io6 A'irojlatlon. 



tended to be very learned on that fubject, that I fiiould find 

 the cold increafe, the higher I afcended ; inftead of which I 

 found the heat increafe to that degree, that I was obliged to 

 take both my great coat and jacket off. It is alfo the general 

 Opinion that looking down from fo (lupendous a height Fen- 

 ders a pcrfon fo giddy as not to be able to keep his ieat : on 

 the contrary, I found that I could look down with a vaft deal 

 of pleafure, and without experiencing that inconvenience ; 

 whereas looking round on the vaft expanfe that furrounded 

 us, rendered my eyes fo dim, that I was fometimes a few mi- 

 nutes before I could perfcclly recover my fight. I experi- 

 enced no difficulty of breathing, or inconvenience from the 

 motion of the balloon; for, though we moved with immenfe 

 velocity, we felt not the leaft wind or prciTure of air, it being 

 fo perfectly calm, that the flags in our hands, and thofe with 

 which the balloon was decorated, hung fupine, nor did they 

 itir. 



I obferved, that between every row of clouds, not only the 

 atmofphere, but the wind, varied feveral degrees ; for, on our 

 palling through the firft cloud after leaving London, the wind, 

 which had before been nearly fouth-weft, changed to fouth- 

 fouth-eaft, by which means we found ourfelves over St. Al- 

 ban's, in Hertfordfhire. On afcending ftill higher, the wind 

 became nearly weft, which drove us overEpping foreft, which 

 I diftinguifhe'd very plainly; it appeared like a goofeberry- 

 bufh. I then pointed out our courfe to M. Garnerin on the 

 map, and obferved to him that we fhould foon perceive the 

 fea, which in a ftiort time we faw very plainly. M. Garnerin 

 then told me we had not a moment to lofe, and muft defcend 

 with all poflible fpeed ; at the fame time pointing out a very 

 heavy cloud to me, nearly under us ; and laid — " II faut que 

 nous paffions a travers de ce drole la; accrochez-vous ferme, 

 car nous allons nous carter le col." I anfwered — " De tout 

 mon cceur." We then opened the valve, and we defcended 

 with rapidity. On rufhing into the cloud, I found, as he had 

 conjectured, it contained as violent a fquall of wind and rain 

 as ever I experienced. The attraction of the water, the force 

 of the wind, and the conftant emiffion of gas from the valve, 

 hurled us with fuch velocity towards the earth, that I expected 

 to fee his prediction verified ; though, I can affure you, my 

 ideas at that time did not coincide with the anfwer I made 

 him. 



M. Garnerin ftill retained all his coolncfs and prefence of 

 mind ; and, while we were defcending with that extreme 

 fwiftnefs, delired me, the moment I ihould find the car about 

 to touch the earth, to catch hold of the hoop which was faft- 



$ned 



