3O2 SCIENTIFIC RECREATIONS. 



air, and human voices are heard at an altitude of 5,000 feet. A 

 man's voice alone will penetrate more than 3,000 feet into the air ; 

 .and at that elevation the croaking of frogs is quite distinguishable. This 

 shows that sound ascends with ease, but it meets with great resistance in its 

 downward course, for the aeronaut cannot make himself audible to a listener 

 .on the earth at a greater distance than 300 or 400 feet, though the latter 

 .can be distinctly heard at an elevation of 1,600 feet. The diminution of 

 temperature noted by M. Flammarion is stated to be i Fahr. for every 345 

 feet on a fine day. On a cloudy day the mean decrease was i for 

 .every 354 feet of altitude. The temperature of clouds is higher than the 

 .air surrounding them, and the decrease is more rapid near the surface, 

 less rapid as the balloon ascends. We may add that at high elevations the 

 .cork from a water-bottle will pop out as if from a champagne flask. 



We have hitherto referred more to M. Flammarion and other French 

 aeronauts, but we must not be considered in any way oblivious of our 

 .countrymen, Messrs. Glaisher, Green, and Coxwell, nor of the American, 

 .one of the most experienced of aerial voyagers, Mr. Wise. The scientific 

 -observations made by the French voyagers confirmed generally Mr. Glaisher's 

 .experiments. This noted air-traveller made twenty-eight ascents in the 

 cause of science, and his experiences related in " Travels in the Air," and 

 in the "Reports" of the British Association, are both useful and entertaining. 

 For " Sensational ballooning " one wishes to go no farther than his account 

 ,of his experience with Mr. Coxwell, when (on the 5th of September, 1862) 

 he attained the greatest elevation ever reached, viz., seven miles, or thirty- 

 rseven thousand feet. 



We condense this exciting narrative for the benefit of those who have 

 -not seen it already. 



The ascent was made from Wolverhampton. At 1.39 p.m., the 

 balloon was four miles high, the temperature was 8, and by the time the 

 fifth mile had been reached the mercury was below zero, and up to this 

 time observations had been made without discomfort, though Mr. Coxwell, 

 having exerted himself as aeronaut, found some difficulty in breathing. 

 About 2 o'clock, the balloon still ascending, Mr. Glaisher could not see tfie 

 mercury in the thermometer, and Mr. Coxwell had just then ascended into 

 the ring above the car to release the valve line which had become twisted. 

 Mr. Glaisher was able to note the barometer, however, and found it marked 

 10 inches, and was rapidly decreasing. It fell to 9f inches, and this 

 indicated an elevation of 29,000 feet! But the idea was to ascend 

 .as high as possible, so the upward direction was maintained. "Shortly 

 .afterwards," writes Mr. Glaisher, "I laid my arm upon the table possessed 

 of its full vigour, and on being desirous of using it I found it power- 

 less, it must have lost power momentarily. I tried to move the other 

 arm, and found it powerless also. I then tried to shake myself, and 

 succeeded in shaking my body. I seemed to have no limbs. I then looked 

 .at the barometer, and whilst doing so my head fell on my left shoulder." 



