S89 Atrostaiion. 



quantity of gas to escape. It issued from the balloon with 

 a loud noise. The tension of the balloon being consider- 

 ably lessened, we threw out more ballast, and ascended 

 till It was almost impossible for us to endure the great 

 cold which we experienced. Mv teeth chattered ; my pulse 

 beat with violence ; my veins swelled ; and the blood issued 

 from my nose. The state of my friend was different : his 

 head seemed to be swelled, and he could not keep his hat 

 on. We experienced also a great numbness, which in- 

 clined us to sleep. Not being able any longer to endvire this 

 state, we resolved to descend ; w hich we did slowly, for half 

 an hour, with our watches in our hands. About half after 

 twelve we arrived over Badenburg near Winscnon the Luhe, 

 where we purposed to act out ; but the inhabitants, taking 

 us for spectres, fled with the utmost consternation, carrving 

 ^vilh them their cattle, and sought shelter in their houses, 

 the doors of which thev shut. 



My friend having observed to me that this terror might 

 be miunous to us, and mducc these people to fire at us, we 

 threvv" out a part of our remaining ballast, and, having again 

 ascended, continued our voyage till tu-o in the afternoon. 

 We at length descended near Wichtenbeck, on the road to 

 Zell, where commissioners Weyhe and M. Raven were so 

 kind as to give us every assistance in their power, and caused 

 us to be conducted with our balloon to the first post, about 

 five leagvies distant from the place of our descent. We arrived 

 at Wichtenbeck in perfect health, after having passed over 

 twenty-five French leagues in five hours. 



By some farther particulars which Mr. Robertson has 

 since published at Hamburgh, it appears that he rose to the 

 height of 2600 toises. " When the balloon rose (says he) 

 the ihennoineter was at 28 inches. At 1 1 o'clock the ma- 

 chine, which had not been entirelv filled, became so dilated 

 that the inflannnable air issued with noise from the lower 

 tube. As this aperture was not sufficient, I was obliged to 

 open the upper valve. It remained open nearly a quarter of 

 an hour, during which time the balloon ascended in a per- 

 pendicular direction : at intervals we threw out some bal- 

 last. The atmosphere below us was serene, but above us 

 it was somewhat cloudy. Though we approached the sun, 

 the heat decreased as we ascended, and we could look at 

 that luminary without being dazzled. When the barometer 

 was at 14 inches it appeared to become stationary. The 

 thermometer sj-as at -li degrees below zero. The cold was 

 not excessive; but the singing in my ears increased, and all 

 our faculties seemed to be palsied by a general indisposition. 



Having 



