70 HISTORY OF A EKOSTAT1OX. 



\vitli them, which made the balloon ascend, when they were about 

 midway betwixt I'rance and Knglaud. At a quarter past two, find, 

 ing themselves again descending, tliey threw away tin- remainder of 

 their books, and, ten minutes after, they had a mo-,t enchanting 

 prospect of the French coast. Still, however, the machine depend- 

 ed; and as they had now no more ballast, tliey were fain to throw 

 away their provisions for eating, the wings of their boat, and every 

 moveable they could easily spare. " We threw away," says Dr. 

 Jeffries, " our only bottle, which in its descent cast out a steam like 

 smoke, with a rushing noise; and when it struck the water, we heard, 

 and felt the shock very perceptibly on our car and balloon." All 

 this proving insufficient to stop the descent of the balloon, they next 

 threw out their anchors and cords, and at last stripped off their 

 clothes, fastening themselves to certain slings, and intending to cut 

 away the boat as their last resource. They had now the satisfac. 

 tion, however, to find that they were rising; and as they passed over 

 the high lands between Cape Blanc and Calais, the machine rose 

 very fast, and carried them to a greater height than they had been 

 at any former part of their voyage. They descended safely among 

 some trees in the forest of Guienues, where there was just opening 

 enough to admit them. 



In September, 1785, Mr. Baldwin ascended from Chester, in 

 Mr. Luuardi's balloon ; and, after traversing in a variety of direc- 

 tions, he first alighted in the neighbourhood of Frodsham ; then re- 

 ascending and pursuing his excursions, he finally landed at Rixton- 

 moss, twenty-five miles from Chester. Mr. Baldwin, who pub. 

 lished his observations made during the voyage, and taken from 

 minutes, mentions the following curious particulars. The sensation 

 of ascending he compares to a strong pressure from the bottom of 

 the car upwards against the soles of his feet. At the distance of 

 what appeared to him seven miles from the earth, though by the baro- 

 meter scarcely a mile and an half, he had a grand and most enchant, 

 ing view of the city of Chester and its adjacent places below him. 

 The river Dee appeared of a red colour ; the city very diminutive ; 

 and the town entirely blue. The whole appeared a perfect plane, 

 the highest building-, h.mng no apparent height, but reduced all to 

 the same level, and the whole terrestrial prospect appeared like a co- 

 loured map. The perspective appearance of things to him was very 

 remarkable. The lowe-l bed of vapour that first appeared as cloud, 

 was pure white in detached fleeces, increasing as they rose : they 



