1784 



A BALLOON JOURNEY 135 



continuing as before, I became more sanguine than ever; 

 and issuing forth in the morning exhorted all those that had 

 any curiosity to look sharp from about one o' the clock 

 to three towards London, as they would stand a good chance 

 of being entertained with a very extraordinary sight. That 

 day I was not content to call at the houses only ; but I went 

 out to the plow-men and labourers in the fields, and advised 

 them to keep an eye to the N. and N.E. at times. I wrote 

 also to Mr. Pink of Faringdon to desire him to look about 

 him. But about one o'clock there came up such a haze that 

 I could not see the hanger. However, not long after the 

 mist cleared away in some degree, and people began to 

 mount the hill. I was busy in and out 'til a quarter after 

 two ; and took my last walk along the top of the pound-field, 

 from whence I could discern a long cloud of London smoke, 

 hanging to the N. and N.N.E. This appearance, for obvious 

 reasons, increased my expectation: yet I came home to 

 dinner, knowing how many were on the watch : but laid my 

 hat and surtout ready in a chair, in case of an alarm. At 

 twenty minutes before three there was a cry in the street 

 that the balloon was come. We ran into the orchard, where 

 we found twenty or thirty neighbours assembled ; and from 

 the green bank at the S.W. end of my house saw a dark blue 

 speck at a most prodigious height, dropping as it were from 

 the sky, and hanging amidst the regions of the upper air, 

 between the weather-cock of the tower and the top of the 

 may -pole. At first, coming towards us, it did not seem to 

 make any way ; but we soon discovered that its velocity was 

 very considerable. For in a few minutes it was over the 

 may-pole; and then over the Fox on my great parlor 

 chimney; and in ten minutes more behind my great wall- 

 nut tree. The machine looked mostly of a dark blue colour; 

 but some times reflected the rays of the sun, and appeared 

 of a bright yellow. With a telescope I could discern the 

 boat, and the ropes that supported it. To my eye this vast 



