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128
Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
95
on
the
earth
at
some
distance,
with
no
other
help
than
the
parachute;
and
she
was
really
able
to
guide
herself
to
within
a
few
feet
of
the
specified
spot,
by
simply
altering
the
inclination
of
the
parachute.
“From
observations
in
mountainous
districts,
where
large
birds
of
prey
may
be
seen
to
the
best
advantage
hovering
with
outstretched
wings,
I
have
come
to
the
conclusion
that
they
first
of
all
attain
the
requisite
height
and
then,
extending
their
wings
in
the
form
of
a
parachute,
let
themselves
glide
gradually
towards
the
desired
spot.
Marshal
Niel
confirms
this
opinion
by
his
experience
in
the
mountains
of
Algeria.
It
is,
therefore,
clear
from
these
examples
that
we
should
possess
the
power
of
transporting
ourselves
from
place
to
place
if
we
could
only
discover
a
means
of
raising
a
weight
perpendicularly
in
the
air,
which
would
then
act
as
a
capital
of
power,
only
requiring
to
be
expended
at
will.”
From
the
foregoing
remarks
we
may
gather
an
idea
of
the
importance
which
may
be
attached
to
aerial
locomotion
notwithstanding
the
successive
failures
of
all
those
who
have
hitherto
taken
up
the
subject.
We
come
now
to
the
description
of
the
memorable
ascent
of
the
‘Geant.’
We
learn
from
the
very
interesting
account
of
the
‘Geant,’
published
at
the
time,
all
the
mishaps
and
adventures
it
outlived
from
the
time
of
the
first
stitch
in
its
covering
to
its
final
inflation
with
gas.
We
must,
however,
be
content
to
take
up
the
narrative
at
the
point
at
which
the
‘Geant,’
with
thirteen
passengers
on
board,
had,
in
obedience
to
the
order
to
“let
go,”
been
released
from
the
bonds
which
held
it
to
the
earth.
The
narrative
is,
as
our
readers
will
perceive,
written
in
somewhat
exaggerated
language:--
“The
‘Geant’
gave
an
almost
imperceptible
shake
on
finding
itself
free,
and
then
commenced
to
rise.
The
ascent
was
slow
and
gradual
at
first--the
monster
seemed
to
be
feeling
its
way.
An
immense
shout
rose
with
it
from
the
assembled
multitude.
We
ascended
grandly,
whilst
the
deafening
clamour
of
two
hundred
thousand
voices
seemed
to
increase.
We
leant
over
the
edge
of
the
car,
and
gazed
at
the
thousands
of
faces
which
were
turned
towards
us
from
every
point
of
the
vast
plain,
in
every
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