ON THREE BALLOON ASCENTS IN 1865 AND 1866. 871 



doing so, at the height of 3000 feet, we changed our direction, and moved 

 ■with some W. in the wind ; on descending again to the same level we fell in 

 with the S.E. current. 



During the whole ascent the sky was covered with cloud, and we neither 

 saw the moon, nor could distinguish her place in the heavens, and we had to 

 depend on the compass entirely for a knowledge of the course we were taking. 

 This we could readily do ; for although the sky was uniformly covered with 

 cloud, with very many detached clouds helow us, some of which were very 

 near the earth, yet when no cloud was directly under us, the boundary of 

 every field was clearly visible, even at the height of one mile. By carefully 

 noting the angle and direction our course made with edges of the field, we 

 determined the direction we were moving. Thus guided we kept in the 

 lower current till we passed so far inland as to be safe from the sea, towards 

 which the upper current would have taken us. The results of this night'S' 

 experiments difi'er frota those taken on October 2, liy showing a small de- 

 crease of temperature with increasing elevation. They were made, however, 

 entirely under the cloud ; for at our highest point the cloud was uniformly 

 dense, and situated far above us. 



In our course we passed a little north of London, but, owing to a cloitd of 

 less elevation than 1000 feet between us and London, we did not see a single' 

 light, or anything of London, forming a great contrast to the experience of 

 the previous ascent. 



Arrangements were made for ascents at night in January and February, 

 and for several months the balloon was kindly stored at night at "Woolwich 

 for the use of the Committee ; but my health failed, and for many months I 

 was too unwell to attempt an ascent at night, and thus passed tiU April. 



Ascent from Windsor, May 29, 1866. — I have abeady said that no ascents 

 had been made in May; Mr. Westcar, of the Royal Horse Guards, then 

 stationed at Windsor, kindly offered the use of his balloon, and arrange- 

 ments were made at different times in May, but, as is usual, some fruitless 

 attempts were made. 



On the 29th of May the balloon was filled early in the afternoon and left 

 at 6'' 14"", about an hour and three-quarters before sunset, in the hope of being 

 able to remain in the air for as long after sunset as possible. 



The temperature of the air at this time was 58°, and was 58|° at Green- 

 wich Observatory. It at once declined to 55° at 1200 feet, and to 43° be- 

 tween the height of 3600 to 4600 feet, then further declining to 29|° at the ' 

 height of 6200 feet, at 7"^ 17". On turning to descend, the temperature 

 increased, but not uniformly, to 54° at S*" 9"", at 380 feet above the sea, 

 but very nearly touching the tops of the trees, being about 3° of less tem- 

 perature when at the same height above the sea on rising. Our object was to 

 be as near the earth as possible at the time of sunset, and having seen him set 

 to discharge sand so quickly as to make him to rise in the west. We did not 

 succeed. At the time of sunset we were about 600 feet high, but directly 

 passed over a hill, and on passing the ridge, the balloon was sucked down and, 

 it was only by a very free discharge of sand that Mr. Westcar prevented the 

 balloon coming to the ground. We then again started upon a second ascent, 

 to be as like the one we had just completed as we could make it. At S** 9'" 

 the temperature was 54°. Again the temperature declined, but somewhat 

 less rapidly than before. On again reaching one mile the temperature had 

 declined to 39°, and on reaching the height of 6200 feet (the same elevation 

 as we were three-quarters of an hour before simset), the sun having set 



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