Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies

“‘We have quitted the earth,’ said I to my companion. “‘I compliment you on the fact,’ he answered; ‘keep up the fire!’ “A truss of hay, steeped in spirits of wine accelerated the swiftness of our ascent. I cast my glance upon the town, which seemed to flee rapidly from under our feet. Terrestrial objects had already lost their shape and size. The burning heat which I felt at first now gave place to a temperature of the most agreeable kind, and the air which we breathed seemed to contain healthful elements unknown to dwellers on the lower earth. “‘How well I am!’ I said to Louchet; ‘how are you?’ “‘As well as can be. Would that I could dispatch a message to the earth!’ “Immediately I threw over a roll of paper on which I had written the words, ‘All well on board the City of Rodez.’ “At thirty-two minutes past eight our elevation was at least 6,000 feet above sea level. A flame from our fire, rising from eighteen to twenty feet, sent us up another 1,000 feet. It was then that our machine was seen by every spectator within a circuit of nine miles, and it appeared to be right over the heads of all of them. “‘Send us up out of sight,’ said my adventurous confrere. “I had to moderate his ardour--a larger fire would have burnt our balloon. “From our moving observatory the most splendid view developed itself. The boundaries of the horizon were vastly extended. The capital of the Rouergue appeared to be no more than a group of stones, one of which seemed to rise to the height of two or three feet. This was no other than the superb tower of the cathedral. Fertile slopes, agreeable valleys, lofty precipices, waste lands, ancient castles perched upon frowning rocks, these form the endlessly varied spectacle which the Rouergue and the neighbouring provinces present to the view of those who traverse the surface of the earth. But how different is the scene to the aerial voyager! We could perceive only a vast country, perfectly round, and seemingly a little elevated in the middle, irregularly marked with verdure, but without inhabitants, without towns, valleys, rivers, or mountains. Living beings no