had long since forsakenus; in this rarefied sir their flight would have been impossible. Wewere alone in space, and I in the presence of a strange man! "It is useless for you to know whither I am taking you, " said he, and hethrew the compass into the clouds. "A fall is a fine thing. You knowthat there have been a few victims from Pilatre des Rosiers down toLieutenant Gale, and these misfortunes have always been caused byimprudence. Pilatre des Rosiers ascended in company with Remain, atBoulogne, on the 13th of June, 1785. To his balloon, inflated with gas, he had suspended a _mongolfier_ filled with warm air, undoubtedly tosave the trouble of letting off gas, or throwing out ballast. It waslike putting a chafing-dish beneath a powder-cask. The imprudent menrose to a height of four hundred metres, and encountered opposing winds, which drove them over the ocean. In order to descend, Pilatre attemptedto open the valve of the aerostat; but the cord of this valve caught inthe balloon, and tore it so that it was emptied in an instant. It fellon the mongolfier, overturned it, and the imprudent men were dashed topieces in a few seconds. It is _frightful, is_ it not?" said theunknown, shaking me from my torpor. I could reply only by these words: "In pity, let us descend! The clouds are gathering around us in everydirection, and frightful detonations reverberating from the cavity ofthe aerostat are multiplying around us. " "You make me impatient!" said he. "You shall no longer know whether weare ascending or descending. " And the barometer went after the compass, along with some bags of sand. We must have been at a height of four thousand metres. Some icicles wereattached to the sides of the car, and a sort of fine snow penetrated tomy bones. Meanwhile a terrific storm was bursting beneath our feet. Wewere above it. "Do not fear, " said my strange companion; "it is only imprudence thatmakes victims. Olivari, who perished at Orleans, ascended in amongolfier made of paper; his car, suspended below the chafing-dish, andballasted with combustible materials, became a prey to the flames!Olivari fell, and was killed. Mosment ascended at Lille, on a lightplatform; an oscillation made him lose his equilibrium. Mosment fell, and was killed. Bittorf, at Manheim, saw his paper balloon take fire inthe air! Bittorf fell, and was killed. Harris ascended in a balloonbadly constructed, the valve of which was too large to be closed again. Harris fell, and was killed. Sadler, deprived of ballast by his longstay in the air, was dragged over the city of Boston, and thrown againstthe chimneys. Sadler fell, and was killed. Cocking descended with aconvex parachute which he pretended to have perfected. Cocking fell, andwas killed. Well, I love them, those noble victims of their courage! andI will die like them! Higher! higher!" All the phantoms of this necrology were passing before my eyes! Therarefaction of the air and the rays of tile sun increased the dilatationof the gas; the balloon continued to ascend! I mechanically attempted toopen the valve; but the unknown cut the cord a few feet above my head. Iwas lost! "Did you see Madame Blanchard fall?" said he to me. "I saw her, I--yes, I was at Tivoli on the 6th of July, 1819. Madame Blanchard ascended in aballoon of small size, to save the expense of filling; she was thereforeobliged to inflate it entirely, and the gas escaped by the lowerorifice, leaving on its route a train of hydrogen. She carried, suspended above her car, by an iron wire, a kind of firework, forming anaureola, which she was to kindle. She had often repeated thisexperiment. On this occasion she carried, besides, a little parachute, ballasted by a firework terminating in a ball with silver rain. Site wasto launch this apparatus, after having lighted it with a _lance à feu_, prepared for the purpose. She ascended. The night was dark. At themoment of lighting the firework, she was so imprudent as to let thelance pass beneath the column of hydrogen, which was escaping from theballoon. My eyes were fixed on her. Suddenly an unexpected flashilluminated the darkness. I thought it a surprise of the skilfulaeronaut. The flame increased, suddenly disappeared, and re-appeared atthe top of the aerostat under the form of an immense jet of burning gas. This sinister light projected over the Boulevard, and over the quarterMontmartre. Then I saw the unfortunate woman rise, twice attempt tocompress the orifice of the balloon, to extinguish the fire, then seatherself in the car and seek to direct its descent; for she did not fall. The combustion of the gas lasted several minutes. The balloon, diminishing by degrees, continued to descend, but this was not a fall!The wind blew from the northeast, and drove her over Paris. There were, at that time, in the neighbourhood of the house No. 16 Rue de Provence, immense gardens. The aeronaut might have fallen there without danger. But unhappily the balloon and the car alighted on the roof of the house. The shock was slight. 'Help!' cried the unfortunate woman. I arrived inthe street at that moment. The car slid along the roof, and encounteredan iron hook. At this shock, Madame Blanchard was thrown out of the car, and precipitated on the pavement! She was killed!" These histories of fatal augury froze me with horror. The unknown wasstanding upright, with bare head, bristling hair, haggard eyes. Illusion was no longer possible. I saw at last the horrible truth. I hadto deal with a madman! He threw out half the ballast, and we must have been borne to a heightof 7000 metres! Blood spouted from my nose and mouth. "What a fine thing it is to be martyrs to science! They are canonized byposterity!" I heard no more. The unknown looked around him with horror, and knelt atmy ear. "On the 7th of October, 1804, the weather had began to clear up alittle; for several days preceding, the wind and rain had beenincessant. But the ascension announced by Zambecarri could not bepostponed! His idiot enemies already scoffed at him. To save himself andscience from public ridicule, it became necessary for him to ascend. Itwas at Bologna! No one aided him in filling his balloon; he rose atmidnight, accompanied by Andreoli and Grossetti. The balloon ascendedslowly; it had been rent by the wind, and the gas escaped. The threeintrepid voyagers could observe the state of the barometer only by theaid of a dark lantern. Zambecarri had not eaten during twenty-fourhours; Grossetti was also fasting. "'My friends, ' said Zambecarri, 'I am benumbed with the cold; I amexhausted; I must die;' and he fell senseless in the gallery. "It was the same with Grossetti. Andreoli alone remained awake. Afterlong efforts he succeeded in arousing Zambecarri from his stupor. "'What is there new? Where are we going? In which direction is the wind?What time is it?' "' It is two o'clock!' "' Where is the compass?' "'It has fallen out. ' "' Great God! the lamp is extinguished!' "' It could not burn longer in this rarefied air!' said Zambecarri. "The moon had not risen; the atmosphere was plunged in horribledarkness. "' I am cold, I am cold, Andreoli! What shall we do?' "The unfortunate men slowly descended through a layer of white clouds. "'Hush!' said Andreoli; 'do you hear--' "' What?' replied Zambecarri. "'A singular noise!' "'You are mistaken!' "'No!--Do you see those midnight travellers, listening to thatincomprehensible sound? Have they struck against a rower? Are they aboutto be precipitated on the roofs? Do you hear it? It is like the sound ofthe ocean!' "'Impossible!' "' It is the roaring of the waves!' "' That is true!--Light! light!' "After five fruitless attempts, Andreoli obtained it. It was threeo'clock. The sound of the waves was heard with violence; they almosttouched the surface of the sea. "' We are lost!' exclaimed Zambecarri, seizing a bag of ballast. "' Help!' cried Andreoli. "The car touched the water, and the waves covered them breast high. Tothe sea with instruments, garments, money! The aeronauts strippedentirely. The lightened balloon rose with frightful rapidity. Zambecarriwas seized with violent vomiting. Grossetti bled freely. The unhappy mencould not speak; their respiration was short. They were seized withcold, and in a moment covered with a coat of ice. The moon appeared tothem red as blood. After having traversed these high regions during halfan hour, the machine again fell into the sea. It was four o'clock in themorning: the bodies of the wretched aeronauts were half in the water, and the balloon, acting as a sail, dragged them about during severalhours. At daybreak, they found themselves opposite Pesaro, five milesfrom the shore; they were about to land, when a sudden flaw of winddrove them back to the open sea. They were lost! The affrighted barksfled at their approach. Fortunately, a more intelligent navigator hailedthem, took them on board; and they landed at Ferrara. That wasfrightful! Zambecarri was a brave man. Scarcely recovered from hissufferings, he recommenced his ascensions. In one of them, he struckagainst a tree; his lamp, filled with spirits of wine, was spilled overhis clothes, and they caught fire; he was covered with flame his machinewas beginning to kindle, when he descended, half burned. The 21stSeptember, 1812, he made another ascension at Bologna; his ballooncaught in a tree; his lamp set fire to it. Zambecarri fell, and waskilled! And in presence of these high facts, shall we still hesitate?No! The higher we go the more glorious will be our death" The balloon, entirely unballasted, we were borne to incredible heights. The aerostat vibrated in the atmosphere; the slightest sound re-echoedthrough the celestial vaults; the globe, the only object which struck mysight in immensity, seemed about to be annihilated, and above us theheights of heaven lost themselves in the profound darkness! I saw the unknown rise before me. "This is the hour!" said he to me. "We must die! We are rejected bymen! They despise its! let us crush them!" "Mercy!" exclaimed I. "Let us cut the cords! let this car be abandoned in space! Theattractive force will change its direction, and we shall land in thesun!" Despair gave me strength! I precipitated myself upon the madman, and afrightful struggle took place! But I was thrown down! and while he heldme beneath his knee, he cut the cords of the car! "One!" said he. "Mercy! O, God!" "Two! three!" One cord more, and the car was sustained only on one side. I made asuperhuman effort, rose, and violently repulsed this insensate. "Four!" said he. The car was overset. I instinctively clung to the cords which held it, and climbed up the outside. The unknown had disappeared in space! In a twinkling the balloon ascended to an immeasurable height! Ahorrible crash was heard. The dilated gas had burst its envelope! Iclosed my eyes. A few moments afterwards, a moist warmth reanimated me;I was in the midst of fiery clouds! The balloon was whirling withfearful rapidity! I felt myself swooning! Driven by the wind, Itravelled a hundred leagues an hour in my horizontal course; thelightnings flashed around me! Meanwhile my fall was not rapid. When I opened my eyes, I perceived thecountry. I was two miles from the sea, the hurricane urging me on withgreat force. I was lost, when a sudden shock made me let go; my handsopened, a cord slipped rapidly between my fingers, and I found myself onthe ground. It was the cord of the anchor, which, sweeping the surfaceof the ground, had caught in a crevice! I fainted, and my lightenedballoon, resuming its flight, was lost beyond the sea. When I recovered my senses, I was in the house of a peasant, atHarderwick, a little town of Gueldre, fifteen leagues from Amsterdam, onthe banks of the Zuyderzée. A miracle had saved me. But my voyage had been but a series ofimprudences against which I had been unable to defend myself. May this terrific recital, while it instructs those who read it, notdiscourage the explorers of the routes of air.