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Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
71
longer
existed
for
us;
the
forests
were
changed
into
what
looked
like
grassy
plains;
the
ranges
of
the
Cantal
and
the
Cevennes
had
disappeared;
we
looked
in
vain
for
the
Mediterranean,
and
the
Pyrenees
seemed
only
a
long
series
of
piles
of
snow,
connected
at
their
bases.
Our
own
balloon,
which
from
Rodez
appeared
about
the
size
of
a
marble,
was
the
only
object
that
for
us
retained
its
natural
dimensions.
What
wonderful
sensations
then
arose
within
us!
I
had
often
reflected
upon
the
works
of
nature;
their
magnificence
had
always
filled
me
with
admiration.
In
this
soul-stirring
moment
how
beautiful
did
nature
seem--how
grand!
With
what
majesty
did
it
strike
my
imagination.
Never
did
man
appear
to
me
before
such
an
excellent
being
His
latest
triumph
over
the
elements
recalled
to
my
mind
his
other
conquests
of
nature.
My
companion
was
animated
with
the
same
sentiments,
and
more
than
once
we
cried
out,
‘Vive
Montgolfier!
Vive
Roziers!
Vivent
ceux
qui
ont
du
courage
et
de
la
constance!’
“In
the
meantime
our
fuel
was
getting
near
the
end.
In
eighteen
minutes
we
had
run
a
distance
of
12,000
feet.
‘Make
your
observations
while
I
attend
to
the
fire,’
said
my
companion
to
me.
I
examined
the
barometer,
the
thermometer,
and
the
compass,
and
having
sealed
up
a
small
bottle
of
the
air
at
this
elevation,
I
asked
my
companion
to
reduce
the
fire.
We
descended
1,800
feet,
and
at
this
height
I
filled
another
bottle
with
air.
“Afterwards
we
felt
the
refreshing
breath
of
a
slight
breeze,
which
carried
us
gently
toward
the
south-east.
In
six
minutes
we
had
run
18,000
feet.
Then,
having
only
sufficient
fuel
to
enable
us
to
choose
the
place
of
our
descent,
we
considered
whether
we
should
not
bring
our
aerial
voyage
to
a
termination.
We
had
neither
lake
nor
forest
to
fear,
and
we
were
secure
against
danger
from
fire,
as
we
could
detach
the
grating
at
some
distance
from
the
earth.
At
fifty-eight
minutes
past
eight
all
our
fuel
was
exhausted,
except
two
bundles
of
straw,
of
four
pounds
each,
which
we
reserved
for
our
descent.
The
balloon
came
gradually
down,
and
terrestrial
objects
began
again
to
resume
their
proper
forms
and
dimensions.
The
animals
fled
at
the
sight
of
our
balloon,
which
seemed
likely
to
crush
them
in
its
fall.
Horsemen
were
obliged
to
dismount
and
lead
their
frightened
horses.
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