T902] BALLOON ASCENT 147 



carcase was centralised and covered with its net, well weighted 

 with sandbags. 



The contents of cylinder after cylinder were added, until 

 gradually our balloon became a thing of life swaying about in 

 the gentle breeze; but the temperature was down to 16 , and 

 owing to the contraction of the gas wrinkles were still visible 

 on its surface after it had absorbed its correct allowance of 

 sixteen cylinders containing 500 cubic feet apiece, and it was 

 not until we had brought out and emptied three additional 

 ones that its name ' Eva ' could be read on a smooth, un- 

 wrinkled surface. 



The honour of being the first aeronaut to make an ascent 

 in the Antarctic Regions, perhaps somewhat selfishly, I chose 

 for myself, and I may further confess that in so doing I was 

 contemplating the first ascent I had made in any region, and 

 as I swayed about in what appeared a very inadequate basket 

 and gazed down on the rapidly diminishing figures below I 

 felt some doubt as to whether I had been wise in my choice. 



Meanwhile the balloon continued to rise as the wire rope 

 attached to it was eased, until at a height of about 500 feet it 

 was brought to rest by the weight of the rope ; I heard the 

 word I sand ' borne up from below and remembered the bags 

 at my feet ; the correct way to obtain greater buoyancy would 

 have been gradually to empty these over the side of the car, 

 but with thoughtless inexperience I seized them wholesale and 

 flung them out, with the result that the • Eva ' shot up sud- 

 denly, and as the rope tightened commenced to oscillate in a 

 manner that was not at all pleasing. Then, as the rope was 

 slackened I again ascended, but, alas ! only to be again checked 

 by the weight of rope at something under 800 feet. Our wire 

 rope was evidently too heavy to allow greater altitude, and the 

 only lighter one we possessed seemed not quite within the 

 bounds of safety should the wind increase. 



But, as it was, my view was very extended, and prob- 

 ably afforded as much information as would have been 

 obtained in a loftier position. The following I take from my 

 diary : 



