Proceedings of Learned Societies. 307 



we liad reached the fifth mile, and the temperature had passed 

 below zero, and then read minus 2°. Up to this time I had expe- 

 rienced no difficulty in breathing, whilst Mr. Coxwell, in conse- 

 quence of the necessary exertions he had to make, had breathed 

 with difficulty for some time. Mr. Coxwell ascended into the ring, 

 and I endeavoured to reach some brandy which was lying on the 

 table at a distance of about a foot from my hand, but I was unable 

 to do so. My sight became dim. I looked at the barometer, and 

 saw it between 10 and 11 inches, and tried to record it, but was 

 unable to write. I then saw it at 10 inches, still decreasing fast, and 

 just managed to note it in my book ; its true reading, therefore, 

 was about 9f inches, implying a height of about 29,000 feet. I was 

 losing all power, and endeavoured to rouse myself by struggling 

 and shaking. I essayed to tell Mr. Coxwell I was becoming in- 

 sensible, but I had lost the power of speech. I saw Mr. Coxwell 

 dimly in the ring ; it became more misty, and finally dark. I was 

 still conscious, and knew I should soon be insensible, and I suddenly 

 sank as in sleep. On recovering consciousness, I heard Mr. Cox- 

 well say, " What is the temperature ? Take an observation, now, 

 try." I could neither see, move, nor speak, but I knew he was 

 in the car trying to roiise me. I then heard him speak more 

 emphatically, " Take an observation. Now do try." I then saw 

 the instruments dimly, and Mr. Coxwell very dimly, then more 

 clearly, and shortly afterwards said to Coxwell, " I have been 

 insensible;" and he replied, "You have; and I nearly." I re- 

 covered somewhat quickly, and Mr. Coxwell said, I have lost the 

 use of my hands ; give me some brandy to bathe them. His 

 hands were nearly black. I saw the temperature was still be- 

 low zero, and the barometer reading 11 inches, and increasing 

 quickly. I resumed my observations at 2 '7, recording the barometer 

 reading 1T53 inches, and the temperature minus 2°. I then found 

 that the water in the vessel supplying the wet-bulb thermometer, 

 which I had by frequent disturbance kept from freezing, was one 

 mass of ice. Mr. Coxwell then told me that whilst in the ring he 

 felt it piercingly cold ; that hoar frost was all round the neck of 

 the balloon ; and on attempting to leave the ring he found his 

 hands frozen, and he had to place his arms on the ring and drop 

 down ; that he found me motionless, with a quiet and placid ex- 

 pression on the countenance ; that he at first thought I was resting 

 myself; that he then spoke to me without eliciting a reply, and 

 then observed my arms hanging by my side, and my legs extended, 

 and found I was insensible. He then felt that insensibility was 

 coming over himself, and that he could not assist me in any way ; 

 that he became anxious to open the valve; that his hands failed him; 

 and that he instantly seized the line between his teeth and pulled 

 the valve open two or three times, until the baloon took a decided 

 turn downwards. Some pigeons were taken up. One was thrown 

 out at the height of three miles ; it extended its wings and dropped 

 like a piece of paper. A second, at four miles, flew vigorously 

 round and round, apparently taking a dip each time. A third was 

 thrown out between four and five miles, and it fell downwards. A 



