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Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
69
as
to
close
up
the
opening
of
the
large
balloon,
by
means
of
which
provision
had
been
made
for
the
egress
of
the
gas
now
dilated
by
the
heat
of
the
sun,
which
poured
down
its
rays,
a
sudden
gust
having
cleared
the
space
of
the
clouds.
It
was
feared
that
the
case
of
the
balloon
would
crack,
and
the
whole
thing
collapse,
in
spite
of
the
efforts
of
the
aeronauts
to
push
back
the
smaller
balloon
from
the
opening.
Then
the
Duke
of
Chartres
seized
one
of
the
flags
they
carried,
and
with
the
lance-head
pierced
the
balloon
in
two
places.
A
rent
of
about
nine
feet
was
the
consequence,
and
the
balloon
began
to
descend
with
amazing
rapidity.
They
would
have
fallen
into
a
lake
had
they
not
thrown
over
60
lbs.
of
ballast,
which
caused
them
to
rise
a
little,
and
pass
over
to
the
shore,
where
they
got
safely
to
the
earth.
The
expedition
lasted
only
a
few
minutes.
The
Duke
of
Chartres
was
rallied
by
his
enemies,
who
accused
him
of
cowardice;
and
Monjoie,
his
historian,
making
allusion
to
the
combat
of
Ouessant,
says
that
he
had
given
proofs
of
his
cowardice
in
the
three
elements--earth,
air,
and
water.
M.
Gray,
professor
at
the
seminary
of
Rodez,
presented
us
some
years
ago
with
the
following
letter
from
the
Abbe
Carnus,
upon
the
aerial
voyage
which
he
undertook,
August
6th,
1784:--
“The
progress
of
the
Montgolfiere
was
so
sudden
that
one
might
almost
have
believed
that
it
arose
all
inflated
and
furnished
out
of
some
chasm
in
the
earth
The
air
was
calm,
the
sky
without
clouds,
the
sun
very
strong.
Our
fuel
and
instruments
were
put
into
the
gallery,
my
companion,
M.
Louchet,
was
at
his
post,
and
I
took
mine.
At
twenty
minutes
past
eight
the
cords
were
loosened,
we
waved
a
farewell
to
the
spectators,
and
while
two
cannon-shots
announced
our
departure,
we
were
already
high
above
the
loftiest
buildings.
“To
the
general
acclamations
of
the
crowd
succeeded
a
profound
silence.
The
spectators,
half
in
fear,
half
in
admiration,
stood
motionless,
with
eyes
fixed,
and
gazing
eagerly
at
the
superb
machine,
which
rose
almost
vertically
with
rapidity
and
also
with
grandeur.
Some
women,
and
even
some
men,
fainted
away;
others
raised
their
hands
to
heaven;
others
shed
tears;
all
grew
pale
at
the
sight
of
our
bright
fire.
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