<« 



Three voyages 

 in England. 



Th« firft with 

 Capt. Sowden. 



Afcended two 

 miles. 



Dangerous land- 

 ing. 



Singular narra- 

 tive of Captain 

 Sowden. 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



intrepidity and fkill * enabled him to defcend through the af-# 

 mofphere by means of a Parachute ; and thofe who extend 

 their refearches to the new relations and confequences of un- 

 common experiments, will probably confider thefe daring at- 

 tempts as the cmbryon efforts towards the art of flying ; which 

 fo many eminent men have thought within the reach of human 

 power. He has not, however, yet, in the uncertain climate 

 of our ifland, been able to gratify us with the fight of his de- 

 fcent in this manner. Three aerial voyages, perfectly refem- 

 bling thofe of his predeceflbrs, have conftituted the whole of 

 what lie has yet been enabled to perform. 



On the 2Sth of June he made his firit afcent from Ranelagh 

 Gardens. After the promife of a fine day by the indications 

 of the morning, the weather changed, and at five o'clock, when 

 the whole was in readinefs, there was a flrong wind from the 

 fouth weft, with occafional ihovvers. At this hour Mr. 

 Garnerin and Capt. Sowden afcended, and proceeded over 

 St. James's Park, the Thames, and the bridges of Weftmin- 

 fter and Blackfriars. After proceeding over the metropolis 

 they threw out a quantity of ballaft, and afcended to an eleva- 

 tion which Mr. Garnerin eftimates at upwards of 10,000 feet 

 above the furface of the earth, or nearly two miles perpendi- 

 cular. At the expiration of about half an hour the valve was 

 opened, and the balloon defcended through dark clouds which 

 had intercepted their view of the earth, upon light of whic h 

 they found themfelves fpeedily advancing towards the fea. 

 On account of the tempeftuous weather their landing was very 

 dangerous and unpleafant. The wind dragged them over 

 fields and hedges, which tore their hands and cloaths, and 

 when their anchor had engaged itfelf at laflin a thicket near 

 a houfe, the inhabitants were fo far from affifling them, that 

 they even appeared difpofed to fire upon them. For want of 

 this neceflary help their cable broke, and they were dragged 

 forward till the balloon was fufiiciently lacerated to begin to 

 collapfe, and fuffered them to jump out. 



Capt. Sowden published an account of this excursion, in 

 which he relates fome lingular obfervations, confiderably dif- 

 fering from thofe of former aeronauts. He affirms, that his 

 fight in looking down was fo ftrong, that he could ealily diftin- 



* Philof. Journal 4to. I. 523, 



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