Aeroflation. 19J 



Gity previous experiment in this country, he mould have 

 yielded to the eameit folicitations of the brilliant and nume- 

 rous company with which he was honoured, and ihould have 

 deferred his afcent to a period lefs tempeftuous. 



M. Gamcrin, however, though he determined not to dif- 

 appoint the public expectation himfelf, felt it to be his duty 

 to prefs captain Sowden not, for the lake of curiofity, to ex- 

 pole himfelf to the perils attendant upon fuch a journey in 

 fuch weather. The captain, however, relifted all theie folicita- 

 tions, and relblved to- accompany him. From a quarter pad 

 four to five fome mowers of rain fell, which only allayed the 

 fury of the wind for a fhort time, for after they had ceafed it 

 blew with more violence than ever. 



At rive o'clock MetTrs. Garnerin and Sowden took their 

 feats, the cords were cut, and the balloon afcended. Each 

 held a flag of the nation to which he belonged, which he 

 waved to the company prefent. The balloon iirft made the 

 tour of the place where the fpeclators frood, and, after being 

 greeted with the loud plaudits and good wifiies of every per- 

 i'on, afcended majeftically and rapidly into the regions of the 

 air. The wind blew from the ibuth-weft. The balloon, 

 therefore, proceeded over St. James's park, the Thames, and 

 Wei'hninfter and Black friars bridges. 



M. Garnerin then found that the balloon began to de- 

 scend: he threw out fome ballad, and it role immediately 

 with great rapidity, and earned the travellers over the cathe- 

 dral of St. Paul's.' 



During all this time, the whole metropolis, was diitin&ly 

 feen by the aeronauts, whole balloon was equally vilible to 

 the inhabitants of the metropolis. When it was over St, 

 Paul's, M. Garnerin afked captain Sowden how he felt him- 

 felf? The captain replied, that he was perfectly enchanted 

 with his fituation, and with the fuperb expanfe of iky, and 

 with the earth, now faff leifenihg to the view, and foon to 

 be feen no more. The temperature of the atmofphere now 

 began to change verv feniibly, £id to be fifteen degrees colder 

 than when they began to afcend. It was extremely cold. 

 The balloon continued rapidly to afcend, was ■foon- above the 

 clouds, and the earth was vifible no more. When the tra>- 

 vellers were above the clouHs, the climate became fenfibly 

 milder: the inflammable air began to dilate,, and M. Gar- 

 nerin gave it all poffihle means of vent proper for their fafety. 



They now dined with good appetites, and very comforta- 

 bly, above the clouds, at ati elevation of upwards of jo,ooo 

 feet above the earth. Durmg the deflerf, if. Garnerin tokl 

 captain Sowden that the pleafauteft part ufoheir.jcorney was 



pa fled. 



