AEROSTATIONi 
457 
black paper were fixed together at right angles, and suspended from 
the car with a piece of thread, which was intended to indicate any 
variation in the direction of the balloon, and was therefore called the 
way-iviser ; it answered its purpose much better than had been 
anticipated. At about a quarter past seven in the evening, when the 
barometer stood at thirty inches, and the centigrade thermometer at 
19®, the machine ascended, and at thirty-one minutes past seven the 
barometer had sunk to twenty-nine inches, and the thermometer to 18® : 
the first cask was now filled with air, and, six minutes after, when the 
barometer had fallen another inch, the second cask was opened and 
filled. At this time, as the towns and villages were obscured by a 
fog, the paper way-wiser was thrown out, which indicated any varia- 
tion in the direction of the balloon, as also its sinking and rising ; for 
as soon as the machine fell, the way-wiser, as it was much lighter 
than the balloon, and found more resistance in falling, appeared to 
fly up ; and when the balloon rose, it sunk to the full length of its 
thread ; at other times it was found to hold a diagonal direction, and 
in short it pointed out with considerable accuracy, with the assistance 
of the compass needle, not only any variation in the motion, but the 
actual direction of the whole machine. 
Having at twenty-five minutes past eight, ascended to such a 
height that the barometer stood at twenty-six inches, another cask 
was filled with air ; and soon after another, when the barometer was 
at twenty-five inches ; and the same was done for every inch of descent 
of the mercury. At about thirty minutes past nine, the barometer 
indicated twenty-two inches^ and the thermometer 4|®; at which 
time the voyagers saw the sun; it was about half obscured, either by 
a fog or by the horizon, but they could not distinguish which. At 
this period they commenced the following series of experiments and 
observations. A piece of sealing wax, rubbed with cloth, put in mo- 
tion Bennet’s electrometer. The magnetic needle, which was taken 
for the purpose of examining the inclination, had been damaged; but 
in order to ascertain whether the magnetic power still remained the 
same as at the earth’s surface, Mr. Sacharof placed a common magnetic 
needle on a pin, and was surprised to find the north end rise, and 
consequently the south descend, considerably, making an angle of 
ten or twelve degrees. This experiment being repeated several times 
both by this gentleman and Mr. Robertson, the result was constantly 
the same : — after descending, and at present, (Mr. Sacharof observes,) 
the same needle assumes a horizontal position. At this height the 
aeronauts did not experience the slightest inconvenience, except that 
their ears were benumbed with the cold. ‘^My pulse,” says Mr. Sa- 
charof, ‘‘ beat as on the earth, that is, eighty-two times in a minute, 
and I breathed twenty-two times in the same interval, as is usual with 
me. In a word, I was exceedingly tranquil and cheerful, and experien- 
ced no change or uneasiness.” At that time there were white clouds a 
great way above the balloon, but the heavens in general were clear 
and bright, notwithstanding which, however, they could observe no 
stars. Mr. Sacharof at this time proposed to continue their voyage 
all night, in order that they might see the sun rise, and have time 
to make other experiments ; but being ignorant of the country over 
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