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128
Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
90
scene
in
such
circumstances
produces.
To
find
oneself
transported
in
the
darkness
of
night,
in
the
midst
of
vast
solitudes
of
air,
unknown,
unperceived,
in
secret
and
in
silence,
exploring
territories,
traversing
kingdoms,
watching
towns
which
come
into
view,
and
pass
out
of
it
before
one
can
examine
them
in
detail--these
circumstances
are
enough
in
themselves
to
render
sublime
a
science
which,
independent
of
these
adjuncts,
would
be
so
interesting.
If
you
add
to
this
the
uncertainty
which,
increasing
as
we
went
on
into
the
night,
began
to
assail
us
respecting
our
voyage,
our
ignorance
of
where
we
were,
and
what
were
the
objects
we
were
attempting
to
discover,
you
may
form
some
idea
of
our
singular
position.”
About
midnight,
the
travellers
found
themselves
above
Liege.
Situated
in
the
midst
of
a
thickly-peopled
country,
full
of
foundries,
smelting
works,
and
forges,
this
town
was
quite
a
blaze
of
light.
The
gas-lamps
with
which
this
town
is
so
well
lighted,
clearly
marked
out
for
our
travellers
the
main
streets,
the
squares,
and
the
public
buildings.
But
after
midnight,
at
which
time
the
lamps
in
continental
towns
are
mostly
put
out,
the
whole
of
the
under
world
disappeared
from
the
view
of
the
aeronauts.
“After
the
turn
of
the
night,”
says
Mason,
“the
moon
did
not
show
itself,
and
the
heavens,
always
more
sombre
when
regarded
from
great
altitudes,
seemed
to
us
to
intensify
the
natural
darkness.
On
the
other
hand,
by
a
singular
contrast,
the
stars
shone
out
with
unusual
brilliancy,
and
seemed
like
living
sparks
sown
upon
the
ebony
vault
that
surrounded
us.
In
fact,
nothing
could
exceed
the
intensity
of
the
night
which
prevailed
during
this
part
of
our
voyage.
A
black
profound
abyss
surrounded
us
on
all
sides,
and,
as
we
attempted
to
penetrate
into
the
mysterious
deeps,
it
was
with
difficulty
we
could
beat
back
the
idea
and
the
apprehension
that
we
were
making
a
passage
through
an
immense
mass
of
black
marble,
in
which
we
were
enclosed,
and
which,
solid
to
within
a
few
inches
of
us,
appeared
to
open
up
at
our
approach.”
Until
three
o’clock
the
voyagers
were
in
this
state.
The
height
of
the
balloon,
as
calculated
by
the
barometer,
was
2,000
feet.
They
had
not
then
anything
to
fear
from
a
disastrous
encounter,
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