Wilbur Anne T translator - A Voyage in a Balloon

A Voyage in a Balloon
First published in 1852.

ISBN 978-1-775412-42-7

2008 THE FLOATING PRESS.

While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike.

Visit www.thefloatingpress.com

My Ascension at FrankfortThe Balloon, the Gas, the Apparatus, the BallastAn Unexpected Travelling CompanionConversation in the AirAnecdotesAt 800 MetresThe Portfolio of the Pale Young ManPictures and CaricaturesDes Rosiers and d'ArlandesAt 1200 MetresAtmospheric PhenomenaThe Philosopher CharlesSystemsBlanchardGuyton-MorveauxM. JulienM. PetinAt 1500 MetresThe StormGreat Personages in BalloonsThe ValveThe Curious AnimalsThe Aerial ShipGame of Balloons.

In the month of September, 1850, I arrived at Frankfort-on-the-Maine. Mypassage through the principal cities of Germany, had been brilliantlymarked by aerostatic ascensions; but, up to this day, no inhabitant ofthe Confederation had accompanied me, and the successful experiments atParis of Messrs. Green, Godard, and Poitevin, had failed to induce thegrave Germans to attempt aerial voyages.

Meanwhile, hardly had the news of my approaching ascension circulatedthroughout Frankfort, than three persons of note asked the favour ofaccompanying me. Two days after, we were to ascend from the Place de laComdie. I immediately occupied myself with the preparations. Myballoon, of gigantic proportions, was of silk, coated with gutta percha,a substance not liable to injury from acids or gas, and of absoluteimpermeability. Some trifling rents were mended: the inevitable resultsof perilous descents.

The day of our ascension was that of the great fair of September, whichattracts all the world to Frankfort. The apparatus for filling wascomposed of six hogsheads arranged around a large vat, hermeticallysealed. The hydrogen gas, evolved by the contact of water with iron andsulphuric acid, passed from the first reservoirs to the second, andthence into the immense globe, which was thus gradually inflated. Thesepreparations occupied all the morning, and about 11 o'clock, the balloonwas three-quarters full; sufficiently so;for as we rise, theatmospheric layers diminish in density, and the gas, confined within theaerostat, acquiring more elasticity, might otherwise burst its envelope.My calculations had furnished me with the exact measurement of gasrequired to carry my companions and myself to a considerable height.

We were to ascend at noon. It was truly a magnificent spectacle, that ofthe impatient crowd who thronged around the reserved enclosure,inundated the entire square and adjoining streets, and covered theneighbouring houses from the basements to the slated roofs. The highwinds of past days had lulled, and an overpowering heat was radiatingfrom an unclouded sky; not a breath animated the atmosphere. In suchweather, one might descend in the very spot he had left.

I carried three hundred pounds of ballast, in bags; the car, perfectlyround, four feet in diameter, and three feet in height, was convenientlyattached; the cord which sustained it was symmetrically extended fromthe upper hemisphere of the aerostat; the compass was in its place, thebarometer suspended to the iron hoop which surrounded the supportingcord, at a distance of eight feet above the car; the anchor carefullyprepared;all was in readiness for our departure.

Among the persons who crowded around the enclosure, I remarked a youngman with pale face and agitated features. I was struck with hisappearance. He had been an assiduous spectator of my ascensions inseveral cities of Germany. His uneasy air and his extraordinarypre-occupation never left him; he eagerly contemplated the curiousmachine, which rested motionless at a few feet from the ground, andremained silent.

The clock struck twelve! This was the hour. My compagnons du voyagehad not appeared. I sent to the dwelling of each, and learned that onehad started for Hamburg, another for Vienna and the third, still morefearful, for London. Their hearts had failed them at the moment ofundertaking one of those excursions, which, since the ingeniousexperiments of aeronauts, are deprived of all danger. As they made, asit were a part of the programme of the fte, they had feared beingcompelled to fulfil their agreements, and had fled at the moment ofascension. Their courage had been in inverse ratio to the square oftheir swiftness in retreat.

The crowd, thus partly disappointed, were shouting with anger andimpatience. I did not hesitate to ascend alone. To re-establish theequilibrium between the specific gravity of the balloon and the weightto be raised, I substituted other bags of sand for my expectedcompanions and entered the car. The twelve men who were holding theaerostat by twelve cords fastened to the equatorial circle, let themslip between their fingers; the car rose a few feet above the ground.There was not a breath of wind, and the atmosphere, heavy as lead,seemed insurmountable.

"All is ready!" exclaimed I; "attention!"

The men arranged themselves; a last glance informed me that everythingwas right.

"Attention!"

There was some movement in the crowd which seemed to be invading thereserved enclosure.

"Let go!"

The balloon slowly ascended; but I experienced a shock which threw me tothe bottom of the car. When I rose, I found myself face to face with anunexpected voyager,the pale young man.

"Monsieur, I salute you!" said he to me.

"By what right?"

"Am I here? By the right of your inability to turn me out."

I was confounded. His assurance disconcerted me; and I had nothing tosay in reply. I looked at him, but he paid no regard to my astonishment.He continued:

"My weight will disturb your equilibrium, Monsieur: will you permitme"

And without waiting for my assent, he lightened the balloon by two bagsof sand which he emptied into the air.

"Monsieur," said I, taking the only possible course, "you arehere,well! you choose to remain,well! but to me alone belongs themanagement of the aerostat."

"Monsieur," replied he, "your urbanity is entirely French; it is of thesame country with myself! I press in imagination the hand which yourefuse me. Take your measures,act as it may seem good to you; I willwait till you have ended"

"To"

"To converse with you."

The barometer had fallen to twenty-six inches; we had attained a heightof about six hundred metres, and were over the city; which satisfied meof our complete quiescence, for I could not judge by our motionlessflags. Nothing betrays the horizontal voyage of a balloon; it is themass of air surrounding it which moves. A kind of wavering heat bathedthe objects extended at our feet, and gave their outlines anindistinctness to be regretted. The needle of the compass indicated aslight tendency to float towards the south.