Balloon Ascensions 173 



On the 12th of Brumaire in the year VII (see the Moniteur, p. 

 173), Testu-Brissy, mounted on a horse, rose to a considerable 

 height. 



In a little book,' "dedicated to childhood", a curious engraving 

 represents him on horseback on a platform supported by a cylin- 

 drical balloon. After some details about the ascent of the 

 adventurous aeronaut, the author, who says she knew him, 

 declares that: 



The purpose of the scientist was attained; he discovered that at 

 a degree of elevation where he himself was not at all affected, the 

 blood of large quadrupeds, apparently less fluid than that of man, 

 was forced out of the arteries and ran out through the nose and ears. 

 Satisfied with this observation, he descended from the considerable 

 height to which he had risen, and gave account of his expedition to 

 the Institute with modest simplicity. (P. 95.) 

 One can hardly attach much importance to this tale. 



Two years after the ascent of Charles, Blanchard, an aeronaut 

 who died poor and obscure after enjoying prodigious popularity, 

 whose statement, it is true, cannot carry much weight, claimed to 

 have risen November 20, 1785, from Ghent, to a height of 32,000 

 feet (10,400 meters) : 



I rose with a rupture of equilibrium of 35 pounds .... In less 

 than two minutes, I was more than 4500 feet from the earth .... 

 The expansion of the inflammable air was such .... that I mounted 

 to an incredible height, which according to the record of my instru- 

 ment was 32,000 feet from the earth .... 



I sailed in the immensity of the air at the mercy of the winds, 

 experiencing a cold which no mortal ever felt in the severest climates. 

 Nature grew languid, I felt a numbness, prelude of a dangerous sleep, 

 when rising in spite of my lack of strength, I called upon my courage, 

 entered my balloon, and with the handle of my flag .... I broke 

 the lower pole in pieces. (P. 7.) 



The result of this maneuver was a rapid fall, which ended 

 happily after a series of curious incidents. 



Blanchard announced his ascent briefly in a letter, 5 addressed 

 to the Journal de Paris. It is evident that he mounted very high; 

 but his observation or his calculation was certainly wrong. 



The astronomer de Lalande, who also dabbled in aerostatics, 

 appeared quite doubtful. He wrote to" the publishers of this 

 curious extract to refute the assertions of the vain aeronaut: 



