5ii Pi fa/re de Rozier and Remain. [Book V. 



very more than forty different perfons performed the 

 experiment without any material injury j and it may 

 be juftly queftioned, lays M. Cavallo, whether the 

 firft forty perfons who trufted themfelves to the fea in 

 boats or veflels efcaped fo fafe. We mutr, however, 

 conclude this account of aerial travellers by a melan- 

 choly fid, the fate of the gallant Rozier (who had 

 been the firft aerial navigator) and of his companion, 

 M. Romain. 



This unfortunate experiment was undertaken with 

 a view cf difcovering a method of raifing or lowering 

 aeroftadc machines at pleafure. For this purpofe a 

 imall balloon with rarefied air was attached to the 

 larger one, which was filled with inflammable air. 

 The fmall montgolfier was placed at a proper diftance 

 beneath the larger one, and it was fuppofed, that by 

 increafing or diminiming the fire in the lower machine, 

 the abfolute weight of tire whole would be propor- 

 tionably diminimed or augmented. 



On the i4thofjune, 1785, the fe gentlemen afcend- 

 cd in the machine, prepared as has been related. They 

 had not been long in the air, when the balloon, filled 

 with inflammable air, was feen to fwell very confider- 

 bly, and the aeronauts appeared very anxious to open 

 the valves, and facilitate their defcent, by letting the 

 inflammable air efcape. The whole machine was 

 fhortly after obferved to be on fire, at the height of 

 about three quarters of a mile from the ground. The 

 lilk, which compofed the inflammable balloon, was 

 about a minute after perceived to collapfe, and the ap- 

 paratus defcended with fuch rapidity that both of the 

 gentlemen were killed. M. P. de Rozier appeared 

 quite dead when he reached the ground ; M. Romain 

 was found with fome ligns of life, but expired almofl 

 immediately after. 



This 



