EXAMPLES OF RESISTING FLAME. 309 



bustibles. One of the firemen carried on his 

 back a child eight years old, in a wicker-basket 

 covered with metallic gauze, and the child had 

 no other dress than a cap made of amianthine 

 cloth. 



In February, 1829, a still more striking expe- 

 riment was made in the yard of the barracks of 

 St. Gervais. Two towers were erected two 

 stories high, and were surrounded with heaps of 

 inflamed materials, consisting of fagots and 

 straw. The firemen braved the danger with im- 

 punity, In opposition to the advice of M. Aldini, 

 one of them, with the basket and child, rushed 

 into a narrow place, where the flames were raging 

 eight yards high. The violence of the fire was 

 so great that he could not be seen, while a thick 

 black smoke spread around, throwing out a heat 

 which was unsupportable by the spectators. The 

 fireman remained so long invisible that serious 

 doubts were entertained of his safety. He at 

 length, however, issued from the fiery gulf un- 

 injured, and proud of having succeeded in braving 

 so great a danger. 



It is a remarkable result of these experiments, 

 that the firemen are able to breathe without diffi- 

 culty in the middle of the flames. This effect is 

 owing not only to the heat being intercepted by 

 the wire-gauze as it passes to the lungs, in con- 

 sequence of M'hich its temperature becomes sup- 

 portable, but also to the singular power which 

 the body possesses of resisting great heats, and 

 of breathing air of high temperatures. 



A series of curious experiments were made on 

 this subject by M. Tillet in France, and by Dr. 

 Fordyce and Sir Charles Blagden in England. 

 Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. Solander, and Sir Charles 



